How to Get More Salon Clients: 6 Simple Strategies 

Ask any stylist or salon owner, and they'll tell you that the beauty industry is highly competitive. With countless salons vying for attention, cutting through the noise to reach potential clients becomes increasingly challenging. What’s more, loyal customers are reluctant to leave salons they've frequented for years. Attracting new clients is an ongoing, evolving process, but it's a necessary one that begins with the following six basic marketing strategies.  

Master Local SEO 

For beauty businesses, connecting with new salon clients in your neighborhood/town/city—the basic purpose of local SEO—is essential. In simple terms, when people perform an internet search for "hair salon near me" or "best colorist in [your city]," you want your salon to appear at the top of their results in whatever search engine they use.  

While this is effectively beginner-level SEO, local SEO is as easy to get wrong as it is to get right. That’s why we’re starting with this simple 5-step roadmap to nailing local search results and attracting more clients: 

1. Set Up Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is your digital storefront—and it's a completely free service. This is where potential clients will first discover your salon or beauty business, so claiming and verifying your profile should be your top priority. Google makes the setup process straightforward with clear instructions to get you started. 

2. Perfect Your Salon Details

Your profile needs to tell potential clients everything they need to know. Include your website link, exact salon name, up to date address, phone number, and precise business hours. Double-check every detail—incorrect information can cost you clients. Select the most relevant business categories like "Hair Salon," "Nail Salon," or "Beauty Salon" to help the right clients find you. 

3. Showcase Your Best Work

Visual appeal is everything in the beauty industry. Upload stunning photos of your salon business, before-and-after transformations, and your team in action. These images give potential new clients a preview of the experience they'll have at your salon. They will help you stand out from other local businesses and help new clients envision themselves in your chair. 

4. Engage with Client Feedback 

Every online review is an opportunity to show new clients and loyal customers alike how much you value customer satisfaction. Respond to all reviews—both positive reviews and negative—with professionalism and gratitude. This interaction demonstrates your commitment to client care and can influence others to choose your salon. 

5. Track Your Success 

Use Google Analytics to monitor how well your local SEO efforts are working. Keep an eye on which beauty-related keywords are bringing clients to your website, how much local traffic you're receiving, and what clients are saying in their reviews. This data helps you refine your approach and continue attract new clients. 

Optimize Your Website's SEO 

Your Google Business profile alone is not enough. From there, potential new clients expect to find a professional salon website that shows your salon space, showcases your best work, and answers any questions new customers may have about what services you provide.  

What you populate your website with ensures that it is found and makes a memorable impression. To accomplish this, your site needs to speak Google's language while also compelling new clients to book appointments. Here’s a brief overview of some website SEO techniques that help you build a website that works as hard as you do to grow your existing client base. 

1. Use Keywords That Clients Will Search For  

Think about how your target audience describes what they need—"balayage in [your city]," "wedding hair stylist," or "eyebrow threading near me." These phrases should naturally appear throughout your website's service pages, page titles, and descriptions.  

Focus on combining your services with your location to capture local searches and weave these terms seamlessly into your content so it reads naturally while helping search engines understand what you offer. 

2. Make Your Website Easy to Navigate  

Your website should be as welcoming as your salon. Create a simple menu structure with clear labels like "Services," "About," "Book Now," and "Contact."  

Every page should be reachable within a few clicks, and your booking button should be prominently displayed and actually work. Poor navigation frustrates potential clients and tells Google your site isn't user-friendly, which hurts your search rankings. 

3. Optimize Your Visual Content  

Since your work is visual, your website images need to work double-duty—showcasing your artistry while helping you get found online. Name your image files descriptively like, "blonde-highlights-before-after.jpg" instead of generic names. Add alt text that describes each image for accessibility and SEO.  

Most importantly, compress your images so they load quickly—slow-loading photos will cause potential clients to leave before they even see your amazing work. 

Social Media 

What makes social media so powerful for salons is the instant connection it enables them to create with their community. When you share stunning hair transformations, nail art, or behind-the-scenes moments, you're not just posting content—you're building new relationships while strengthening bonds with existing clients.  

