What is the first stage in creating a successful salon referral scheme? Having a base of loyal clients who want to get involved. If you need help with this, start with client retention strategies and master that before you begin creating your referral scheme. You need to harness the power of your existing clients to attract new ones into the fold!
Customer Service
Once you have loyal clients, the next step in running a successful referral scheme is to provide excellent customer service. You want to surpass their highest expectations. Once clients are impressed with your treatments (and your service) they will be happy to recommend you to their friends. When the treatment speaks for itself, people will start asking where they go to look so great!
How Will It Work?
At this point, you need to decide how the referral programme will work. Ask yourself:
- What do clients need to do to meet the expectations of the referral programme?
- How many referrals do they have to make?
- What will their reward be?
- When will they receive their reward?
- Will you offer an introductory reward to your referred client?
You may want your clients to refer one friend – or multiple friends. You could offer a complimentary treatment upgrade or a percentage off their next treatment (for every new referral). New clients may not need a reward if you have been recommended by a friend – they may just be excited to benefit from your services.
Hook Your Clients
After you have decided on how your referral program will work – you need to get talking about it. Let your clients know in person, try to work it into conversations as naturally as possible. Explain the scheme, how it works and what the perks are. Post about it on social media – the more people know about it, the more successful it will be!
Stay Organised
Don’t forget to stay organised. Keep track of the clients who referred you. You don’t want to forget to thank a client who has recommended a friend – remember to reward them with a perk. If you do forget, they are unlikely to recommend a friend again. You don’t have to complicate salon referral schemes. If you offer a top-notch service, your clients will be more than happy to recommend you to their friends.
