Stop giving discounts: How to reward loyal customers

Create a Unique Experience

Make your salon more than just a place with a chair and a pair of scissors. Create an atmosphere that is unique to you and your customers. Perhaps it radiates relaxation and pampering, something people look forward to visiting and want to tell their friends about? Offer free – or paid – drinks, soft waiting chairs, good music, mood lighting, and whatever else you want your personal brand to be. Remember, your brand is what people think about when dealing with you – not the colour of your logo. When customers feel special, they come back. Quite simply.

Personal Follow-up

Show your customers that you value them by following up on their treatments. Send a message or offer follow-up advice on caring for their new colour or haircut. Perhaps they need help using their new styling products, which they bought the last time they visited you? Personal interest makes a big difference and does not need to take many minutes out of your day.

Referral Discounts

Reward customers who bring new customers to your salon. For example, offer them 10% off their next treatment each time they refer a new customer. It could also be that they get to choose a free styling product. Just something that does not get them used to you giving discounts. They should understand that they get it because they have helped you get a new customer. This creates a win-win situation where loyal customers become your best ambassadors – that is advertising you cannot put a price on! Remember that their new customers can also receive the same reward when they refer their friends.

Stamp Cards

Introduce a loyalty scheme where your customers earn points or stamps for each treatment. When they reach a certain number, they can redeem their points for free products or similar. This creates an incentive for repeat visits. Remember to factor this into your prices so you do not have to close the salon because your customers keep coming back.

Birthdays

Surprise your customers on their birthday with a small gift or a special treatment. For example, they could receive a free sample to take home if they book a treatment in the month of their birthday. This personal gesture shows that you remember and value them and you can at the same time get them "hooked" on some lovely products, which they hopefully will buy in the future.

Final Words

Giving discounts can be a short-term solution, but creating a meaningful and personal relationship with your customers is the best way forward. When customers feel valued and special, they will not only return but also recommend your salon to others. So drop the discount trap and focus on offering valuable experiences that make your customers love you.