"Develop a strategy; a way that gets the word out about your salon that is cost effective and budget friendly."

The pet styling salon is one of the first areas to suffer from a recession, because clients will space grooms further apart so expenses will be less. Compensating for this we must have more clients to fill in the space left when our core clients cut back. Stimulating new business requires a strategy, and a plan of attack. Some of these strategies include, but are not limited to, networking, good customer service, self promotion, advertising, and good budgeting practices. But if income is down, you're going to have to use a strategy and plan of attach that uses as little money as possible to conserve your operating capital.

Develop a strategy: a way that gets the word out about your salon that is cost effective and budget friendly. Remember, in some cases you have to spend money to make money, but being smart about it is what is important. Decide what you can spend and take 20 percent away. This provides a cushion for unexpected expenses.  You must remember, however, that there are many ways to promote your salon without spending any money at all. Don't spend more than you can afford. Remember, low cost or spending nothing at all is the key.

Start with client relations or public relations. How you and your employees handle the public is the first step in promoting the business.  When you answer the phone, are you happy and outgoing?  Do you accommodate the client, solve problems, make the client know you care about him and his pets, and do your actions show the client you want his business? Small things can be big selling points. For example, start opening the door for clients. When a client buys dog food, take it to the car for them. When a customer drops a pet off for grooming in the morning, offer coffee and donuts while you get his or her information. If a handicapped client comes with his pet, go to his car and get the pet so the owner doesn't have to get out of the car. Always do this with a smile. These little things will set you apart from other pet care facilities and will be spread by word of mouth at zero costs to your salon.

Networking is another low-to-zero-cost vway of promoting your salon. When you get your new customers, make sure you get their e-mail addresses; they can be used for sending e-news about your salon. You can provide information about things such as holiday specials, grooming in general, poison control in your local area, special services your salon offers, and little things like pet care advice. Other things you can do include special e-mail alerts for retail sales, grooming coupons and reminders of when the next grooms are due for pets.

There are other things that yyou can do from a networking standpoint such as, sponsorships of rescue organisations. Have events for rescue organisations at your salon and fundraisers for these organisations. You may also consider sponsoring a local athletic team or even a high school club or yearbook.

The more visible your name is the easier it is for people to remember you, so self promote. Depending on what your budget is, you can send out advertising flyers by regular mail, or leave them at your local vets' office or pet stores for new clients to pick up.  A newsletter does not have to be big, it can be a simple sheet of paper done on your computer telling about your salon. Make sure potential or new custoemrs are aware of your groomer's certifications and any special services you provide. The key is to show potential clients what sets your salon apart from the rest. Other things you can do that self promote are to get a Web site. There are manylow-to no-cost host servers, and many free Web page building sites on the Internet. Utilising these tools gets you low-cost visibility, and in the Internet age many potential clients search the Internet to find service providers. Remember to emphasise the things that set you apart from the rest and to provide as much information about your services as you can in an easy-to-view manner.

Advertising is where you have to be careful. From a financial standpoint this should be your last resort. Remember, cost is the key, so you need to get the most bang for your buck. Some of the things you might consider are advertising on local community Web sites which tend to be inexpensive or, in some cases, free. Advertising should be done when you have business not when you need business.

Consider the following. Some people say you have to "spend money to make money" - but you need to have the money on hand first. Do not spend what you cannot afford and consider your budget at all times. Many salons get in trouble by not establishing and sticking to a budget, and advertising is the one budget you should stick to. If you have to advertise, look at what has been effective in your area by talking to fellow salon owners. Not all methods work in all areas.  Remember to research your client base, find out what areas they come from, and target those areas. Don't spend money in an area that is not likely to use your services. Instead, concentrate on where your client base comes from.

Establishing a budget for advertising and promotion is the single most important step in establishing your promotion strategy. In the preceding paragraphs I have shown that there are many low to no-cost ways to promote your salon.  However, if you find that you must spend money to make some money, consider the following.  Look at your overall budget. Can you cut costs and still provide the quality service your clients expect and move some of that money towards advertising? If you do advertise, will you get a substantial return for your investment and will it be cost effective? There is no sense in spending big bucks if the advertising does not create a substantial return.  In some cases it may be more cost effective to stop any regular, conventional advertising because the return on the investment is not providing the upswing in the business you need to make it cost effective. Hold back about 20 percent of your advertising budget for that "just in case" situation.

Remember in these tough times it's important to promote your salon, but you need to consider cost. Establish a budget and stick to it, and have a plan of attack. Some of the strategies mentioned above are lo to no-cost and can provide a good avenue to reach new clients.

Remember that word of mouth is your biggest tool but that you have to get your name into your clients minds that so they can pass information on about you and your business.

Source:  By Grace Woodford, CKO Pet Services Journal January / February 2009