It’s December (woohoo!), and no doubt you are booked up with clients until you shut for Christmas now. The festive season (as it always does) has rolled around pretty fast. Before you know it, all the sparkly nails, hairspray and festive cheer will be over in a flash. 

This is why it’s essential to start thinking about the quieter months of January and February. The run-up to Christmastime is great, and you’ll be kept busy, but retaining business for the slower months ahead starts now. All those clients coming through the door this month provide you with the ideal opportunity to make sure the slots are filled. 

Do the Groundwork 

There are lots of ways to get your Christmas clients coming back in the new year. Think about ways to incentivise. For example, you could offer £5 off a client’s next treatment when they book a treatment worth £30 or more in January or February. Of course, the details of any incentives can be tailored to suit your salon and pricing. Make booking the treatment now a requirement of the offer. All it takes is a little persuasion and a smiley demeanour to get those clients booking for the new year. There are lots of great ways that you get your Christmas clients back through the door, here are just a few…

Loyalty Cards 

Offer January and February loyalty cards so that anytime a client books in December, they get a stamp on their loyalty cards. An example could be that they collect six stamps for a free miniature or low-cost treatment. It’s entirely up to you and your business as to what you can offer, but loyalty cards can be a fantastic incentive that clients won’t want to waste. 

Encourage Clients to Rebook

When your clients are in for their sparkly festive treatments, ask them before they leave if they want to rebook while they’re there. If they seem interested, offer them a small discount to seal the deal for the quieter months. Clients are more likely to come if they have already booked. Just remember to send an appointment reminder closer to the time.

Introduce Package Deals 

People love a feel-good package, especially as the ‘new year, new me’ kicks in. A January detox package is an excellent deal to run in the quieter months as most people are feeling a bit down and want a bit of rejuvenation. 

You could consider running pamper packages in February for the run-up to Valentine’s Day. This could include a facial, massage and/or nails. 

Be Direct 

Your loyal, long-term clients use you for a reason, so it can’t hurt to remind them. If things are still a bit slow when January swings around, use your client database and give your regular clients a call. Offer them a great deal to get them back through that salon door!

image:istock.com/Jorgenmac