It’s not easy to whip up motivation right after the New Year but you know that you need to overcome the post-holiday slump for the sake of your business.
You had an amazing holiday event, doubled gift card sales, and worked extra hours to accommodate clients. You have been running in four different directions the last few months and now things slow down. Your appointment book isn’t as full and the post-holiday slump needs to go away!
Maybe your clients are busy with their New Year resolutions… e.g., focusing on losing weight or going to the gym. How can you inspire them to stay on track with their skin goals during the winter slump?
Instead of just promoting your packages, you need to know what your clients want and how they’re feeling right now. What are they thinking and what is the big concern at the moment? Understanding client needs post-holidays will help you determine how to help them.
So how do you attract potential clients by giving them what they want? Here’s an example:
I was helping an esthetician with a storefront event during which the community supports local businesses and people stroll the streets for the holidays. Sounds great… except for its winter! Burr!
People were cold and the first thing they wanted was to get warm! So I suggested that she offer warm cider as a way to get people into her storefront business. “We need to get people in the door by solving their most pressing problem first — get warm!” I suggested. “From there you can start a conversation and learn more about their needs and offer other things to generate sales.”
While other storefront businesses had a hard time getting foot traffic and selling their special promotions, this esthetician surpassed her sales goals from the previous year’s event because she was offering a solution at the right time and in the right place.
Drum Up More Sales Post-Holidays By Giving Clients What They Want
What can you do to give your clients what they want so they are encouraged to book an appointment post-holidays? Consider how you can deliver the right service to solve the right problem at the right time. Here are some ideas:
Clients Who Get the Winter Blues
It’s not uncommon for people to fall into a slump or feel depressed during the wintertime. Especially after the Holidays. Since many clients are looking for a “pick me up,” you can offer an LED treatment by positioning it as a way to solve their current challenges, e.g., a “Mood-Boosting” LED session.
LED offers warmth and light, which are both scarce in the northern states during the winter months. If you’re lucky enough to have a LightStim LED bed, winter is the perfect time of the year to get clients hooked!
Clients Who Have Fitness Resolution Goals Post-Holidays
Many people want to get fit and lose weight during the New Year so you should think about how your clients want to feel post-workout. For example, many like to treat themselves with a relaxing facial as a reward to help them stay on track with their workout goals. Remind your clients to book a facial after their workout as an incentive to stay on track post-holiday!
You can create a special package and market it as a facial treatment for relaxation post-workout. You may even partner with local gyms to offer a special package to their members so you can broaden your reach, build brand awareness, and expand your client base.
Set the Foundation For the Year To Come
Besides attracting new clients, you can also get the ducks in a row for your business. Pull yourself out of a post-holiday slump by taking action on important business tasks.
For example:
- Work on your marketing calendar and plan out your promotions. Use this downtime to put a few marketing campaigns in motion. For example, create a content calendar and map out your blog posts. What are some commonly asked questions that you can turn into blog posts? Working on future projects will lift your spirits and get you excited about the New Year.
- Plan your quarterly events for the rest of the year. The holidays aren’t the only time to host events to generate publicity and sales. Your events should focus on two objectives: generating sales and attracting new clients. Be intentional when planning the events so you can focus your resources on your desired outcome.
- Revamp your service menu to make it easy for clients to book with you. This often means simplifying your offerings to minimize confusion. Go through your sales records from the previous year and get rid of any service that didn’t generate decent revenue. If you can’t decide which services you want to focus on or how to position them, it may be a good time to consider finding your niche!
You can also take this time to brush up on business and marketing knowledge for beauty professionals so you can apply the latest strategies to grow your business. The Esthetician Inner Circle offers affordable group coaching and monthly Masterclasses. We share actionable advice that you can apply to your business right away to boost sales and profits.