The 2020 holiday season looks to be a real challenge for pro beauty and barbering. Traffic will be down. Revenue would fall with traffic. It just might be our worst holiday selling season in memory… But… You can do a few things to get out in front of the challenge of revenue for this November and December. Here are my top tips for putting some green into your holiday season behind the haircut chair.
1. Build your average ticket – It will be very important that you take in a bit more money from each and every haircut client who sits in your chair. Here are a few ways to do just that…
A. Upsell at the time of booking. Become a wizard on the phone. Suggest additional services at the time of booking. Offering something like a $15 deep conditioning treatment to each client when they book will be a big bump across the board. Not everyone will take you up on it, but you just might be surprised by how many will.
B. Build take-home product into your service prices for the next two months. They need the product. You need the sales. A $30 haircut becomes a $40 haircut with a bottle of shampoo included. $10 more dollars in the till. $5 more dollars to the bottom line. If they tip in percentages this bumps the tip, too.
C. Raise your prices. People expect it. You deserve it. The resistance to price increases is at an all-time low. Take advantage of the opportunity. You see this happening in many other businesses and industries. You need to do this as well.
2. Sell Gift Certificates – Now is the time to make the most of this huge opportunity. You can literally double your revenue for the next 8 weeks if you plan for and sell hard in gift certificates. Sell to every client that comes in. get on the phone and sell to every client who does not come in, too. One hour of downtime between clients spent on the phone selling gift certificates can be your most profitable hour of your day.
3. Pre-sell 2021 appointments – You know they will be back in 2021. They know they will be back in 2021. Why not book and collect on 1st quarter 2021 services right now? Offer small gift incentives to close these pre-sales (there is ZERO need to discount).
4. Be the source for holiday gifts – Stock and display great gifts for your clients to give this year. Again, get on the phone and get some sales from those who have not come in for a haircut, too. Drop-off service, curbside pickup or FREE shipping can make these deals happen easier, too.
Do not be shy about asking for the sales you need and must have to support yourself, your family and your business. If you do not ask, you do not get. This is not begging. This is selling. Even with our current batch of challenges you can still ring up a very happy holiday season.
Reach out for help.
I am here to help.
Have a great selling season.
THX.
Ivan
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