‘Tis the season! …to be on the phone and emailing your clients….sometimes chasing them down to get them in and keep them accountable?? This is sometimes our slow time, yes. If you’re not seeing enough gift certificate money or new business activity in the door to keep you busy while your regular clients travel and otherwise celebrate or work on their year-end business goals…..
ADD VALUE: Then be there for them. Offer some content-rich information for them by way of a top ten list, a blog, or newsletter sent by email or postal service.
VALUE THEM: Send a card to them for no other reason than to spread holiday cheer and summarize progress made over the course of the year.
Should you “gift”? For each client a salon or spa will often include a gift card for a generous discount off a next service. 20% off your next package for instance. Focus on the long term relationship it secures for you with the client, not the fact that sure, they would have renewed anyway. It’s an over-the-top thing that will surprise them! You want surprise!!! Surprise is good!!
You could do the same for a low investment on a ‘gift’ that will come back to you in business. They’ll likely talk about your gift, they’ll put your card up on their holiday tree too.
Offer to cross-gift with someone with clients who are target market for you ….a massage therapist for instance, or a spa service….negotiate together to find a fair discount you each are willing to give- or better yet, trade a single session for no charge at all for their clients if they will do the same for you with theirs. Massage is something everyone looks forward to …personal training perhaps not quite the same- yet they know they need it- you could instead offer a wellness profile or a five yoga stretches appropriate for stress relief (and flexibility) into the new year…that might appeal to those individuals still thinking personal training is a drill Sargent who’ll intimidate them.
This is the time of year to work on your gratitude. There are long hours. But with much flexibility. There are challenging customers. With breakthrough moments that make it worthwhile. Is it not a great time to call this a career? Let people see it (you shouldn’t have to tell anyone) and you’ll attract more than you know what to do with!!
