Monthly memberships. For many, the first thing that comes to mind are streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. Second might be the monthly box subs filled with everything from Japanese candy to houseplants. This popular and lucrative business model has made its way to the personal care space, with membership-based subscription services popping up in salons, spas, and specialty beauty services. Clients pay one monthly fee and get unlimited haircuts, lash refills, waxes, deals on product, and more.

Scalable results with fewer idle hands

With the struggle for the “new normal” considering the COVID-19 pandemic, getting clients into chairs is especially challenging. However, according to owner, Emma Hellier, implementing memberships allowed her salon to grow three times in less than a year, filling those empty seats left in Corona’s wake. Members with subscriptions are more eager and consistent in redeeming their services over walk-ins and referrals.

Additionally, a membership or subscription-based system requires little-to-no change to the core operations of the salon, and can be implemented easily with the right platform. There are no limits to new members acquired and the numbers can grow from existing clientele. Look at adding memberships as an opportunity to elevate your brand and website with a member’s only side and usher in your favorite customers.

Reliable revenue and upsells

What comes with less idle staff? More money. Since memberships are charged monthly until canceled, revenue tends to fluctuate much less than one-off service purchases. Salons also have better luck upselling additional services and bookings to their members. Non-member clients might not even know if your salon offers massages or waxing—save them the trip, level up their experience, and collect on the loyalty.

Millennials ❤️ Memberships

In a 2017 study conducted by Fluent and posted on Retail Dive, they found that 28% of
millennials are more likely than baby boomers to have a beauty subscription service. With businesses racing to capture the eyes of millennials, offering memberships allows for ease of budgeting and more value offered per visit.

What else do members gain from this model? Oftentimes, a membership or subscription
service offers deep discounts for the customer on standard services in addition to extra benefits, like free waxes or haircuts. Skin Laundry, a beauty space that specializes in quick, 10-minute skin treatments, adapted a membership-based option for clients. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Yen Reis, the founder of Skin Laundry, told Byrdie: “We simply created a membership option for our clients because there was a demand for it. Memberships gave our clientele the flexibility and affordability for multiple treatments and we believe with frequency, significant skin improvements happen more quickly.”

Boulevard partner HeyDay Skincare takes the bespoke service approach, offering a monthly facial membership for as low as $76 per month, but also touting the benefits of regular facials on a consistent cadence.

Memberships foster relationships

Memberships are an excellent foundation to build long-term relationships with clients. It
encourages consistent visits on a more regular basis, boosting loyalty and opportunities for those magical upsells. By way of having a membership program, you’re building a community. Clients sign up because they’re already committed to your services and market, opening the door for communication—the chance to get to know them on a more personal level. Katerina Schneider, the founder of women’s health startup Ritual, told Business Insider: “Customer communication and trust are key to our subscription business.” With personal relationships comes retention for your best clients. Not to mention the word of mouth referrals to friends and family. As demand for salon services rise from both men and women (and they will), membership-focused services will continue to grow and expand. It’s a win-win for both sides.