Can a salon or spa really prosper in a near-bankrupt economy – like Ireland?
Kerri Ryan’s Water Lily Day Spa in Clonmel, Co Tipperary has TRIPLED sales – including 717 new clients in the past three months alone
If you’re all too ready to blame ‘the economy’ for your salon or spa’s miserable sales, empty chairs, unused treatment rooms, this report with either
1) make you want to punch someone, or
2) inspire you and light a beacon of hope.
Ireland was once the ‘Tiger of Europe”. But, like Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece, the Irish economy is now on the ropes, saddled with debt they can’t repay, on the edge of bankruptcy.
Naturally, the Irish aren’t spending any money, largely because they don’t have any. Really??
That’s a surprise to Kerri Ann Ryan, owner of Water Lily Day Spa in Clonmel, Co Tipperary. Kerri joined the Inner Circle marketing & mentoring program in October, 2010. As she reports in this long email received this week, her sales and new client figures have gone through the roof.
“January until now, turnover has tripled already compared to last year’s figures.
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Water Lily Day Spa – thriving in the heart of economically-ravaged Ireland
717 new clients in the last 3 months due to the ‘Queen of Referrals program and loyalty card system. (Tried Queen of Referrals last year and it didn’t work. I offered vouchers worth 75 euro to my regulars and I couldn’t understand why clients weren’t interested. I was so frustrated as I believed this was such an amazing offer. Anyway, changed the idea around – now I offer 100 points on their Loyalty Cards and business is booming with referrals. I know you said if it doesn’t work one way try it from another angle.)
- Super Summer Offer (Hollywood Woman) Package: took in over 3000 euro in 1 week. Offer is available Mon, Tue & Wed only so it has filled up slack times, clients have upgraded their packages so my early week takings are sometimes better than the weekend now.
- Printed 5000 flyers with same offer last week. (Luckily I got your CD set in the post and on it you reminded a guy that if something works, do it again until it stops working. He seemed shocked at the idea and it made me realise what a bloody idiot I was for thinking the same way) Believe it or not, I wasn’t actually going to do this offer again for another while as I wanted to keep it “special” and “limited”. As soon as the huge tax bill came in the door I got the finger out fairly lively!! I intend to do a weekly drop to different housing estates in the area. (So far 10 new bookings and 4 bought the package also.)
- Off the tools finally. Still in Salon a lot, but now I finally have a chance to look around me and see what steps I need to be making for the future of the business. Also it is great to be able to give my clients my full attention and sort out any issues quickly.
- I am expanding the salon as I mentioned, to keep up with demand. I have hired a Manager now to deal with the staff and running of salon while I focus on Marketing. I am in the processes of implementing Julies Toolkit.
(Julie Piantadosi’s Total Salon Solutions polices, procedures and staff management system. Not yet available to non-Inner Circle member salons)
- To be honest I have done very little with the Essential Salon Owner’s Marketing Toolkit® so far. I haven’t even scratched the surface and I am thrilled with the results. The potential is HUGE! Half the battle is changing my mindset. When we first spoke last year you said to me that I should be aiming for March this year to be off the tools. Honestly, I thought ” I wish” but had at least a 100 reasons why it wouldn’t be possible. Originally I didn’t imagine myself being off the tools for another few years. Of course business is very hard in Ireland right now but if the customer service is right and you are implementing different ideas and offers at the same time, there is no reason for it not to work.
My goal is to get over to Australia next year to one of your Bootcamps. The facebook forums have been a godsend as they keep you motivated and add new ideas to the mix. I am delighted I joined WSM. I have come across a lot of other members and yourself also, who I now aspire to be like. Can’t wait to get all the Toolkit into motion and start planning a prosperous future.
Kind Regards,
Kerri Ann
Congratulations Kerri Ann. You’re an inspiration to all salon owners, and particularly your fellow Irish business owners.
