7 Salon Marketing Software Solutions To Elevate Your Business

Posted: February 16, 2023 - By Health Dev

The global revenue for beauty salons is expected to reach $190.81 billion by 2024, indicating a steady growth from $128.59 billion in 2017. But like any other business, salons must adopt effective marketing strategies to attract new clients and retain existing ones if they want to stay ahead.

Salon marketing software has made this easier by offering an all-in-one solution for business owners. Instead of using several tools for their marketing efforts, salon owners can now use a single platform.

Here’s an overview of a few salon marketing software solutions available to business owners.

Every business has unique requirements in terms of marketing. The following are some of the most popular salon marketing software solutions.

1. Email Campaign and Design

Email marketing software can help run salon marketing campaigns and track their performance; 65% of marketers worldwide use automated email marketing supported by marketing software. 

The best email marketing software offers templates and tools to design beautiful emails. This software has templates for every industry that business owners can customize according to their needs.

In addition, businesses can use this software to segment their email list and send targeted emails to different groups. Suppose you want to create the following segments for your email list:

• First-time clients
• Existing clients
• Regular clients who haven’t visited in a while

Email marketing software allows you to easily create these groups and send tailored email campaigns to each. As a result, you can enjoy higher open and click-through rates.

2. Automated Communication

Client communication is an integral aspect of any business, and salons are no exception. In the past, businesses needed multiple channels to communicate with their clients, like using the phone to make appointments, send SMS reminders, and answer queries. With salon marketing software, businesses can automate all these communication tasks. The software can send automatic appointment reminders and SMS notifications. 

Salon marketing software can also answer frequently asked questions. As your clients increase, it can become harder to cater to every client’s queries. That’s where automation can lighten your load and save you time and money while ensuring your clients always have a positive experience.

3. Online Appointment Booking

When running salon marketing campaigns, it’s imperative to focus on customer experience. One way to do that is by making the appointment booking process as simple and swift as possible.

Online appointment booking has become mainstream in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Software with built-in marketing tools like an online appointment booking system can help you streamline this process. Your clients will be able to book appointments with ease, and you’ll have an online record of all your appointments.

You can also use this to build your email list. For example, you can require clients to provide their email addresses when they book an appointment, then use this list to send targeted emails and run nurture campaigns.

4. Online Reviews and Reputation Management

Social proof is a powerful marketing tool that can help you build trust and credibility. In the past, salons relied on word-of-mouth to spread awareness about their business. Things have changed with the advent of the internet. Your potential clients will likely search for online reviews before booking an appointment. That’s why it’s crucial to encourage your clients to leave reviews and manage your online reputation.

Salon marketing software can help you with both. Some software can send automatic review requests to clients after their appointment, which can help increase the number of reviews you get.

In addition, most software comes with online reputation management tools. With these tools, you can track your online reviews and respond to negative feedback quickly. The key is to respond to both positive and negative reviews. Then, use the feedback from the positive reviews to improve your service quality. As for the negative reviews, use them as an opportunity to turn the situation around.

5. Salon Website Optimization

Website optimization includes both on-page and off-page optimization. On-page optimization refers to the changes you make to your websites, such as their design, layout, and content. Off-page optimization includes the steps you take to improve your website’s ranking in search engine results pages. Website optimization is essential because it can bring in more local clients and build credibility for your business.

Salon marketing software often has built-in website optimization tools. It can help you track your website’s performance and make changes to improve its ranking on search engines. Your marketing team can also use the software to create and publish high-quality content on your website. Besides promotional content, it’s also vital to produce educational and informational content.

For example, you can create a blog and write articles about hair care or skin care tips. Include links to your salon’s services in these articles to drive traffic to your website.

6. Social Media Marketing Services and Integrations

A solid social media presence can do wonders for your salon. It can help you connect with your target audience, build brand awareness, and generate leads.

Salon marketing software solutions can help you publish and schedule content, track your social media performance, and engage with your followers. These marketing features can save you time and effort on your salon marketing strategy.

Suppose you want to promote special offers through Instagram. You can create, design, and schedule posts in advance using salon marketing software, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business. The software takes care of your social media presence.

