When you look at some of your own favorite brands and businesses, what do they have in common? Sure, you’re a repeat customer because they offer a great product or service, but more than likely they have developed a strong community among their client base. Customer loyalty must be earned through great, consistent work, but creating a community among your clients will make them feel like they’re a part of something bigger and invested in your brand.
How do you create a community among your client crew? Consider this: They already have a thread that links them together—you. Start with their common interest in the services you provide and work from there. We’ve put together some tips to get you going to build your own beauty brigade.
Spotlight your regulars on social media
If you have a client who feels more like a friend than a customer, ask if they’d like to appear on your social media channels for a fun “get to know you” post. It can be as simple as sharing their photo and answering a few beauty-related questions. This helps clients get to know each other better, giving them the option to strike up a conversation if they happen to have similarly timed appointments with you.
Create a hashtag
Never underestimate the power of a hashtag. Come up with something cute and clever that you can share with your clients. After their service or treatment, offer up a friendly reminder that if they love their new look, snap a pic and post it using your beauty biz’s hashtag. This way clients can click the hashtag and see a whole collection of your work, and get to know some of your other regulars in the process.
Plan a group activity
Schedule a client happy hour, group yoga class, or virtual beauty lesson associated with your area of expertise (like how to create the perfect beach waves or how to give yourself a facial massage). These are all ways to encourage interaction between your customers while also providing you with the opportunity to get to know them on a more personal level.
Show support for their businesses
If your clients have brands and businesses of their own, give them a boost of support. Maybe you can find a way to collaborate with them on a promotional project. For example, if one of your clients creates fabulous jewelry, offer to keep a look book of available pieces in your salon suite for clients to peruse, or link to their online store in a social media post. If you have a photographer amongst your regulars, consider combining forces to offer a package that includes a mini makeover and headshots. Get creative!
Help the community
Doing good makes people feel good, so gather your beauty clients for a community service project that will surely make them feel unified. If there’s someone in your group who is heavily involved in a particular charity, ask how you can help. Or, do something that benefits the neighborhood in which your clients live and work, like a park cleanup or community beautification project.
Salon Lofts Loft Owner Success Team offers free social media and business courses to all Loft Owners. Click below to find out more about all of the SL Advantages and take your beauty career to the next level.
