Once you have considered your goals, you can move onto understanding your client. What do they want out of your Christmas marketing? What will appeal to them? A good way to approach this is to focus your marketing around key trends your consumers have been investing in throughout 2024.
Clients in 2024 have been increasingly investing in multi-sensory wellness, and want their self care routines to engage all of their senses. This desire can inspire your marketing.
Christmas is an excellent time to use your salon marketing to enhance the customer experience and appeal to clients through all 5 senses.
Research suggests creating a sensory experience allows you to connect with your clients more deeply, as a range of emotions are triggered via the senses. Remember, the relationship you form with clients is key to loyalty and retention, both of which are vital to a successful new year during a quieter January.
To get started with sensory Christmas marketing, put yourself in your client’s shoes.
Once you know how you are currently engaging your clients’ senses, you can make some festive changes.
Unsurprisingly, sight is the most used of the 5 senses in marketing, as it is the most stimulated.
Christmas provides the perfect opportunity to turn your workspace into a festive oasis and spread the festive cheer with decorations. Think about what you are trying to communicate visually. Decide on a theme that fits with your brand image and interiors and get creative. Consider colour psychology when choosing decorations. Silver and gold are both luxury and festive. Red is a classic Christmas colour, but may have discount connotations in a business setting. Green is festive and suggests sustainability, which may or may not be right for your business. Get creative. Pop up a fabulously decorated tree, hang some cosy lights and meet your clients visual needs.
When enhancing the visual experience for clients, don’t forget to give your online presence a makeover too. Upload festive versions of your profile and cover pictures to spread the christmas cheer. Keep your profile up to date during the busy period by scheduling posts in advance. Keep your profile up to date, with the correct opening hours/days for the festive period. Clearly state appointment booking information to make it as easy as possible for clients.
If your christmas marketing goal is to increase retail sales or increase client average spend, strong visual merchandising is key.
Impulse purchasing often arises from sensory experiences, so appealing to client’s senses can help to increase the amount of retail sold over the festive period.
Don’t just consider what clients see when they enter your business, think about what they see as they approach your business. A good window display will let your clients know they made the right choice investing in your business, and may attract new clients too. Think about lighting. The sun sets early, so ensure you have the appropriate lighting for your window displays to be seen, particularly if you are located in an area with lots of footfall. Have big and small retail items on display so client’s know what to expect. Have festive decor that matches your interior - baubles, gift-wrapped boxes, tinsel etc.
The soundscape of your business and marketing is also important.
Christmas, and the entire festive period, can be stressful. As clients complete their errands, the sound of Christmas will be hitting them from all angles. As clients hear the same pop hits in the supermarket and during their drive to work, they might not want to hear it on repeat within your business too. Create a varied christmas playlist and satisfy your clients senses.
You can also add your festive opening hours and any relevant promotions to your voicemail. This way you can answer questions that clients may have even when you can’t answer the phone. Prove your excellent customer service from the get go with your christmas marketing.
You can use scents to connect consumers with happy memories and ensure a positive experience within your business. Research suggests linking smell directly with memory increases brand loyalty.
Lots of smells are suited to the festive season, such as pine, cinnamon and clove. Christmas air fresheners or scented candles can help you create a sensory experience for your clients.
The scents that are present during the treatment are key to creating a positive sensory experience. The SkinBase Essentials skincare range has been specially formulated with high quality ingredients to ensure multi-sensory benefits, including a pleasant smell.
Taste is often a sense focused on by food and beverage companies, but you can use it too this Christmas.
Christmas is all about giving. A Christmas drinks menu and seasonal snacks are a great way to satisfy sensory needs and enhance the customer experience.
A hands on experience is a great way to enhance your relationship with clients.
Having a festive photo frame for clients to take a selfie with post-treatment is a great way to incorporate touch into the client experience. Remember to include your social media @ or a specific # you want clients to use, so you can boost your online business.
Gift vouchers/gift cards are a good way to allow clients who love their experience to gift a treatment to others in a tangible form. Invest in a festive, high quality gift voucher design that represents what you want your brand to say. For higher value gift cards, you could offer them in a luxurious gift box - perfect for underneath the tree!
