Holiday Retail Rev-Up!

Retail sales are one of the professional beauty industry's profit centers and ideal tool for bottom line growth. Here are some proven tactics to increase retail product movement and maximize seasonal sales!

Ready-to-go-Gifts
Perfectly lined up shampoo and conditioner bottles look elegant and clean, however they usually only encourage a single product sale. Create ready-to-go gifts by using vinyl bags, holiday packaging, or paper shopping bags with holiday tissue paper. Add complete hair or skin product systems. Design various price points for all types of buyers. Packaged sets create a higher perceived value because the customer is purchasing a group of products. These sets are no fuss ready to go gifts. Buyers simply place it under the tree!

Gift Cards/ Certificates
Gift Cards and Certificate are the #1 holiday gift item! These no-brainer gifts ensures the recipient receives exactly what they want. Display these at your reception areas and instruct staff to talk them up. Offer free gifts with the purchase of a gift card or gift certificate. This free gift can be an add on gift for the gift recipient or as a little something extra for the buyer -- a win-win! For more details on gift cards, check out my previous blog on this powerful retail item!

Magic Table
Department stores have been using this trick forever. Place a draped table in a high traffic point to create drama. Set up a sampling area on the table where clients can try before they buy. These tables are also an ideal location to place those ready-to-go-gift sets. Use acrylic displays to add additional depth and interest. Add try me signs and holiday messaging such as “Holiday Gift Giving Center”. Make it a focal point in your retail area and sales will follow.

Dress Up
You are in the business of selling image so create the holiday look that matches your company's personality. Decorate with tasteful holiday displays in your window and retail areas. Small promotional signs can be placed at your stylists stations – ideal for mentioning gift cards or holiday specials. Reception areas should display gift cards and service menus. Holiday decorations should fit your décor and business image. Too much holiday is overkill and takes away from the professional ambience, but too little doesn’t sing of the season and encourage customers to see your products as ideal gifts. Balance is key.

A little planning and promotion can go a long way. Please share your successes or other additional ideas with us on Twitter, Facebook, or Myspace. Together we can create a successful holiday season. Happy Selling!

The holidays already?

The air is a bit crisper and the days are a bit shorter. You know what that means – the holidays are just around the corner! Does the simple mention of this make you break out in a cold sweat? Does your blood pressure rise and panic sets in? I have the magic answer that will instantly calm you – a plan!

Imagine a holiday season where your retail products are fully stocked, you don’t run out of gift cards or packaging, your staff is fully aware of all your promotional offers, and happy customers are filling your store and your register. This can all be yours with a little forethought! Planning your seasonal efforts will ease your stress level and maximize your holiday sales.

Don’t know where to start? Click here to download our free “Checklist for a Successful Holiday Season”!

Our checklists defines when and what items to plan. Sit down with your staff and review the list. This planning doesn’t have to rest only on your shoulders. Assign certain team members specific tasks and hold them accountable. Getting your team on the same page is another benefit to a group meeting. With your whole team working off the same script, everything will flow much smoother even during stressful times.

Still need some help? Our friendly industry experts are here to offer promotional and packaging ideas. Call us toll free at (888) 715-3458 or contact us online (Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, Salon Galaxy). Spending a few minutes now can save you many headaches later. Maximize your seasonal sales by having a holiday plan!

Cause Related Marketing – Show You Care

Are you stumped on what to do for your next promotion? Are you tired of the same old 10% discount offer receiving minimal results? I have the answer to liven up your promotions and build your business image – Cause Related Marketing!

Cause related marketing is where you tie your promotion efforts to a charity or cause. Causes could range from a special charity like Locks of Love, Breast Cancer Research, or activities such as a fundraiser or community event. Cause-related marketing can be a powerful tool for you connect with customers and your community. Your participation will generate goodwill, improve your visibility, increase customer loyalty, enhance your brand image, provide positive media attention, and increase your business! Customers would rather do business with a company that stands for something beyond profits.

Tips for Successful Cause-Related Marketing Campaigns:

Align with your business
Choose a cause that makes sense for your business. Many in the beauty industry are choosing to support breast cancer research, heart health awareness, locks of love, or cut-it-out domestic abuse programs. Your cause should be something meaningful your business type in order to resonate with your clients and community.

Passion = Success
Pick an event, cause, or charity you are passionate about. You need to be revved up about your cause. Your energy will inspire your internal team and customers. It also enhances the credibility of your efforts because you and your efforts are coming from the heart - sincerity counts!

The How To
Create your own campaign. Offer promotional items (such as awareness bands) as a gift with purchase or present as a token of appreciate for a client’s donation to your cause. Partner with local charities or unite with various national organizations. Many groups offer free marketing materials and kits to get you started. Hold special events and give away awareness related goodie bags full of educational info and how your business is championing the cause.

Still don’t know where to begin? Let us help. Check out our wide variety of our pink ribbon (breast cancer awareness) and red dress (heart health awareness) items. Click here to see our a pdf of our latest awareness catalog or click here to visit our website . If you have a question, call us toll free at 800-824-2247 or tweet with us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/actionbag. Happy Promoting!

