4 Back-to-School Sales Ideas for Your Salon or Spa

Summer is in full swing, but it won’t last forever. Like it or not, fall is coming and there’s no time like the present to launch an end-of-summer marketing campaign.

We’ve got you covered with some of the hottest back-to-school sales ideas around.

To make the most of this season, it's crucial to implement effective seasonal marketing strategies that resonate with your clients and boost your business.

1. Make every summer moment count

Before you rush back to school, ask yourself whether you’ve really done everything you can to boost summer sales. August is a great time to promote end-of-season retail products and fill up your appointment book.

Try offering extra discounts on end-of-season products to customers who come in for a service in August, or fill your fall salon appointment book by offering customers a discount on future visits when they pre-book in August.

2. Know your customers

If back-to-school sales make you think of school supplies and uniforms, it might not seem like a good fit for your salon or spa. But remember that all of those students heading back to school are in the market for haircuts and colors, and many of them want waxes, nail services and blowouts too.

Keep in mind that many of your existing customers are heading back to school — including college students, parents and grandparents. Even if your salon or spa doesn’t serve kids, you can still create an effective back-to-school marketing campaign for your adult customers.

Also read: salon marketing software

Most adults look back fondly on their days of school clothes shopping with mom or dad. Play on their nostalgia to create a fun back-to-school sales campaign that meets the beauty and wellness needs of every customer, even if they aren’t students. (Hint: Busy moms definitely need to make time for themselves when the kids go back to school!)

Imagine how grateful parents would be if you offered them a 5-minute free chair massage, polish change or cocktail to celebrate the kids heading back to school? That gratitude helps turn a good customer into a great one, or a new customer into a returning one.

3. Take it social

Social media targeting helps you get your back-to-school sales campaign in front of just the right customers. But that’s not the only way to use social media to boost your campaign’s effectiveness.

Create a back-to-school Pinterest board with style inspo, beauty tips, retail products customers will love and more. Post pictures of back-to-school style trends and even consider writing a blog post showcasing some of your latest looks and trends.

These promotional ideas for salons not only increase engagement but also showcase your expertise and creativity in the beauty industry.

Get your customers excited with an Instagram photo contest for the best back-to-school style emergency or back-to-school photo. (Hint: Pictures of moms rejoicing when the kids return to school are always a hit and help your posts get shared!) Check out this blog post for more fun photo ideas.

Make sure to have participants like your social media accounts and post pictures using a custom hashtag to get the most out of your promotion, and share their posts across channels for maximum reach.

Also read: social media marketing for salons

4. Create seasonal promotions

Whether it’s dry shampoo for those busy school mornings, the perfect shade of fall nail polish or a foot soak after a long day, customers love retail products that speak to their needs.

These types of offers serve as excellent client engagement strategies, encouraging repeat visits and fostering loyalty among your customer base.

Create back-to-school retail promotions that offer customers discounts (say, 10-20 percent) on targeted products when they visit in August or September. Or bundle discounted products and services to encourage customers to save even more.

No matter what promotion you decide to run, don’t let the back-to-school sales opportunity pass you by.