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The holiday season is one of the busiest and most profitable times of the year for salons. With celebrations, parties, and family gatherings galore, your services are in high demand. But with great potential comes intense competition, so standing out during the festive rush is crucial.
If you're a salon owner, beauty professional, or marketing manager, read on for 12 salon holiday promotion ideas to drive bookings, impress clients, and improve your bottom line.
We’ll also discuss how tools like Zenoti can bring your salon holiday marketing ideas to life, helping your business shine this season and beyond.
Related: Salon management best practices – What salon owners and managers must know
The holidays offer salons a golden opportunity to attract new clients and nurture relationships with their current customer base. Implementing creative salon holiday promotion ideas can help you stand out, boost revenue during the festive months, and bring clients back even after that last bit of tinsel has come down.
By combining the right salon holiday marketing ideas with tools for execution, you can look forward to a smooth and profitable holiday rush for your business.
Let’s dive into beauty salon specials and ideas for marketing them.
A popular holiday staple, gift cards are an easy way to promote your salon. Offer deals like "Buy a $100 gift card, get $20 free," or discounted holiday-themed gift cards. They not only increase sales during the holiday season but also ensure post-holiday bookings.
Setting up and activating a digital gift card program takes less time than you think. It counts among hair salon holiday promotion ideas with instant bang for your buck – with sales happening while you sleep.
Want to preview this idea for your salon? See the gift card page on the Regal Grooming Lounge website.
Create festive packages that combine popular services at a slightly discounted rate. For example, bundle a haircut, deep-conditioning treatment, and blowout for a holiday glam package. Another option is to create packages for couples or friends to enjoy a spa day together.
Tailored bundles encourage clients to spend more per visit, with their pre-holiday prep including flawless, salon-quality results.
Of all the salon holiday special ideas we researched, this one from The W Nail Bar is especially festive: Their holiday bundle offers a free gel manicure with purchase of four. Check out the page, festooned with twinkling lights!
Related: Update your salon service menu – top tips and advice
Encourage clients to book their holiday appointments early by offering discounted rates for advance bookings. For instance, offer 20% off appointments booked before a date you specify. This approach helps you better manage your calendar while filling your slots ahead of time.
Related: Salon Success series: 20 salon marketing ideas to help you attract more clients
Boost engagement on your social media channels or in-salon experience by hosting holiday-themed contests. "Share your best holiday hair selfie for a chance to win a free service!" or "Guess how many ornaments are in the jar to win a gift card!"
Contests count as salon holiday special ideas that create excitement, keep your business top of mind, and encourage clients to spread the word about your business.
Reward faithful clients during the holiday season by enhancing your existing loyalty programs. Offer double points on all holiday appointments or introduce special-tier rewards, such as holiday-themed gifts or discounts for reaching milestones.
Related: Salon loyalty programs to boost client retention
Zenoti’s loyalty program tracking makes managing such promotions simple, so you can focus on delivering amazing experiences for your clients.
“We can use technology to take the tasks off our hands to allow us to get back to being with our guests.”
– Jereme Bokitch, Founder and Director of Education, Hedkandi Salon
The holiday season is a great time to reward clients who refer their friends. Offer incentives like $20 off their next service for every new client referral during December. You’ll bring in new clients while incentivizing loyal customers to spread the word about your salon.
See how Sky Salon in Strongsville, Ohio, does referrals with Zenoti.
Encourage clients to explore services they haven’t tried before by offering holiday salon specials on select treatments. For example, discount add-on services like a scalp massage or eyebrow shaping when booked with a haircut.
This belongs on the list of salon holiday marketing ideas that increase the average ticket value per client while showcasing your salon's full range of services.
Stock your shelves with holiday must-haves like hair care gift sets, styling tools, or travel-sized products.
Offer a discount like "Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off" or bundle retail items with services. The holidays are the perfect time to jumpstart retail sales.
Host an exclusive evening for your best clients, offering complimentary touch-ups, premium beverages, and hors d'oeuvres. Your special guests are sure to feel valued, and the event is your opportunity to showcase your holiday offerings.
Hosting an event takes work, but it’s among salon holiday marketing ideas with maximum impact. The payoff: Clients rebook because they want to return for your salon’s vibe and even more pampering.
Spread holiday cheer by giving back to your community. Partner with a local charity and donate a portion of profits from designated services or days. For example, "10% of all proceeds on December 15th will be donated to [Local Charity]."
Charitable giving positions your salon as socially responsible and attracts clients who would like to give back. Put this on your short list of hair salon holiday promotion ideas that make a difference.
Deck the halls (and your salon)! Create a merry atmosphere with holiday decorations and a photo corner for clients to capture their before-and-after looks. Encourage them to share their photos on social media using your branded hashtag for added exposure.
Send holiday greetings to your loyal clients paired with a tempting discount or small gift. A simple thank-you email with an offer like "Enjoy 15% off your next visit, just for being an amazing client" goes a long way.
With email marketing tools from Zenoti, you can automate the messages to personalize each greeting and promote your holiday salon specials effortlessly.
Related: Salon email marketing – Best practices for salons, spas and medical spas
With a dozen options in hand, you’re set to help clients look and feel their best even as you drive added revenue. From festive packages and gift cards to loyalty rewards and VIP events, these salon holiday promotion ideas are your ticket to a profitable season.
As you dive into making spirits bright at your salon, find a software platform that makes short work of managing gift cards and promotions, automating emails, and tracking loyalty programs.
Explore Zenoti for easy, personalized salon marketing.
Note: The salon businesses named in this post are Zenoti customers as of this writing.
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