Ready, set, summer: your salon summer checklist

Summer brings longer days, hotter weather, and a surge in clients who want to refresh their looks and invest in self-care. The season is full of opportunities for you to build a reputation as the go-to salon for summer beauty and grow your business – especially if you prepare ahead of time. Dive into our comprehensive checklist of the seven things you need to know to make summer a success.

Review your summer marketing plan

Summer is a prime opportunity to market your treatments. Refine your marketing plan and use every marketing tool at your disposal to both connect with regulars and win new clients this season. With clients likely to be out enjoying the sun, text messages are the best way to instantly reach them wherever they are. Send text messages inviting clients to celebrate the season and treat themselves to your promotional summer packages; like a bikini wax and full-body exfoliation for beachgoers, or hydrating facial and hair treatments to help clients beat the heat. 

Plus, make good use of social media – you could run a "Share Your Summer Self" campaign encouraging clients to share their summer-inspired looks, hairstyles, and hot weather beauty tips using a dedicated hashtag. Be sure to engage with their posts to build a sense of community and establish yourself as an expert in summer trends.

Offer the top summer styles

From vibrant hair colours to sun-kissed makeup styles, summer will bring a new wave of beauty trends that suit the season – and your clients come to you for the latest looks. Discover summer trends ahead of time by following leading online publications and top beauty influencers. Once you’re up to speed, make sure to update your service list to include the hottest summer styles. 

Take bookings online 

Make it easy for your clients to book and manage their summer appointments themselves online, 24/7. Many of them will be on the go or away on holiday, so it’s important that they can easily find you and book online, whether they’re relaxing at the beach, partying it up on a boat, or off on a summer road trip. Add a “Book Now” button to your social media platforms and website that links straight to your online booking platform; and if you’re on an online marketplace, make sure your profile stands out for the best chance of winning new clients.

Get your salon space ready for summer

Create a vibrant summer atmosphere with bright decor, natural lighting, and an upbeat playlist full of summer vibes. Make your salon space as cool and comfortable as possible for clients looking to escape the summer heat. Offer refreshing drinks as they arrive, and consider setting up a fan in your salon to keep clients cool throughout their treatments. 

Take upfront payments and set up a cancellation policy

The summer rush typically leads to lots of new clients, but it can be hard to tell whether they’ll stick to their appointment time or not. Reduce the risk of no-shows by taking upfront payments when clients book; and ensure the amount you collect reflects the value of the service they’ve booked. Set up a cancellation policy to compensate for any lost time and revenue if clients don’t show up, and make sure your policy’s details are clearly communicated in your booking process. 

Extend your summer opening hours

Take advantage of the longer daylight hours and stay open to serve clients going on summer nights out. Spread the word about your extended opening hours through social media, emails and text messages. You could even designate one day of the week where you stay open late and make it an exclusive event to reward your loyal regulars, with extra pampering and special perks.

Support your team through the summer rush

Give your team everything they need to handle the increased demand for your services this summer. Use an online booking platform that lets staff easily keep track of appointments and manage their time; and enable your platform’s notifications so your team know about any changes made to appointments as soon as they happen. Keep an up-to-date team rota so that it’s clear who is working when, and to avoid understaffed days or holiday clashes. Use your reporting tools to keep track of your team’s performance so you can reward your top staff for their hard work.

Make summer 2023 a success with Fresha

Summer is full of potential for your business. Use Fresha to make the season a success. Create impactful summer marketing campaigns, protect your business from no-shows, and manage your appointments and staff with ease through the summer rush. Get started now for free.