Salon Text message Marketing: Everything you need to know
25 June 2024
Philip Portman
Recreational service industries like beauty, salons, and spas are highly competitive. That’s why salon and spa owners must stay ahead of the curve by implementing cutting-edge marketing strategies. The most effective way to do this is to include salon text message marketing in your digital marketing strategy.
Why Text Marketing For Salon Works?
The reason is simple.
SMS marketing is a high-impact, cost-effective, and powerful marketing strategy that can help you stay in touch with your customers and improve your business bottom line.
It not only helps you grow your customer base but also assists you in retaining your consumers by offering an impressive user experience.
Still not convienced?
Check these statstics.
- In the US, nearly 96% of people own a mobile phone capable of sending and receiving SMS messages. And from that, around 66% of people check their smartphones more than 100 times daily.
- As per Gartner, when it comes to reaching, no other messaging medium can beat SMS – its 98% open and 45% response rates are pretty impressive.
These stats prove that text messages grab instant attention!
So, don’t you think you will miss out on an excellent opportunity to reach out to your customers’ hands directly if you don’t opt for SMS marketing?
If you have not included a salon SMS strategy in your overall marketing efforts, it’s time to do it now!
This blog will highlight how you can use beauty salon text messages to engage with and convert your customers and double your revenue.
What Benefits Do Beauty Salons Get Through Salon Text Message Marketing?
Here are some key benefits that, as a beauty salon owner, you can get by implementing effective salon text message marketing.
1) More Organized Schedule
By implementing SMS messaging properly, beauty salons can reduce the last-minute appointment calls from customers. Therefore, they can focus on their work. So, if you don’t want to disturb your schedule, you can tell your customers to book an appointment through SMS rather than calling you. You can automate the response through the best SMS marketing platform like Textdrip and increase productivity.
2) Increased ROI
Beauty salons can send text messages to target customers regarding their new product launch or special offers to increase business growth. These exclusive discounts and promotional messages surely attract clients to opt for your services, which can boost your revenue.
3) Improved Customer Loyalty
SMS has a high open rate, so whenever you inform your clientele about your special offers through SMS, you can rest assured that they will see and open your message. You can give them special discounts, coupons, and deals to increase customer loyalty.
4) Impressive Consumer Service
With an efficient SMS marketing strategy, you can solve issues related to bookings, prices, service options, etc. How? Set a simple shortcode for schedule, service list, price, etc, and let auto-responders handle these queries. It will help you reduce your burden and offer improved customer service.
5) Cut Down Unnecessary Marketing Cost
SMS is inexpensive. Using SMS marketing for salons instead of traditional marketing methods like printing flyers, brochures, and ads, you can easily reach your target audience through mobile phones by saving your hard-earned money.
6) Increased Referrals
When you send relevant text messages to your customers, it will encourage them to forward these messages to their contacts. You can offer discounts to regular clients who bring new clients and encourage referrals.
How Should Salon and Spa Owners Design Their SMS Marketing Strategy?
Text message marketing is different from other marketing methods that need different strategies.
So, if you want to achieve your business goals, you need to ask yourself the following questions while designing an SMS marketing strategy.
- What are your goals? Do you want to build strong relationships with clients or drive more sales?
- Do you think your customers want to hear from you through SMS?
- How can you differentiate your SMS marketing strategy from existing email marketing campaigns?
- How do you balance human interaction and automation in your SMS campaigns?
- How do we train our customer support team for SMS marketing?
Here, one thing you need to keep in mind is that Brand Consistency Matters a Lot!!
In fact, it can increase your business growth significantly.
Therefore, make sure your brand message is reflected in each SMS you send.
Get answers to all these questions, and after that, design your SMS marketing strategy.
How Can Salons Implement Effective Text Message Marketing?
As a salon owner, you need to follow these best practices if you want to get the most out of your SMS marketing campaign.
- Make sure you get your clients’ phone numbers legally. It means you need to obtain their consent before sending them messages. For that, you can use the sign-up form on your website, or whenever any new customer comes, you can ask for their phone number.
- Send clear, concise, and relevant messages with proper CTA. Use simple language so users can understand it easily.
- Send personalized messages as per your client’s needs, behaviour, and preferences, as it can increase revenue by 10% to 15%. In short, based on your client’s service preference, spending habits, and frequency of salon visits, you can segment them and send relevant and targeted messages.
- Do not send too many messages. It can irritate your clients and can be the reason for opt-outs. Pay close attention to the timing and frequency of your SMSs. Sending SMS during business hours can lead to increased engagement.
- Ensure you stay compliant with laws like TCPA and 10DLC registration.
- Always include an option to opt out with each message you send.
- Continuously monitor your SMS campaign’s effectiveness via metrics such as response rate, open rate, click-through rates, bookings, etc. This data can help you adjust your strategy to get better results.
SMS Marketing Use Cases For Beauty Salons
If you are facing no-shows in your salon or want to hire a new stylist, SMS marketing can help. Besides, there are the following ways SMS marketing can benefit you.
