How to win over new clients and keep them coming back.

There's a rule of thumb when it comes to gaining a new customer (aka customer acquisition) vs. keeping a customer (aka customer retention)

1. Keep a clean house and uncluttered salon. The best way to get someone to leave and never return is to overwhelm them and share your dirty with them. Make your client feel like a guest in your home by ensuring your home is worth returning to.  
2. When your clients arrives, make sure you have the receptionist or you as a stylist if no receptionist, ask how the client found you.  If you have a client intake form - ask them there and track it!
3. The 2 most important places New Clients should know about in your salon; the bathroom and the refreshment area.  And really it's all about the bathroom.  If you can keep your clients from having to make their own coffee or grab their own water, that would be a plus.  By showing them where the bathroom is before they ask, it means you're already looking out for them.
4. Show off your goods!  Give your new clients a tour of your beautiful & clean salon.  Tell them about the product lines that you carry, talk about the education of your staff, and if you have a story - tell it to them.
5. Have a place for their things.  I'll be honest, I HATE putting my bag or anything on the floor on in that tiny cubby next to my station or the station of my stylist!  If you don't already have it, install hooks to hang their bag.  Make sure they pull out anything they may need like their phone or doodads.
6. During the consultation portion of your clients service, ensure you ask open ended questions and LISTEN.  And every time they give you an answer, repeat it back to them. "So what you are saying is that you are tired of the gray, and you are looking for something fresh". At the end of your consultation reiterate to them what you heard them say and then give them the exact formula that you are going to use to give them what they want.
7. Follow-Up!  Call your client a few days after their appointment and make sure everything is still beautiful and perfect!  Make sure they are still happy, and answer any questions they might have!
8. Finally, the best thing to show them appreciation for spending money with you - send them a thank you note after your follow-up call.  Handwritten notes are special, and your customers will think so too.

BONUS TIPS

If you can, make a video of how to take care of your clients hair when they get home.  Use a model and send them the link.  The extra education will put you at the forefront when they are ready for their next appointment.

Call your new client a few hours before her appointment to let her know you are looking forward to meeting her!