It’s no mystery—consumers buy more and gift more during holidays and seasonal events. In this excerpt from his book “A Salon Owner’s Guide to Wealth,” business expert Jeff Grissler shares his take on how to boost your retail sales during peak shopping periods.

Seasonal and holiday specials are always big sellers. In addition to gift cards for services and gift packages of products (both of which you should have), special offers that reflect the season and holiday always sell well. Take a look at these ideas for specials throughout the year.

1. New Year, New You.
Just after New Year’s Day, offer packages to clients that reflect upon the New Year. Update their look with a new, trendy, innovative cut and style, and support it with products and color treatments. Offer a relaxation package to get them started fresh.

2. Valentine’s Day.
Sure, offer packages for her—cut and color, waxing, facial scrubs, etc.—but focus on him, too. Offer discounts on men’s haircuts. This draws in new male clients and gives a little something to the loyal ones. Stock gift bags that include masculine products, massage oils and aromatherapy candles. We know that men are less likely to pamper themselves, so focus on selling his beauty to the women and significant others in his life. Signage like: “He’s your diamond in the rough, let us help make him shine” or “You fell in love with him for a reason, we’ll show you why” or “Bring him in for an overhaul” are all cheeky ways to get the point across that you’re offering great salon packages for men.

3. Mother’s Day.
Mother’s Day specials should do two things: get moms in the door and send them home with products they’ll love. Mother’s Day specials should focus more on pampering mom, giving her a break from the day-to-day life of kids, work and household chores. Offer packages that include mini massages; nail treatments; easy (and profitable) hair treatments like shampoos and styling, highlights, quick color treatments and trims or cuts; and waxing.

4. Memorial Day.
We know what you’re thinking: Memorial Day? Yes. It’s the opening of summer and the perfect time to offer summer cuts and styles, skincare products, tanning (spray, gel, tanning bed) treatments, pedicures (time for sandals, which means it’s time for cute toes), and manicures.

5. Summer Specials.
Like with Memorial Day specials, summer specials focus on skin care and sun protection, hair management (the sun is hard on hair, especially color treated hair, so offer treatments accordingly) and mani/pedi maintenance.

6. Father’s Day.
As with Mother’s Day, Father’s Day specials should center on treating dad. Sports massages, back waxes, shaves, brow treatments, skin treatments—even manicures—give dad a little pampering he wouldn’t have given himself.

7. Labor Day.
Help clients recover from the harsh summer sun with the perfect bookend to your Memorial Day and summer specials. Offer treatments and products that ensure healthy skin and hair, and a relaxing landing from the madness of summer. You could also offer packages that extend the summer season with tanning solutions and other products and treatments that support that summer vibe.

8. Halloween
Offer fun temporary colors and crazy styles (think of Bride of Frankenstein, Marge Simpson, etc.) with a follow-up treatment a day or two later to wash out the color, fix the style and get your clients “out of character” and back into their lives.

9. Holidays.
Be sensitive in your language construction of specials during end-of-year holidays. You don’t want to alienate or isolate segments of your customer base. Christmas and Hanukkah all speak to one culture or religion, but we want the salon to draw in clients from all walks of life, so it’s often best to identify them as “Holiday Specials.” With your holiday specials, offer products (that can be given away as gifts) paired with treatments, special gift baskets, gift cards and introductory packages for your client’s friends and family (and throw in a perk for them as well).

10. Winter Blues.
An alternative to the New Year, New You special, offer a Winter Blues package designed to freshen up clients and drag them out of the midwinter doldrums that come after too many months of cold weather and early nights.

Make your plans now to kick off retail-boosting promotions during spring, then plan the rest of year through the summer months as you learn what works well with your salon environment and clientele.

Need a little help with salon promotions, we’re here to help!
BeautyMark Marketing offers Ready-To-Wear (ready to customize) salon promotions
https://beautymarkmarketing.com/rtw-salon-promotion/