Promote your Business

Want to increase your sales? Promotions can help draw attention, build your brand, foster customer loyalty and of course increase your sales!

You might be nodding in agreement. Your business runs typical promotions around the holidays and offers 10% off retail products with the purchase of a service. But are you reaching your customers the way they want to be reach? Are you running inventive promos to get people interested? Here are a few ways to help you create buzz about your business, capture attention, and ultimately get more sales.

Tech Savvy
Use the power of the internet. Everyone is spending more time online from surfing the web to networking on social sites. Place special online only offers on your website and in your tweets, facebook, myspace and beyond. These are free ways to drive traffic to your online activities. They could go viral and everyone will start sharing your offers. Rope in special discounts, free gifts, complimentary service coupons, or promotion codes.

Email Relations
All your clients have email. Are you collecting addresses? Emails are an excellent tool to alert clients of special offers, send out your quarterly newsletter, or roll out a customer survey. You can also link into your website and other social sites. Make the digital connection and start engaging. Make sure it is meaningful, relevant info your clients want or you will be deleted.

Friends and Family Plan
Each one of your clients has a best friend they can’t live without and family members that they always share their latest salon experience with. Use that network to your advantage. Offer friends and family discount packages for clients that refer new customers. Give the original client free products or services as a thank you for sending new business your way. Word of mouth advertising is a glowing testimonial and your original client will be thrill to get some extra perks.

You’ve Got Snail Mail
Fewer items are being mailed these days with the onset of the technology wave. Now is your chance to be noticed in the mail box. You don’t have to spend a lot to have a big impact. Go for inexpensive postcards. There are a ton of providers (including us) that can offer you stock designs and add your unique message. What a wonderful surprise for new customers to receive a thank you note from you. Or what about sending a birthday wish or a just because note to a brighten a current client's day. Postcards can also be powerful promotion tools. Make it look like a coupon and say bring in this card to your next appointment for a discount or free gift.

What’s in your Wallet
Loyalty programs keep customers coming back for more. Offer punch cards or key tags that are punched with each purchase. Give a free gift or extra special discount once the cards are filled. You can also offer VIP cards. Create a winners circle of bronze, gold, platinum clients. Base these categories divisions on number of visits or purchase volume. The benefits increase at each higher level. Make a big deal of your member clients. Use signage talking up the program, tout clients who have moved up the ranks, and share what benefits they recieved. People will want to be an elite member and will do what it takes to get there. Don't forget people open their wallets and purses daily. Talk about repeat brand exposure for your business with your card right there!

Stumped on ideas to promote? Click here to check out our Promotion Planning Calendar to get the creative juices flowing. Creating promotions can be a lot of fun not to mention increase your business!

Boost your Business Image in 5 Easy Steps

It doesn’t have to cost a lot to improve your business image. Small chances can make a big impact. Here are 5 easy steps to improve your business image starting today!

Talk it up
Ask for customer testimonials. These are pure gold when prospective clients are looking for your services. A business can say it is great, but when a customer says you are great it holds more water. Don’t be afraid to ask your clients to share their experiences in your customer surveys, on your website, on your social networking sites or at events. Use their testimonials in your marketing materials such as service menu and your website. Show you are customer approved!

Differentiate Yourself
You need a unique selling proposition to be stand out among your competition. Why should a client use your service over another? It could be your exclusive retail product line, your highly trained stylist or esthetician, or your unique hours of operation. Define what makes you special and tout it!

Improve your Professional Look
You work in an industry that is all about image. Your professional look better play the part. Make sure your logo and salon theme reflect your brand. Your business cards, service menus and packaging are great places to start. These items are the take along marketing pieces that continue to advertise your business long after the client has left your doors. Ask yourself if they are providing the message you want. If the answer is no, you need to update them. It is a minor price to pay to enhance your business status.

Secret Shopper
It can be hard to see the forest through the trees being absorbed in our daily lives. It is good to obtain a fresh perspective. This doesn’t have to be expensive. Have a friend-of-a-friend book an appointment, use your services, and report back on her experience. The devil is in the details and you might be surprised at the a-ha’s you uncover through a fresh pair of eyes.

Rinse Lather and Repeat
You need to be consistent about your brand message. All of your marketing efforts should reflect the same look and feel. Your logo, store signage, salon colors, gift certificates, retail packaging and beyond all should have a common theme. Consistency is vital to creating a strong and memorable brand.

If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask the experts. There are many sources online, local marketing agencies or reach out to us here at Action Bag. A friendly rep would be happy to review your marketing materials. A better business images provides a stronger brand, enhances your professional status, and ultimately leads to more sales!

Press Releases - How To Guide

Press Releases stir up interest in your business and are FREE! They are easy to pull together once you have the format down.

How to create a press release:
• Headline that conveys the topic and grabs attention
• Body Copy - relevant info that fits on one page
• Communicate the who, what, when, where and why
• Add in the extras – pictures, website links, social network sites
• Include company and contact info

Topics to write about :

1) Makeovers
Everyone loves makeover stories! Ask your clients to participate at their next appointment or host an event with a theme. Some ideas: Professional Makeovers to slam dunk your next interview, New Mommy Makeovers, From Granny to Glam. Take before and after shoots and include them with your release.

