January 2011:Facing Pages 14/12/10 13:30 Page 83
marketingmatters
newyear, new marketing plan
JohnMcClements goes back to the future!
Those of you who are really wide awake and read last month’s articlemay be a little confused as I appear to be jumping back a year in time! Fear not, everything will fall into place.
The topic thismonth is simply the action you need to take today tomake 2011 a successful year for you and your business. As we said lastmonth, there is little point in looking back in December just to find out why things went wrong if you do not intend to learn fromit!
At the risk of repeating part of the article in lastmonth’s issue it is important to consider that looking back at the year just gone should be an important factor in your salon marketing.
take time to reminisce
Looking back should show you which things went well for you and returned a profit and which things did not go so well and perhaps even cost youmoney. It will show you which retail products sold well and which simply took up valuable shelf space.
Looking back will also give you an opportunity to confirmwhich treatments and therapies weremost popular and, even more important, which weremost profitable. Forget for just amoment all the other sales, business andmarketing procedures and ‘tools’ you are aware of and concentrate only on looking back over the past twelvemonths (or longer).This is known as the ‘information gathering’ process and is the key to all future decisions.When this is done you canmake your future plans based on fact, not on guesswork.
make your business resolutions
Armed with the ‘facts’you are now in a position to plan the year ahead and what better way at this time of year than by a series of NewYear Resolutions? It is after all the time of year whenmany people look forward to a fresh start in life and resolve to improve their lives in business or at leisure. The only problemwith the start of a new year is thatmany good intentions can be derailed within a few
weeks.The secret of your success is in not allowing this to happen to you. Stay focused, plan your work then work your plan so you can sit back at the end of December 2011 and congratulate yourself on a job well done.
Whether your goal is to increase profitability, reduce costs, or to open a new salon, itmatters not. Committing yourself to certain ‘tasks’ in the year ahead is the only way to
start.The ‘resolutions’below may not suit every purpose, as each person’s objectives can be
different.They are, however, offered as a guide for you to use based on your own requirements and always remember, the only thingmore important thanmaking NewYear Resolutions is keeping them.
TopTen NewYear Resolutions for Salon Owners andTherapists:
1. I will listenmore attentively tomy clients.
2. I will encouragemy colleagues to do the same.
3. I will listenmore attentively tomy colleagues ideas and suggestions.
4. I will endeavour tomake the salonmore ‘client friendly’.
5. I will reviewmy product and therapy lists tomake certain I amoffering the highest level of profitable service possible tomy clients.
6. I will refreshmy product displays on a regular basis to encourage additional sales.
7. I will keep up-to-date with all that’s new by reading trade publications and attending trade exhibitions.
8. I will build a stronger relationship with my suppliers.
9. I will check on a regular basis to determine whatmy competitors are doing.
10. Every week I will take some formof action designed to attract new clients.
don’t forget to evaluate
It’s earlymorning on the last day of 2011. You have your teamtogether for a quick meeting before throwing open the doors to the last of the year’s
clients.Themain topic for themeeting is: “How did we do this year?” What will be the answer?
The answer to the question at that seemingly far offmeeting on a cold Saturday at the end of next year depends almost entirely on the action you decide to take today. Not tomorrow or the next day, (big problemin sales andmarketing, tomorrow never comes!).
Have a great year, and formore resolution guidance see LizMcKeon’s article on page 77.
JohnMcClements is amarketing
expert who runsAyurvedic training courses in Goa, India.
GUILD NEWS 83
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