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Queues of people sneaking around the streets waiting for shops to open so they can grab a bargain have become an increasingly common sight on Black Friday. With this year’s Black Friday falling on 24 November, you’ve still got time to make the most of the seasonal sales rush in your salon.
Where does the Black Friday tradition come from?
No one really knows where Black Friday originated but there are plenty of theories. Most people agree it started in the States and, like many American traditions, we exported it across the pond. In the last decade, it has snowballed into one of the UK’s biggest sales events of the year.
In America, Black Friday falls on the day after Thanksgiving when Americans make the most of the holiday to go shopping. It’s supposedly called Black Friday because it was the day when retailers in the 80s went into the black and began making a profit after spending much of the year in the red.
For UK retailers, it has become synonymous with the last big shopping push of the year and marks the start of the busy Christmas shopping season.
In 2023, it is anticipated that UK consumers will collectively spend £3 billion during the Black Friday sales, marking a decrease of £900 million from the projected expenditure of £3.9 billion in 2022. The average individual expenditure is estimated to be £113, reflecting a 40% decline from the previous year’s average spend of £190.
Although there is a downward trend which reflects the current economic climate, it does showcase that with competition fierce and consumers still willing to spend, businesses have to strategise better than ever before.
6 top tips to boost your Black Friday sales
These Black Friday tips will help you maximise your sales on the day and into the weeks leading up to Christmas:
1. Let your customers know
If you’re planning some Black Friday salon deals, shout about it to your customers. With email marketing you can automate your email campaigns, seamlessly sending out time-sensitive announcements to your loyal customers, and highlighting your biggest bargains. Take advantage of your email list and tell them about the offers you’ll have in your salon.
2. Sort your appointments booking system
With all these extra customers booking with your salon, make sure your appointments system is in tip-top condition. You want to create a smooth customer journey that makes it as easy as possible for them to book and pay online.
With Square Appointments, your customers can do just that. The system integrates with your website, syncs with your calendars, lets clients book specific stylists or beauticians and sends out automatic text and email reminders.
3. Promote gift card sales
Gift cards are another way to boost your business income but you can maximise the Black Friday sales by offering clients a discount or % off a treatment if they buy one from you. For example, anyone purchasing a gift card above a certain value will receive a free 20-minute head massage. Or you could offer vouchers for specific services so a gift card for a cut and blow dry could include additional treatment.
Square Gift Cards can easily be bought online and sent instantly.
4. Create luxury skincare and haircare package deals
During the Covid lockdowns people were forced to look after their own skin and hair care from home and sales of beauty products surged. This uptick in online sales helped make up for salon closures and plummeting turnover. While salons have been open again for a while now, plenty of clients have kept up with their home care routines and luxury bundles of your best-selling products are a great way to capitalise on the trend.
If you don’t have a website already you can get set one up in minutes with Square Online and use automated email software to promote your special offers and boost your Black Friday sales.
5. Advertise your Black Friday deals on social media
Social media is a quick, easy and cost-effective way to let your loyal followers know about your salon services and Black Friday deals. While email marketing will help you reach your existing clients, social media can help you reach new customers hoping to grab a bargain. Adopting an omnichannel presence to maximise your marketing in the run-up to Black Friday can help lift sales, and understanding these salon-need-to-know costs is crucial for creating effective and budget-friendly marketing strategies.
Square Appointments integrates with Facebook and Instagram so customers can book an appointment or click ‘buy now’ and purchase directly from you.
6. Advertise your Black Friday deals on social media
Who doesn’t love a freebie? They’re a great way to draw in new customers and persuade existing ones back through the door. Try offering a giveaway of sample sizes with every appointment booked on Black Friday, even if the appointment occurs at a later date.
The giveaway doesn’t have to be expensive but it should align with your brand. For example, there’s not much point in offering up samples of crisps if you run a hair salon! It could be an exclusive product or it could be something of which you have too much stock and any loss can be offset by the increase in appointments.
Just remember the right gift can go a long way to promoting your brand and boosting Black Friday sales.