If your salon marketing software also has an online reputation management tool, you can use it to track social media mentions of your brand. The same platform can track and manage social media and website reviews.

7. Analytics Reporting and Dashboard

The only way to determine the success of your salon marketing strategies is to monitor them. You can do this by looking at specific Key Performance Indicators.

If you’re running a social media campaign, you’ll want to track the number of likes, comments, and shares your posts receive. For an email campaign, you should track the following metrics:

• Open rate
• Click-through rate
• Unsubscribe rate
• Bounce rate

Salon marketing software with analytics reporting can help your marketing team get a bird’s-eye view of all marketing practices. The dashboard will summarize all the KPIs (key performance indicators)  in one place and allow you to identify which strategies are working and which need improvement. In addition, the software can generate detailed reports that you can use for your marketing planning.

The Benefits of Marketing Software for Your Salon Business

Salon marketing solutions can be the key to driving more traffic and engagement with your brand. Here are the notable benefits of a salon marketing suite.

Automates Marketing Strategy Implementation To Save Time

Marketing automation software will help you carry out marketing strategies with ease and in a fraction of the time. Automating repetitive business operations, such as sending review requests and appointment reminders, can save time. It also lets you assign more demanding tasks to your staff.

Suppose you want to use message marketing. You can create text message campaigns and schedule them in advance. Then, the software will automatically send messages to clients at the appointed time.

It will also create detailed reports of the performance of each campaign. These insights can help you adjust your marketing strategy for better results. For example, you can use this information to determine if you need to change your messages’ CTA. Or, you may need to change the copy if your existing text is not getting the desired response.

Allows You To Reach More Potential Clients

The more people you reach, the more chances you have to sell your services. With a salon marketing solution, you can take advantage of multiple channels to reach more people. You can use email marketing to reach people who subscribe to your newsletter and target potential clients through social media ads.

Since these solutions come with built-in analytics, you can track the performance of your campaigns. Let’s say you want to introduce a gift card. You inform potential and existing clients about it through email, social media, and message marketing.

When people come to your salon to ask about the gift card or show interest in it, you can ask them where they heard about it and gauge which marketing channel works best for you.

The good news is you don’t have to ask each person yourself. Salon marketing software can automatically send a review request or survey to people who sign up for your gift card online. You can also track the number of gift cards sold and their value. Based on this data, you can decide if you want to continue the offer or make changes.

Reduces Costs Over Time

Imagine two scenarios. In the first one, you’re managing your salon marketing manually. You’re using different software for each task, such as campaigning, appointment scheduling, and analysis. You’ve also hired staff to help you with these tasks.

In the second scenario, you have a salon marketing solution. It offers you multiple services at a fixed monthly cost. Plus, you don’t need to hire additional staff for repetitive tasks. Which one will be cheaper? The answer is obvious.

Salon marketing software helps you save money in the long run by automating tasks and freeing up your staff to focus on more important tasks. Moreover, you’ll be able to retire some of the other software you’re using. If the solution has a built-in appointment scheduler, you can cancel your current one as well. Similarly, you can use the software’s built-in reporting feature to track your marketing campaigns and won’t need to purchase separate analytics software.

Increases Loyal Client Retention

If you want to do digital marketing on a budget, know that it’s cheaper to retain clients than acquire new ones. Unfortunately, salon owners often make the mistake of focusing only on acquisition. They forget that it’s just as important to keep the clients they already have. Salon marketing software helps nurture your relationships with clients and keep them coming back. For example, you can use the software to send exclusive offers and discounts to show your appreciation.

Most salon marketing software also has segmentation capabilities. You can segment your regular clients and offer them loyalty rewards. It will show your clients you value their business and want to keep them happy.

Ensures Better Monitoring of Marketing Performances

How would you know you’re bringing in more clients than before you put your current salon marketing plan into action? Monitor your marketing performance. Salon marketing software with built-in analytics can help track your campaigns’ performance. For instance, you can find the number of people who saw your ad, clicked it, and made an appointment. You can also track each campaign’s return on investment.