A Tisket a Tasket…
1.02.07

Anyways, it’s that time of year again when we all enter into the “Tanning Zone”! Each year after the Holidays have come and gone salon owners enter into that happy little place where dreams come true or nightmares are again realized. In either case, the previous years of jubilance have been replaced with guarded optimism recently, but it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom.

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason. If you are a veteran of the tanning industry or just a neophyte, the bottom line for every salon is the BOTTOM LINE! Everyone is talking about the consolidation that has been taking place in our industry which is undeniable. Every month I look at the salons that are canceling their Software Maintenance Agreements with us and over 40% of them are because they have gone out of business.

A common philosophy shared by the salons that are going out of business is that advertising and marketing dollars were viewed as an expense rather than an investment. On the flip side, the salons that have not been as adversely affected by the modest downturn are realizing significant returns on their marketing campaigns, with the most effective medium being direct mail.

There is a common misunderstanding with regards to what defines direct mail and this will have a significant effect on the return of your investment. Val-Pak and Lost Child mailers are considered direct mail since they are sent through the Postal Service, but they are not sent out to any unique identifiable demographic where in lies the problem. When you use this medium for your direct mail campaign you normally send them out to a designated zip code area within your salon’s 2 to 3 mile radius. Companies that push these direct mail tactics are preying on the allure of what they spin as “cost effective” marketing even though only a small percentage of recipients actually meet your clienteles demographic. The end result is that you will most likely have a very disappointing return rate even though you got a great “deal” on the campaign.

The most effective way to maximize the return on your marketing budget is to target those customers who not only meet your core demographic, but have also been to your salon and previously spent their money on your products and services. The beauty of this concept is that all the data you need is stored conveniently in your salon software’s database.

To start off each year I recommend that you send a post card to every customer who visited your salon within the last year. This is a great time to reintroduce your salon to those customers who have not been in for a long period of time as well as providing a great buying opportunity for your loyal regulars. This type of direct mail campaign can be accomplished for approximately $.37 per post card. When you can expect a $1 to $3 return on every card that you send out you really can’t afford not to get into this game.

Peace!