Does your client journey mean business? 8 tips for retaining clients and creating a wow experience

Does your client journey mean business? 8 tips for retaining clients and creating a wow experience

Before you set off trying to grow your business by investing in multiple marketing channels, you firstly need to make sure that the product or service you want to market, has the ability to wow your clients into returning again and again.

To succeed and get your business going further, you need to be adding value to your guests’ experience from the very beginning to the end, and hopefully beyond too.

Even something minor in your process, service or system that leaves a bad impression on a client, could be the difference between retaining that client and losing them, and could ultimately influence your businesses future success.

Here are my eight tips for adding value to your client journey and creating a wow experience to have them coming back time and again.

1. 1. Google yourself. Approximately 81% of people will Google search your business before they make an appointment with you. That means you need your business to have to a good online reputation with great reviews on Google. In our digital age, if your business is low in stars on Google, it doesn’t matter how pretty your website is, because potential clients won’t make it that far. They’ll be too busy looking at your competitors’ who have better review ratings. But for those that do have a good Google rating, you then must make sure your website is something special. It needs to look good, function well and be easy to navigate to give the best impression of you and your business. Give them a great experience online and they’ll be booking with you within the hour. Read my blog about getting more Google 5-star reviews here
   2. Dress to impress. It’s not just your online presence that needs to grab potential clients’ attention, your window displays and visual merchandising need to pack a punch too. They need to be on point, clean, seasonal and convey a simple message that grabs the imaginations of passers-by and leave an impression, the right impression. Be sure to change these every four to six weeks to keep them fresh and exciting. You could even make it an event, a grand unveiling of the new window displays. Read my blog about window displays here
   3. Make your clients feel welcome. Let them know, swiftly after their arrival, that you’ve seen them. A friendly hello, eye contact and a warm smile go a long way. We all know how it feels to walk into a place where all the staff is stood together behind the reception desk, staring, as we make our way over to them. Uncomfortable is not the word. To avoid this happening in your salon, make sure there is only one person behind the desk to meet and greet clients at any one time. Speed is your friend for the next bit. Get them signed in, seated and relaxed in as efficient a manner as you can. Give them a drinks menu and any salon related service or style menus to look through and possibly add to their appointment. Keep their waiting time to a minimum, be attentive and make sure the relevant staff members know the client is ready for their appointment.
   4. Ask the right questions, get the right result. The stylist station is where an in-depth consultation can take place. Asking open-ended questions aimed at finding out what they want and need from their style while incorporating face shape, hair texture, lifestyle and hair history, so both stylist and client are on the same page about the end result. We recommend implementing client consultation cards that are filled out with the client to make sure all the right questions are asked, and to create a record of what has been agreed. Very few salons do this as they believe it takes up too much time, however, these cards create another level of trust and perceived professionalism between stylist and client as both know what is expected. The workstation is also a great place to highlight certain products, services or offers you currently have as they are close enough for the client to touch and take in. Educate your guests while they are in the chair to the best products that will help them achieve the style they want at home.
   5. Indulge the senses. For most, the hair washing part is the favorite bit of the salon experience. Never rush this part. Find ways to slow down time and enhance the five human senses; sight, sound, smell, touch and taste (a special biscuit or chocolate with an aromatic coffee usually go well). Include a head massage as normal practice, have soothing music in the background, use products that create beautiful fragrances as they’re used, and make sure the area is clean, tidy and pleasing to the eye.
   6. Make a show of it. A Colour Bar is a great way to demonstrate colour expertise. Mixing and formulating colours in front of a client helps them to feel as though they are peering behind the curtain and being ‘let in’ on salon secrets, all adding to the wow experience. It also shows how different you are from the box-color high street stores and other salons. Proudly display your colours and developers on the wall and craft a bit of theater in this part of the client journey.
   7. Consistency is key. The check out and salon goodbye needs to be consistent with the rest of the experience and leave a lasting impression with your guests. Ask about products for take home, and encourage re-bookings with a 5% discount off their next appointment if they book within the next 24hrs. Create a new client welcome pack or a brochure detailing more about your salon services and offers. Read my blog about the importance of consistency
   8. Keep your clients close. Continue to wow your clients between appointments with powerful and valuable emails or texts. Hit them with hard-to-say-no-to offers, expert styling tips, must-have products, ask them to fill out a questionnaire on your service, or leave a review on Google or Facebook. Read my blog about e-mail marketing  Create a free questionnaire here: https://www.emailmeform.com

   Once you’ve got those eight tips down and you have an impeccable service providing a great client experience on your hands, then it’s time to really push forward with your salon marketing efforts – to communicate your offerings and reach your audience to get more online traffic and more clients through the door.

    

   Remember to review your customer service procedures regularly and find new ways to make that wow experience happen, as after a while, what wows now, will become the norm, expected and uninspiring. Strive to do the unexpected.

    

    

   Here at BOOST we can help you to make those changes, find where your focus needs to be, get you in the right frame of mind to take the challenge on, and get you on your way to growing your business. Contact us today for help with getting your salon’s wow experience underway!

    

   HappyBIZness

    

   Carey
   
    

   

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