Thinking Ahead
With the new tanning season right around the corner, it's time to begin thinking about how to bring new customers into your salon.
Understand Your Current Customers
Most retail experts claim that customer service is the best method to build and keep a strong, loyal and productive customer base. It's a claim that makes sense. If the only thing you have to offer is a tanning service, you're not providing customers with anything that everyone of your competitors doesn't offer.
The service is the minimum you can offer. If you want to go beyond the minimum and achieve success, you must provide your customers with something more--you must enhance the basic service at your salon so that they feel that it's not only a good place to go to tan, it's the best place for customer service as well.
When customers walk in your door, they should be greeted immediately on a first name basis, if possible. Additionally, the customer always should be escorted to his or her tanning room. This provides a feeling of importance. When clients are done with their sessions, they should be complimented on their looks and asked if they enjoyed their session. All employees should be trained to follow the same routines with all clients. This keeps the atmosphere professional as well as discrepancy-free.
Make certain clients understand what they can and can't expect from their tanning sessions. False claims by employees obviously can cause a myriad of problems that eventually you will have to confront, and that promises to be an unpleasant and possibly costly experience.
Established customers are the rock upon which your business is built. Not only do they support your salon financially with their loyalty, but they also have the ability to bring in new customers. You would be surprised just how powerful word of mouth is, and you must realize it is the most important part of any businesses advertising campaign.
Over the past five years, LOOKING FIT's editors have visited more than 550 salons during The Tanning Tour. Of the salons visited, more than 73 percent say that word of mouth is their best form of advertising.
Additionally, according to a Rockefeller Foundation Study, only 4 percent of all customers are lost because they die or move. The majority of customers (68 percent) are lost simply because they don't like the employees' attitudes. The main point to remember is that your customer is your most precious commodity and should be treated as such.
Bringing In New Customers
In order for any business to grow, it must keep its current clientele happy and foster new relationships with NEW customers. How does a salon bring in new customers? The answer is advertising. There are multiple ways to advertise your product, but according to most salon owners one of the most successful is cross-marketing your service with another.
What works? Some salon owners preach about cross-marketing tanning with other related services, such as gyms and spas. Others say the services don't need to be related at all such as cross-marketing tanning with a nightclub. What salon professionals need to remember when cross-marketing is that anywhere where the demographics match those you see in your salon you have a good chance at being successful.
But what happens when a new customer walks into your salon? How are they greeted? Remember, how a customer is treated during their first visit will have a lot to do with whether they return or not.
If someone just walks in to check out your salon, give them the royal treatment. Answer any questions as thoroughly as possible and show them around the salon and explain your equipment and services. You even may want to offer them a complimentary tanning session just for coming in.
Telephone inquiries are very important as well, since tanning salons seem to get a lot of them. Always be cordial and enthusiastic regardless of whether you're busy. If you are too busy, ask them if they would please hold for a moment, and you will be glad to answer any questions. If you get tied up, have another employee talk to them. Never let them wait for an extended period of time, and never ask them to call back later. Offer to call them right back and make sure to do so. Phone manner is extremely important in the tanning business. If you can convince all the customers who call your salon to come in, you'll really be in business.
In order to offer the highest-quality service to your clients, you and your staff should strive to achieve minimum standards of service. The following recommendations are meant to serve as a model and may not be sufficient for some salons. Whatever standards you decide on, make sure they are clearly written out and that all employees have read and understand them.
Greet Every Customer When He Or She Walks In The Door--This is critical. You will want everyone to feel comfortable and welcome when they enter your door. Even if you are working with another client at the time, take a moment to look up and acknowledge their presence by saying something like, "Hi, I'll be with you in a moment." It only takes a minute, but it is very important. Remember, this person is spending their money on a luxury service--make them think their money is well spent.
Address Clients By Name Whenever Possible--This obviously will not be possible for a first time visit. Remember, the more comfortable and welcome you make the client feel, the more likely they are to return.
Talk with Every Client Before He Or She Leaves--After the client is finished in your salon, be sure to ask him or her about their tanning experience. Was it comfortable? Was it relaxing? Never let anyone out the door without a brief chat. Let your clients know you are interested in their tanning progress. This will continue to put them at ease and reinforce the chance that they will reschedule another session.
Clean Every Room After Each Use--This is extremely important. Clients must be confident that they are in a spotless and sanitary environment. Tanning beds and rooms must be thoroughly cleaned.
Client Use Of The Telephone--It is recommended that you install a phone in the client waiting area for local calls only. This is an extra service that will make clients feel welcome.
Beverage Service--At the very least, you should install a coffee machine and water cooler and offer free refreshments to clients who are waiting. Additionally, consider offering a cold beverage such as juice or bottled water. Clients often get thirsty after a tanning session. Even if they have to pay for it, clients will view this service as another bonus.
