How to Increase Salon Client Loyalty by Making a Great First Impression

Everyone wants to know “How do I attract customers to my salon?”. The fastest and easiest way to increase client loyalty is by improving the quality of the salon customer service. 

The key is salon customer appreciation, and it’s important to include in your beauty salon customer service policy. When you take care of your clients so well they tell others, you know you have delivered on the quality of the service. And when you do this every time,  you will see client loyalty, retention and referrals seriously escalate. A new client will develop an impression about your beauty therapist, and your beauty salon, in their first 7 SECONDS. In that slice of time, they will judge your employee in 11 different ways, all of which will affect how likely it is that they will do business with you again. The outcome of these judgments is important – clients will roll these judgments into one opinion of your business which will determine how likely they are to become a repeat client. The decision they make is one of the following 3 conclusions:

• They like your employee (and therefore your salon)
• They dislike your employee (and therefore your salon)
• They are indifferent

Two of these conclusions are death to your business. Obviously dislike is bad, but so is indifference. Indifferent clients are temporary clients, only in your salon until they find a better option. So, if you were a client phoning, passing by or calling into your salon for the first time, how impressed would you be?

My Guide to Getting It Right First Time

If you want all your salon clients to become long-term, even lifetime clients make sure to create an outstanding first impression. Remember, people buy people first!

• The telephone: Ensure that all employees who work on reception have been fully trained on how to answer the phone and respond to the client’s call.
• Be on time: Come to work a few minutes early, organise your day and run your appointments on time.
• Be yourself, be at ease: When you are calm and confident, your client will feel more at ease, and you have a solid foundation to build trust, introduce new services and make recommendations.
• Present yourself appropriately: Is your salon appearance saying the right things to help create the right first impression? Surveys show that employees with high levels of personal presentation create pride in the salon, while increasing the company’s credibility.
• Keep your individuality: Of course within a salon environment you need to ‘fit in’ with the team, but you can usually create a great impression without losing your individuality and personality – clients love to see this shining through!
• A winning smile: There is nothing like a genuine smile to create a great first impression. A warm and confident smile will put both you and the client at ease.
• Be open and confident: Body language can speak louder than words. Use your body language to reflect appropriate confidence and self-assurance. Stand tall, make eye contact and greet with a firm handshake. Always project confidence in your ability.
• Small talk goes a long way: Conversations are based on give and take. Prepare questions for the clients you are expecting, relative to the treatments they have booked.
• Be courteous and attentive: Good manners, polite, attentive and courteous behaviour helps to make a great first impression. Every client deserves 100% of your attention, so always be on your best behaviour with all clients.
• Be positive: Your attitude shows through in everything you do. Project a positive attitude, even in the face of criticism or nervousness. Strive to continually learn, always maintaining a positive upbeat manner.

“It’s not the impression you make... It’s the impression you leave!” - Maryln Schwartz