How to get your nail clients back
From Zoom quizzes to banana bread, the coronavirus lockdown saw us all trying new things. And that included a rise in the number of people - including many of your clients - attempting to do their own gel manicures at home. In April and May, Nails Inc saw a massive 270% increase in year on year sales in the UK while the hashtag #QuarantineNails trended on Instagram.
But now you’re open for business again, you might be faced with the problem of your customers opting to carry on with their DIY nail treatments at home. So how do you convince them to book back in with you for a professional service?
We caught up with Maddi Cook, a hair and beauty business coach at Boss Your Salon and nail technician Aimee Purser, founder of Aimee Purser Beauty, to get their top tips.
Educate your clients
With so many gorgeous nail trends to choose from on Instagram, your clients might think they can do the perfect salon-finish manicure at home. So it’s worth reminding them about the amazing polishes and products you use, including Gelish, that they can’t buy.
Maddi says, “Utilise blogs to educate clients on the differences between shop bought and professional lines.”
Aimee agrees. She says, “Let your clients know the products you use are of the very best quality. Also make sure you’re stocking aftercare products to help their nails stay healthy and educate them on the benefits of using these products.”
“Utilise your Instagram stories to show ‘behind the scenes’ mini videos of you in full PPE, of your cleaning routine and how important it is to keep your clients safe.”
Share the love
Chat to your clients who have booked in post-lockdown, and then share their testimonials on social media. “Social proof works brilliantly as clients can read the experiences of people who are in the same boat as them, with the same worries, and see that they have had a great experience”, says Maddi.
Reassure your clients
Another reason your customers might not book in is because of health and safety concerns. Maddi adds, “Utilise your Instagram stories to show ‘behind the scenes’ mini videos of you in full PPE, of your cleaning routine and how important it is to keep your clients safe. Keep it friendly though and show clients that it’s their favourite nail tech under all of that safety gear!”
Also, let your clients know about any new qualifications or training you’ve done post-Covid. “I told all my clients that I’d completed a ‘Covid 19 Infection Prevention and Control’ course and that all of my risk assessments, salon guidelines and terms and conditions had been revised and updated to comply with the new government guidelines”, says Aimee.
Reward their loyalty
If your customers need a bit of encouragement to book back in, why not introduce a loyalty card or VIP service.
Aimee says, “I have a loyalty card system for returning clients. It offers them a discount on their fifth and tenth treatments with me. I find that this is a great way to encourage clients back in and is a little thank you to them for being a regular client of mine.”
Maddi adds, “Think about offering a ‘VIP referral scheme’. This is where your client gets perks for referring their friends and family to you (and it’s for VIPs only, so they feel special!).”
However, Maddi advises against offering discounts. “Not only does this annoy your loyal clients who booked in advance (think about when you buy something online and then you go back and see it’s in the sale!), but it also ‘trains’ clients to wait it out in the hope of a discount. This is a slippery slope.”
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