1) Acquiring New Clients
The beauty salon industry is highly competitive. Attracting and getting new clients is not easy. Traditional marketing methods can cost thousands of bucks. SMS marketing can help. It is a budget-friendly marketing method that lets you easily connect with your existing clients and prospects.
Here are some SMS marketing ideas that can help you acquire new clients.
- Promote your new products/services
- Run a referral program
- Give incentive on signing up
- Advertise your new offer
Here is the use case scenario to attract new clients.
Scene: Kavya is tired of her frizzy hair and looking for a treatment that can smoothen her hair texture.
Phone Buzzes: She receives a message:
Hey, Kavya! We are offering a 15% discount on deep-conditioning hair spa treatments at XYZ. Try it and fix your freezy hair. Reply ‘Shine’ to book your appointment and ‘STOP’ to unsubscribe.
Kavya’s Reaction:
Ohhh, wow! It is an amazing deal to get the shiny hair! And, their booking process is also simple. Let me try it once!
Outcome: By using a personalized message along with an amazing offer and clear CTA, XYZ Salon has grabbed Kavya’s attention and gotten a new client. It won’t be so easy and cost-effective to do it by using other marketing methods.
2) Retaining Existing & New Clients
Retaining clients plays a major role in any business’s success. Your repeat clients can give you constant cash flow. However, your client retention rate will increase only if your clients are satisfied with your service. The satisfying experience includes a simplified booking process, tailored communication, and budget-friendly pricing.
To increase client retention rate, you can use SMS for the following things.
- Simplify the booking process
- Send appointment reminder
- Inspire past clients to book again by offering a special discount
- Running loyalty programs
- Send birthday/holiday message
Let’s understand how XYZ Salon enjoys an increased client retention rate.
Scene: Lisa loves to pamper herself, but due to her busy schedule, sometimes she finds it challenging to go to a salon. She has been a loyal client of XYZ Salon but has not visited the salon in the last few months.
The phone buzzes: She gets the SMS.
Hey, Lisa! We missed you at XYZ Salon. Book any service this month and get a complimentary foot massage. Type ‘Relax’ to book an appointment and ‘STOP’to unsubscribe.
Lisa’s Reaction: Oh! It’s a perfect excuse to pamper myself and the booking process is so simple!
Result: By sending a tailored message along with a clear CTA and an attractive offer, XYZ Salon successfully re-engaged her client. The main objective here is not only to bring back an existing client but also to improve her loyalty and show how effective and inexpensive SMS marketing is compared to other marketing methods.
3) Reduce Clients No-Shows Rates
No-shows can be a headache for your business and can lead to financial loss. You can use SMS to decrease the no-show rate. The main reason behind these no-shows is usually forgetfulness.
So, you can use SMS to remind your clients about your no-show or cancellation policies. You can even share with your customers if there is any last-minute appointment availability.
Problem: Emily frequently books the salon session but keeps cancelling it at the last minute. It causes scheduling issues for the salon.
The Phone Buzzes: Emily received a text message.
Hi, Emily! To make sure you get the best service at your convenient time, we need a small deposit at the time of booking. Book now by paying a $5 deposit, which will be deducted from your final bill. Reply ‘Book’ to schedule an appointment and ‘STOP’to unsubscribe.
Emily’s Reaction: Deposit? It makes sense, and it is only $5. I would not want to miss my slot or lose my deposit. Let’s book it now
Outcome: By implementing this strategy, XYZ Salon has effectively reduced its no-show rate. This approach ensures client don’t miss their appointment, which results in improved scheduling and decreased lost revenue from the last-minute cancellation.
4) Simple-to-follow Booking Procedure
We all love easy-to-follow processes, right? This also holds true for salon appointment booking. You will not get more clients if your booking process is complex and lengthy. Customers don’t want to send an email, make a phone call, or fill out a form to book an appointment. Instead, they will love it if they can book an appointment via SMS. However, to get the best results, you can offer multiple ways to book an appointment.
Scene: Sriya loves to get her nails and hair done but finds difficult to call the salon to book her appointment during working hours.
Phone Buzzes: Sriya received an SMS.
Hey Sriya! Now, you can book your appointment via text message. Reply ‘appointment’ to schedule an appointment and ‘STOP’ to unsubscribe.
Sriya’s Reaction: Wow, it is so convenient! I can schedule my appointment without making a call. Let me check now!
Result: By implementing this simplified booking approach, XYZ Salon improves client experiences by making it easy to book an appointment. This approach not only helps in attracting new clients but also retains existing ones.
5) Getting Honest Reviews
If you want to get more business, you need to attract more clients. For that, online reviews can greatly help you. Positive online reviews will help you increase your brand awareness and boost your salon’s reputation and revenue. Getting customer feedback is tough, but SMS can help you with it. By sending SMS to your clients, you can ask for online reviews and tell them to write a review by including a direct link to your website/ page.
Scene: Sia recently got her hair cut at XYZ salon, and she loved it. However, she does not take the time to give an online review.
Phone Buzzes: Sia gets an SMS.
Hi, Sia. We hope you enjoyed your haircut session at XYZ Salon. Share your experience with us and get 15% off on your next visit. Click [link] to give a review. Reply ‘STOP’ to unsubscribe.
