Read this related article: How to Create a Holiday Sell-A-Bration.
Holiday Case Study #1
Adam and Eve Salon and Spa
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Owner: Frank Panzarino
Salon size: 4,000 sq. ft.
Event: Two-day Holiday Customer
Appreciation
Biggest hook: Every $100 gift card
purchased is accompanied by a bounce-back
$20 gift card that can be used only
during January or February.
Product perks: Purchase two products
and the third product's free; products
packaged together are offered at a
discounted price.
Other activity: Flatiron demos; free
paraffin treatments; food donated by local
restaurants. This year, the first day will be
open for hair services at regular price.
Last year's success: In 2009, the event
was only a half-day but brought in nearly
100 guests and earned $15,000.
Lessons from past years: Train your
team to have answers to all questions;
have adequate help at check-out so
customers don't have a long wait to pay.
Owner's tip: Overflow with stock.
"You know how a grocery store makes
everything look really full? That's what
works," Panzarino says.
Holiday Case Study #2
Makeovers Salon and Day Spa
Easton, Massachusetts
Owners: Edward and Norah Blum
Salon size: 13,200 sq. ft.
Event: Six-week holiday merchandising
Biggest hook: For every set number of
dollars spent, the client receives "Makeovers
money" redeemable for a specific
combination of services in January and
February-one popular service paired with a
second service that the salon wants to grow.
Product perks: In addition to shampoo-and-
conditioner duos, packages that fl y
off the shelves include a back-to-college
kit with a high-end tool and accompanying
products; the $30 Holiday Trio of three
Joico K-Pak products stuffed into a pretty
pull-string bag or, similarly, a wearable,
silver lamé wristlet filled with Joico's
Color Therapy Shampoo, Color Therapy
Conditioner and Color Therapy Restorative
Oil; BSG's She's Got Sole kit with mini-bottles
of OPI Nail Envy and Top Coat,
along with toe separators and black, gold-trimmed
OPI flip-flops; and all sorts of gifts
twinned with service gift certificates.
Other activity: Lots of demos, plus
clients are invited to choose from two large
tables of products to sample; a 30-second
assessment on each client to help provide
individualized direction.
Lessons from past years: Don't forget
that people need gifts for men, too-
coaches, teachers and relatives. Your
guests will be thrilled to find a wrapped
package of American Crew products. Also,
be prepared for flatirons and other big-ticket
items to sell early, while late-season
purchases are more likely to be stocking
stuffers and small gifts for the nearly
forgotten names on people's holiday lists.
Owner's tip: Encourage browsing. "You
have a captive audience of people who
intimately trust you. While someone's
waiting for her hair color to process, she
can walk around and shop. People are so
busy that they get excited to kill two birds
with one stone."
Holiday Case Study #3
Salon Bliss
Gurnee, Illinois
Owner: Lisa Ruley
Salon size: 4,500 sq. ft.
Event: Two-day Customer Appreciation
Weekend
Biggest hook: Every visitor receives a
VIP Card offering a 20-percent discount
on all products and services purchased
during January and February.
Product perks: Everyone who
purchases either of two special gift
card packages receives an Aquage
purse-size hairspray or other small
professional product that normally
retails for about $20; all gift sets are
discounted.
Other activity: Complimentary hand
massages and seated chair massages;
flatiron demos; food supplied by a local
restaurant; jewelry and purse sales.
Last year's success: Rang up close
to $88,000, compared with a normal
weekend's earnings of about $15,000.
Lesson from past years: Prefill orders
based on clients' past purchases and
have everything ready when they come in.
Owner's tip: If you want to hand out a
gift, let your product companies know
so they have the opportunity to develop
something special for you.
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