Promotion: mother's day

Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity for salons to push their services as a pampering gift. Annette Hanford reports Mother’s Day is the time when sons and daughters are looking for ways to show their mums just how much they are appreciated and loved, says Dean Nathanson, MD at Caci International. What better way, he asks, is there to show a mum how much she is thought of than to make her feel extra-special by treating her to an ultimate beauty salon makeover. PERFECT FOR YUMMY MUMMIES “A salon treatment is the perfect gift for an active mum, as this provides a unique opportunity for her to relax and unwind and enjoy a rare bit of self-indulgence. And who knows, she might enjoy her experience so much that she decides to treat herself to a bit of pampering on a regular basis,” he says. Charlie Harmsworth, Espa brand director says holding a Mother’s Day event encourages clients to buy treatment vouchers or product gift sets. “Mother’s Day is especially relevant because it is the ideal chance for a client to buy someone really special a gift that is truly luxurious and enriching.” Kate Williamson, The Skincare Sanctuary national sales manager, agrees. “When people think about what gift they should give their mother for Mother’s Day, they often think about presents that can pamper. As salons are synonymous with pampering, the industry needs to recognise that planning promotions can make a lot of difference to their business.” This could be as simple as giving flowers or trial-size products with every voucher bought.

“Centring promotions around topical occasions like this can give a salon a competitive edge.” Mandy Chilton, salon manager of In Harmony, Eton, near Windsor, is promoting gift vouchers in the quarterly newsletter sent out to her clients. “Mother’s Day is becoming very popular in the salon, and providing you plant the seed and promote it well, clients will take up your offers,” she says.

Her vouchers can be for a particular treatment or assigned a monetary value. “The person buying them can get advice from a therapist if choosing a treatment to truly personalise the gift.” A caligraphy pen is used for the wording, with the pack hand-tied with a ribbon. “Presentation is just as important,” says Mandy. “It looks like a little gift itself.” But creating a lasting memory and touching hearts requires careful planning, as well as some detective work, to ensure your gift offering effortlessly helps clients make their Mother’s Day, says Angi Egan, an expert in visual merchandising and retail sales. DARE TO BE DIFFERENT The same rules apply to all your promotional messages, including window displays. Keep it big, keep it bold, she says, but avoid the temptation to communicate all your offers at once as this simply confuses and dilutes the impact of the message. “Dare to be different and pick your strongest, most tempting offer to act as a hook or a headline and lead with this. The window is a temptation to treat – so ensure it is tempting, colourful and totally compelling,” she advises. According to Angi, big and bold means no more than five to seven words as you have only about three seconds to capture the attention of passing trade. Humour is good because it gets people smiling and talking about you. “Depending upon your market, and the risk you’re prepared to take, you could think of something around the usual gift clichés and tease the predictable nature of this,” she says.

“Some headlines might read ‘mother too fat for chocolate?’ while a sub-title could communicate the lead offer you have created. Another could be around flowers or perfume – ‘more perfume than duty free’ or ‘flowers can be so corny’. Get your team brainstorming, but just ensure you follow with a killer offer.”

But creating killer offers can be difficult, especially if the mother in question has never experienced a treatment before. “You might consider offering a more ‘experiential’ event. Many times I have heard over 45s who have never had a treatment explain that the most off-putting thing is being touched by a stranger,” says Angi. Showing daughters how to pamper their mother can be far less intimidating and should be great fun. Dual treatments in double treatment rooms can also lessen the ‘fear of the unknown’. “Communicate how this will leave them feeling, rather than the treatment name, product house, or even worse, the price.” Angi calls this selling the sizzle and not the sausage. “Think about point-of-sale material that concentrates on how it will make people feel,” she says. “For example ‘look and feel gorgeous’ to promote make-up lessons and a facial. Linking-in with a strategic alliance could also add to the killer offer and offer the much-needed differential.” ATTENTION TO DETAIL Alternatively, you could invite a personal shopper or image consultant in for the day, adding an educational element to any event. An exclusive fashion show by a local boutique or lingerie store is another idea, or inviting in a florist who can offer great tips and advice on creating innovative arrangements. But whatever you do, you must do it well. Ensure your offerings don’t look ‘last minute panic’ or ‘couldn’t think of what to buy’ gifts. Pay attention to the smallest details such as beautiful gift packaging or wrapping (last year’s Christmas bags just won’t do) to give your clients a taste of what’s to come. PRODUCT ROUND UP Continue (or recreate) the spa journey at home with one of the many luxurious gift offerings from Espa. The company offers a wide selection including introduction collections (skincare), candle and body oil combinations, and the ‘ultimate experience’ comprising 15 Espa favourites. RRP: from £16 to £277.50 A personalised Natural Magic candle is a permanent and uniquely luxurious keepsake. A name, initials or special message is engraved onto the glass container (in a choice of fonts) and hand-finished in silver. Each of the organic candles has three wicks, weighs 400g, and has a burn time of up to 55 hours. There is a choice of 10 fragrances. PRICE: From £50 +VAT (when buying two or more), RRP: £80 each Aromatherapy Associates’s Essentials trio of bath and shower oils, promise to help relax, de-stress and revive. The three 7.5ml oils prove good things really do come in small (and beautiful) packages. RRP: £18.50 Elemis’s new anti-ageing Pro-Collagen Hand and Nail Cream contains a host of anti-oxidants to protect against drying. Conditioning and soothing, it also targets thinning and crepey skin; discolouration and sun damage; soreness; weakened nails; and tough cuticles. RPP: £29 Aveda is offering Mother’s Day packages at its institute in Covent Garden, London. Treat your mum to the Loving Hands experience which comprises a facial, manicure, blow-dry, lunch and body cleanser to take home, or the Blissful Feet option which includes a body treatment, pedicure, blow-dry, lunch and body cleanser. Double the fun and join her as both treatments are available for two people. PRICE: From £140 (one person Loving Hands treatment) to £270 (Blissful Feet for mother and daughter)