Mobile Apps for Salon and Spa

So what’s the apple of every digital marketer’s eye in 2016? Mobile marketing of course! Here’s why:

1. Mobile-Only Internet Users Outnumber Desktop-Only Users

Desktops have always been primary venue for internet access, but for the first time ever, the number of users who only access the internet on mobile devices exceeded the number of users who only access internet on desktop devices. Mobile has gone through a huge makeover in the past few years: smaller devices with better processing systems, 4G data speed, and an all-around improved design. These advancements, paired with users’ desire to have all the world’s information conveniently stored in their back pocket, has caused mobile to eclipse desktop in multiple capacities.

2. Mobile Marketing Improves Your Connection with Customers

If mobile is the sweetheart of digital marketing, then customers are the sweetheart of digital marketers. What better time to talk about our love for customers than Valentine’s Day? A company can’t get much closer to a customer than being permanently attached to their right hand. Mobile allows brands to implant themselves in the customer’s daily life. It also allows brands to gather information about each individual that they’ve never had access to before. We can finally give our customers the personalized experience they want and deserve.

3. Mobile Apps Are Replacing Mobile Optimization

Many businesses are beginning to see the light! Mobile apps look awesome, are user-friendly, and have greater functionality than mobile-optimized sites. As businesses realize the value of a mobile app, mobile-optimized sites are becoming irrelevant. Additionally, there have been drastic advancements in app indexing—which is similar to SEO—for apps on Google and in the app store. This evolution of app discoverability will give businesses the kick they need to add an app to their digital marketing strategy.

4. Apps Will Become an Integral Part of Our Lives

I have an app for everything: an app that wakes me up in the morning, an app that sends me live updates about bad routes, an app that stores the podcasts I listen to on my way to work. Without my apps, I would be late every day, and even worse, bored during my 40-minute commute. Apps have become so interwoven into the fabric of our daily lives that many of us wouldn’t know what to do without them.

Spas are places of comfort, relaxation and retreat from the stresses of everyday life. On the business side, however, running a spa requires constant work and meticulous attention to detail. Appointments get moved around, utilities must be monitored and used efficiently, and cleaning and maintenance work can be exhaustive.

That’s why it’s essential to take advantage of mobile technology in managing your spa. Nothing keeps appointments better than a shared calendar that customers and businesses can monitor at all times. And mobile apps have countless features that can help your spa run at maximum efficiency.

Types of Spas

The exact origin of the spa is not known, but some believe that the name actually originated as an acronym for the Latin phrase, “salus per aquae” – which translates to “health through water” in English. Much of what we know about early spas revolves around a promotion of health through some form of water therapy.

Today, spas feature an assortment of benefits and serve a number of applications – from beauty and restoration to physical therapy. In general, the modern spa is a place in which wellness, beauty and/or relaxation are promoted by way of services like skin treatment, aromatherapy, sauna, massage, and hot tub or other soaking treatment.

Scheduling

In order for the customer to have a positive experience at your spa, they must be able to find a good time slot in its schedule. Overbooking and underbooking both have adverse effects on customer experience and business efficiency. You can try downloading a scheduling app like as Google Calendar, or you can try building your own app that can interact with your customers in setting and keeping appointments.

Pricing

The spa experience is not always easily laid out with pricing for the customer, which can result in a lot of unnecessary confusion in the billing phase. This is easily avoidable now with electronic transactions made possible through various mobile apps and commercial platforms.

Diverse Features

Spas often come with an assortment of services and features. It’s important that your customers understand the full breadth of services that your spa provides (physical therapy, sauna, facials, etc.). Otherwise, how will you make the sale? The best method is to design your own app in order to have the best layout/presentation of menu items possible. No one knows your palette or theme better than you.

Maintenance

One of the most important factors of any spa, which too often is overlooked, is the maintenance involved with managing that sort of business. Your space needs to convey a feeling of cleanliness to your customers. Keep on top of maintenance tasks by having a mobile app that sends you reminders and notifications tailored toward your business and its needs.

