How to create a marketing plan for your waxing salon

30/11/2023

You know how good you are at delivering amazing waxing and beauty services, but if you don't actively promote your business and have a strategic marketing plan in place, you could be losing out on new clients and, importantly, missing out on upselling to your existing clients. Attracting new clients and getting your loyal clients to spend more are really the two main ways of achieving growth and success, so if you're not focussed on this, your business will be disadvantaged.

While some waxing salons are better than others at marketing, too often it's not a strategic part of what salons do. In many cases, marketing is 'done' as a reaction to dips in bookings or a financial downturn, but these are the times when it's harder to make the investments you need. Spending money when you have less coming in is not the best solution and, in some cases, it can simply make things worse. Then, and sometimes as a result of this downturn, salons turn to discounting in a bid to boost sales. But at what cost? Discounting should be a tactical element of your marketing strategy but not the key focus, as it can attract appointments and boost sales, but it inevitably lowers your margins and profit too.

Because of this, marketing should be mapped out, planned, budgeted and organised throughout the whole year. The easiest way to organise this is to create a plan and budget, along with a marketing calendar, and then stick to it. Importantly, as you're no doubt aware of the times of year when natural dips will occur, you can factor this into your plan so you have pre-ordained campaigns to address this head-on.

Here are a few simple steps to creating a marketing calendar.

1. Create a calendar on Excel or Google Sheets for the year

Create a simple marketing calendar so you can see the months of the year clearly. Here you can plot campaigns for key events such as New Year, Valentine's Day, Spring Beauty, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Summer Waxing, Autumn Skincare, Christmas etc.

Create a campaign theme with services related to each event, along with custom packages, promotions and incentives e.g. Travel Goody Bag offer for summer getaways, or Partner Packages for Valentine's Day. And remember to involve your team! This not only makes them feel invested in the plan, they can contribute ideas that boost their confidence, and reflect what their clients say they want and need.

Then look at how you can push each promotion through:

1. In-salon marketing with POS, window posters/displays and leaflets, and by talking to your team about how they can introduce these campaigns to clients
2. Email marketing to your client database, remembering to observe GDPR protocols
3. On your website and blog
4. On your socials, including a social marketing budget to amplify your campaign reach to a targeted demographic
5. Via local news media and influencers, and even running Google Ads campaigns to maximise website traffic in your area when people are searching online for local salons and waxing services

You can also invite journalists and/or influencers to experience your services in exchange for a review, as this is great PR and will really boost awareness at minimal cost. Also, make sure your website is set up to attract immediate bookings with an online booking platform if possible. Basically, make it as easy as possible for clients to book and buy.

2. Budget

When doing your plan, set budgets so you can manage your marketing investments. Things like social marketing are great value and relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of marketing, but you also need to look at design and print costs for in-salon marketing and POS, social media content design, e-mail marketing design and for any advertising you do locally. Make sure you apply budgets to each campaign, so you know the exact cost, and then evaluate post-campaign to see how these activities have performed. 

3. Think laterally

There are so many things you can do to create noise and excitement around your campaigns without breaking the bank. Let's take Valentine's Day for example and look at a basic campaign structure.

a. Design your campaign message and look. This will include creating your format e.g. treatments and services, a glass of bubbly & nibbles on arrival, partner packages and Valentine's Day gifts, vouchers and goody bags, for example.
b. Set an activation date for marketing and the campaign launch
c. Publish on your website, blog and socials, and dress the salon during the campaign period with POS, posters and information - place information where clients and passers by can see it and hand clients information as they leave
d. Set up email campaigns to your client database and, if possible, launch texts with links to your Valentine's Day campaign / Book Appointment platform
e. Set a budget for any social marketing, local advertising and influencer activity. Then get these campaigns booked and send the relevant artworks, and invite influencers and journalists in for a preview and follow up
f. If you're feeling ambitious, invite loyal clients to an exclusive preview event where they can bring a friend or loved one for a special price and/or with goody bags and exclusive follow up offers/vouchers
g. Evaluate - post campaign to see how many people booked, how much they spent and look at your social campaigns and analytics to see what worked effectively, and cost effectively  

A little imagination goes a long way but you must have a strong campaign image that's consistent across all communications channels.

