If you want to get booked by the right clients, stop trying to appeal to everyone. Targeting a broad range of clients with (Groupon style) promotions and specials will only attract “deal hunters” – they are a waste of time.

Figure out who your “ideal clients” are, and target them.

80% of profits come from 20% of clients.

“Ideal clients” are the ones who love your services, buy products or additional services, visit regularly, and recommend you to their friends and family.

IDENTIFY THEM

  • Look at how much money your current clients spend in your salon each year.
  • Highlight your top spenders – these are your “ideal clients”.
  • Next, create an “ideal client” profile. Study the list and note their age, gender, social demographic, and services they usually get.
  • Are they wealthy? Are they price conscious? Are they millennials, seniors, or professionals who work around the corner? Do they visit you at certain times?
  • After you’ve created your “ideal client” profile, begin your marketing strategy.

ATTRACT THEM

Ask for Referrals:

  • Send your top clients an email (in StyleSeat).
  • Let them know how much you appreciate their business and give them an incentive to refer a friend (ie: 10% off next cut).
  • Your ideal clients will refer you to other clients who are like them.

Marketing:

  • Are your clients millennials or tech savvy? Market on Facebook and Instagram.
  • Are your clients professionals? Collaborate with local businesses. Offer to come into the office to provide services for the day.
  • Are your clients students? Run “back to school” specials, “finals week” specials, and “prom” specials.

Update Your Business Page:

  • Highlight services that get booked more than any others.
  • For example, if you’re an esthetician but your ideal clients are mostly booking brow waxes, show those brow skills off!
  • Post more brow photos, put “brow specialist” in your bio, and ask clients to leave reviews after brow services.

RAISE YOUR STANDARDS

When it comes to clientele, quality is better than quantity.

Take a look at this list of difficult clients — if you have clients who are chronically late or are loud and rude, they can ruin the image of your salon. “Ideal clients” won’t be able to take you seriously if you tolerate this type of behavior.

Remember, marketing to a smaller group of clients is about your long term goals. You won’t see tons of clients lining up at your door right away, but the clients you do attract will show up on time, book regularly, and recommend you to their friends.

Looking for tools to help you run your business? Try StyleSeat here.

For more business tips, check out these articles.

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