Cool Salon/Spa PR Ideas to Sizzle Up Your Summer!

Posted by Sharon Esche Irving under Consumer Editorial, Editorial Insights, General, In-Salon Event Ideas, Tips & Tricks, Unique Promotions

Slow Summer? Not Here

It’s great to see salons and spas taking on the recession’s summer season with some sizzlin’ hot PR ideas that your clients – and the media – think are just plain ‘cool’.  Gone are the days when the term ‘slow summer’ in the salon was expected, and accepted until the ‘back to school’ crowd brought business back to life.  Now, enterprising salon owners take the ‘offense’ against the dreaded slow season by thinking fresh with great ideas that keep clients connected … and coming back!

No more allowing clients to forget about or abandon regular salon and spa services ’till Fall rolls around.  Keeping the client flow consistently moving year ’round is entirely possible – but it means a year ’round love affair between your creativity and your activity on that PR calendar!  Summer no longer needs to be a ‘dead zone’ – but rather  just another cool season of  hot sizzle and substance at your salon or spa!

FOUR SIZZLIN’ HOT SUMMER PR IDEAS THAT ARE VERY COOL!

(… and hold your clients’ interest in ‘you’).

Summer Sizzle Idea #1: A Cool Client Event!

‘Hats off” again to Changing Heads Salon in Tappan, New York for constantly reinventing the PR/promotional wheel to suit the climate, the client and the time of year. Imaginative salon owner Bob Press and team just kicked off the summer (and July 4th holiday weekend) with a Client Appreciation Evening.  Bob e-mailed all his clients and the local media, pulling out all the stops for them with an evening of breezy Summer jazz, wine and appetizers that didn’t quit from 4pm – 9pm.

Entertainment was live with a group called ‘aj’ (ahhsh) and clients were encouraged to ‘introduce a friend to Changing Heads couture salon’.  Co-sponsors included nearby local businesses, ‘The 76 House’ and Grape D’Vine. We discussed ‘partnering’ with other area businesses in an earlier post. To find out more from Bob, e-mail him:bob@changingheads.com.

Just in from Changing Heads while I was writing this:  Wouldn’t ‘ya know…just as I’m getting ready to post, I get another Summer Sizzle Tip from Bob Press to keep their ‘guests’ mindful of advance booking salon services. Basically, the salon e-mails clients their team’s Summer vacation schedule.  This ‘Vacation Notice’ helps clients know when their stylist/colorist/esthetician will be away and says: “We hope this helps to schedule your appointments over the Summer and we look forward to seeing you.”  The Changing Heads Team

Summer Sizzle Idea #2:  A Cool Product Promotion!

Scruples Professional Technical Educator and stylist Greg Lamb of Visible Changes Hair Salon in Dresden, TN is making the entire Summer (July and August) a perfect opportunity to offer his color clients free product  and reminder to book their color appointments. With Color, Highlights or Lowlight services, his salon’s clients get FREE a Scruples Color Shampoo and Conditioner.

Now, to be totally cool, Greg has Facebook-ed his clients and the media about his Summer promotion with this message:

Subject: July and August Promotion

“Know you are treating your new color with the respect it deserves.”

As a color client myself (here in Southern CA), I say that this message got my attention on Facebook.  Yes, I care about my color, I (and my hair) deserve respect, and I always LOVE some free product!  Greg then went on to finish his message with the rest of the product promo details mentioned above.  Believe me, if I were a client at Visible Changes, I’d be booking that color appointment now!  Want to learn more? Visit Greg’s Business Profile Page (formerly Fan Page) ‘Greg at Visible Changes Hair Salon‘.  It’s great to see more us in the industry beginning to use social media to reach our clients.

Summer Sizzle Idea #3: A Cool Community Cause!

