“Our clients love our parties. We do throw some awesome parties with lots of food, drinks, door prizes, gifts, and discounts,” says Samantha Hanby, owner of Polished Nail Salon in Yukon, Okla., who held a Customer Appreciation Day for clients last September and plans to make it an annual event. “We decided to have a Customer Appreciation Day to thank all of our clients for their patronage and support. Also, I told a lot of clients we would throw a big party if we won ‘best nail salon’ in Oklahoma City, which we did.”

The event was an unqualified success. “I bribed them with lots of freebies like coupons, cuticle oil, and nail files. We had lots of food — eggrolls, homemade favorites, and catered hors d’oeuvres. And of course, lots of beverages and wine.”

The party was a money-maker for the salon, but Hanby says that’s hardly the point: “I didn’t really want to set any goals or push any product sales. I just wanted clients to come have fun and be spoiled by us.”    

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