The new mobile age is great for businesses and startups, because it empowers them with new possibilities in customer interfacing. Products and services can be called up from the convenience of our mobile devices, and mobile apps are proliferating constantly with new ways to make our lives easier and more enjoyable. Take advantage of this technology and build an app for your spa today in order to provide the best experience possible for your customers.

An App for your hair salon will increase your visibility, generate new business and build customer loyalty. It’s a simple way to ensure that your business adapts and evolves in this new era of mobile technology. Not implementing an App to assist with customer interaction puts your salon at risk of losing business to other establishments that do. So make no mistake, you need a mobile app –

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A study, conducted by Pew Research Internet Project, showed that 91% of Americans own a mobile phone, and over half of them use those phones to access the internet. That probably doesn’t surprise anyone, but what you may not know is what that means for your business.

If you own a business, it is essential that you maintain an engaging mobile presence.

Customers want immediate access to information these days, and they get that from their mobile phones. So of course it stands to reason that your customers want to be able to interact with you and to obtain goods and services from your company via their mobile device.

A mobile app enables your business to be available at all times, nights, weekends and holidays, and allows you to offer customers on-the-go access, rewards programs, recruitment opportunities and more.

Engaging your customers has never been easier than with a mobile app. The app practically promotes your business for you.

We’ve outlined four ways that you can grow your business through a mobile app below.

1. Facebook, and other social media sites. When you sync your app with social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, your customers can share content and promote your business. Customers can “share” special promotions and contests you might have and their friends/fans will see the content and be moved to download your app. You can also tweet out special gofers and events.

2. You can also do marketing through push notifications, and geofencing. Localized content can really grow your business. When customers are offered specific content based on their location and interest, they feel catered to and like their needs are being met. This will generate a lot of business.

3. Giveaways, free trials and contests. Don’t hesitate to utilize these! People will download your app especially to participate in contests and giveaways. This will give you an opportunity to get your products, goods and services out there, which will then drum up more business and retain loyal customers.

4. Advertising Space. Taking out an ad through sites like Facebook or other social media sites is a great way to generate business and draw people into your app. These sites target consumers based on their interests, so your ad is guaranteed to be seen by people who are especially likely to give you business. Targeted ads are a great way to insure revenue.

No matter what type of business you run, an app can propel you forward. Restaurants, bars, concert venues, retail outlets, catering services, medical facilities, educational facilities, salons, repair companies and countless other businesses have benefited from utilizing a mobile app.

Customers are the heart of of any business. It is important to keep them happy, loyal and walking back through your door on a regular basis. What better way to guarantee their return than to reward them for each dollar they spend? Our advanced loyalty system allows you to give multiple rewards to all of your customers and encourages them to keep coming back in so they can cash in on bigger and better rewards

We’ve developed a comprehensive loyalty system that is extremely customizable, while still being easy to use. Start small and work your way up in order to give your best customers some amazing treats.

First, give your loyalty program a name and short description so your customers know how to use it. This is where you can specify how to get a stamp. For example, a salon may want stamps for each time a customer comes in for a manicure. You can also customize the name of each perk and how many perks you would like to offer. Don’t forget to reward customers loyalty stamps for downloading the app and choosing to accept push notes upon installation. You can enable this feature by selecting the “Earn Credits for Installing/Accepting Push Notes” check box.

Next you’ll decide on what each perk is and how many stamps are required to unlock it. Make sure to make rewards appropriately based on how much they are spending. A local cafe my want to give away a free coffee after 5 stamps, a free muffin after 10 and a $15 gift card after 20, whereas a nice restaurant may offer a free glass of wine after 10 stamps, a free dessert after 20, and dinner on the house after 40. This is a great way to give your business a leg up on the competition. After all, why try a new ice cream parlor when you are 2 cones away from a free sundae?

Paper stamp cards are a thing of the past now that your customers will never leave home without their loyalty card. Their phone!

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Let’s cut right to the chase: having a mobile app can help you get more customers, book more appointments, and increase revenue. For many small businesses, a mobile app is a great new way to connect with customers and open new marketing channels. But for hair salons and barbershops in particular, mobile apps offer a bunch of great features to boost business cost-effectively.

