Once you have decided on the product or service you are introducing put together a timeline to launch. Your team will have to be trained and briefed on the product or service and given time to get to know how to achieve the best results from it. If your team is excited by the new product or service the salon is offering, they are more likely to chat naturally to clients about this. A practice session pre-launch ensures everyone from the assistants to the front of house team can answer any questions with confidence!
Set a launch date and prepare your strategy. Are you going to hold a client evening? Who is responsible for organising this – set team members roles and responsibilities, encouraging them to take ownership of the event. A client evening can be a great way to introduce a new service. Invite clients to bring a friend who isn’t a client, with your aim being to encourage them to book into the salon. Welcome them to the salon with a glass of fizz and some canapés or salon branded cupcakes and make sure that there is plenty for them to see and people to chat to. The salon team can demonstrate the new service and encourage clients to book in for the service by offering them a preferential price if they book that evening. The product company you work with may be happy to provide you with sample products for goody bags, and make sure to include salon pricelists and other relevant salon marketing materials.
If you are launching a new product or product range to the salon, a strong communication strategy is vital to the success of the launch. Use all available mediums to promote the product to ensure clients and prospective clients are aware of the key points you want to get over about the product including exclusive to you in your area, the benefits of using the product or any introductory offers. Within the salon use tent cards or create eye catching displays of the product to ensure it catches the client’s attention as soon as they come into the salon. Placing the product at the styling station will give the stylist the opportunity to talk to the client about it.
Use social media to make existing clients and potential clients aware that you are now stocking this exclusive product or providing this new ‘must have’ service. Creative and interesting posts on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram on a regular basis will help to promote the product or service. Don’t keep repeating the same post on the same platform, make sure they are interesting and colourful and get your message across. Setting up a competition to like and share to win the product or service could bring many new followers and potential clients. Invite your local press into the salon to experience the treatment or service and ask them to post about it. When they post or publish the review share this on social media.
Launching a new product or service can be exciting and if planned properly can bring you fantastic results including new clients and increased turnover. All it takes is a little planning and preparation.
