HOW TO BE A CLIENT MAGNET

Ben Fisher, the founder of online bookings app Beu, explains why a brand is more than a logo and how you can harness brand power to make your salon stand out

“Shut your eyes and think of your favourite brand. Chances are the first thought or image that came into your mind wasn’t just the logo and the colours. It’s the values, the experience, a feeling. If you thought of a sports brand, maybe you had images of runners crossing the finish line, hands held jubilantly above their heads. If it was a technology company, maybe you saw friends at a beach, capturing moments on smartphones, and sharing those experiences in an instant for others that couldn’t make it. Then again, perhaps you thought of a beverage brand, and it was the explosive sound of an ice cold can being cracked, the promise of unrivalled satisfaction when the liquid hits your mouth.

The mental images and associations are meticulously manufactured to elicit an emotional response in their target customer. They are selling you a product, but as a consumer you are buying an idea. All of this with just images, videos and sounds. So what has any of this got to do with hair and beauty?

In the hair and beauty industry we are in an unrivalled position to create a strong brand, as we have so many interaction points with our customers. The service you are selling might be a haircut, or a treatment, but it is the experience that client has with you that will make you stand out from the competition, and keep them loyal.

Do you offer the best head massage in the business with every cut and blow-dry, or could you offer a complimentary glass of bubbles to each client? It is the little things that create an association between a brand and a feeling, meaning you retain your clients and gain new ones via their glowing recommendations. Something as simple as making them feel pampered from the moment they enter until the moment they leave really does have a huge impact on client wellbeing and will make a return visit a must, rather than a might.

But, the brand experience doesn’t begin and end at the salon. It’s the user experience that comes with your booking system that starts your client’s journey to your salon. If your software is difficult to navigate, or takes time and effort to use, it doesn’t matter how good your in-person experience is, your client will never get that far.

With Beu, your clients can book from the comfort of their smartphone in just a few clicks. Not only is it simple to operate, but it will show off your brand, helping to implant the association between your services and your client’s experience.”

Find out more about Beu at www.beuapp.com