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10 Things (you never thought) to Add to Your Menu There’s a quote from Gone with the Wind (hear me out!) that has stuck with me since I read it in my teens. A quote from a German poem essentially saying that there is as much opportunity and money to be made in the destruction of a civilization as in the building of it; and that the opportunity occurs much faster. In this moment of deconstruction in our economy, some have hunkered down waiting for the storm to pass, hoping to hold on. But some have decided that 2009 can be a great year and they are taking control of those things within their power to create new business, retain clients, generate loyalty and grow. So here are 10 things that you could add to your menu for clients at little or no cost or investment, and with the added bonus of creating effective partnerships with other businesses, sharing and growing prospect lists, and sharing the costs associated with cooperative marketing and events. 1) Cosmetics Classes and Updos: Prom is just around the corner, with graduation and wedding season right on the heels. Not to mention all of those June brides who will be having anniversaries and anniversary parties. Partner with a cosmetics or skin care esthetician (you may be able to ‘share’ someone with another salon or spa in your area) to create cosmetics applications courses so that your clients can recreate and maintain their party or wedding look until the last dance is over. 2) Fitness: Many exercise instructors work independently, renting space from local gyms or YMCA facilities. You may have fitness instructors within your current clientele! You know when hours are slowest during the week, instead of closing up early, create a fitness class that meets right in the salon and partner with a fitness instructor (yoga, jazzercise, aerobics, dance, or martial arts) to provide instruction in your salon or spa. Create offers that are cooperatively marketed to your clientele as well as theirs. With wedding season on the horizon, create a “get in shape for the big day” package! 3) Cooking and Food: With the economy slowing, there are caterers, build-a-dinner businesses, and dietary-fitness professionals who would welcome an opportunity to partner with you to provide literature, signage, and even classes to your clients. You can create a party-menu cooking class for appetizers or mixed drinks, or whole dinners, a 30-day meal planning class, or classes designed to instruct clients on anti-aging healthy diets. To create a bigger offer or program over time, work together with your food experts and your fitness experts to create multi-level packages. 4) Color: Home Depot made a science over the last few years of instructing women how to “do it yourself.” You can create classes around color, partnering with home décor, home painting and repair, cosmetics estheticians, and other “color experts” and create color consultations for your clients from hair, makeup and nails to home décor and renovation and more. 5) Inside out: Partner with a local nursery or gardening professional now, at the beginning of the growing season, to create a class to instruct clients on use of color in the yard and how to create a yardscape they can be proud of. Don’t forget to teach clients about lawn and garden care and create “inside out” people- and landscaping packages to offer to both sets of clients. 6) Tablescapes and Party Planning: In June, party, wedding and event planners will be working ‘round the clock to create memorable experiences for graduations, weddings and anniversaries, but many clients can’t afford professional planning help. Work with a local party planner, florist, or wedding or reception facility professionals to create classes for your clients in creating their own tablescapes for entertaining and in creating great party experiences for their guests. Party planners should have great contact lists in your area for direct and e-mail marketing campaigns. Work together to construct party package offers for both sets of clients. 7) Make Me Feel Better! Partner with estheticians or massage therapists to bring mini-massage into the salon or spa and create classes for clients on the benefits of massage and how to give a mini hand or shoulder massage to their special someone. Create packages where clients save when they book services with your business partners. Partner with a local chiropractor and create classes for clients on the benefits of chiropractic services. Set up a meet and greet for your clients in the salon where the Chiropractor can perform mini-services or assessments and book appointments. Create package offers that are marketed to both sets of clients. 8) Make Me Look Better! Cosmetic medical and dental service providers are hurting in today’s economy. Partnering with an essential service provider like a salon makes perfect sense. Create classes in your salon for cosmetic medical and dental service providers to provide clients with tips, tricks, diet and other natural things they can do to promote healthy lifestyles and counter the signs of aging, or services that they can purchase to restore what time, weight, childbearing, and other life events have altered. Create packages that can be marketed to both sets of clients. 9) Light me up! Many dentists now have teeth whitening and color restoration services available, and many now have the ability to provide whitening services in a mobile setting. Provide education, create classes and book appointments where clients can come to have their color and teeth brightened at the same time. 10) Sweet Nothings: Who wouldn’t want to partner with caterers, candy makers, wine shops and chocolatiers to bring sweets in to the salon for retail sale or for orders for parties, work events, birthday and new baby gifts, and so much more. Create offers that are marketed to both sets of clients. Create classes for candy making and chocolate decorating where business partners teach clients how to create beautiful and irresistible desserts for their own parties and events.
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| 12 Months of Marketing | Be InPulse Branding, Marketing & Design © 2009. All rights reserved. Elizabeth Kraus [email] |
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