What are partnerships? They’re a strategy for working with businesses that are industry friendly and like-minded. In my experience, people love to connect with others.

For example, a friend might email me asking if I know any bartenders who will come to their location for an event. I then refer my friend to someone who I think will provide an exceptional experience.

Another example: at Be Inspired Salon, we provide all hair services, makeup, and facial waxing, but we do not do facials or chemical peels. Therefore, we have an amazing partnership with Serene Beauty that allows us to promote each other because we’re industry friendly, but we don’t directly compete with each other. It’s an amazing partnership.

How do you identify beneficial partnerships?  

The following are some questions to keep in mind when considering a new partnership.

#1 Do they have a great reputation?

Do you not only love doing business with them, but also feel confident referring your best clients to them? Is the experience going to be predictable and fabulous?

#2 Do they value what your company values?

Maybe you hate corporate franchises and want to keep your business organic. Those are things that you can decide beforehand when you’re seeking out potential partners. Then, find partners who support and appreciate those values.

#3 Are they similar, yet different?

Can the other business offer valuable services or products that you don’t offer, but also doesn’t compete with what you offer? At Be Inspired Salon, we also partner with a local massage company that offers organic and healthy materials. This way our services are related, but still different.

#4 Are they communicative?

This is huge. Is there a dedicated representative at their company who will continually communicate with you to maintain the relationship?

#5 How are you able to help one another?

Your partnership blossoms by promoting one another either internally or externally. Promoting internally might be exchanging brochures, posting signage in your store, and adding them to your email marketing. An external example would be attending their events or doing social media promotions.

Another way you can promote each other externally is adding a resources page to your website which showcases all of your fabulous partnerships. This not only helps each other but helps your clients! Supporting each other is important to maintaining a steady, healthy relationship that doesn’t cost anything.

In other cases, you may want to spend a little money and give your partner a small gift. This could be something like a $10 gift card or another small item that’s not devaluing what you offer. This is also advertising your business through word of mouth--they like you and are more likely to speak highly of you. Huge, powerful partnerships are better for your company if and when you have identified your unique selling proposition in advance.

Getting out there and meeting people to expand your partnerships is a great idea for your business. At the end of the day, the better and more powerful you partners are the more “right” clients you’ll have coming in.

Does your salon maintain any partnerships? Share your innovative ideas with us in the comments or on social media! To hear even more partnership ideas, listen to Beyond the Technique podcast episode 36. Be sure to check back for our weekly blog and podcast!

In the salon industry, the struggle is real when it comes to client retention. In fact, the likelihood of a new guest returning to your salon after her first visit is less than 30%! If that number makes your cringe, don’t close your eyes—keep reading! We are sharing 5 Ways to Nurture Relationships to Increase Client Retention featuring industry expert, Tena Pettis!

1. Sales Calls

Yes, you did read that correctly. Each of Tena’s Stylists at Capture Salon makes sales calls every week! While this seems scary to a lot of Stylists, Tena assures you that it really works. In less than one year, Tena’s Stylists went from 17% booked to over 50%. Most software allows you to generate a report of clients who have not visited you in the last 6 months—these are the people who you want to call and get back in your chair! A simple phone call—or voicemail—will remind the client that you are thinking about them and have time to serve them!

2. Events

Hosting events is a great strategy to be a proactive business owner rather than a reactive one. Many clients are just looking for a fun night out, so why not provide one in your salon! Not only does this build exposure, but it reminds your current clients about the awesome services that you provide. By inviting clients into your space, you are nurturing a bond that will last long after the event ends! Tena suggests having a planning meeting before every quarter to decide when to host events and run promos.

3. Referral Program

Tena stresses that her salon really wanted to make their Referral Program stand apart from their competitors’. Tena’s team created a unique referral card that granted the new client $20 off and the client who gifted the card $10 off. To make the program feel extra special, they only allowed each stylist to give a set of 10 referral cards to 10 of their clients. By limiting the number of referral cards, the Stylist made their top 10 clients feel extra special, and the client saw more value in handing them out!

4. Email

Email marketing is not dead. Have we mentioned that Tena is also the founder of Tena.cious, a social media and graphic design firm. Take it from the expert—you still need to send your clients emails! People check email every day, all day. In your emails, you can send updates about events, product promotions, and even highlight your Stylists. If you are new to the email game, Tena suggests starting with two emails a month and eventually bumping that to once a week. Do not be scared to send emails; your clients wouldn’t have provided their email address if they didn’t want to hear from you!

5. Mail

Good old fashioned, snail mail. At Capture Salon, all Stylists send handwritten cards to new clients about one week after their visit. This is a great opportunity to thank the client for visiting and invite them back for their next service! In addition to new clients, Capture sends spontaneous cards to returning clients. Sending branded cards is a great way to be in front of the client again, and it shows that you are thinking about them. You can even slip in event cards and information about promos.

Which one of these strategies are you going to try first? Tena remind us that the only free strategy is sales calls! Remember, if you want to be successful, you have to be willing to do what others cannot do or will not do. After all, the key to substantial success lies Beyond the Technique!

What other strategies do you have to nurture client relationships? Comment below or share with us on social media! To hear even more of Tena’s tips, listen to her on Beyond the Technique podcast Episode 51.