Client loyalty is the key to success in business. Yet with so many competitors and everyone vying for the same custom, how can you ensure your clients rebook with you.
The truth Is that retaining your current customers is much easier than constantly trying to attract new ones. Clients will typically start with you for send years on average. From this point on either, they will phase out and stop booking appointments or they will continue to visit you indefinitely. Clients who remain with your business after this timeframe are unlikely to go elsewhere. The question is, what is the best way to achieve this?
Client type – Working in the beauty industry we must expect that customers will come and go along the way. I am sure you encounter many types of clients during your career, here are some examples.
The one-timer
This client will visit you once, decide you are not for them, and never return. In life you make the decision based on your first impression, if you did not make one, they won’t come back. Don’t take this personally, we attract the kind of people that we are.
The short stay
They may visit you a few times while their usually therapist is traveling or on maternity leave. However, as soon as they return to work, they will ditch you.
The important thing is to keep in mind, that they might need you again, therefore it’s good to keep lines of communication open and accept them for who they are.
The bounce between
This individual does not have a regular therapist. Instead, they float between a handful of a beauty therapist, depending on who can fit them in at the time.
The spy
The client is either a competitor, works for a competitor, or has a friend who owns a rival salon. With time you learn how to spot them and how to deal with them.
You should be flattered that another business is so concerned and threatened by you that they have gone to this much effort to send someone in.
The annual visitor
This client is someone who would love to come to see you more often, but the finances will not allow it.
Instead, they will ask for salon vouchers or money for the birthday to treat themselves with your treatments.
The bargain hunter
This type of client may only visit your salon if you have a special deal or promotion. It’s nothing wrong with that, but they never are loyal clients to you, so don’t waste too much time on them.
The loyal client
And finally, our favorite one. The client that we want our diaries filled with. A loyal customer will come to see you every so often, year in and year out.
Overall, they trust you are implicitly, recommend you to their friends, and would not go anywhere else. This is your perfect client.
So how do we retain them?
– First of all, we need to offer them the best possible service, as we do to everyone.
– We must be experts in our fields with up-to-date relevant knowledge.
– Our salons should be clean, well-presented and relaxing.
– We need to be polite and friendly.
– We must make them feel special and offer loyalty rewards.
All these factors make the client want to book with us again and again because they want the same experience every time, they come in.
Treat them the way you would treat your mum, your sister, or your best friend and they will be your loyal clients for life.
