Amanda is currently the Director of Marketing at Rival Media Group. Previously, she was the Director of Media and Acquisition at Native Commerce. She studied at Cobourg District Collegiate Institute West in Ontario, Canada.
When businesses are shut down, it seems like it’s the end. But there are a lot of things we can actually do. One of the things Amanda has seen a lot of people doing is taking advanced bookings – get deposits from clients in advance. It generates incremental income and it guarantees business and brings security knowing that these people will go to your salon. It brings a little bit of revenue while your doors are closed.
Another thing you can do is to offer gift certificates – you can advertise in any social media channels because that’s where most people are right now. You can start advertising experiences such as getting together again with family and friends since it’s been a while so you’ll be getting multiple people in your salon.
It’s been really hard these days and it’s not been easy for anyone. But platforms such as Instagram, Facebook or even TikTok are getting a lot of traction right now and you don’t need a lot of technical knowledge to run these programs. Everybody needs to rely a lot on how to use communication channels especially during these times. It’s important to leverage on the community and on your network and also to your local chamber of commerce.
There’s a lot of resources that are untapped. You can give tips to keep the hair healthy and share it for free in groups or communities on Facebook. This is a great way to start making connections to make them aware of you and your services. You can also make them aware of the discounts or specials when they book in advance. You may not be able to make a sale in the meantime but you are building relationships with future customers or clients.
You have to be flexible. As business owners, you need to be flexible and to network – even if we are not on a global pandemic. Further, think out of the box even if it’s not 100% successful. This kind of situation we are in right now is testing who’s willing to go out of their comfort zones, weather the storms and survive. There is a saying that smart people learn from their own mistakes, while wise people learn from others’. If we wait for things to happen, nothing will happen.
Take note of the following advice:
- We have to make use of the time we have to learn new techniques, skills, strategies and services.
- Add value to your business and start offering new services.
- Build up excitement and let them know that you are improving your business.
- Keep the communication open.
- Stay on top of mind to the people you serve.
- Don’t get forgotten!
Remember to be always SMART WITH YOUR TIME. For any other questions you may want to ask, you may reach out to Amanda through www.facebook.com/a manda.bick1 or via email at [email protected].
Watch the replay of Amanda’s talk here: https://youtu.be/pCt51uvFkS4
