“Team Colors”— I love it. That is another great idea. At our salon we often try to do mini contests and have prizes to encourage the employees to participate. I think it makes everyone a little more focused, enhances their performance, and they keep their eye on the ball so to speak. This is a great one to bring up to the salon owner to do salon-wide.

As for the Business of the Week and the Gift Bag Drop promotion ideas, we have done a couple of the Business of the Weeks so far. We have gotten a few new guests in our chairs and the businesses seem really excited that we have chosen them. They are very appreciative and thank us over and over — if that’s not good PR then I don’t know what is. I can’t wait to see how the Gift Bag Drop performs. It went out this week so I don’t have much feedback yet on it. I’ll keep you posted, but if people were that excited about the Business of the Week, then they are going to love the Gift Bag Drop.

I used to try all sorts of things to get new people in to my chair. I have tried the $5- and $10-off coupons in the phone book with little success and more advertising expense than I wanted to have to pay. I have taken out ads for specials in the little local paper, and in the Tidbits (if you live in Washington or Oregon you will know what these are). Also, I still to this day hand out my business card to everyone who even looks at my nails. Even the person in the drive-through of a fast food restaurant gets one. I leave them with the check when I go out to eat, too. What a great idea to use gift certificates then, instead of just my business card.

I am really thankful for all the ideas that Jill is sending our way because I love being able to have new ways to increase our salon’s business. Ultimately without these kinds of techniques it is very difficult to get your name and your salon’s name out there. We all know the statistics of how many salons fail in the first two years, and that is due, not to lack of technical skill, but largely to the lack of knowledge of how to promote yourself and your salon. So thank you Jill for helping us to stand out above the rest and become the BEST!

— Sandy