Sell those sweet summer vibes and target your message with precision

It’s summertime, and the living is easy. Bringing new and repeat clients into your beauty business can be easy, too — all it takes is a little bit of marketing savvy. Here’s how to increase your bookings as the season starts heating up.

Sell those summer vibes

The weather may be hot, but summer’s all about chilling out. Everyone’s gathering with friends and family at the annual cookout, sunbathing on the beach, going on an Insta-worthy vacation, or even putting together the perfect glamping trip in the great outdoors. 

The vibes, as they say, are immaculate. And connecting your brand with those feelings is the key to successful summer marketing campaigns. Start by staying on top of the latest trends. Check the beauty mags, scope out social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and even connect with your staff to find out what clients are drawn to. Then, find ways to pair those looks with the summer moments your clients are looking forward to. 

Here’s an example: between shorter cuts and repurposing old looks, low-maintenance styles are hot this summer. That means your clients are looking for ways to look great anywhere, whether they’re at a packed summer music festival or taking it easy poolside. You can capture this energy by creating a campaign that shows how your beauty business can give them the style they’re going for, along with the info and tools they need to pull it off again and again in no time. 

For an added bit of viral marketing, encourage clients to tag your business in a post to showcase your work while at the pool, in a park, enjoying brunch on the patio, or wherever they are, spreading those summer vibes around.

Build a seasonal calendar to tailor your strategy

Independence Day and Labor Day are the two major holidays during the summer months. They’re the federal holidays that bring with them a day off to recharge, and many clients will be planning their vacations and gatherings around them. Chances are good that if you don’t have a plan for these days already, you’re at least thinking about what you can do to take advantage of these big summer moments.

But what about the other days in the season? For example: 

• Did you know that July 5 is National Bikini Day? You could keep the party going beyond July 4 and create a spa package that includes a wax and skin care routine to help your clients achieve that perfect bikini bod. 

• Then there’s August 1, which is National Girlfriend Day, where you can encourage your clients to bring their bestie or significant other along for a discounted rate. 

• Or how about International Day of Charity on September 5? Consider donating a percentage of the profits from every cut or manicure to your favorite charity that day.

Summer is full of little moments like these unofficial-yet-recognized national and international holidays. Creating a seasonal calendar is the best way to leverage these days, allowing you to effectively plan promotional and marketing strategies around the ones that make the most sense for your business. 

It doesn’t have to be complicated: Just take a monthly calendar, fill in the holidays you want to plan around, then detail the steps and deadlines needed to achieve those goals. Don’t forget to set your KPIs — determining whether you want to get more clients or boost your revenue before you create your campaign will guide it towards success. Don’t forget to track your analytics regularly and adjust your messaging accordingly to achieve the greatest impact.

Need help getting started? Download our free guide and get a breakdown of the most important beauty business-centric holidays, along with tips on creating splashy design and timely promotions.

Bundle up to cool off

Looking great for the summer doesn’t have to be complicated. Rather than forcing clients to pick and choose from a laundry list of services, consider creating beach-ready bundles featuring some of your most requested offerings. 

Start by including a mixture of cuts, colors, skin care treatments, and other services that fit some centralized themes (the beach, the great outdoors, even weddings) into one big discounted package. Then, drop in some helpful products (like sunscreen!) to round things out. You’ll give clients everything they need to look and feel spectacular while helping out your bottom line in the process. 

Speaking of weddings, summer is when wedding season starts to pick up in earnest. Consider working with some local bridal supply stores, planners, and photographers to create collaborative bundles. Not only are you giving your clients a one-stop shop opportunity to create the perfect wedding, you’re also spreading the love around within the local business community while increasing your opportunities for client acquisition.

Land your target audience with pinpoint accuracy

Each of your clients has their own summer plans, and your campaigns designed around getting ready for the beach won’t hit the same for those more interested in hiking and camping. You’ll need to create a variety of posts and tailor your message to speak to each audience’s unique needs.

Likewise, the messaging you use to target new clients won’t always work to bring in those who haven’t booked an appointment in months. You need a way to customize your tactics and laser-target message delivery to maximize its effectiveness while reducing the amount of time and money spent on doing so.

The best way to do that? Segmentation. The best beauty business marketing tools will enable you to create customized campaigns and deliver them directly to your target audience using data you already have. 

Want to bring in those lapsed clients? Filter your client list by those who haven’t visited within the last six months or so and send them a personalized offer to bring them back in. Have a few premium slots available and want to give your VIPs first dibs? Send a quick email or text to loyalty program members and reward your most dedicated clients.

These strategies won’t just help you make the most of your busy summer months. You’ll be building a foundation for your marketing outreach and targeting capabilities that will work for you, even as sweater weather rapidly approaches.