7 Holiday Season Marketing Ideas — With a Twist

Offering clients some must-snag offers around the holidays can make the end of the year a booming time for business.

To help end your year with a revenue boost, we made a list of marketing offers you can try this year, which you can share through email marketing campaigns and/or also on social media. Pick any of these options that excite you and that you think will most appeal to your clients!

Holiday Marketing Campaigns for Salons and Service Providers

But before we dive into these holiday-specific ideas, a word of general advice: Social media is a great marketing tool, but if you’re not sending email campaigns to your current guests at least twice a month, I highly recommend you start.

Email marketing allows you to reach more clients and offer them all sorts of creative upsells and discounts. It’s a more direct way to get them to book than social media campaigns. In the Schedulicity platform, for example, you not only have access to different email templates, but you can also promote retail products while a client is booking their appointment online.

So: If you’re not sending emails yet, or not sending them often, consider using the hustle of the holiday season to get started. Alright, let’s get to holiday campaign specifics.

1. Gift Card Promo

If your salon or business is big on selling gift cards, the holidays are the ideal time to remind people you’ve got them. There are any number of angles for promoting gift cards ahead of the holidays. As holiday gifts for loved ones. “Treat yourself” gift cards after a hectic holiday season. Hostess gifts. You can also offer a gift card promotion, e.g. if they purchase a $100 gift card, they will receive a complimentary treatment with purchase. 

2. Cyber Monday

If you’re used to throwing a salon open house, 2020 is a great year for you to test out an online sale since so many more of us will be looking to purchase online. Offer a straight-to-your-door sale on your favorite products.

Note: You would want to have a shipping option for this promotion. You may want to look into affiliate marketing with your retail lines to see if this something they offer. This allows you to work directly with the brand, so the client can purchase online with a link specifically created for you to earn commission. 

3. Curbside Holiday Sale

I would run this for one weekend as an alternative to the more traditional salon or business open house. Send an email out encouraging clients to pre-purchase their favorite retail items at a promotional price. Then, during those two designated days, they can drive by and pick them up curbside.

4. Retail Package Deals

The holidays are the best time to buy retail packages and offer them to your clients. (And exactly why Sephora sells holiday gift packages at this time of year. Who doesn’t love a basket of goods?) Even if you don’t sell them all, you can break them up after the holidays and sell the individual products.

5. Gifts under $20

I would choose some of your favorite grab-and-go items that are less than $20 and share why you love them on your social platforms. Another angle on this: Offer holiday travel size goods as an early November marketing push to catch people who will be flying or road tripping home.

6. Holiday Product Gift Guide

Pick the top five favorite items your business carries, and create a little mini-gift guide. You can even make some quick videos on why you love them so much. If you oversee multiple stylists or providers, you could also do a round-up of the products each of you love and why.

7. Holiday Hair and Makeup Tips

Nothing is better than a quick tutorial video. This will allow your clients to see the product in action, and you can link to the products in the email or in your Instagram bio so they can snag everything they’ve just seen.

Bonus: Client Gifts

Have you been thinking of ways to give back to your guests? There are many ways you can do this. Purchase sample size bottles of your favorite products and maybe add in a healthy sweet treat from a neighborhood bakery. Create a cute little package and add a card if you would like. By partnering with another local store, you help each other build your businesses. Another idea is to create a cute (brand-consistent) card that offers a complimentary service or add-on, e.g. a deep conditioning treatment during the month of January. I mean, who doesn’t want a complimentary, hydrating mask treatment?

---