2) Cause Related Events
Aligning your business to a charity helps a worthy cause and improves your business image. Choose a charity or event you can rally around. Do a breast cancer awareness walk, join the cut-it-out domestic abuse cause, or locks of love. Take pictures of all your activities, add info on your website, promote your charity in your business and with clients.

3) Seasonal Themes
From brides, dads, grads, Christmas and beyond - holidays are excellent events to create excitement and to build promotions around. Host events for new grads, hold VIP days with discounted services for moms on Mother’s Day, or organize a toy drive for holiday season. The more creative the better!

4) Trends
Most beauty businesses are seen as trend setters. You know what is fashionable and looks good. Share your trend info on hot looks for summer, latest bridal hairstyles, men’s cut etc. Become a resource and people will flock for your feedback.

5) Contests
Any contest drives response. Contests can be anything -- Cutest Kid, Ugliest Pet or Best Salon Product. Post entries in your salon to create excitement. Reach out to your community to pick the winner. Offer the winner a gift card for your services, free products or a night out in your town.

6) Timely Topics
During certain time periods, people can’t get enough of some stories. Is your business involved in going green? Talk up your earth friendly efforts. Or are you taking swine flu precautions? Write up what your business is doing to keep clients safe. Stories on point with media blitzes will get editor attention.

7) Staff Updates
Staff promotions can make great PR. Moving to a master stylist or hiring a new Salon Director is newsworthy. It acknowledges your staff member and could drive more business in your door. Include a head shot photo with your release.

8) Unique Product or Service
New products or services can be newsworthy but they need to be unique. Just because you now offer a mini mani-pedi doesn’t get editors jumping to print. If you rolled out a new private label line that is completely organic and 20% of proceeds go to a village in South America, that you will get some interest. Did you launch a new lunch hour spa service that gets the client in and out in 40 minutes? The item has to stand out from the rest to make it meaningful.

Hope this has your creative juices flowing! I recommend creating a template for all your releases. Then just plug in your newsworthy info. The goal is to make your releases easy to read and meaningful for the recipient. Once you complete the release, send to your local newspaper, community news, tv stations or radio shows. Call or email the source to find out the correct contact. PR is a free way to get everyone buzzing about your business. Dive it and try it today!

FREE Ways to Engage your Customers

Let’s face it – we are all concerned with our pocket books. Fewer clients are coming through your doors. Customers are stretching out appointments. Marketing budgets have shrunk to keep up with cash flow. Negative economic news surrounds us almost every where to turn. What’s a business to do to keep customers engage while keeping an eye on the bottom line?

How about some FREE (or low cost) ways to build customer relationships!

Social Networking
Are you reaching your clients online? Social networking is defined as a web-based community that allows users to interact by sharing ideas, opinions or other content in an online environment. The hottest networks out there are Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, or even your own Blog. These are all free to sign up and create your own profile. Any of your staff (even your receptionist) can update these sites daily. Invite your clients to join and start talking. Topics can be anything - services, styles, local events. Simply start the discussion and see where it goes.

Email is another free or low cost way to touch clients. Your messages can highlight salon specials, events, or provide an informational newsletter on your business. Did you roll out a new private label line? Update your credit card policy? Did your master stylist just have a new baby? All of these are great topics to share in an email newsletter. Email and newsletters are excellent marketing vehicles that can drive customers to participate in your social networking efforts. There are many low cost email providers. Check with your website company about email services or drop me a line. I’ll be happy to offer some recommendations.

Community Events
In the summer months many communities host picnics, walks, or fundraisers. Contact your local chamber of commerce or other city associations. Find out how you can be involved. Many events are free for businesses to participate. Host a booth and offer face painting, make up, or hair styling tips. The point is to drum up excitement about you business and get your name out there. Another idea is to partner with local cause-related walks or events. Choose a cause your business can get behind such as breast cancer awareness, locks of love, heart health etc… Start a donation drive at your salon, on your web page, and your social networks. Involvement will enhance your business image and support a worthy cause.

Host VIP Events
Every way you can add value to your clients’ lives is going to make your business shine. Instead of doing a full wine and dine event --stretch your dollars. Offer an Early Bird VIP event. How about a 7:00 am jump starter with coffee and bagels. Ask customers for email addresses or to participate in a customer survey. Provide a special gift to all attendees (those free trial samples taking over your back room). What about a Power Hour Lunch De-Stress Special. Set up a free or scalp massage between noon and one. Provide all attendees a trial sample gift for pre-booking a new appointment. Get creative with this! It doesn’t have to cost a lot to create excitement.

These free and low cost efforts engage customers in your brand. Contact your clients in meaningful ways, seek out their opinions, and creating interesting interaction with your business. Positive energy leads to positive experiences. You will ride out these economic stormy seas stronger than ever and with more loyal clients too!