In order to encourage retail purchasing, products should be easily accessible. Clients are much less likely to purchase products that they cannot touch first. Being able to hold, and possibly even test a product provides the client with a sense of ownership that makes purchase much more likely.
Multi-sensory wellness emerged as a key trend for consumers this year. However, that was not the only factor motivating clients in 2024.
As technology becomes more advanced, a tech-led approach has become more desirable for clients looking to invest in their skin.
The increased expectations of technology has also contributed to the rising trend of ‘full body tweakments’. Clients are seeing the great results achieved through non-surgical means, and want their whole body to benefit.
As a result of the greater demand for technology-based treatments that provide visible results across the face and body, prioritised indulgence has also been highlighted as a key consumer trend throughout 2024. Clients are prioritising their self care routines, and regularly making time for professional treatments they see as necessities.
These trends are each evidenced by the rise of ‘maintenance days’. Clients are increasingly giving time to their priorities, and as such are investing their hours and their money into having multiple treatments within one, long appointment.
Read on to find out how you can incorporate these trends into your Christmas marketing.
The range of SkinBase machines, handsets and treatments are versatile and effective, suitable for use across the face and the body.
SkinBase Collagen Lift uses radio-frequency energy to tighten, firm, sculpt and contour the skin. Clients suffering with concerns such as fine lines and wrinkles, skin laxity, cellulite and stretch marks can boost their confidence over the festive season with a course of Collagen Lift.
Collagen Lift Body Treatments
Everyone wants to look their best at Christmas. If clients want technology and body tweakment, make sure you are making it clear that you can fulfil those needs. Collagen Lift body treatments are incredibly popular with existing clients. We are seeing smoother necks and arms, firmer stomachs, minimised stretch marks, toned legs and banished cellulite. Get clients ready for Christmas parties, family occasions and the New Year.
Collagen Lift Benefits
It is also important to properly communicate the benefits of the treatments that you offer. As a radio-frequency treatment, Collagen Lift has a variety of benefits for your clients. Find out more detail about the benefits here.
SkinBase Microdermabrasion is a gentle yet effective resurfacing treatment that refreshes the skin. Clients suffering with skin concerns such as acne, scarring, fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, stretch marks and dullness can rejuvenate their skin in time for Christmas with a course of MD.
Microdermabrasion Body Treatments
As with Collagen Lift, Microdermabrasion can fulfil your clients’ need for full body tweakments. Currently, clients are loving the results achieved through MD manicures and pedicures, back acne treatments and arm treatments to get rid of keratosis pilaris. Help clients achieve soft, smooth feet perfect for dancing and remove back blemishes for a boost of confidence in a festive, backless dress.
Microdermabrasion Benefits
Communicating the benefits of MD with potential clients is an excellent way to encourage course bookings this Christmas. Find out more here.
SkinBase Collagen Lift ULTIMATE combines the technologies of the radio-frequency Collagen Lift treatment and the exfoliating MD to resurface, regenerate, repair and sculpt the skin in the same session. Clients who want to achieve their skin goals quicker or maximise the results they can achieve would benefit from the combination treatment. The ULTIMATE treatment targets a wide range of skin concerns such as acne, scarring, fine lines & wrinkles, cellulite, stretch marks, uneven skin texture and dullness.
Collagen Lift ULTIMATE Body Treatments
With the versatile Collagen Lift ULTIMATE treatment, you can treat client skin concerns this Christmas by resurfacing, sculpting and smoothing their body. Exfoliate away client’s stretch marks and firm their stomach in the same treatment for the ULTIMATE festive confidence boost.
CLU Benefits
The benefits of the combination treatment means it is a great option for clients with skin concerns that require resurfacing and sculpting, as described above. Find out more about the CLU benefits.
Combination treatments are an excellent way to fulfil your clients' need for ‘maintenance days’, as detailed above. Clients can maximise their time and their results by having multiple treatments in one session. You can tap into this trend with your Christmas marketing by advertising a Christmas pamper session. Let clients try out the combination treatment and encourage them to invest in their skin and commit to a course for the best results.
