If you're planning to do any type of marketing, you need to start with a basic marketing plan. Follow these steps for creating a simply, yet highly effective marketing plan that can drive results for your salon.
Some marketing plans are short and to the point, others are lengthy and cost thousands of dollars to produce.
You do not want a marketing plan that ends up on a shelf and rarely gets implemented. Keep your marketing plans simple. Research and effective implementation has the greatest impact. |
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Every business needs to begin with a well-structured plan that is based in thorough research, competitive positioning and attainable outcomes. Your plan should be the basis for your activities over the coming months. However, you should always be willing to enhance or redirect your plan based on what proves successful.
Market Research
Collect, organise, and write down data about the beauty market that is currently buying the products and treatments you sell.
Things to Consider:
• Market dynamics, patterns including seasonality
• Clients - demographics, market segment, target markets, needs, buying decisions
• Product, Technique, Service - what's out there now, what's the competition offering?
• Current sales in the beauty industry
• Benchmarks in the salon and spa industry
• Suppliers - vendors that you will need to rely on
Target Market
Find niche or target markets for your product and treatments and describe them.
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Product
Describe your service and products. How does your product relate to the market? What does your market need, what do they currently use, what do they need above and beyond current use?
Competition
Describe your competition. Develop your "unique selling proposition." What makes your salon stand apart from your competition? What is your competition doing about branding?
Market Strategies to consider
• Networking - go where your market is
• Direct marketing - sales letters, brochures, flyers, email
• Advertising - print media, directories
• Training programs - to improve skills
• Write articles, give advice, become known as an expert
• Direct/personal selling
• Publicity/press releases
• Trade shows
• Web site
Pricing, Positioning and Branding
From the information you've collected, establish strategies for determining the price of your service, where your service and products will be positioned in the market and how you will achieve brand awareness.
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Budget
Budget your dollars. What strategies can you afford?
Marketing Goals
Establish quantifiable marketing goals. This means goals that you can turn into numbers.
For instance, your goals might be to gain at least 20 new clients or to sell 20 products per
week, or to increase your income by 30% this year. Your goals might include sales,
profits, or client satisfaction. |
Mission Statement
• Key market - who you're selling to
• Contribution - what you're selling
• Distinction - your unique selling proposition |
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Monitor Your Results
• Test and analyse.
• Identify the strategies that are working.
• Survey clients
• Track sales, leads, and visitors to your salon
By researching your markets, your competition, and determining your unique positioning, you are in a much better position to promote and sell your beauty treatments and products. By establishing goals for your marketing campaign, you can better understand whether or not your efforts are generating results through ongoing review and evaluation of results.
Use your plan as a living document. Successful marketers continually review the status of their campaigns against their set objectives. This ensures ongoing improvements to your marketing initiatives and helps with future planning.
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Every business needs to begin
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