A beauty salon's year: what to do, month by month
In a salon, the calendar has its seasons: weddings in spring, gift cards before the holidays, the return after summer. This month-by-month calendar helps you prepare the right campaigns at the right time. Mia can prepare messages, lists and posts; you approve every mailing and every post.
January: clients return
After the holidays, clients come back for skin and hair care damaged by winter. It is the time to follow up with those who have not booked since December, with a short message that reminds them of the salon and offers available times.
January is also a good month to tidy the files: visit frequencies up to date, consent to messages recorded, package and gift card balances checked.
- Follow-up with clients who have not booked since December.
- Update of visit frequencies and consents.
- Check of gift card and package balances.
February: Valentine's Day
Couples' treatments and gift cards sell in February. Prepare a package offer and post it on social media two weeks ahead. Gift cards cannot have an expiry date in Quebec, except for exceptions provided by law; write the offer accordingly.
March has no season of its own in this calendar. Use it to prepare for event season: update your services, durations and each professional's availability before the spring requests arrive.
April and May: weddings, proms and Mother's Day
Event season begins in spring: hair and makeup trials are planned several weeks ahead. Launch a campaign to future brides and families, with a trial appointment and a deposit according to the salon's policy. Each event blocks calendar time, so account for service durations.
On the second Sunday of May, Mother's Day sells treatment gift cards. Send the gift card template three weeks ahead. A young client under 14 cannot consent on her own to the use of her information, so for proms, ask for the parent's consent before any photo or marketing message.
May and June: getting ready for summer
Waxing, body treatments, nail application and tanning are requested before vacations and sandal season. Follow up with clients who use these services and offer a summer package. The return-cycle calculator tells you the follow-up date according to the service and each client's frequency.
July has no particular season in this calendar. If your salon slows down, use the time to follow up with inactive clients and to ask satisfied clients for reviews after their treatment.
August and September: back-to-school
Back-to-school is a time for cuts and color touch-ups after summer. Launch a campaign to bring back clients inactive for more than 8 weeks. In Mia's workflow, these clients already receive a note, but a back-to-school campaign gives them a concrete reason to return.
Also think of the summer's before/after photos: check photo consent before posting, and remind clients that they can withdraw it at any time.
October: Halloween and fall evenings
Makeup, nails and party hairstyles need calendar slots. Post ideas and open special time slots. Keep some margin in the schedule for last-minute cancellations, and use the waiting list to fill slots as they free up.
November and December: gift cards and the holidays
The holiday period is the busiest for gift cards and for treatments before dinners and New Year's Eve parties. Launch the gift card campaign in early November, then open extended hours in December. With no expiry date, a gift card stays valid until it is used, and the file tracks its balance.
At year-end, look at your indicators: no-show rate, return rate, clients to follow up, calendar occupancy rate, revenue per active client for the month. They help you prepare January.
A salon's year is prepared in advance: return in January, couples in February, events in spring, back-to-school in August, holidays in November. Mia keeps the calendar and the lists up to date, and you keep the relationship with your clients.
General information, not legal advice. Check with your professional order or the official source.
Questions
When should I launch the holiday gift card campaign?
In early November. Then open extended hours in December to welcome clients before dinners and New Year's Eve parties.
When should I send the Mother's Day gift card template?
Three weeks ahead. The holiday falls on the second Sunday of May, so the message goes out around mid-April.
Can Mia send these campaigns on her own?
She prepares the messages and lists, but you approve. Mailings target only clients who have consented, and every message includes the unsubscribe notice.
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