How to Handle the Busy Festive Season: A Guide for Salon Owners
The festive season is one of the busiest times of year for salons. With clients preparing for holiday parties, family gatherings, and New Year’s celebrations, appointment books fill up fast, and there’s an increase in demand for beauty treatments. While it’s an exciting opportunity to grow your business, it can also be overwhelming without the right strategies in place.
To help you navigate the festive rush, here’s a guide to managing the holiday season with ease while ensuring your salon delivers an exceptional experience for every client.
1. Get Your Schedule in Order Early
The festive season means high demand, so it’s crucial to plan your schedule well in advance. Start by opening your holiday booking slots early and letting your clients know about them. Many clients will want to secure their beauty appointments weeks ahead of time.
Tips to manage your schedule:
- Send a reminder email or text to your client list encouraging them to book their festive appointments early.
- Consider adding extra hours or opening on days you’re normally closed to accommodate more clients. Even a slight extension of hours can give you the flexibility you need to fit in more appointments.
- Use an online booking system to make it easier for clients to secure their spot without calling or visiting in person. This reduces the workload on your team while keeping your calendar full.
2. Hire Seasonal Help
If your salon tends to get overwhelmingly busy during the festive period, consider hiring temporary or part-time staff to help. Whether it’s for reception duties, assisting with treatments, or even cleaning, seasonal staff can relieve the pressure on your core team and keep things running smoothly.
Tip: Start recruiting early! This gives you enough time to train temporary staff so they’re familiar with your services and standards before the rush hits.
3. Create Festive Packages and Offers
The holiday season is the perfect time to offer festive beauty packages that combine your most popular treatments. Not only do they make great gifts, but they also provide an easy way for clients to indulge in multiple services.
Ideas for festive packages:
- Holiday Glam Package: A combination of brow lamination, lash lift, and a blow-dry for clients heading to parties.
- Pamper Me Package: An indulgent package that includes a facial, manicure, and massage for a pre-holiday self-care treat.
- Gift Cards and Product Bundles: Offer gift cards for your services or create special product bundles like skincare sets or brow aftercare kits that clients can purchase for loved ones.
By offering special packages, you can upsell multiple treatments and keep your team busy with back-to-back bookings.
4. Stock Up on Products and Supplies
With the festive rush comes increased demand for not only services but also products. Make sure you’re fully stocked up on your salon’s must-haves, whether that’s your brow lamination kits, lash lift products, or skincare essentials. The last thing you want is to run out of key supplies in the middle of a busy day!
Pro Tip: Pay extra attention to retail products. The holiday season is the perfect time to push retail sales, so ensure you have plenty of popular products in stock, such as vegan and cruelty-free skincare sets, holiday-themed items, or even aftercare products that complement your treatments.
5. Create a Festive Atmosphere
Clients come to your salon for more than just beauty treatments—they also want a relaxing, enjoyable experience. Creating a cosy, festive atmosphere in your salon can make all the difference.
Ideas to add a festive touch:
- Add seasonal decor such as twinkling lights, holiday wreaths, or festive candles.
- Switch up your playlist with some soft, festive background music.
- Offer warm drinks like hot chocolate or spiced tea to make clients feel extra welcome.
By enhancing the atmosphere, you create a memorable experience that will have clients excited to return.
6. Manage Your Team’s Wellbeing
The festive period can be stressful for your team, with long hours and an increased workload. As a salon owner, it’s important to ensure your staff are taken care of during this busy time.
Ways to support your team:
- Schedule regular breaks to prevent burnout. Make sure your team has time to recharge during their shifts.
- Celebrate successes and acknowledge hard work with small rewards or end-of-day treats.
- Set realistic expectations: Encourage your team to focus on delivering great service without overloading them with back-to-back bookings.
A happy, well-rested team is essential to delivering the high-quality service your clients expect, especially during the festive rush.
7. Stay Organised and Focused
Organisation is key to surviving the holiday rush. Keep track of all your bookings, promotions, and staff schedules so you know what’s coming up and can stay on top of things.
Tips for staying organised:
- Use a digital booking system to avoid scheduling errors and double bookings.
- Have a daily checklist for you and your staff to ensure nothing is missed.
- Maintain clear communication with your team. Regular meetings or quick check-ins at the start of each day can help keep everyone aligned.
8. Offer Post-Holiday Promotions
Once the festive season winds down, clients may be less likely to book treatments. To avoid the January lull, offer post-holiday promotions to keep the momentum going.
Consider offering discounts on treatments like facials, waxing, or brow services to encourage clients to return in the New Year. You can even offer a loyalty scheme or a small incentive for those who book their January appointment before leaving the salon in December.
Handling the festive season as a salon owner is all about preparation and balance. By planning your schedule, offering festive promotions, supporting your team, and creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, you’ll be ready to make the most of this busy (and profitable!) time of year.
With the right strategies in place, you can turn the holiday rush into a rewarding experience for both your clients and your business.
