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Holiday Events Mean More PR
There is no time like the holidays . . .
. . . to light up the festive spirit in your salon or spa for clients and staff . . . and the media!
Motivating For The Clients!
Motivating For Your Staff!
Motivating For The Media!
And with holiday season just around the corner, it’s time to think about some fun and festive in-salon events that may also enhance your chances of getting some local coverage!.
These ‘something special’ events don’t need to be huge or cost a fortune. Just get creative and remember that it’s not so much ‘what you do’ but the fact that you took the time to do something ‘special’ that means the most to both your clients and your staff (it’s what people really remember).
Sincerity counts
Yes, this is your busiest business season so it’s easy to overlook this bit of ‘extra effort’ on your part to celebrate your success. A key part of smart business is also taking the time to personally thank Mrs. Smith for being such a valued client – or your Front Desk Receptionist for do such a fantastic job all year. In-salon events provides the perfect opportunity to share the good feelings and gratitude.
You have a choice of hosting one big holiday bash at your salon/spa – or perhaps several fun ‘mini-events’ to keep the spirit going from now through the end of the year.
We recommend brainstorming with your staff to come up with 3-4 mini-events over November and December that keep the excitement going.
Get them involved … and they’ll really get behind the concept.
Remember to keep the local press plugged in to what your salon is doing to celebrate the holidays and honor your community in ways that only a salon or spa can – by bringing your special brand of holiday beauty into the lives of those who richly deserve it.
That includes advance releases as well as follow-up releases with photos.
Host ‘Several’ Holiday Mini-Events
- Find a local community cause that you as a salon can support over the holidays in either dollars or manpower (e.g. doing make-overs for a deserving local group such as an Abused Women Shelter, a group of Military Wives whose husbands are deployed, and so on), collecting ‘Toys For Tots’ or gift drives for disadvantaged children, conducting a Food Drive for a local homeless shelter or organization, etc.
- Show up as a dedicated salon team at a local event or charity that needs help over the holidays – wear your salon logo t-shirts (e.g. serving food to the homeless at a local church, surprising a deserving family (or several) that you/your salon knows of that needs a helping hand at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Make someone’s holiday with your strong salon spirit!
- Take photos of everyone in fun bunches for local press release, industry media press release, salon newsletter, salon ‘photo wall’ and your website.
Tip: Often, you can find these deserving families or individuals either through staff contacts, client contacts, and even local community agencies including the police that know of area residents/families that are down on their luck.
- Create A ‘Giant Fish Bowl’: For every service a client has in November and December, put her or his name into the ‘giant’ decorated fish bowl that you have created at the front desk (do this ‘with’ your client so they see how their chances of winning increase with every service you give them!). Then, the week leading up to Christmas, conduct one exciting daily drawing where you might pick 5 lucky clients who can win, for example: A basket of beauty products at a retail value of $100; then $75; then $50; then $40; and finally $25! (You can shape these Holiday Salon Gift Give-Aways any way you wish).
Host One Huge Holiday Bash:
- Many salons and spas (big and small) love to host an early-evening wine-and-cheese bash one night during the week and invite all their clients and staff
- Again, take photos of everyone in fun bunches for local press release, industry media release, the ‘salon photo wall’ and your website.
Note: Many salons host only a staff holiday party but it’s fun when both staff and clients get to connect and bond in a whole different salon atmosphere. Guests can come and go during this two-hour ‘fantastic feelings’ extravaganza.
Important Tip: While you’re at it, this holiday time of year is a fantastic time to also invite others that represent key support and business relationships with you during the year: vendors, manufacturers you do business with, head of local Chamber of Commerce, local model agency heads, your banker, accountant and business support system, Mayor, community notables, etc. etc. It’s your chance to shine and have your salon be the place to go.
- Hire a live DJ and have someone on your staff handle the details of making this happen (research some DJ’s, submit some price bids for approval, decide on the right music mix and mood for the party, etc.) and generally oversee this aspect of the evening.
- Hire several professional models to walk throughout the crowd ‘wearing’ the salon’s newest looks in cut, color. make-up and nails.
Note: This could be your ‘Holiday/Resort’ Collection of trendy new looks and techniques you are focusing on until your ‘Spring ‘09 Collection’ is introduced.
- Create a moment of focus. – As the owner, say a few words on the DJ’s microphone to the guests on behalf of your salon and team. Be you. Be fun. Wish everyone Happy Holidays, thank your clients for their loyalty and support, recognize your incredibly talented staff (by name) for the phenomenal job they do all year long (point out their trendsetting talents on the professional models at the party), thank your vendors and other guests (by name and role) that are important to your business and finally, thank the press (whether they are able to attend your event or not) for all the great support they show your salon or spa during the year.
Not only is this great PR fodder, it’s wonderful fun for everyone involved and you’ll enjoy it more than everyone else. Do it right for a couple of years and your holiday parties will become ‘local legend’ and grow in fun, stature and attendance year after year. You may even find your ‘good work’ holiday bash’ showing up in the social pages of the news.
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Thanks for the Holiday inspiration. I’m using the fishbowl idea for sure. I started working on it right away. I plan to be involved in Scottsdale Fashion Week. I should have some video promo on the big screen and I’ve asked to help do models hair. I hope to be inspired at IHE for NAHA. See you there.
Terry
Always welcome Terry. It’ll be great to see you at IHE. We’re trying to inspire many to get more involved with the really good education events and spend less time shampoo shopping . I love how you stick yourself out there. Go get ’em in Scottsdale.
We’re having such fun reconnecting with a number of our star pupils who we got to share class time with at ABCH and its exciting to see BeautyPRPro starting to get a little viral.
Hey, go get yourself a gravatar at http://www.gravatar.com. That way when you comment anywhere on the web (facebook, blogs, twitter, etc etc, you always have your lovely face showing up.
P.S. Your website is excellent. It’s so . . . you . . . and sends just the right message.