Best marketing idea(s) of 2008

[Kathe]

They have to start over. If they can't find their card we just start them on a new one with their next purchase. If they find the lost card we will combine them.

[JustTans23]

K, I'll have to print that on the backside of the card. If you don't put it in writing they try to get ya!

[Island Sun Nola]

YEAH Nola is Hott!!! Feelz like Africa, I hate it lol

[hisachu]

Kate, can you please send me also the template at hisachu@hotmail.com

[mule14]

We do unlimited airbrush for $23.00 per week on EFT, works well. $50 for a month seems to be selling yourself very short.... but every market is different.

I Like the punch card idea, we do a rewards card that gives $50 off your 5th purchase over $100, this gets them buying the more expensive lotions and packages.

[justin78626]

Hmm ... well i really like the punch card idea... ive been thinking of doing a loyalty card of some sort just haven't gotton to it yet! We probably will do something of the sort as well great idea kathe! Also, I could see that combining that with what we already do could be a great benefit. We put stickers on the back or bottom of every lotions that are silver foil leaf or something of the sort and have our logo in black and say "bring in this bottle for a free upgrade" this is sort of like kathe's idea someone who doesnt upgrade much gets to try a new bed and hopefully want it more and we get to know when they are out of lotion to sell them a better one and hopefully get them into something with a bit of a higher price point... the combination of the two ideas could be a real win win i think! gunna give it a whirl!

Just did the first email with Constant Contact so many of you recomended on here! This was GREAT! The reports are great ! It is super innexpensive for something of the sort! And seems like a great way to reach customers that you may not have seen in a hwile and offer them some reason to come see you!we put coupons at the bottom , an article of updates about our facility, some pictures, and article on vitamin D and even a link where they could purchase an online special only for laser hair removal using paypal! which im considering doing a special on the next one like that to get rid of some lotion i am having a hard time selling!

I have read on here some great ideas for t shirt slogans! i really want to do this! But more with not just t shirts but cool stuff that people would actualy wear and not send to goodwill ! anyone have expirience with this?

[justin78626]

wow we charge 40 for a single airbrush and are averaging about 2 a day alnd 24.95 for a magic tan... we did 8 of thos today but i guess that would be just a difference in demographics

[Kagha]

Could i get that template too please and thank you
kagha@bellsouth.net

[Kathe]

Sent everyone.

[enuf]

Kathe, can you plz send me one too. Thanks l_tropic@bellsouth.net

[Kathe]

Sent!

[bash0918]

I have a question for Kathe, Dean & I think Din, too. We currently offer free tans w/ purchase of our lotion.
Which do you all think(& others, too) is better to offer...
Free bottle of lotion after purchase of 6? or
Credit $$ back to customer w/ purchase of lotion?
I understand both the concepts, but I am assuming you can't do both. Plus, credit $$ back can be used on anything in salon including upgrades-correct? Thanks all!!

[Kathe]

Well Dean (Din) does one and I do the other. I wanted to create an atmosphere where customers bought from me and bought on a regular basis and when they did, they would get rewarded. They get both short term (free Orbit upgrades) and long term (free bottle of lotion) rewards. I wanted to keep my customers from buying from ebay or the local store and build loyalty within my salon. I decided to use the markup on the lotions for that purpose.

You'll have to get Dean's take on his program. Either one you choose, just get behind it 100% and make it work for you.

[bash0918]

My bad-I didn't realize Dean(Din) were one in the same. Thanks for clarifying that.
So, Kathe, what is the 'short term' reward in the orbit that you offer? I assume sessions or upgrades within a certain time frame?

[pomlover]

Kathe,
I love you idea! Our lotion sales has dropped so much this year. But we had a major tornado in our town that wiped out 80% of the businesses, during Feb. Then the next two months we had 2 majors floods in the neighboring towns. We live in a rural area and that took alot out of everyone! So I would love to get everyone back on track! I am so worried about my Sept and Oct. which has always been my slowest months! Could you send me the temp. of your idea? I would really appreaciate it also!!

Misty

[EliteMike]

Kathe, could you please send it to me as well. Might be time to see if it's better than Din's trick

[Kathe]

I'll get these out to everybody when I get back into the salon Monday afternoon.

[golfhac]

So I think Kathe has found the best solution for extra income during JASON. Kathe you should trade mark your punch card and then sell the template, along with a "star punch" for 19.95 plus shipping/handling.

Just kidding...you have always been there for input and advice, and your comments are always "right on".

The thread was started with "new marketing ideas" and stayed focused on Kathe's puch card & Din's Trick. Anybody have any additional ideas on various marketing/pricing plans?

Free gift card with any purchase. Spend $100.00...get 10.00 gift card.....spend 200.00...get 25.00 etc. They can use it...or better yet give it to a friend to try your salon. Whatever level you are comfortable with it rewards your customers for patronage and keeps them loyal to your salon. Statistically 40% of gift cards issued and never redeemed so you may never have to "pay it back". This is really better than offering 5-10-15-20% off any product or service because you get the full value of the sale today, rather than a discounted sale today..ie: you get $100.00 in your cash drawer rather than 90.00.

BOGO..."buy one get one free" (any bed/mystic/spray)....bring a friend and both get a 1/2 price tan.

Sept is free upgrade month.....(never let your premium beds be empty)...."once they see the difference..they are sold". This works extremely well for salons with good HP beds, because once a base bed or VHR customer tries the HP tan they are "sold" and then you can offer to upgrade their package/(or EFT) to HP.

Birthday cards/emails. We all get computer generated cards from our various vendors (both professional & personal)...ie your insurance agent. During slow time pull a birthday list from your software and have staff write a handwritten BD card, then put a .42 stamp and mail it. This has worked so well for several owners because it's "personal" and customers love it. You maybe surprised how many birthdays you have in the next few months with customers who have not been in to tan in a long time. $.42 is pretty cheap to re-gain (or keep) a tanning customer. The trick is the personal handwritten card rather than something typed or computer generated. Be creative if you want to include an offer with their card, but remember the card is meant to wish your customer a "happy birthday"...not sell you salon.

Personal phone calls from ownership to lost customers, or customers who have not been in for a while. I started this when we first purchased the salon in Febuary and it worked really well, then got busy and didn't have time to finish it. Now as I'm writing this it reminded me to get back to that program.

Customer referral programs: Your best form of advertising is your client telling a friend how great you are...there is no better method of securing a new client...hands down. Try working every existing client to bring in a friend, and them give the existing client $5.00 in store credit to be used on future purchases. You can offer the new client any offer you have...but be carefull not to give anything to the new client that you are not preparred to give your existing client. Obiviously this only works if your doing a "great job" with your current operations. A bad referral is 10 times worse than a good referral.

Just a few ideas that I'm sure most have thought about or are even doing now. We all would welcome all the creative ideas you may have so post away.

Kathe.....I would also love a copy of your punch card template tanme@pacbell.net

[Kathe]

I added it to the salon owners page of my website. Just scroll to the bottom of the page for things for salon owners.

Kathe & Tom Ray

[JustTans23]

I do have to say that I had an employee that couldn't sell for the life of her, and we couldn't figure out why, well since implementing the Bingo board (from another thread "sales games" or something like that) and the punch card, you can't stop her from selling if you tried! It's been great!