8 top marketing tips for salons

Ensuring your salon's team are all booked and busy is key to operating a profitable salon. While it can be tempting to only do marketing when things are feeling a bit quiet, it's something you need to focus on all year round—especially in a competitive industry like hair and beauty.

Here's everything you need to know about marketing for salons and why marketing your salon is just as important, even during busy periods.

Why is marketing important for your salon?

Marketing is absolutely essential for the growth, success and profitability of your salon. It might not feel like something you always want to be doing or always have time for, but here's why marketing is important for your salon space.

Attracting new clients

Effective marketing strategies help attract new clients to your salon. By showcasing your services and expertise, you can make it clear what you offer and why people need to come to your salon over and above others in the area (or others specialising in the services you offer). It can help you stand out in a crowded industry.

Retaining existing clients

Marketing your salon is just as important to your existing clients as new ones. It's easier to convert an existing client to a new service than to acquire a brand-new client. Loyalty programs, promotions, and special events encourage repeat business and help build long-lasting relationships with your clients—then their customer service and experience keep them there.

Showcasing expertise and services

Marketing lets you show off your skills as a team and raise awareness of the expertise of your stylists and the services you offer. It allows you to showcase the expertise of your stylists and the range of services your salon offers. Social media and your website can highlight your skills, creativity and the quality of your services.

Increasing revenue

Ultimately, effective marketing directly contributes to revenue growth and maximising your profits. By attracting new clients, retaining existing ones and promoting additional services, your salon can increase its overall revenue, allowing for further investment in the business, wages to be paid and to achieve goals as a business owner.

Tips for marketing your salon

We've already outlined why you should market your salon, but here's how to effectively market your salon to reach new and existing customers. This can help ensure you stay booked and busy as a salon.

Set up your social channels

44% of beauty salons said that they're focusing on growing their businesses' social media profile, with 35% of hair professionals suggesting that they see growing their social media profile as offering the biggest opportunities for business growth. 89% of salon owners believe that social media presence has a strong or very strong influence on how a client chooses a salon.

With stats like that, it's clear that focusing on social makes sense for a beauty salon. You need to keep your profiles live, accurate and updated with new content, details of your services, and insights about your business.

76% of consumers look at a business online before they visit physically, so your social accounts are a big deal for marketing your salon. Plus, you can direct people to your booking link, too.

Have a professional and user-friendly website

Some salons believe that social media channels are enough, but having a website can legitimise your business marketing and help you explore new marketing channels like Google My Business and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). It also means you can share your booking links, policies and processes.

As we've already said, your customers are most likely starting out their search for your business online, so having a digital presence makes sense for your beauty business. You can also share social proof like before and after photos.

Build up your positive reviews

Testimonials can be a seriously powerful marketing tool, so focus on getting positive reviews from your clients across your digital platforms and in person. This means that you can use the testimonials in future marketing activity, and it helps new clients make their decision to book—if they see that existing clients are consistently leaving good reviews for your business.

It helps prospective clients to build that trust, and helps you build a positive reputation online and in your local area. It can be the difference between someone booking you or a competitor.

Offer online booking

Simplify the appointment booking process by offering an online booking system. Many clients prefer the convenience of scheduling appointments at any time, making it an easy experience for you and your customers.

It also means you can have your booking and deposit processes in one place. Some blocking platforms also let you integrate some of your marketing activity, so that's another way that a booking platform helps you gain clients.

Run special promotions

Discover new clients and reward loyal ones by running special promotions and discounts, especially at key times of the year. Consider "first-time client" discounts, referral programs, or seasonal promotions to attract attention and encourage repeat business.

However, you need to ensure that you're still making a profit when you have offers on, or that they're likely to lead to repeat business. Sometimes, clients who are constantly chasing the cheapest deal aren't always what you're looking for.

Keep in touch with your clients

Regularly communicate with your clients through newsletters, email updates, or SMS alerts. Keep them informed about new services, promotions, and any changes in operating hours. Staying connected helps maintain client engagement.

Implementing an email newsletter for a salon is like having a direct line of communication with your clients, and it can make a big difference in keeping them engaged and informed. Plus, many salon software packages build SMS and email marketing into the system, so you should absolutely take advantage of marketing tools that you're already paying for.

Raise your profile

Local PR (Public Relations) is important for a salon as it helps build a positive community reputation. It's often underutilised by local businesses, too. A salon can establish itself as a go-to beauty destination by engaging with local media outlets, community events and influencers.

Local PR efforts create awareness about the salon's services, talented stylists, and unique offerings, fostering a sense of familiarity and trust among the local clientele. Positive press coverage can enhance the salon's visibility, attracting new customers and increasing foot traffic. This could be highlighting services, business success or charitable initiatives.

Showcase your team

Introduce your salon team through professional bios, behind-the-scenes content and stylist spotlights. Humanising your business can help you connect with clients and show off the expertise and personality of your team.

Social media and your website are great places to do this, and it also helps to raise your team's profile. However, your salon is set up—whether the team is employed or renting a space—it makes sense for them to be involved in marketing, too.

Planning your salon marketing

Planning your salon marketing involves effectively promoting your services, building brand awareness and attracting and retaining clients. You need to start out by understanding your goals as a business and your target audience. It's also important to understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that affect your business too.

Having a marketing budget is also important—some marketing activities will need to be paid for, whereas others will just cost time instead. Both can be effective, but it's worth allocating some of your finances to generate business.

Determine which marketing tactics work best for your audience and your business. This will help you to work out where and how you should invest in your marketing. A budget makes sure that your marketing efforts are realistic and sustainable. This can help you plan what to do next and lets you focus while saving some space to be more reactive.

You also need to plan how to measure your marketing efforts' success. Work out - before you start - what success looks like for you and your business. Do you want to grow bookings? Do you want more clients to book more services? Do you want more returning customers?

Should you market your salon?

Marketing is essential for a salon to thrive in a competitive beauty industry. Effective marketing creates awareness and helps to set a salon apart from others. In a crowded market, showcasing unique services, skilled stylists, and a welcoming atmosphere through marketing helps attract and retain clients. It's an important way to communicate the salon's strengths, such as expertise in specific techniques, use of quality products or a commitment to the latest beauty trends and services.

Marketing builds a loyal customer base keeping in touch with them too. Whether through social media, email campaigns or local promotions, consistent marketing efforts keep the salon at the forefront of clients' minds, encouraging repeat business and referrals. Maintaining your online presence, like a website and social media platforms, is crucial for reaching a broader audience. Ultimately, marketing is not just about increasing visibility; it's about creating lasting connections with clients, building loyalty and driving sustained success for the salon.

Specialist salon insurance through Ripe

If you’re a salon owner, insuring your beauty salon through Ripe can help provide financial protection and peace of mind should the worst happen.

Through Ripe, you can get specialist salon insurance that provides up to £10m Public and Products Liability cover and up to £5m Treatment Risk cover as standard to protect you against third-party claims for injury or property damage.

You can also choose additional cover options, such as Employers' Liability and Buildings cover, so you're only ever paying for the cover you need. 

Learn more about how we can help here, or get an instant online quote.