It’s great to see salons and spas taking on the recession’s summer season with some sizzlin’ hot PR ideas that your clients – and the media – think are just plain ‘cool’.  Gone are the days when the term ‘slow summer’ in the salon was expected, and accepted until the ‘back to school’ crowd brought business back to life.  Now, enterprising salon owners take the ‘offense’ against the dreaded slow season by thinking fresh with great ideas that keep clients connected … and coming back!

No more allowing clients to forget about or abandon regular salon and spa services ’till Fall rolls around.  Keeping the client flow consistently moving year ’round is entirely possible – but it means a year ’round love affair between your creativity and your activity on that PR calendar!  Summer no longer needs to be a ‘dead zone’ – but rather  just another cool season of  hot sizzle and substance at your salon or spa!

FOUR SIZZLIN’ HOT SUMMER PR IDEAS THAT ARE VERY COOL!

(… and hold your clients’ interest in ‘you’).

Summer Sizzle Idea #1: A Cool Client Event!

‘Hats off” again to Changing Heads Salon in Tappan, New York for constantly reinventing the PR/promotional wheel to suit the climate, the client and the time of year. Imaginative salon owner Bob Press and team just kicked off the summer (and July 4^th holiday weekend) with a Client Appreciation Evening.  Bob e-mailed all his clients and the local media, pulling out all the stops for them with an evening of breezy Summer jazz, wine and appetizers that didn’t quit from 4pm – 9pm.

Entertainment was live with a group called ‘aj’ (ahhsh) and clients were encouraged to ‘introduce a friend to Changing Heads couture salon’.  Co-sponsors included nearby local businesses, ‘The 76 House’ and Grape D’Vine. We discussed ‘partnering’ with other area businesses in an earlier post. To find out more from Bob, e-mail him:bob@changingheads.com.

Just in from Changing Heads while I was writing this:  Wouldn’t ‘ya know…just as I’m getting ready to post, I get another Summer Sizzle Tip from Bob Press to keep their ‘guests’ mindful of advance booking salon services. Basically, the salon e-mails clients their team’s Summer vacation schedule.  This ‘Vacation Notice’ helps clients know when their stylist/colorist/esthetician will be away and says: “We hope this helps to schedule your appointments over the Summer and we look forward to seeing you.”  The Changing Heads Team

Summer Sizzle Idea #2:  A Cool Product Promotion!

Scruples Professional Technical Educator and stylist Greg Lamb of Visible Changes Hair Salon in Dresden, TN is making the entire Summer (July and August) a perfect opportunity to offer his color clients free product  and reminder to book their color appointments. With Color, Highlights or Lowlight services, his salon’s clients get FREE a Scruples Color Shampoo and Conditioner.

Now, to be totally cool, Greg has Facebook-ed his clients and the media about his Summer promotion with this message:

Subject: July and August Promotion

“Know you are treating your new color with the respect it deserves.”

As a color client myself (here in Southern CA), I say that this message got my attention on Facebook.  Yes, I care about my color, I (and my hair) deserve respect, and I always LOVE some free product!  Greg then went on to finish his message with the rest of the product promo details mentioned above.  Believe me, if I were a client at Visible Changes, I’d be booking that color appointment now!  Want to learn more? Visit Greg’s Business Profile Page (formerly Fan Page) ‘Greg at Visible Changes Hair Salon‘.  It’s great to see more us in the industry beginning to use social media to reach our clients.

Summer Sizzle Idea #3: A Cool Community Cause!

And like all the seasons, those important community causes continue to go on and need year ’round support in terms of time, talent, and donations.  We chose to cite a beauty school as a great example of how more salons, spas and schools might be spending their summer in an effort to support their community while staying connected to their targeted audiences.  Accordingly, the Bellus Academy (formerly Poway Academy Of Beauty & Spa) in Poway, CA (owner: Lynelle Lynch), continues its on-going local effort behind ‘CUT IT OUT’, a national program of the ‘Salons Against Domestic Abuse Fund‘ dedicated to training and mobilizing salon professionals to recognize the symptoms of domestic abuse and be able to provide the simple information needed to help their ‘abused’ clients find help and safety.

