Many companies go above and beyond to attract you if you’re a new client but show you little to no love once they’ve got you on board, which never bodes well.

Whilst attracting new clients is essential, it pays dividends to improve your client retention. Keep reading to discover how to retain clients in a salon.

Why is Client Retention Important?

Customer retention is like gold for a salon business for several reasons, such as boosting your credibility. There’s nothing like your own clients singing your praises and contributing to your marketing efforts by posting pictures of your work on their social media accounts. People are more likely to trust others telling them that you’re a great choice than if you tell people they should choose you. 

Having happy clients that return to your salon will increase your chances of obtaining referrals, which is a totally free but a very effective form of salon marketing. Loyal clients are also more likely to be open to trying new services, increasing your revenue.

Salon Client Retention Strategies

Below you can find an overview of the key steps you can take to boost your client retention.

Reward Returning Clients

Show your clients that you value them by implementing a loyalty program; you can reward them with special discounts and offers for repeat bookings. Our Loyalty feature has been designed to help you incentivise and reward your clients to keep them coming back.

Obtain Ratings and Reviews

Asking for feedback from your clients that keep returning is an excellent way to show potential clients that you offer an excellent service and have a happy client base. 

Whilst receiving negative feedback can be disheartening, this will allow you to identify areas that you need to improve, which is imperative to the success of your business.

With our Ratings and Reviews feature, you can automatically email clients after their visit asking for feedback; you can share positive reviews on your website and social media channels.

Create a VIP Experience

Your customer service levels will play a significant part in your client’s decision on if they want to return to your salon. If you can create a VIP client experience for everyone who walks through your doors, they’ll want to come back again. You can do this by:

Personalising the experience 

Offer a free client consultation so that you can get a full understanding of your client’s needs and make sure that you’re providing the best advice possible and using the most suitable products. 

With our Visual Records feature, you can keep track of clients’ progress and empower your team to deliver the highest quality treatments with detailed visual records of each client’s visit.

Having the right team

A strong team will go a long way in helping your salon or spa to retain customers, they are your ambassadors. You need to make sure that your staff are providing excellent customer service at all times from their professionalism to their skills. Eliminate the stress of managing a team with our Employee Management feature.

Going above and beyond

Are you able to go the extra mile for your customers by offering light refreshments such as a glass of bubbly and/or biscuits during their visit? Could you offer complimentary head, shoulder or hand massages? 

These lovely touches will certainly not go unnoticed, while they may seem like small gestures, they will add to your client’s experience.

Maximise your USPs

Identify what makes your salon unique and be sure to showcase this as much as possible. 

For example, do you run a sustainability-focused business? If so, by making sure that this is at the heart of everything you do, you’ll be able to build stronger connections with your eco-conscious clients. They’ll want to keep coming back to you because you’re part of their sustainability journey, making it easier for them to do their bit for the environment, simply by choosing you as their salon. 

Or are your interiors seriously dreamy and Instagrammable? If so, this is another way to keep your existing clients coming back. If your salon makes your client feel worlds away from the hustle and bustle of life like they’ve been transported to the ultimate destination for relaxation, they’ll want to relive this. 

Communicate With Your Clients

Whether you’re contacting your clients via SMS to thank them for visiting you or sending out a promotional email, keeping in touch with your clients is a proven way to make sure you stay in their minds. 

Following up with a thank you message shows that you care about them choosing your salon and sending offers is a great way to get people coming back if they’ve taken a break from your services.

Improve Your Salon Client Retention Rates With Shortcuts

Now that you have a clear understanding of ways to improve salon client retention, you’ll need industry-led salon software to help you to implement and maintain these strategies. 

Shortcuts software is a game-changer for you and your business that will help you to give your clients an experience to remember. You’ll create stronger, more loyal relationships, and keep them coming back time and time again.

To learn more, get in touch with us or book a demo.