SkinBase Therapists on the ‘All You Can Eat’ (AYCE) contract can benefit from the prioritised indulgence trend by crafting other multi-treatment packages. Combining the MD and CL treatments makes the Collagen Lift ULTIMATE treatment. Other combinations are available to customise the range of SkinBase technologies to your client’s skin. The Microdermabrasion treatment can be combined with Hydro if the client would benefit from this over the individual treatments. The same is true for Collagen Lift and Hydro. You could also offer festive indulgence sessions, where clients have 2 treatments they want within one longer session, on two separate areas. E.g. a client may desire a Microdermabrasion facial and a Collagen Lift treatment on their stomach. This would satisfy their need for more at once, and you can benefit from performing multiple treatments for one client, maximising their average spend.
*The AYCE contract allows greater flexibility over treatments and pricing, as AYCE therapists have all of the SkinBase machines, and unlimited usage, for a fixed price of just £144 a week. If you’re interested in taking on additional technologies for your client and moving to an AYCE contract, get in touch with the team on .
Hydro Body Treatments
The quench of hydration and hard working active ingredients can be used across the body to treat skin concerns wherever they occur. Help clients achieve a healthy Hydro glow in time for Christmas.
Hydro Benefits
The fantastic ingredients and powerful vacuum action provide a variety of benefits for the skin. Find out more here.
SkinBase IPL is a light based therapy used for hair reduction and advanced skin treatments, to improve the appearance of skin and boost confidence. Clients concerned with acne, scarring, ageing skin, unwanted hair, thread veins, pigmentation or rosacea can improve their skin with a course of treatments.
IPL Body Treatments
The dual cooling and flash IPL handsets can be used across the body for a comfortable experience and transformational results. Unwanted hair can be removed wherever it arises, and skin concerns can be targeted on all body areas. Clients commonly treat underarm hair, thread veins in the legs and pigmentation across the hands.
IPL Benefits
Your clients can benefit from IPL in a variety of ways depending on their skin goals. Find out more here.
It goes without saying, if you want your Christmas clients to benefit from a course of SkinBase treatments, they must be aware of your offerings. There are 2 key ways to make this happen.
Shout about your treatments on social media. You need to consistently post about your treatments to increase client awareness. A big launch alone is not enough. Regularly communicate the range of treatments you offer. Even if you are posting daily images, reels, and stories, it is likely that only a percentage of your followers are seeing them - not all of them. Increase the frequency of your posting to benefit from a higher reach, and get your treatments in front of new clients. Consistent posts are also important to keep your pages up to date. Clients doing their research into a festive treatment they want will be put off if you have not updated your pages since summer.
We understand this is not an easy task to complete while running a business. That’s why we have a range of resources across the Knowledge Base and on the SkinBase website to help you communicate to your clients.
Use before and after images, informative treatment posts, skincare products, treatment reels, business updates etc. Whatever it takes to get your posts in front of clients. Remember the value of sharing User Generated Content (UGC). These are all the posts, stories, and reels that your clients create and tag you in.
We often hear from therapists that their target client does not use social media. If you think this is the case for you too, you need to step up your offline marketing. You should be chatting about your treatments to everyone who walks through the door to your business. Some existing clients may benefit from a new treatment (and don’t be afraid to make recommendations if this is the case!) and others may know somebody who will.
Use the SkinBase Transformation of the Year book to show the fabulous treatment before and afters to clients.
Remember, if you have clients having courses of treatments, you should be taking before and after photos too, for your client’s benefit. Track their progress and help them identify how their skin is changing with the treatment. If your clients give you permission, you can also use the b+a’s to enter the competition. November is the last month to enter for 2024, so get those entries in!
Get out in your local community. Use more traditional forms of marketing - business cards, posters, newsletters etc., and visit places in your local area where your target audience may be. Partnering with local businesses is a great way to extend your reach within the community. You tell your clients about them, and they tell their clients about you!
Remember, your Christmas marketing should be contributing to getting more course bookings. Courses are valuable to your clients, as they get the best results, and valuable to you, as you get a returning customer in the New Year. You could offer promotions to encourage course booking. Focus on upgrades and add ons, rather than discounting.
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