A local ‘CUT IT OUT’ Industry Advisory Board has been formed and meets at the Bellus Academy regularly – including and especially this Summer (July) – to discuss multi-lingual webinars and regional training opportunities plus planning for Salon-A-Thon activities in every region. This promotes awareness, builds partnerships and increases fundraising efforts between the business community and all Domestic Violence Shelters during ‘DV Awareness Month’ in October.  Participating salon professionals are encouraged and trained to recognize the signs of domestic violence among their clientele and, with a caring and concerned approach and attitude, offer a special hotline to call to seek further assistance where and when appropriate. Learn more about the cause and how to support in your local area: visit: www.cutitout.org. It’s a cause that has the serious attention of the media, as well; the Bellus Academy‘s students and owner were featured in local print and broadcast media to create awareness of the cause and show how the beauty industry is participating.

Photos: Laurence Hardy at 24Photography

Summer Sizzle Idea #4:  ‘Summerzcool’ Client Communication’

Salon pro Terry Dykshorn chooses to keep her clients (and media) consistently informed about what she’s up to every season – and Summer is no exception!  As part of her communication effort, Terry encourages clients to ‘schedule your Summer appointments now because things are heating up’.

Terry e-mails a terrific personal newsletter she calls ‘Fresh Hair‘. Clients contact her here to get on her mail list. For Summer, she shares her pro-active schedule with a unique ‘Summerzcool’ edge — inspired by Jimmy Buffet’s ‘Summerzcool‘ concert tour (which kicks off Terry’s Summer).  Clients love to hear what’s going on in their hairdresser’s life so take a cue from Terry and share it with them in a fun and interesting way with a bit about your salon life, some personal news outside of salon life and yes, always touching on the trends!

Writes Terry in ‘Fresh Hair’: “My summerzcool schedule includes biking in San Diego, a Haircolorist Summit in Los Angeles, a couple of out-of-state weddings, a family reunion with the in-laws, training for triathlons and half marathons, and, oh yeah, taking care of business!”

Terry goes on from their to elaborate on each point  — but the real point here is the perception you are creating for those you want to read about you (your target audience). The more active and successful you are perceived to be, the more interesting you become to clients and the media. Lesson: Get some kind of consistent communication going with your clients and the press…Summertime and anytime!

I like the way Terry signs her e-newsletter: “Your friend in the business of fresh hair.”

Lest we never forget <g> to reinforce our role in our clients lives!

Title Photo: I am Melanie. Hear me Roar

What Are Your Doing This Summer to Avoid the Doldrums?

Share It Here with Comments.

‘Get Real’ in the Neighborhood

Good people and businesses ‘stand out’ in their community.  They are more than just a place to go for products or services.  They are part of the fabric of life in the neighborhood.  People respect and appreciate their caring deeds.  Individuals and businesses that ‘do more’ get noticed for their efforts.

Avoid the Crowd

An often heard fast answer to garnering attention is to “do charitable salon events“.  Although accurate, it’s an incomplete thought.  Just doing run of the mill ‘cut-a-thons’ for charity and jumping on the ‘popular’ fund-raising bandwagons doesn’t distinguish you or your salon/spa in the neighborhood.  Yes, you are a step ahead because you are doing it, but it’s certainly not unique.  Remember: Newsworthy = out of the ordinary.  So, we thought we’d suggest delving more deeply into this one.

‘Real’ Community Involvement for the Long Haul

Of course fund-raising is always good PR, but catch-as-catch-can fundraisers are over fast and everyone quickly moves on to the next ‘something’ that grabs their attention.  Not a lot of deeper, long-term client development value going on there.

The best community involvement is something that becomes uniquely yours, where you and your salon team find something in the community you can become “a valued part of”.  Real non-profit support has a deeper meaning to you and your staff.

It also makes all of you important to the members of that community who care deeply about that charity’s good work and your participation builds long-term value within that community, and their friends.  You become a very real part of their lives and events.

5 PR-Smart Steps To ‘Get Real’ In Your Area.

1. Do some detective work to discover what some of the well-respected area non-profits are up to.  What ‘good work’ is currently getting the attention of the media?  Ask your clients what charities they support and why?  Get good background information on those charities at Guidestar.Note:  In addition to your search for a local non-profit, consider another effort that really puts the limelight on the professional salon industry … check out “Cut it Out”.  Bonus with ‘Cut it Out’ is that domestic violence is always ‘in the news’ and doesn’t need a lot of explanation.
   
