[Question] Boost business by word of Mouth

[carm]

Hi All,

Here To Brain storm ideas for marketing.
As some may know I own a Hair Salon. Been open a few months. Adveretised in newspapers, handed out flyers, given out vouchers.
We have had no response from flyers or the local newspaper.
I gave vouchers to the ladies only gyms and recieved a good response there, but nervous to carry on in case they get tired of promoting me.
I do believe that a hairdresser is personal experiance much like a doctor. Most people won't just go to anyone unless refered by a family member or friend.
How can I get my exsisting clientelle to refer people to me? How can one boost word of mouth?

[Dave A]

How about a "bring a friend" discount?

[carm]

Hi Dave,
I thought of that, but my clientelle is majority men. men dont bring friends to hair salon. Or what would entice men to bring a friend for a cut?

[IanF]

Carm
Have you considered a money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied your money back. You would only have to refund a person once because if he is not satisfied he shouldn't come back. I would just have a short questionnaire to explain the dissatisfaction, give the money back with a smile and say "since we can't please you, you won't be coming back". If you did mess it up you give the money back and say please come again as we stick to our guarantee.

The idea is not to refund money but to keep yourself on your toes so you don't have to refund the money, and you use that thinking when you are asked about it.

I used to offer a guarantee your printing at the agreed time or your printing for free. It worked and I only gave printing for free once by doubling the order quantity at no extra cost as our press was down. Then canned it after a lady came and asked for about 20 different quotes with lots of permutations,which would have taken at least half a day to estimate, she wanted the quotes straight away and then asked with the biggest smirk how long it would take. I told her at least 3 weeks for the printing as it would have to go out for foiling die cutting etc. She just clucked loudly and stormed out the shop.

[Dave A]

Men are so easy - just pump up their ego and they'll talk

[Marq]

Where is your salon in relation to your advertising spread?
Guys need it to be like next door, with no q's and no real frills stuff...well thats my idea of a good haircut - Its not something I plan or even put on my agenda - its - hey I've got 5 minutes think I'll shoot out and get a haircut.

Perhaps another idea is to go travelling...get a travel kit together and go round the local offices and (get permission) cut hair in the boardroom at a huge discount rate. Get a regular clientèle going and then get them to come to you.

[carm]

Hi Guys
I do offer money back guarantee. There are no frills, definately no ques. there is a pub directly opposite my shop. The gents walk out satisfied and come back every month, some even pop in just to say hi. but no referalls
What i am trying to work out is what makes men and women talk about thier hair. Women i sort of know give her a compliment and she will tell all. Men i dont know. I can not see a men sitting in a pub complimenting each other on thier hair. What makes men talk hair? Is the experiance maybe a free beer, sexy hairdresser, fantastic head massage? What makes men tell thier wives to go to thier hairdresser?

[IanF]

Carm
Next to a pub, that sounds like a perfect location. What about a free beer with your haircut promotion. M barber charges R70 a cut. You could get the bar to go in with you and charge you cost for the beer as it will help with his promotion. Now where is your shop it sounds good as I stay in Glenvista.

[Marq]

Men do not tell their wives to go to the hairdresser, Carm.

They learn fairly quickly that this means a number of things but foremost that came to mind is firstly it means lots of bucks gone in short time scale ...secondly it would be similar to the question of does my arse look big. Dont go there....

Men telling men about hair....No I dont think so either. Just put a sign up in the pub and redirect them to your shop.

[Dave A]

Men telling men about hair....No I dont think so either.

Which to my mind means you need to give them something else to talk about. It's called lateral marketing.

[carm]

Hi Dave
What is lateral maketing?

[daveob]

I think a dancing girl or the latest hot action movies playing in the shop might get the guys in the pub talking.

How about hiring a clown to go make balloons for the kids who come for cuts, or hire a school lass to do face painting free after their cuts on certain days of the week - or send the clown to the local pre-primary and primary schools to make balloons and hand out flyers - Cut on Tuesday afternoon = free face paint. Cut on Wednesday for a Ben10 sticker book ( costs about R10 ), or a free temporary tattoo sticker, Spiderman water bottle, etc.

Tell the kids the offer, cos once they get it in their brains that they want this thing, there's relatively little the parents can do to argue with a 4 year old who's demanding to be taken for a hair cut !!

Get the young kids wanting to come to you and guaranteed the mommies will be accompanying them. ps ... women always think they rule the roost - actually it's the kids 90% of the time. ( and I have my wife's permission to say so )

[Dave A]

What is lateral maketing?

Basically it's something off to the side of your core business function.

Just this morning I saw an FNB advert for Lotto tickets purchased via your cellphone. Why is FNB doing this? Is it their main stream of business?

Two good related reads here are the threads on Viral marketing and the changing face of marketing.

Looking at your business particularly, you might not be able to get guys talking about haircuts, but they might talk to other people about something they noticed whilst getting their haircut.

[carm]

Brilliant links. My mind is running.
What do men want? for women it is convieniant to do the whole beauty thing in one location. they will get their hair nails and facials done at one place. Metro sexual men will do the same. But what does an average guy want or do besides a hair cut? do all men drink? I know some do. that is easily solved. But what does a man want? I know a few men who would laugh at a hand massage, dont even mention a foot massage. I know i need to set a target for the type of clients i want. But i feel location offten dictates the clientelle as well. In my location there are very few metro sexuals. The men are mature. The location feels similar to ones in coastal regions all locals going to the pub for a drink before going home. And there just happens to be a hair salon.
Everyone knows me and says 'hi' but they dont come in,it is as if they dont trust. the ones that have come in i feel like stamping their heads saying 'hair cut by Addictive'

[Dave A]

Guys need it to be like next door, with no q's and no real frills stuff...well thats my idea of a good haircut - Its not something I plan or even put on my agenda - its - hey I've got 5 minutes think I'll shoot out and get a haircut.

Marq makes a strong point here. I confess I feel the same way, particularly about the queues. And appointments? No thanks.

OK - what we're describing is a barber shop (Thompsons by any chance, Marq?).

Now if I think about what I might have talked about when it comes to my haircut, it's convenience, price, and the fact that they use the old fashioned barber's razor for the final clean.

No idea if I'm typical or not...