Make the season bright with sure-fire merchandising and promotion strategies.

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.