Tips on creating a perfect marketing plan

Creating a marketing plan can be daunting, so here's a few simple tips to help you create a plan for the upcoming new year. Let's go for more in '24! 

1. Know your audience - and who you are marketing to
You know your waxing and beauty services, and your clientele, but who are you looking to appeal to? Understand your audience profile so you can create a plan, campaigns and ideas that you know will appeal your existing and potential clients. Understanding your demographic is important too.

For example: If you have a high proportion of students, create campaigns that will appeal to students, such as offering student discounts at quiet times, bring-a-fellow-student offers, and incentives such as added-value items in the form of samples and goody bags both as an addition, or alternative, to discounts. If you have a high proportion of different ethnicities in your area, come up with specific campaign ideas tailored to specific ethnic groups. Similarly, if the age demographic in your area has a high number of a particular age group, look at how you can appeal to them. Targeting campaigns to specific groups makes them feel included and it positions your salon as inclusive and attuned to its locale.

You should have a plan that includes ideas to attract new clients, and one that looks to appeal to clients already spending money with you. For example, you may launch a simple loyalty scheme for existing clients, tempt them with incentives for trying services they don't already use, or include sampling and offers on retail products following a treatment. You could also host client evenings and events to foster community spirit. All these build loyalty and strengthen the relationship between you and your clients.

For new clients, you may offer a complimentary sample treatment, a goody bag with their first treatment or even a discount for committing to a series of treatments. Combining these approaches with recommend-a-friend, partner packages and allowing clients to bring friends and family to a client evening will also help satisfy existing clients and attract new ones.

2. Conduct a SWOT analysis
Conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to identify what sets your waxing salon apart from competitors. Build on your strengths, address your weaknesses, create opportunities around these facts and nullify potential threats to your business. As part of this, clearly articulate what makes your salon unique. It could be specialised services that no-one else in your area offers, exemplary customer service and reviews, or the use of premium waxing products. Your USP should be the focal point of your marketing strategy.

4. Establish goals
Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. These could include increasing customer retention, attracting new clients, or launching new services based on research. Goal setting gives you a focus for your marketing efforts and it helps you to assess your success, as well as identifying failures and putting them right.

5. Maximise your online presence
As increasing numbers of clients search, book and buy online, your online presence has never been more vital. Develop a professional and user-friendly website and ideally integrate an online booking option, and even e-commerce for product sales. Around 50% of clients look for salons and book appointments outside of business hours, with 52% booking between 5pm and 9pm, so if you're not competing in the online space, you will miss out. You can't take a manual booking when you're closed! Fix this now by reaching out to My Salon Website who can build an inspiring site affordably, and with appointment booking integrations. Adding a blog will position your expertise and it's great for SEO; remember to get your Google presence right and even look at Google Ads to attract website traffic, bookings and sales.

Use social media effectively to showcase your expertise, before-and-after photos, client testimonials, and promotions, while building awareness through social marketing. Remember this is a 'social' space so try to create and post engaging content along with sales and promotional messages. Try not to overwhelm people with 'advertising'! 

6. Create a loyalty program
Implementing a simple loyalty program rewards loyal customers but think about adding value, not just discounting. This might include exclusive previews to new services, incentives for trying a treatment they haven't tried before, product samples to encourage them to use your retail range or hosting Loyalty Club member events. You can also use tactical offers, such as special discounts on retail, and bring-a-friend activities so your loyal clients feel special and treasured.

7. Foster partnerships and engage in the community
Form partnerships with complementary businesses, such as hair salons, clothing boutiques, florists and restaurants as these kind of cross-promotions can benefit business in the community. This also means you can add value by giving your clients special offers in other outlets, which they will appreciate. Similarly, get involved in community events such as wedding fairs, networking events and fetes, as these add to your promotional mix and show that you're a great community player.

Of course there are so many ways to promote your waxing business that are cost efficient and effective. These are just some. It's not always about throwing money at it, but being tactical and smart. This is why you need to start with a plan, so get planning now and 2024 could be your most successful year yet!

We hope you've found this blog useful and please contact us if you have any comments or suggestions for future blogs.