Our Blog
Business & Marketing
It’s Always the Season at Sola
Posted on September 6, 2017
Jamie Siebrase
Fall back into savings! The weather is cold, but these deals are hot! We know some of these lines sound super cheesy, but there’s a reason small business owners use them anyway. Seasonal marketing works! As the holidays approac, grab the attention of your clients with these simple seasonal marketing strategies.
Understand the link between seasonal changes and consumer trends.
Seasonal marketing is about so much more than creating an ad that fits in with an upcoming milestone like changing leaves or falling snow. At its core, seasonal marketing is about understanding consumer buying habits. At different points during the season, some services and products are needed more than others. Take a few minutes right now to think about what, exactly, your unique clientele will need this fall and winter. Then, read on for our ideas.
Run seasonal specials.
Mother Nature’s four seasons dictate how – and on what – people spend their dollars. As parents send their kids back to school, why not run a deal on kids’ cuts, or promote a “picture day special” bundling a haircut and style tips? Promote fun, temporary fashion colors for fall — and offer a relaxing washout-slash-spa-day package throughout the season! When party season gears up, think of creative ways to market your typical services with add-ons, such as blowouts and up-dos. For a fun alternative to the tired “New Year, New You” special, create a “Winter Blues” package that’ll help drag your clients out of the midwinter, post-holiday doldrums.
Celebrate the promotional holidays, too.
Don’t forget to take full advantage of big commercial shopping days. For Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, consider extending a special deal for existing clients only. Let your clients know that the deal is not available to the public. Exclusivity is a surefire way to make your clients feel special!
Use festive décor to brighten up your salon.
Why wait for December to decorate? Kick-off the new season by adding autumnal elements to your shelves — cool apple pie scented candles, for example, along with products packaged with earthy hues. If you’re smart about what you stock in September and October, you’ll be able to leverage your fall scheme into a Thanksgiving-themed scene. Then, as winter approaches, plan on swapping your motif for a design theme that captures the sparkly winter mood or aligns with your favorite December holidays.
Rethink your retail display.
If you’re in the habit of stocking the same items month after month, now’s a good time to consider adding new products to your line-up. Choose eye-catching items that align with your mission as a salon owner and speak to the new season, too. If you live in a dry climate, for example, consider selling moisturizing beauty products. And don’t forget about the glorious concept of holiday upsells! Come the season of giving, your clients might be on the prowl for hostess and holiday gifts. Using a high-low price plan put together pre-made gift sets ranging in size, featuring both travel and full-sized products.
Add seasonal services to your salon menu.
Fall is a perfect time to entice clients to come in more with expanded service offerings! If you’ve been thinking about dabbling in fashion colors, go ahead and give it a shot! Add a moisturizing deep conditioning hair treatment to help combat dry weather damage. Don’t forget to offer blowouts and up-dos for holiday party season. When the holiday stress kicks in, add a relaxing scalp massage or aromatherapy service to your spa menu.
Evaluate your social media strategy.
We’re approaching one of the busiest times of the year, and your clients don’t have time to read lengthy blog posts. Develop your content strategy around social media sites that emphasize visual and video content. Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram are all good outlets for posting pictures and videos, which require little effort for your clients to ingest.
Speak to their competitive spirit.
Holding a contest is a great way to generate buzz in the fall and winter months! Ask your clients to submit images of their holiday-themed home décor. Then give the contest winner a small prize.
Schedule your social media content in advance
Don’t fool yourself! You might have time to spare today, but things are only going to get more hectic as we move into the end of the calendar year. You’re using social marketing, right? Create a content calendar now for emails, Instagram updates, and more, so you won’t be scrambling for ideas on Thanksgiving morning!