Sia’s Reaction: Wow, a discount for giving a review? It’s amazing. I had a nice time, so why not share my experience and save it for my next visit?
Outcome: By offering a discount, XYZ Salon has encouraged customers like Sia to give honest reviews. This strategy is perfect for gaining insights to improve the salon’s service and the brand’s online reputation.
6) Keep Engaging Customers
Once the client walks out of your salon’s door, it is not easy to engage them. However, SMS marketing does wonders here. You can use SMS to share:
- Beauty tips/ product review
- Product suggestions
- Latest beauty trends
- Salon news
- Birthday/Holiday Message
Scene: Sara loves experimenting with new beauty routines but finds it overwhelming due to plethora of information available online. She is a regular client of XYZ Salon.
Phone Buzzes: She receives a text message.
Hey, Sara! Beauty tip of this week: Use silk pillowcases to reduce hair fall and keep your skin shiny. For more beauty tips, visit XYZ Salon. Reply ‘Tips’ to get more and ‘STOP’ to unsubscribe.
Sara’s Reaction: It’s a great tip. I love XYZ Salon as they keep me informed. Can’t wait to try this tip and see what they suggest in next week’s tip.
Result: By sharing beauty tips regularly, XYZ Salon maintain regular engagement with clients like Sara. It increases client loyalty leading to increased ROI for the salon.
Text message marketing can differentiate your salon from the other competitors. So, use it wisely.
Best SMS Campaign Ideas And SMS Templates For Salons And Spas
Check out these if you are searching for some inspiration for SMS marketing ideas/campaign ideas and ready-to-use SMS templates for salons and spas.
1) Appointment Reminder
If you want to reduce the number of no-shows, you can send a reminder of an appointment to a client a day before.
Hey [Name],
It’s just a reminder message about your appointment at [salon name] [Day] at [Time].
Reply ‘Y’ to confirm and ‘N’ to reschedule.
Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
2) Special Day Discount
Don’t you think giving a special discount on a client’s birthday or anniversary will make them feel special? You can send them an SMS with this special discount offer.
Hey [Name],
Happy Birthday!
Celebrate your special day with [discount%] on [service name] this month.
Call us to book an appointment.
Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
3) Ask For Customer Feedback
You can ask for feedback after each service. For that, you can send an SMS to make them feel valued.
Thanks for your visit, [salon name], [customer name]!
We hope you had a great time.
Please share your experience with us.
Here is the short survey form: [link]
Reply STOP to unsubscribe.
4) New Service
You can inform your customers via SMS whenever you launch any new service at your beauty salon or when any new stylist joins your team.
Hey [name],
We are excited to launch our brand-new [service name] at [salon name].
Get [disocunt%] on your first [service name]!
Thank you.
Reply STOP to unsubscribe
5) Give Beauty/Style Tips
It is not necessary that you need to only promote your business through SMS. You can even share some beauty tips or opinions about some products using text messages.
Always use sunscreen!
Check this attached PDF guide on how to use sunscreen properly!
[PDF link]
Thank You!
6) Booking Confirmation
You can inform the client that their appointment is confirmed via SMS. Do not forget to include your salon address, booking date and time, and directions with SMS.
Hi [Name],
Your booking is confirmed for [treatment name] on [day] at [time].
See you on [day]!
Reply STOP to opt out.
7) Loyalty Program
In a service-based business, retaining a client is challenging. You can run some reward programs and give special discounts to your regular customers.
Join [Salon name]’s loyalty program to earn reward points.
You can redeem these points for money off [treatment name].
Sign up: [link]
Thanks!
8) Give a Reminder To Visit A Salon
If some existing customers have not booked any appointment in the last 2-3 months, you can remind them to visit a salon with an added discount code.
Hey [client name],
[Your name] from [Your salon name] this side.
We have not seen you in the last 2-3 months & we missed you!
Book your next visit and enjoy [%] discount.
Reply STOP to opt out.
To Wrap Up
The salon and spa industry is continuously evolving. So, salons that understand the potential of salon text message marketing will stay ahead of the curve and enjoy meaningful and long-lasting relationships with their clients.
It will help you connect with your consumers, increase consumer satisfaction, and drive more sales. You must properly understand your target audience, follow the best SMS practices, and use various SMS marketing methods. Start with text message marketing for salon/spa and enjoy increased ROI!
If you are ready to boost your salon business with SMS messaging, try Textdrip’s free trial or Book a demo and experience how text marketing can elevate your business growth.
FAQ's
| What are some best practices for salon text message marketing? |
Always provide a context, do not flood your customers with messages, send personalized SMSs, follow TCPA rules, use SMS shortcodes, etc., are a few best practices you need to implement for salon text message marketing.
| How can I personalize beauty salon text messages for my clients? |
Use conversational language and client name, and send messages based on their preferred treatments. Based on their interest, age, gender, etc., you can segment them, offer them discounts, and allow them to enjoy increased ROI.
| Does salon text message marketing have a future? |
Yes, sending consistent and relevant text messages to customers can help increase conversion rates. SMS marketing aligns perfectly with modern customer behavior, so salon owners should include it in their overall marketing strategy.
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