Salon Today - November 2008 - (Page 35)

“ Our clients love how we respect their time by getting them in and out in a judicious fashion. ” —Stephanie Pegues Panache Hair Designs, LLC, Oak Park, Illinois Barack Obama organizers who wanted to use the salon as a canvassing event, to trunk shows and to a mural in our window.” While Silvestri reports that Mario Tricoci continues to use the same percentage of sales for marketing, advertising and PR efforts, the company is increasingly reaching out to other specialty retailers and partnering for speciﬁc events. “For example, we recently did a promotion with DSW Shoes with a bounce-back offer for each business when the client spent a particular dollar amount at the other.” The chain also created some excitement and kept its brand strong with its recent “Mario, Make Me a Model!” competition. Designed after America’s Next Top Model, the competition partnered Mario Tricoci with Equinox Health Club, Ford Models and a local fashion photographer. Hundreds of young women participated in the model search, and the ﬁve ﬁnalists received a makeover, runway instruction, six weeks of personal training, an advertorial fashion shoot and a chance to walk the runway in Chicago Fashion Focus. “We used that program to get into mobile marketing and established a micro-site where clients could log-on to to vote for their favorite ﬁnalist.” For Serena Chreky, direct mail has become her primary source of marketing and, over the past year, the company has doubled its efforts in the e-mail arena. “We’ve increased these efforts, but we’re also sensitive about not sending e-mail blasts every day. Most of our clients recognize the e-mail always holds a value for them. For example, it might announce our Retail Roundup Day, when retail sales are 20percent off, or a one-day special on waxing services. We look ahead to days we predict will be slow and send out the e-mail blast.” In the area of traditional newspaper and magazine advertising, Chreky has become a tougher customer. “Don’t expect to pay the list price, ask them for their best offer. They may want you to lock in for 12 months, but tell them you want to try the ad for a month ﬁrst,” she says. “To increase your negotiating power, you have to be prepared. You need to have an ad ready-to-go at all times, because they can call at the last minute with a rock-bottom price because they have a hole to ﬁll.” If you’re forced to reduce your advertising budget, then bump up your efforts in public relations. “It’s not hard to do your own publicity, especially if your salon is in a small or medium market,” coaches Masterson. “Write a press release with the basics of who, what, why, where and when and contact your local lifestyle, health or beauty editor. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t have a publicist, but tell them you do think you have a great story.” Never underestimate the power of face-to-face contact. “Go out there and press the ﬂesh,” advises Masterson. “Brainstorm with your team about the best ways to network in your own community, provide everyone with business cards with some incentive on the back, and divide and conquer.” Finally, don’t forget the value of your storefront as a powerful marketing tool, says Cassidy. Last year, Andrew Chreky The SalonSpa started installing eye-catching temporary vinyl window banners in their windows. “In the spring we worked with our design ﬁrm to do big butterﬂies in bright colors with a collage of positive fashion-oriented words like ‘sassy’ and ‘conﬁdence,’” she says. “It cost about $1,500 but we got such a huge response. We couldn’t believe how many people it drew in off the street.” n “We provide consultations before every service. It is so important to talk to your client face-to-face, so they feel you are listening.” —Carol Winant, Hair Together, Parlin, New Jersey n | 35 www.salontoday.com November 2008 http://www.salontoday.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Salon Today - November 2008

Salon Today - November 2008 Contents Editor's Note Reception Fashion Sense Marketing Roundtable Decor Spa Menu Dream Team Pinch Proof Growing Pains Products Owner to Owner

Salon Today - November 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.