Five tips for effective marketing

Regular and effective marketing has a real impact on client retention, improving client spend and attracting new customers. All of which helps you to enjoy better return rates.

Here, software supplier Salon Genius offers five top tips on simple but effective marketing strategies.

• Make sure your salon software allows you to collect plenty of data. The more you know about your customers, the better the segmentation options and marketing opportunities. You should be able to identify and contact groups of customers - or individuals - based on factors such as their age, gender, number of visits, treatments booked, spend or whether they're loyalty card holders.

• Recommend a friend marketing campaigns are great way of attracting new clients. Normally, if your friend has recommended a particular product or service, you're more likely to trust what they say and try it out. If you give your existing clients loyalty points or rewards for recommending a friend, you're more likely to keep your existing clients happy too.

• Gift vouchers are another effective way of marketing. You should be encouraging your existing clients to buy these for their friends or loved ones as a way of introducing new business to your salon or spa. When doing this, you should also include your list of services and prices to encourage them to get their appointment booked. Again, rewarding your existing customers for buying vouchers means you are more likely to retain them as well.

• Loyalty points are really beneficial to your business. You can reward clients for the activities mentioned above which makes it a win-win situation. The existing clients can build up points to gain rewards and the salon may gain potential new clients in the process!

• Finally, remember that your clients are your most valuable asset. With that in mind, rewarding them for their loyalty or giving them incentives and rewards is key.