The male grooming industry has seen major growth over the years and is continuing to reach great heights. Based on Statista reports, the industry is expected to increase to more than $26 billion by 2020. And while many people might attribute that growth to barbers, salons have a big role in this momentum, too. According to Modern Salon’s Priority Male Study, 32 percent of men get their haircut at salons.

With Father’s Day upon us, salons should use this weekend as an opportunity to continue expanding into the male grooming market by developing thoughtful marketing strategies that will turn heads. Here are some tips for salon owners to keep in mind as they prepare for the holiday  and for engaging men year-round: 

Promote Father’s Day deals: Though the holiday is just a few days away, there’s still plenty of time to think about creative Father’s Day promotions. For example, discounted men’s haircuts, half-off beard trims or buy one, get one hair care products. Salons could even partner with local spas and offer discounted trims with the purchase of a facial.

Since salons are most likely regularly servicing customers who have fathers or husbands in their lives, owners should use this as an opportunity to advertise Father’s Day offerings to their current clientele list. Salons should also promote their holiday deals via emails, social media, website promotion, signage and word of mouth. Salon owners who incorporate automated customer communications into their operations are able to schedule these promotions well in advance, making it easier for them to focus on week-of tasks. 

While interest rolls in from the marketing promotions, salons should be prepared to be fully stocked on gift cards and, if money and time allows, should consider getting creative with Father’s Day-themed cards. They can also create paired offers that encourage purchases and get two customers through the door at once, such as, “Buy Dad a $100 gift card and get $20 for yourself!”

Invest in curb appeal: Seventy percent of a salon’s walk-in customers are men, according to Modern Salon’s Priority Male Study. If accessible, salon owners should take advantage of the curbside and advertise outside the shop. They can create simple outdoor signage offering men’s specials for Father’s Day. This will give potential male customers an eye-catching reason to find the salon first. 

For pedestrian traffic, salons can merchandise men’s products, like pomade and shaving tools, outside the salon. Although, when promoting merchandise outside the store, salon owners should ensure the products they advertise are fully available for sale to interested customers. Inventory management tools that are linked to the salon’s technology resources are a surefire way for salon owners to stay on track of their in-store offerings. It also allows them to predict when they will need to reorder items following the holiday push.

Provide father and child discounts: Running a promotion for fathers and their child(ren) can increase visits to a salon and shows that the salon honors the special parent-child bond. On Father’s Day, salon owners should provide a special where fathers can get free services if they’re accompanied by their child who is receiving the same service. This promotion can entice first-time visitors to re-engage, so salon owners should be prepared with a strategy to encourage rebooking or automatically enroll them in the salon’s loyalty program.

Additionally, providing a voucher to first-time customers at the end of their visit can help ensure a revisit. Owners should also add new customers to the salon’s mailing list to keep them up to date on future promotions. Odds are, if they visited the salon because of a promotion, they are likely interested in future opportunities to save.

As the male grooming business continues to erupt over the next year, salons should consider the various ways they can grow into the male grooming market, particularly with Father’s Day coming up this weekend. Planning thoughtful and scoped promotions are essential if businesses want to make the most of this holiday, so salon owners should draw customers in with curb appeal, creative special offers and unbeatable deals. Not only will this help draw attention for the holiday, but it will also support their efforts to secure loyal, returning customers year-round.

About the Author: Jeff Dickerson is CEO of DaySmart Software, the makers of Salon Iris, a leading salon business management software for appointment booking, staff management, payment processing, marketing and customer communications for salon professionals worldwide. He has 25+ years of experience building software companies and developing technology that empowers and drives real business results for customers.