This is true Jill. I counted my loyalty cards and had dozens. They require an organizer all their own so they don’t clutter up my wallet.  I use several of them every week around town. For the loyalty reward cards for department stores and membership cards,  I have an app on my phone that I scan the cards’ barcodes into. Then I can pull them up and have the cashier at the store scan them to credit me with my reward points or to get my membership information. It has been a great organizational tool for me.

Loyalty programs are a great way to show your clients that you value their business. We use a few different types of programs. First of all in our salon we have a stamp card for product purchases that the client keeps and when full is good for a percentage off of their next purchase. These have been really good for our guests; they love being able to get a reward for their purchases.

 We just recently upgraded our computer software and are now trying to implement birthday tracking. I have always tracked my clients’ birthdays but it was not a salon-wide practice. I think it will be a great way to really show our appreciation for the whole salon to get into the act. I know when I receive a birthday card from anyone it makes me feel special, especially since I was born on a major holiday that usually overshadows it. That is why it has always been my practice to observe clients’ special days.

We have started to offer rewards drawings to clients that pre-book as well. That is something I learned here on this very blog a few months ago and it was a smashing success. We really had a good increase on the clients who pre-booked appointments, especially with our newer service providers. It gave them a low pressure way to ask for the pre-book and once the contest was over they were so accustomed to asking for it they no longer felt uncomfortable doing it. So this technique had dual rewards for our staff. We now run a pre book contest every few months to just give the service providers a goal to work towards and to give the guests something to look forward to.

As for the pedicure/manicure clubs, this is probably our second most successful client loyalty program. Our guests love this and habitually take advantage of the buy three, get one free. Many will pre-purchase the package just to be sure that they don’t run out unexpectedly.

All of these programs and techniques have been proven successful for us. I think if you try one or two you will see just how much they can help your business to stand out from the rest and become the best.

— Sandy