Speaking of current, your current clients become your biggest advocates, and their genuine enthusiasm catches the attention of potential new clients scrolling through their feeds. 

Vary Your Social Media Posts 

Your social presence becomes a virtual portfolio where prospects can catch a glimpse of your client experience before booking their first appointment. They can see your stylists' incredible work, read comments from happy clients, and get a sense of your salon's welcoming atmosphere.

Diversifying content across your social media accounts keeps your audience engaged and showcases different aspects of your salon's personality, which will distinguish you from other salons. Consider incorporating these content types into your regular rotation: 

• Before-and-after transformations: The cornerstone of salon social media, these natural conversation starters document dramatic color changes, precision cuts, and hair styling achievements that highlight your team's expertise. 

• Educational content: Create video tutorials on at-home hair care, explain the difference between various treatments, or debunk common hair myths. This type of content gets saved and shared frequently, extending your reach organically. 

• Behind-the-scenes glimpses: Show your hair stylists mixing colors, setting up for the day, or celebrating team achievements. These help new clients feel like they already know your salon's culture and humanize your business. 

• Client testimonials & reviews: These provide social proof that influences booking decisions. Create visually appealing graphics featuring client quotes or share video testimonials that capture genuine satisfaction and excitement. 

• Team spotlights: Introduce your stylists as individuals, sharing their specialties, years of experience, or fun facts. This personal touch helps clients feel more comfortable choosing specific stylists for their appointments. 

• Seasonal & trending content: Keep your salon relevant and timely with holiday-appropriate styles, seasonal color trends, or participate in viral challenges that align with your brand values. 

Make Your Salon Social Media Friendly 

Creating an Instagram-worthy environment encourages existing clients to share their experiences naturally, turning them into brand ambassadors. Strategic design choices can significantly amplify your organic reach. 

Great photos take place in great light, so install ring lights at styling stations, ensure your reception area has flattering illumination, and consider the lighting throughout the day when planning photo opportunities. 

Once you’ve nailed the lighting, design naturally photogenic spaces. Backdrops like beautifully tiled accent walls, artistic mirrors, or a dedicated selfie station with your salon's logo, can encourage clients to take and share photos during their visit.  

Finally, make sure that your social media handles are prominently displayed throughout the salon. QR codes linking to your Instagram and booking page make it effortless for clients to connect with you online. 

Engage Your Audience Regularly 

Social media thrives on genuine interaction, and consistent engagement builds the community that drives bookings. Responsive communication shows new clients that you value relationships beyond transactions. 

To this end, respond promptly to comments, direct messages, and mentions. Quick responses demonstrate professionalism and care, while delayed communication can cost you potential bookings to more responsive competitors.  

Be sure to ask questions in your captions to encourage meaningful conversations. "What's your go-to protective style for summer?" or "Coffee or tea while you're in the chair?" create natural opportunities for followers to engage. 

For maximum engagement, consider these additional effective strategies:

• Share user-generated content: Repost photos (with permission) and tag them in your stories. This recognition makes clients feel valued while providing you with authentic content that builds trust with potential customers. 

• Join relevant conversations: Monitor and use popular hashtags in your industry. Engage with posts from other beauty professionals, potential new clients, and local businesses to expand your network organically. 

• Host interactive features: Polls, Q&A sessions, or live tutorials encourage real-time participation. These features boost your visibility in social media algorithms while providing valuable insights into the customer experience. 

Post Consistently  

Regular posting keeps your salon visible in crowded social media feeds while building anticipation for your content.  

Develop a content calendar that maps out your posts for the week or month ahead. Planning prevents last-minute scrambling and ensures you maintain a balanced mix of content types that serve different purposes. 

Establish a posting schedule that matches your audience's online habits. Most salons find success posting once daily on Instagram and Facebook, with additional stories throughout the day to maintain visibility. 