2. Watch the local lifestyle, and beauty& grooming sections of the local media (magazines and newspapers).  What out-of-the-ordinary local non-profits do they often write about?  Any popular themes that reveal those editors ‘fav’ charities?
3. After you have an initial assortment of area non-profits you feel an affinity for, contact the Executive Director or the Development Director of the organization.  Tell them you’re new to the neighborhood and you’d like to learn more about what they do first-hand.  Plan a visit to meet and get a tour.Non-profits thrive on interested supporting businesses and will be happy to share all about themselves.  They know you can use their help as much as they can use yours.  It’s a synergistic relationship that benefits them, their beneficiaries, and you.
4. After you settle on one or two of those charities, get more involved.  Attend their events.  Get to know their supporters.  Volunteer for other activities the charity needs help with.  Ask them what they think you can do to support them.  Perhaps you and your staff can do the hair and make-up for their annual fashion show?They don’t have a fashion show?  Maybe you can propose the idea?  Play with ideas with your staff.  Get them personally involved.  Set up a tour for you (and your staff).  Everyone at the salon will benefit.  Good things will automatically happen when the chemistry is right.  It is public relations at its best.
5. Become a leadership force for that non-profit.  Serve on its board.  Do more than the average bear.  Lead and others will follow.

Once involved with a community non-profit, your involvement within their circle of supporters means that everyone within that group will come to know you personally too … and so it grows.

Finally, remember that well run local non-profits already have established relationships with local media types and that ultimately benefits you in your efforts on their behalf.

That’s it.  Not hard … Very rewarding.

Make a Comment

What charitable work has your salon/spa been up to?

Has that made a difference to you and your staff?

When you comment on this post, don’t forget to check the “Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail ” box.  You can follow the conversation without returning to the blog.

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When we first announced the March 31^st midnight deadline for charter subscription to BeautyPRpro, we neglected to factor in that the Chicago “America’s Beauty Show” fell on this weekend and that many of you would be going to the show.  So, we’ve extended the ‘charter subscriber’ deadline one week until Midnight, Monday, April 6^th...  Hey!  It’s our blog.  We can do that!

Share BeautyPRpro with a Friend

If you feel your subscription to our blog has been of value to you and your salon or spa business, please recommend us to your friends.  Suggest they subscribe to BeautyPRpro too.  They still have a week to get in on the ‘charter subscriber’ action.

• Send them a copy of your ‘Life-Changing PR for Salon & Spa Owners’ as a starter with your note suggesting they subscribe. We wrote that eBook so people could understand what we were trying to do with our blog.
• Email a friend a copy of a blog post you found worthwhile. It’s easy. Use the ‘share this’ or ‘Email this’ in the footer of every blog post.
• Tie ‘em down and threaten them .

Now for That Something Special

A promise is a promise.  Hard to believe it’s been 6 months since our first post, “BeautyPRpro – It’s All About You!” on September 29^th, 2008.  Something we started as a fun and ‘nice to do’ project has become such an important part of our daily lives.  Who knew blogging was this enjoyable … or so much work?  Make no mistake.  If you’re considering blogging to your clients, make sure what you have to say is valuable to them.  You have to keep earning your right to arrive in their busy inbox and not be a boring ‘Deleted Items’ email.

OK.  Here are the charter subscriber goodies.

1. Every charter subscriber will receive a complete industry press contact list for the U.S. and Canada.
2. Three lucky charter subscriber’s names will be drawn out of the ‘virtual’ barrel to receive:
   1. One FREE annual PR planning package (Value $3,000) consisting of:
      1. 5 hours of phone consultation time
      2. A goals, strategies and tactics outline
      3. An annual calendar of events
      4. An estimated budget requirements
   2. Two FREE news releases (Two winners, one release each) -Value $800 each

We’ll announce winner’s names after April 6^th.  If you are one of the three winners of our free services, you will have 30 days to call and claim your prize, then 90 days to take advantage of it.

Thank You

We’ve had the opportunity to speak with a number of you over the past months.  We’ve worked with some of you on your PR planning, press kit development, and news release writing.  We’ve enjoyed it.  Thanks for sharing your PR successes (and not so successes) with us.  There are lessons in it for everyone.

When you comment on this post, don’t forget to check the “Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail ” box.  You can follow the conversation without returning to the blog.

If you found this article useful, get a free subscription to BeautyPRpro. You’ll receive a FREE copy of our ebook, “Life-Changing PR for Salon & Spa Owners” and receive each article post minutes after it hits the blog.

Feel free to click on the ‘Share This’ icon below to send this post to a friend or mark it at your favorite social bookmarking site.

Creative Common photo by Tracey O