Birthday Babe: Celebrate Your Clientele

Marketing your small business is all about being creative, especially because there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all approach for your clients. Luckily, there’s one thing you can count on for every last one of your clients: they all have birthdays. Some of your clients will dread it, and others will be counting down the minutes until they can let loose and have a day that’s dedicated solely to them. Regardless of their outlook, birthdays apply to everyone and most people consider it a good excuse to spoil themselves.

That’s where you come in.

People go out of their way to wish others a “Happy Birthday,” so why should you be any different? Collecting birthdates should come second nature to you, like asking for contact info. If you’re using an email-marketing program like MailChimp or Alicanto, the hard work is taken care of for you. If you’re not, get out your calendar and start building your birthday list! While the idea of handwriting a bunch of birthday cards may sound tedious, ask yourself two questions: when was the last time you got a hand-written note in the mail? How did it make you feel?

Putting in a little extra effort to make your clients feel valued will send a strong message that you’re willing to go out of your way to show them how important they are. This level of customer service and the client experience go hand-in-hand, and are so important to keeping clients happy and coming back. Connecting with them on a deeper level shows that you’re thoughtful and in turn creates an emotional connection for the client. Since we’re already in the business of making them feel special, let’s take it a step further and include a personalized offer just for the occasion. While there are a wide variety of options to choose from, the offer should be enticing enough for them to feel like they can’t pass it up.

Birthday Promotion Ideas:

• Get $25 off your next salon service when you spend $100
• 15% off retail during your birthday month
• The first 15 minutes are on me with 60 minute birthday week massage
• Free bottle of nail polish or sugar scrub with your pre-birthday mani or pedi treatment
• 10 minute neck massage when you schedule a birthday month haircut
• Complimentary eyebrow wax when you schedule your birthday blowout
• Free aromatherapy oil upgrade for the birthday girl
• Complimentary lip gloss when you get your makeup done
• Parrafin wax treatment with your birthday manicure
• 10% off all services during your birthday month

Remember that your clients may get busy with all their birthday festivities, so it’s wise to send their offer at least a few weeks in advance to give them time to prepare their schedules accordingly. And your schedule fills up too! Allowing a window for clients to cash in, say within one month of their birthday, is also a great idea in case they decide what they really need is to unwind and recharge after all the chaos is over. Just don’t forget the expiration date. It creates a sense of urgency to come in so they don’t miss the offer, and ensures you don’t have coupon hoarders trying to combine discounts a year later.

People get so much attention on their birthdays that it’s natural for them to want to look their best. When they look good, they feel good, and your role is to help them achieve that. It may seem like a gift to them, but everybody receives the benefits. Not only are they treating themselves, but it’s likely they’ll treat you as well. Birthday clients will already be in the warm and fuzzy stages of celebration mode, which can easily translate to being very generous to those who are celebrating with them.