Back in the days of yore, Black Friday was simply known as a heavy shopping day because what else are you supposed to do after spending all of Thanksgiving Day at home with your extended family? While we might be surrounded by fewer family members this year due to Covid 19, we now recognize Black Friday as a day to snag some of the best deals of the year. 

The shoppers will be ready and waiting so as a business owner, you’d be wise to grab a piece of this $90 billion pie. Keep in mind that most businesses have promotions lasting from Black Friday through the weekend to Cyber Monday (or longer) so you have much more than one day to take advantage of this annual sales extravaganza. 

Here are 5 easy ways to promote your salon or spa practice (plus one to avoid) for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.

1 | Daily Deals

Offer a discount on a different service or product each day of the weekend. You could expand this to one type of service (like facials or haircuts) or one product line each day if you want. It’s up to you.

By sticking to one deal per day you create a sense of urgency for your clients to take advantage of a limited-time offer. You also pique curiosity about the other daily deals that are yet to be revealed.

2 | Free Gift With Purchase

Many luxury brands favor this option because it allows you to incentivize your customers without discounting premium products or services. There are so many different ways to tailor a free gift to your specific business.

For instance, any customer who spends over $100 might get a trial or travel size version of a popular product. 

If you want to focus on services, you could offer a free upgrade with their purchase. For example, any customer who purchases a facial or haircut gets a complimentary hand massage or aromatherapy add-on.

3 | Mystery Savings

When customers spend a certain dollar amount they get a mystery discount to apply to the purchase rather than a predetermined price reduction. They don’t know how much of a discount they’ll get but they know they get something once they spend a certain amount. 

You can offer discounts on dollar amounts or percentages. Hide them in envelopes or use fun scratcher cards that can be found on Amazon or Etsy. 

4 | VIP Savings

Offering special incentives for loyal customers is another great promotional channel to bring in sales. You can do this in a variety of ways and customers love to be rewarded for their loyalty.

Perhaps you give your longtime customers a sneak peek at specific savings or discounts you plan to offer. You can also allow them to reserve a product that you think will sell out quickly.

Another way to attract loyal clients to take advantage of Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales is by providing early access options so they get to shop ahead of the rush.

5 | Buy One, Get One Free Or Discounted

While the holiday season is all about giving, sometimes a deal is too good to pass up… for ourselves. It’s okay; we’ve all been there. 

You can appeal to your customers who might be interested in finding a deal or two for themselves by offering price reductions for double purchases. For example, buy a microblading service for a friend and you’ll get your own microblading session at 50% off.

DON’T Offer Blanket Discounts

It’s common to see large retailers offer massive store-wide discounts on Black Friday, but this strategy can actually hurt small businesses who don’t have the profit margin or visibility of chains.

Rather than advertising store-wide reductions, focus on driving up the average order value. In other words, you’ll yield more profit by offering 30% off purchases over $200 then you will 25% off all purchases.

The Bottom of Line

The weekend after Thanksgiving is a great time to boost sales for your salon or spa. Whether you want to focus on services, retail products, or both, you can find a way to promote your business.