Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/734484
www.ascpskincare.com 53 Chinese New Year falls at the end of January— just when clients need a pick-me- up after the stress and excess of the holidays. Serve hot or cold iced green tea, clementines, and fortune cookies. of the card. Add-on services, upgrades, and retail products are easy ways to boost sales. RETAIL DETAILS With a little advanced planning, you can create a retail collection that ties into the theme of the red-letter day. A fun celebration is Chinese New Year. This wonderful holiday lasts for a full 15 days! You can offer a selection of green tea-based products, scented candles, and other themed items to complement a green tea facial. Create a display with traditional Chinese New Year decorations such as a red tablecloth, a few lanterns, and lucky coins and now you have a retail display that teaches and inspires! Chinese New Year falls at the end of January—just when clients need a pick-me- up after the stress and excess of the holidays. Serve hot or iced green tea, clementines, and fortune cookies and you have a ready-made party! Creating a retail feature for a short period of time creates a sense of urgency for the buyer. Because these are items you do not offer for sale all the time, they are seen as unique, different, and fun. This inspires sales and adds sparkle to your red-letter day celebration. RED-LETTER DAYS = CLIENT RETENTION Every skin care professional would love to have their clients return every month like clockwork. We know inspiring this frequency is a challenge. Creating a calendar of mini celebrations, specialty treatments, and enticing retail—in addition to your core menu—can tempt clients to book an appointment early so they do not miss out. You may find that clients you have not seen in some time make an effort to return to you for a red-letter day special. If your offers and specials are engaging enough, you may find that some clients you thought were lost become found again! CREATING YOUR CALENDAR OF RED-LETTER DAYS Looking for local events is a great way to begin your calendar of events. Every town, large or small, has a variety of special celebrations. It may be a peach festival, founder's day, or a local rodeo or grape stomp. Check your local visitor or tourist board calendar of events for inspiration. Events and celebrations have a strong marketing appeal for locals, as well as tourists. You may be able to increase your marketing power by working with one or more local businesses on cross promotions. Kristy McDougall, owner of POSH Skin Care and Nail Bar in Las Cruces, New Mexico, created a red-letter promotion targeted to area high school and college graduates. Skin care, spray tanning, and nail services were all offered at a 20 percent discount during a week-long promotion preceding graduation. A student ID was required to access the promotion that touted "be gorgeous and glowing for graduation." McDougall says students from five local high schools and New Mexico State University students participated in the celebration; guests booked in groups and brought snacks and drinks to create a party atmosphere. Creating a year-long calendar of red-letter days for your business that mixes local events and traditional holidays—with a fun flair—is a great way to stand out from other service providers. Not only will your regular and loyal fans want to participate, but your special features can be the secrets to attracting a whole new clientele!