Business gurus Neil Ducoff, Strategies founder and CEO, and Adrienne Hiles, L’Oréal Professionnel and Matrix Canada marketing specialist, share how to turn your database into a business success tool.

“Your salon’s database is your single biggest asset,”says Ducoff.

1. Stagger holiday promotions.

Offer early-bird holiday gift cards, services and advanced bookings for a preferred client list, and stagger limited-time offers at different points during the holiday season, such as early November, late November, and the first weeks of December.

2. Offer last-minute appointments.

If an appointment slot opens up, give the first opportunity to fill it to your best clients by sending them a quick email or text message, which you’ll have stored in the database.

3. Protect your reputation.

When a client complains, follow up by documenting all of your efforts to resolve the conflict, such as the time and date a staff member attempted to contact the client, and what was discussed. Documentation could help protect your business from unfounded accusations and demonstrate the initiative to make things right.

4. Retain first-time clients.

On average, 30 to 35 per cent of salons retain first-time clients within 90 days of their visit. To increase this rate, run retention reports through your database and salon software. Owners can also incorporate the assessment in staff performance reviews, in order to measure and improve on areas of growth for each team member.

5. Make your clients miss you.

Rather than overwhelming your clients with frequent emails and alerts, think about when they last came into the salon and for what service. Try to time your next communication to them in a way that reminds them to come back to you for that root touch-up or haircut—the goal is to remind clients you are still there, instead of showing up too often in their inboxes.

6. Protect your database.

Utilize the security features of your software by setting up security levels that give access to confidential, sensitive information only to owners and managers, and everyday access to client and business operations for staff members.

7. Keep your message consistent across social media platforms.

Is your salon running a contest on Facebook? Great! Use your Facebook page as the main hub of information and updates, not only for Facebook fans but also for clients in your database. Linking to the same website whenever your salon mentions it on other platforms, like email and Twitter, simplifies the communication.

8. Make use of the database.

We know it’s tedious to type in details about retail sales or client profiles, but this information is indispensible, once utilized. For example, by tracking when your clients come in at each appointment, you can find out how often they return and consider why first-time clients have not returned—not to mention, you have their contact information to remind them you’re still open for their business. Or, by tracking retail purchases, you can easily identify your bestsellers for each season, leading to an informed inventory decision for the next quarter.