Enable Seamless Booking 

So, let’s say all this content is doing its job of inspiring would-be clients. Now, you need to create a frictionless bridge from inspiration to scheduling appointments.  

Make it impossible for new clients to wonder how they can schedule an appointment with you. Promote your booking system through posts and stories, especially when sharing transformations that might inspire similar requests. "Love this look? Book your color consultation through the link in our bio!" 

Most appointment booking software offers integrations that enable customers to book directly through all major social media platforms. This streamlines the entire process from discovery to confirmation (and, eventually, to booking their next appointment).

Salon Referral Programs 

Referral programs are built around offering incentives, discounts or points to current salon clients who bring new customers through the door. 

Effective salon referral programs are simple to understand, offer immediate value, and reward both the referrer and the new client to encourage participation from both sides. Here are some effective referral program examples that salons use to build clientele: 

Service-Based Rewards 

• "Refer a Friend, Get a Free Blowout" - Both the referrer and new client receive a complimentary blowout service 

• "Bring 3 Friends, Get a Free Cut & Color" - Escalating rewards for multiple referrals 

• "Free Eyebrow Wax" for each successful referral of a new client 

"Friends and Family" Discount Programs 

• "50% Off Your Next Service" when you refer someone who books and completes their first appointment 

• "$25 Off for You, $25 Off for Them" - Both parties get a discount on their next visit 

• "Buy One Service, Get One 50% Off" for referral pairs who book together 

Loyalty Point Systems 

• Award double loyalty points for referrals that can be redeemed for services or products 

• "Earn 100 points for every friend who becomes a regular client" 

• Points-based system where referrals earn premium rewards like facial treatments or specialty services 

Loyalty Programs: Incentivized Reviews 

We know that loyalty programs are great for client retention. But just as you can have creator clients who post content on your behalf, you can incentivize others to do your word of mouth marketing for you in the form of online reviews.

For many, positive reviews matter about as much as a new business recommendation from friends and family. To encourage more online reviews among existing customers, consider offering small incentives like a 10% discount on their next visit, a free add-on service, or entry into a monthly drawing for hair products.

Make the review process effortless by sending follow-up texts with direct links to your Google Business profile or social media pages and always respond professionally to show you value client feedback. 

Partnerships & Co-marketing 

Community engagement naturally amplifies your salon's visibility among potential new clients who share your neighborhood and helps you build relationships. 

Strategic partnerships with local businesses create a powerful referral network that expands your clientele through trusted recommendations. When you align with local businesses that serve similar demographics but offer different services, you tap into their established customer relationships and gain access to clients who already value professional services. At the same time, you offer current, loyal clients something new.

The following co marketing partnerships are fairly common and work because they serve overlapping client bases while offering complementary services. They create value for customers and build clientele for both businesses.

1. Wedding Vendors

For obvious reasons, salon owners partner with wedding planners, photographers, or bridal boutiques all the time. The salon provides hair, makeup and/or bridal nail services for styled photoshoots, and in return, gets featured in the vendor's marketing materials and referred to actual brides.

Both businesses benefit from shared content and cross-referrals during peak wedding season. 

2. Local Boutiques

There’s an unquestionable connection between fashion and beauty. Imagine that your salon business provides styling services for the boutique's fashion shows or photoshoots. In return, the boutique displays your business cards and refers clients who need styling to complement their new outfits.

Or, you could co-host "style nights" where participants get both hair services and personal shopping assistance. There are many fun options here that will help attract clients. 

3. Skincare Clinics/Med Spas

You can create comprehensive beauty experiences where your salon business handles hair services while the clinic or med spa you work with focuses on facials and skin treatments. You both can offer combined packages, refer customers to each other, and create educational content about complete beauty routines that require both hair and skincare expertise. 

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Expanding your client base requires a basic understanding of SEO, social media, referral programs, and how to forge beneficial partnerships with other businesses. From there, you can get creative in how you bring fresh faces into your chair (and turn them into repeat clients). Think of it as all part of a greater marketing strategy that begins right here, and which you can jump on as soon as you've finished reading.