November and December can be, and typically are, your busiest months of the year. Getting your business in order early and preparing for it is the difference between thriving and surviving the holiday season.
To get started, consider the experience you’re creating for the season. People are thinking about hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, pine, cinnamon, seasonal music, and, of course, food! Do you offer a beverage service? Maybe it’s a spiced tea or a hot chocolate bar. Scent is known to trigger a memory; do you have candles or air diffusers with seasonal scents that will delight your customers?
Also, it’s time to consider updating your seasonal service menu. Maybe it’s hot towel treatments with relaxing oils, scalp treatments to combat the dry winter months, or partnering with neighboring businesses like dry cleaning, jewelry cleaning, gift wrapping, etc. It’s so easy to make these changes through your software so your receptionist can book these services, and they’ll also reflect immediately on your online booking menu!
If you added new or additional services in the past, how well did they do? Did you measure them with reports?
Even if you choose to do none of these things, the one thing you absolutely should do is clean your space. During this time, you will see an influx of new customers coming in for the first time, and a guaranteed way to make sure they don’t come back is a dirty salon. Sit in a chair and view your space from your client’s point of view. Observe your vents, chair basins, retail shelves, corners, mirrors, windows, and definitely the restrooms.
While pondering your menu, also consider your business hours: will you be expanding or closing for any days? Talk to your team and adjust accordingly in your software, as well as update your hours on social, google, your website, your front door, and anywhere else it’s listed or posted.
If you have managers, leads, or receptionists, consider having a planning committee for theme days, decorations, marketing, team contests, or initiatives. This way, you can focus on the bottom line of the business. Start with a review of your previous years’ reports. You’ll want to know how many clients came in during your holiday season last year, what the average ticket was last year, and what your gift card sales were. The same goes for retail sales – how much did you order to sell, and what did you have left at the end of the season? Doing a little research will help guide you with ordering and goal-setting for this holiday season.
Gift cards are one of the most requested gifts during the holidays. Teachers, family, neighbors, delivery drivers, and employees are in all our lives and might love a gift card to your business. Make sure you remind your current clients about them! If you see 200 clients a week, how many could you sell a gift card to? So, order your physical cards early to avoid delays in shipping and have gift cards available to purchase online. Make it easy for your clients to buy and do business with you!
Did you know that 20% retail to service is an industry standard? Where do you stand today, and where did you come in last year during the holidays? Set a goal to sell 20% retail-to-sales and then set individual goals with your team. Having a goal-setting tool in your software is easy to set up and then let your team track their progress for personal accountability. Besides just retail goals, you could work with your service providers to help them achieve their best season by just setting goals. How many clients do they need to see based on the service dollars they’re trying to achieve? Set a rebooking goal for them so that the new year has guaranteed business scheduled.
To support this goal, set up promotions so your receptionist knows what to recommend at checkout, set up packages to include a gift with purchase, and share your deals on social and in your marketing campaigns.
Be intentional, use your resources, and create an unforgettable experience, and you’ll be set up for the best holiday season yet!
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