THOUGHT PROCESS
The salon retail products, services and gift cards available at Salon Suites aren’t always the first gift resource that comes to the mind when holiday shoppers start ticking off their gift-buying list.
ACTION STEPS
A salon holiday marketing strategy that keeps the Salon Suite’s brand and it’s gift-ready items top of mind with clients and consumers can help Suite Owners get a larger share of holiday sales.
The NRF (National Retail Federation) projects a record-setting year in 2017 for U.S. holiday sales, which are projected to rise 3.4 to 4% higher than 2016 sales, as much as $682 billion. The countdown to the 2017 holiday season has already started. More than half of all shoppers have already begun researching holiday purchases, and more than one quarter of holiday shoppers have already started making them.
THOUGHT PROCESS
The salon retail products, services and gift cards available at Salon Suites aren’t always the first gift resource that comes to the mind when holiday shoppers start ticking off their gift-buying list.
ACTION STEPS
A salon holiday marketing strategy that keeps the Salon Suite’s brand and it’s gift-ready items top of mind with clients and consumers can help Suite Owners get a larger share of holiday sales.
The NRF (National Retail Federation) projects a record-setting year in 2017 for U.S. holiday sales, which are projected to rise 3.4 to 4% higher than 2016 sales, as much as $682 billion. The countdown to the 2017 holiday season has already started. More than half of all shoppers have already begun researching holiday purchases, and more than one quarter of holiday shoppers have already started making them.
By November, nearly all holiday shoppers will be in full-on search and a majority will be in purchase mode before December first. Let’s break down the height of the holiday shopping season by week in the 6 weeks beginning November 12 to build a 6-week salon holiday marketing plan for your Salon Suite.
As you create promotional offers, make sure that Salon Suite gift cards feature prominently in your marketing. Because based on gift card statistics featured on GiftCards.com:
As you create promotional offers, make sure that Salon Suite gift cards feature prominently in your marketing. Because based on gift card statistics featured on GiftCards.com:
- More than 1 in 10 (11%) of consumers gave Salon and Spa gift cards as holiday gifts in 2016
- 61% of consumers requested gift cards in 2016 – the most request item for 10 years running
- Women are even more likely to want to receive a gift card (69%) than men (53%)
Gift cards are a great client-attraction and sales-boosting tool: 65% of gift card users spend 38% over face value of their cards. (CEB Gift Cards State of the Union)
Suite Success Secret #79: 6 Week Salon Holiday Marketing Planner
Week 1 – November 12-18
Holiday shoppers are building not only their overall holiday shopping plan but their Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Thanksgiving weekend and Cyber Monday shopping. Prepare special offers for Thanksgiving weekend. Since they are time-limited, they must be compelling; meaning, the value in the offer must be significant and meaningful.
Holiday shoppers are building not only their overall holiday shopping plan but their Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Thanksgiving weekend and Cyber Monday shopping. Prepare special offers for Thanksgiving weekend. Since they are time-limited, they must be compelling; meaning, the value in the offer must be significant and meaningful.
- Black Friday – what type of offer could pull clients and local consumers in for a purchase, or would make them reserve a special offer via email?
- Small Business Saturday – what type of offer could you share for people who want to support small business in your community? How will you reach out to others for more awareness, such as your local Chamber of Commerce or business networking groups?
- Saturday/Sunday after Thanksgiving – can you prepare gift-ready (gift-wrapped, gift-themed cards, etc.) bundles that make for quick pick up or online order?
- Cyber Monday – can you extend a buy-one, get-one (free or discounted) gift card offer to sell online?
Week 2 – November 19-26
Use email and social media to promote 1-day-only offers for the 4 days immediately following Thanksgiving. Be specific. Let your audience know that you have wonderful gifts for:
- holiday party hostess gifting
- teachers, coaches
- loved ones
- friends
- co-workers and colleagues
And make your suggestions specific. For example, an “indulge me” gift for teachers that includes a Salon Suite gift card and indulgent product like aroma-therapy, candles, fragrance, cosmetics, skin care, lotion, etc.
Week 3 – November 26 – December 2
Use email to extend a one-day only Cyber Monday offer for November 27 that enables clients to purchase or reserve a special offer online or via email as a client-exclusive promotion.
Tuesday, November 28 is “Giving Tuesday.” Consider establishing a point of collection for a local shelter, food bank, animal shelter, giving tree or some other give-back where clients and the general public can come to donate items over the next few weeks. Use social media and email to promote the charitable drive.
On December 1st, publish a Holiday Shopping Wish List on your website listing the top 10 gifts that people should purchase from your Salon Suite this year for the people on their gift-giving list. Again be specific in suggesting gifts that are ideal for teachers, coaches, friends, loved ones, hostesses, bosses, co-workers, etc.
For the next 10 days, share a 1-day only special offer around each one of these gift ideas on social media and via email marketing. Send an email to your clients with the content listing each of the special offers, or send a 1-day only special email offer every day for 10 days in conjunction with your social media offers, whichever you believe your contacts would prefer.
Week 4 – December 3-9
Complete your 10 days of special offers. Continue to promote your holiday season give-back. Create and start promoting a 1-day only special offer for Green Monday, December 11 (see next week).
Week 5 – December 10-16
Monday, December 11th is “Green Monday.” Green Monday is another online retail holiday shopping day, similar to Cyber Monday. It’s always the second Monday of December, which is traditionally third-largest online shopping day of the year. This could be a good day to put 1-day only savings or buy-one, get-one (free or discounted) special offers together around your remaining holiday retail inventory.
Week 6 – December 17-23
Focus holiday promotion messaging on “last minute” gift ideas and solutions for hard-to-please gift recipients, last minute holiday guests, etc.
Tuesday, December 19 is Free Shipping Day – usually the last day someone can order something online and expect it to arrive by Christmas. If you’re able to accommodate online sales, this is a great time to offer one or two-day only promotions with free shipping or local delivery services.
Saturday, December 23 is Super Saturday, the last Saturday before Christmas Day and one of the last days holiday shoppers will be out looking for great gift ideas and discounts. If you have holiday themed inventory still remaining, use this week (and special promotions) to get it sold. Consider donating unsold holiday-themed retail inventory to a local shelter or charity (like a Ronald McDonald House) where it will truly be a gift – and one that provides you with a write off and potential tax deduction for the year.
P.S. December 26 – Gift Card Exchange Day
Holiday shoppers will be out for post-holiday deals and wish-list items, gift cards in hand. Send an email to clients and use social media to promote a 1-day only gift card buy-one, get-one offer from your Salon Suite, or hold an event where people can come and exchange unwanted gift cards with one another, or which they can even redeem at your Salon Suite for a gift card or discount on purchases made that day.
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