Here are our favorites:

Mobile Reservations

Customers can fire up your app and access mobile reservations linked directly to your in-house calendar. They can browse open slots and book appointments easily, while on the go. This saves your staff some time on the phone, and makes it simple for customers to get an appointment conveniently, especially if they don’t feel like calling in.

Appointment Reminders

You can send current customers reminders of regular appointments through your mobile app. By being proactive, you can likely capture a segment of customers that might have wound up visiting another establishment, or that just let it go too long between appointments. With dedication to securing more frequent appointments, you can increase your yearly revenue per customer (and keep the community from going too shaggy in between cuts).

Style Libraries

“I want a trim, but I don’t want anything too drastic . . . and I want to look kind of like Jennifer Lopez, but also sort of with a dash of Martha Stewart, if you know what I mean . . . and did I mention I’m way into punk style now?”

You could send these people to the salon down the street, just to be mean, but why not offer a style library in your app instead to help them pick out a style? Using a simple photo gallery, you can collect photos of various styles, and have customers browse and select specific haircuts. That way, you can improve communication about styles, and hopefully get some clear guidance about what customers like.

Customer Photos

Your app can also have a feature that lets customers take photos and email them to you. This is great for creating a database of customer photos for testimonial purposes, advertising, or just reference. If a customer comes in and can’t remember what was done last summer, but wants the same thing, you’ll have a photo that will tell you exactly what to do.
Special Offers

Push notifications (messages that users get notified about on their devices home screen) allow you to drive activity on special promotions, deals, events, and offers. If you ever need to generate revenue during a down time, push notifications allow you to generate interest easily and proactively.

You can also offer GPS coupons that users unlock when they “check in” to the app at your location. This adds a fun dimension to your business that rewards customers just for visiting your location! Speaking of rewards . . .
Loyalty Programs

A mobile app allows you to offer a mobile loyalty program (buy ten cuts, get one free, etc.). You won’t need to print up cards or track anything manually – it’s all done simply through users’ mobile devices. Whenever they make a qualifying purchase, just have them pop open the app and hand you their device. Using your secret code, you can then record the purchase. When the qualifying amount is reached, you’ll know. Pretty easy stuff.
Referrals

A mobile app can make referrals easy. With a single click, a user can post to a social media account on Facebook or Twitter about their experience with your business. This allows you to earn new business organically through the networks of existing customers.
Product Sales

Gel, paste, wax, clay, or whatever the heck it is you guys are rubbing into our hair these days – you can sell it all through your mobile app. Customers can browse products, submit orders, and make payments easily, helping you open up a new revenue stream.

The benefits are many and the costs are few – look into getting your own app for your salon or barbershop sooner rather than later, though. If you move now, before competitors do, it can still be a distinctive advantage. In the future, as apps become more common, this will be less true.

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CherryPic Apps, Mobile Apps | Apps for Salons and Spas Apps for Salons and Spas

The Spa and Salon industry is heavily driven by repeat business. While their services (haircuts, manicures/pedicures, massages, etc.) are important and frequently sought after, the industry itself is extremely over saturated with somewhat identical competitors.

So how do you differentiate? What makes your shop a step above the rest?

The answer is simple- innovate. By providing your clients with a mobile app you are not only going to show that you are ready for what’s next, but you will also give them exactly what they need- A technology that will make their lives easier.

With a mobile app dedicated to your business you will unlock the power of customer retention and repeat business. “The probability of selling to an existing customer is 60-70%. The probability of selling to a new prospect is 5-20%”- Marketing Metrics. This quote alone should tell you exactly who you should be marketing to, and what better way to put this in action than by using mobile app that is specifically designed to target and create these repeat customers.
Mobile Reservations

•Implement an optional up-front commitment fee for the appointment
•Manage your appointments with a beautiful built-in calendar
•Receive notifications via email when appointments are scheduled
•Provide users with easy appointment management
•Book more clients and increase repeat appointments
Loyalty Cards

Providing a mobile app that not only makes customer lives easier but also allows you to interact with them, you will harness one of the best ways to generate new business and maintain current business.