Are you looking for the best methods for retaining your clients? Building your client loyalty will help to keep your clients coming back, and since the hair and beauty industry is so competitive, having a loyal client base is more important than ever.
There’s a big difference between a satisfied client and a loyal client, so this article covers why client loyalty is so important for retention, and how to turn your clients into loyal clients that refer your business and visit time and time again.
Why is client loyalty so important?
Client loyalty is all about attracting the right clients, getting them to buy, buy often, and bring other clients through your salon or spa door.
Having loyal clients can pay off in many different ways, including:
- Loyal clients spend more over time and generate more revenue.
- They love hearing from you and are more likely to respond to offers.
- They are more likely to share your business with others.
- The probability of selling to an existing client is 60-70%, according to research.
Our statistics show that regular clients at a hair or beauty salon make up around 40% of the client base. It also shows that 70% of all appointments are generated by your regular clients which essentially means that the more loyal clients you have, the more business you get over time.
Did you know that it costs five times more to acquire a new client than retain an existing one?
That’s why you need to hold on to clients once they come through your salon or spa door. And the best way to do this is to develop a loyalty marketing strategy that aims to turn new clients into loyal clients.
How do you turn new clients into loyal clients?
Make it happen with these tips:
1. Find out who and why
The first step in building your client loyalty is to make sure you know who your target market is and why you’re targeting them. You can’t be everything to everyone!
Ask yourself who’s your ideal client and what are you doing to appeal to them? What does my salon or spa offer that is unique and appealing to my ideal clients?
In marketing speak this is known as a unique selling proposition (USP). Deciding on your USP is probably one of the most important business decisions you can make. It’ll make everything easier if you can make your salon or spa stand out from the crowd.
Read our blog on developing your USP for tips on developing your unique selling proposition.
2. Set success measures and what it takes to get there
A little bit of time each month is all you need to see where there could be weaknesses in your client loyalty. Your salon software will help you to identify this.
Kitomba Salon and Spa Software makes it easy to look at your key client loyalty metrics with Star Clients. Whether you want to track your most common services and products or set incentives for your staff, Star Clients offers a visual snapshot of your client relationships.
You’ll see your clients in a different light and gain an immediate impression on how to increase their value. Learn more about how to set up Star Clients by reading our support guide.
3. Encourage rebooking
You’re the expert and you know when your client should return so that they can maintain the look you’ve helped them achieve. Let your clients know when they need to see you again – you can even incorporate it into your service.
4. Enhance the client experience
Make sure your clients have the best experience! According to research by RingCentral, a ‘totally satisfied client’ will contribute 2.6 times the revenue as a ‘somewhat satisfied client’. Create a truly amazing client experience where your clients feel special and can’t wait to return.
The secret weapon to create an exceptional client experience is to have all your staff get behind it. If your staff get behind your loyalty programme then you will see success!
Read how to create a loyalty programme that works to find out how to create one for your own business.
5. Rewards that work
Your loyalty rewards should be appealing and encourage clients to come back so they can redeem and earn more loyalty points. There’s lots of ways you can create a reward system that works.
Check out these ideas:
Create a rewards system that encourages clients to come back and earn more points. For example, after earning a certain number of points, your client could receive a free treatment or a voucher to redeem on anything they want, or they could be entitled to a free product upgrade when they purchase a specific product.
Reward those loyal clients who save up their loyalty points with something really special. How about a VIP night for your client and two friends? These more ‘valuable’ rewards will show just how much you love your loyal clients and develop that relationship further.
Encourage referrals by creating a referral programme. People trust recommendations from their friends, so why not incentivise referrals and reward clients who have referred their friends and family members.
6. Spearhead your loyalty programme
Kitomba’s loyalty programme gives your clients one more reason to keep coming back. It’s easy to use and clients will automatically gain points on services and products. If you’re not already using Kitomba’s loyalty programme, find out how you can set it up using our support guide.
Create client loyalty and retain your clients
A loyal client is one of the most valuable assets a salon or spa can have. Move away from just creating ‘satisfied’ clients and start building up your loyal clients and you’ll be guaranteed to see success!
If you’d like to find out how you can use loyalty programmes and comprehensive reporting to help create more loyal clients and increase your client retention, book your free demo of Kitomba Salon and Spa Software.
Have you got an awesome client loyalty strategy that works? We’d love to hear about it! Tell us in the comments.
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Learn more about client loyalty:
- How to build a client loyalty programme that works
- Attract clients by developing a sustainable client experience
- Do you really know your clients?
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on 10 December 2014 and has been completely updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
