Blow Your Clients Away
How to Host a Blow-Dry Party and Cash In On The Blowout Boom!
By Jacob Wucka
The fact that blow-dry bars are exploding is proof. Clients are ready and willing to pamper themselves with blowouts in between their regular retouches. And why not? For a relatively minimal commitment of time and money, their hair can look like they’ve been in your chair every single week. Keep those blowout dollars in your pocket, instead of someone else’s blowout business and consider throwing a blow-dry party! Here are eight tips for throwing a blow-dry party that will become a “must attend” event for clients and their pals!
plan ahead for success
Make it an evening event! After-hours or closing early to accommodate this time works best. Steer clear of Fridays and Saturdays, most people can make Sundays. Be cognizant, however, of holidays and summer vacation season—particularly August—as your clients are often out of town. Before you establish the time and date best fit for your clients, discuss dates and times with your staff to ensure their involvement, discuss roles and to generate excitement. It’s up to your discretion whether you pay your stylists or not, but there’s no problem treating the party as an unpaid networking event for your stylists.
get the word out
Little reminders like in-salon signage at the front desk and stations will help raise awareness, along with distributing postcards to your clients as they leave. But think bigger—and bolder—to build your reach. Use your social media presence and email contact lists to generate buzz! With websites like punchbowl.com and eventbrite.com, you can send customized invites that automatically remind clients to RSVP periodically prior to the event. And make the invites fun! Market your event as BYOB—or bring your own blow-dryer! Guests will love to learn new tricks and techniques to work with the tool they use every day.
get a manufacturer involved
Manufacturers love having their names attached to in-salon events like these, so get one to sponsor yours! As a sponsor, the manufacturer will offer best practices and advice, provide free products and potentially send in an educator for the evening.
charge a fee
You might think clients will be less inclined to attend if you charge. Wrong! When potential partygoers pay a fee, they’re more likely to show up. And here’s a smart strategy to boost retail sales and lock in new clients. If you charge $15 for the evening, for example, tell guests the fee will be refunded if they purchase $15 or more in retail products, or if new clients book an appointment for a salon service.
the day of the event
When the doors open and your guests file in, kick the night off right away. Start off describing the brushes and products you’ll be using, with photos of different hairstyles you’ll be creating. Assign each stylist or assistant to your guests to assist with each of the activities—or let your guests choose the stylist they want to work with. This is a great opportunity for your young talent to meet your guests and get their name out there! After everyone is partnered up, get started. Your blow-dry party should last no longer than two hours.
DIY the blow-dry
This event is all about making you the expert. Consider doing half of the head, and then allow the client to do the other half under your expert eye. Walk her through the fine points of product selection and application, sectioning, tool selection, nozzle positioning, root lift and overdirection. She’ll be grateful for the chance to upgrade her skills.
making it fun!
Everyone loves munchies and cocktails so offer your guests hors d’oeuvres to go along with their Blowout Bellini. One way to surely bring attention to your party is by conducting raffles for styling products or a gift basket. Another way is to make each lesson a competition—Fastest Blow-Dry, Best Blowout, Best Curls and so on. Give away prizes to your first, second and third place winners in each category—and make each prize related to the competition—a curling iron for your curling contest or a flat-iron for your blowout competition.
selfie with your stylists
Have your guests take a selfie with your stylists and post that photo to Facebook or Instagram with a hashtag for your event. For helping expose your salon to hundreds of potential new clients on social media, you can reward these guests with a discount the next time they come into your salon!
Ask the Expert: Eric Fisher
Owner of the award-winning Eric Fisher Salons & Academy, Wichita, KS
“Clients don’t always know if they’re getting a good haircut, but they do know how the finished result looks,” says Eric. “If you want to compete with blow-dry bars, you have to be one badass blow-dryer! Master round brush, Denman and paddle brush blow-dries. Finishing hair is an art, and you have to excel to compete.”
