There is no way around it - when you are a business owner, the mandatory lockdowns are scary. You fear for your financial security, the motivation of your team and whether or not your clients will come back once the lockdown is over. Although you understand the gravity of the situation, it’s hard to accept you have to simply stop making a profit for a while. The thing is - you don’t have to. It is possible for you to earn revenue, support your team and keep clients’ loyalty under the lockdown - and there is no breaking the law nor irresponsible behaviour involved. And we know what we are talking about - many of our clients’ businesses are literally thriving under the lockdown. Do you want to learn how? Keep reading!
Do you know what often makes clients disappear in such crisis situations? Uncertainty. When a lockdown starts and your salon goes into a radio silence mode, they have no way of knowing how it really affects you. Is the crew okay? Does the owner have a plan? Will there even be a salon to come back to? Most people do not feel entitled to asking you these questions directly. And without clear answers, they may assume the worst… and move on.
It’s crucial to assure your customers that you are not hanging the white flag. Even if you are not sure what your exact plan is as of yet, as soon as possible send them a short message explaining the situation.
Hello [CLIENT’S NAME], from [CLOSING DATE] our salon will be temporarily closed due to the mandatory lockdown of close contact services. But worry not - we are not laying down arms! Stay tuned for the updates. Best regards, [YOUR SALON’S NAME].
Tip: You will send the message to all of your clients in just a few clicks by using Booksy's Message Blasts.
When it comes to your employees, you should also give them assurance as soon as possible - however, the feedback should be much more detailed, especially when it comes to the financial side of things. In order to deliver such information, you need to keep yourself updated first. Currently, there are multiple financial schemes available (make sure to check our article on the new and extended financial schemes for hair and beauty specialists in the UK) and new ones are introduced as the next countries are enforcing the temporary lockdown.
Once again, if you are unable to present your staff members with a full-on plan just yet, at least make sure they know you are working on something and won’t leave them alone with the issue. Try to give them a time period in which you will deliver all the needed information.
Another great way to generate revenue, even if forced to close, is to sell online vouchers. Once again, you ensure the safety of all parties involved, as there is no direct in-person contact between you and the buyer, while getting money and filling your appointment book for the future.
Many loyal clients want to support their favourite businesses during these trying times and purchase a promise of a relaxing experience for themselves. To make the offer even more tempting and to thank your patrons for their interest, you can add additional benefits to each purchased voucher, such as priority booking, bonus treatment or a value increase. The longer validity of the voucher ensures that your clients will be able to use them. Also, as the Holiday time is slowly approaching, vouchers will become extremely popular as luxurious, thoughtful yet versatile gifts!
Booksy is here to help you with the organisational matters. All you have to do is activate online gift cards to start selling via your online booking profile.
Offering vouchers is not enough. Clients have to be actually aware you introduced such an option to be able to enjoy it! This is why you need an effective marketing campaign that will allow you to get the word out.
Remember when in the first point we discussed the importance of keeping your clients informed? Enabling online gift cards is the perfect opportunity to send your customer base another message. This will not only encourage them to take advantage of your newest feature, but also ensure that they won’t forget about your business.
How can you do this? With Booksy, of course - namely, with the aforementioned bulk messaging feature. Text messages are extremely effective when used as a marketing medium, especially in our industry. It’s almost intimate, giving the feel of personal care many clients have been missing so much, universal and customisable (just check our guide to SMS marketing!). With Booksy, you can easily filter your customer base, fit the tone of the message to the target group or create your own message templates.
Finally - your business cannot keep prospering if your state of mind and health keeps declining! You are probably very tired, as you spent the last months not only putting your best into the work you are doing, but also making sure your salon is following all the safety restrictions. It’s time to cut yourself some slack. After all the organisational work is done, use this time to wind down, enjoy the time with your family, and keep care of your body and mind.
Booksy delivers many opportunities for businesses to keep going during the lockdown. From the newest solutions introduced especially for the purpose of making a profit when you cannot work at the salon to the ones that have been our tried-and-true secret weapons for years, like bulk messaging. The lockdown is the perfect time to start your free trial, set up your account and test the capacity of our system for yourself. What are you waiting for?
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