And like all the seasons, those important community causes continue to go on and need year ’round support in terms of time, talent, and donations.  We chose to cite a beauty school as a great example of how more salons, spas and schools might be spending their summer in an effort to support their community while staying connected to their targeted audiences.  Accordingly, the Bellus Academy (formerly Poway Academy Of Beauty & Spa) in Poway, CA (owner: Lynelle Lynch), continues its on-going local effort behind CUT IT OUT’, a national program of the ‘Salons Against Domestic Abuse Funddedicated to training and mobilizing salon professionals to recognize the symptoms of domestic abuse and be able to provide the simple information needed to help their ‘abused’ clients find help and safety.

A local ‘CUT IT OUT’ Industry Advisory Board has been formed and meets at the Bellus Academy regularly – including and especially this Summer (July) – to discuss multi-lingual webinars and regional training opportunities plus planning for Salon-A-Thon activities in every region. This promotes awareness, builds partnerships and increases fundraising efforts between the business community and all Domestic Violence Shelters during ‘DV Awareness Month’ in October.  Participating salon professionals are encouraged and trained to recognize the signs of domestic violence among their clientele and, with a caring and concerned approach and attitude, offer a special hotline to call to seek further assistance where and when appropriate. Learn more about the cause and how to support in your local area: visit: www.cutitout.org. It’s a cause that has the serious attention of the media, as well; the Bellus Academy‘s students and owner were featured in local print and broadcast media to create awareness of the cause and show how the beauty industry is participating.

Summer Sizzle Idea #4:  ‘Summerzcool’ Client Communication’

Salon pro Terry Dykshorn chooses to keep her clients (and media) consistently informed about what she’s up to every season – and Summer is no exception!  As part of her communication effort, Terry encourages clients to ‘schedule your Summer appointments now because things are heating up’.

Terry e-mails a terrific personal newsletter she calls ‘Fresh Hair. Clients contact her here to get on her mail list. For Summer, she shares her pro-active schedule with a unique ‘Summerzcool’ edge — inspired by Jimmy Buffet’s ‘Summerzcool‘ concert tour (which kicks off Terry’s Summer).  Clients love to hear what’s going on in their hairdresser’s life so take a cue from Terry and share it with them in a fun and interesting way with a bit about your salon life, some personal news outside of salon life and yes, always touching on the trends!

Writes Terry in ‘Fresh Hair’: “My summerzcool schedule includes biking in San Diego, a Haircolorist Summit in Los Angeles, a couple of out-of-state weddings, a family reunion with the in-laws, training for triathlons and half marathons, and, oh yeah, taking care of business!”

Terry goes on from their to elaborate on each point  — but the real point here is the perception you are creating for those you want to read about you (your target audience). The more active and successful you are perceived to be, the more interesting you become to clients and the media. Lesson: Get some kind of consistent communication going with your clients and the press…Summertime and anytime!

I like the way Terry signs her e-newsletter: “Your friend in the business of fresh hair.”

Lest we never forget <g> to reinforce our role in our clients lives!

What Are Your Doing This Summer to Avoid the Doldrums?

Share It Here with Comments.

5 responses to “Cool Salon/Spa PR Ideas to Sizzle Up Your Summer!”

  1. Poza Salon says:

    Love hearing what everyone else is doing to keep business rolling. At Poza Salon we are offering a complentary haircut with any color service for the summer. This has been VERY SUCCESSFUL, especially for building our newest stylist clientele 😉

  2. Barbara says:

    I am a stylist new to the area and have no client’s, any ideas to get a new start?

  3. Poza Salon says:

    Barbara,
    Yeah, you can go around to all the local cafes and restraunts and while your there see if you can offer someone a complimentary haircut or color. I did this when I started out at a near by Starbucks and it did wonders for me. Nothing is better then a referral. But in the beginging you have to give to get. Give it a try and keep us posted 🙂
    .-= Poza Salon´s last blog ..Bridal Hairstyles 2009 =-.

  4. Robby Beames says:

    Yeah we’re trying to find ways to drive traffic to our site. This whole internet marketing thing can be quite overwhelming and time consuming

  5. Maintain Contact with Clients over the Summer says:

    […] of dreading the summer- embrace it! Bob Press, owner of Changing Heads Salon in Tappan, New York, celebrated the summer season by inviting his […]