When business slows down, our first instinct as salon and spa owners is often to focus on attracting new clients. But is that always the right move?
In our conversation with Daniela Woerner, CEO of Addo Aesthetics and host of the Spa Marketing Made Easy podcast, she challenged this common reaction with real-world insight. Sometimes, the real solution lies in retention.
Play the short…
…and watch the full episode 56 of Marketing 100 with salon marketing experts Kayle and John, joined by Daniela Woerner, as they discuss why new clients may not always solve your salon’s challenges and share actionable salon client retention strategies.
Continue reading below for our insights on how to identify whether your business needs more clients or better retention strategies, plus practical tips you can start using today.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get our 90-Day Salon Client Journey Map PDF to map out every touchpoint that keeps new clients coming back.
The Default Reaction: “I Need New Clients”
You know that feeling when you look at next week’s schedule, see alarming gaps, and immediately think: “I need more clients!” We’ve all been there.
But as Daniela pointed out, this quick-fix mindset can lead to wasted time and money if the root problem isn’t new client acquisition but retention. Before you spend another dollar on marketing campaigns, take a breath and evaluate: Do I have a lead flow issue, or is it a retention problem?
During my years coaching spa owners, I’ve seen countless businesses throw money at acquiring new clients when their real problem was keeping the ones they already had.
Why Salon Client Retention Is Essential for Success
Retention isn’t just important. It’s the financial backbone of a sustainable salon business. While attracting new clients creates initial growth, a strong retention strategy drives profitability and stability.
Let’s talk numbers: When we retain just 5% more clients, our profits can increase by more than 25% according to research from Bain & Company. That’s the kind of ROI we dream about, right?
The Retention Reality Gap
In our discussion, Daniela shared the benchmarks every salon should aim for: “We want new client retention at no lower than 70% and overall client retention around 80%.” Yet most salons are nowhere close, the industry average hovers between just 20-30%, according to Firework.
This dramatic gap between benchmark goals and industry averages represents a massive opportunity for salons willing to prioritize retention strategies.
Bonus tip: salon loyalty programs is one proven approach to bridge this gap and encourage repeat visits.
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Why Most Salons Struggle with Retention
Most salons focus on the excitement of new client acquisition while underinvesting in retention for several reasons:
- New clients feel like immediate growth (even when they’re simply replacing lost clients)
- Retention strategies often seem less exciting than marketing campaigns
- The financial impact of poor retention isn’t always immediately visible
- We often lack simple systems to track and improve retention
Industry Insight: In our highest-performing salon clients, we’ve consistently seen that 70%+ of revenue comes from repeat business and referrals. This is a model that’s dramatically more profitable than the constant chase for new faces.
How to Identify Retention Gaps Among Providers
Retention problems often hide within specific providers on your team. In many salons, one stylist maintains 85% retention while another struggles at 45%, yet owners focus on broad marketing solutions instead of targeted coaching.
Look for patterns: Is a particular stylist struggling with rebooking clients? Do their client interactions lack the warmth that builds relationships? Are they missing opportunities to educate clients about maintenance visits?
Addressing these weak points may require only a couple of targeted conversations or additional coaching. Daniela shared a key strategy:
Ask reflective questions like, ‘How can I support you with rebooking your clients?’ These discussions often lead to simple solutions.
Simple Ways to Improve the Client Experience in Salons
After working with hundreds of salons, we’ve found that retention improvements rarely require a complete business overhaul. Often, it’s the small touches that make the biggest difference.
New clients receiving a handwritten thank-you note or a quick follow-up call can make all the difference. It’s about showing them you genuinely care.
These small but meaningful actions build loyalty and trust, ensuring clients feel valued and connected to your salon or spa.
Don’t get overwhelmed thinking you need elaborate systems either. When we implemented simple thank-you texts at a client’s salon, their new client retention jumped from 43% to 61% in just two months. These tiny efforts yield outsized results.
For more specific techniques to improve your rebooking rates, check out our guide on mastering the salon rebooking conversation.
Key Takeaways for Boosting Retention
- Know Your Numbers: Aim for at least 70% new client retention and 80% overall retention.
- Isolate and Address Issues: Evaluate retention rates by provider to identify weak links.
- Personalize Client Interactions: Small gestures like thank-you notes or calls can make a big difference.
- Align Your Messaging: Ensure your marketing speaks directly to your ideal client and highlights your core services.
- Reflect and Adjust: Use data to understand what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.
Data-Driven Insights: Where Are Your Clients Coming From?
5-Minute Action: Place a notebook at your front desk today with columns for Instagram, Google, and referrals. Track all new clients for 30 days.
If retention isn’t the issue and it turns out you do need more leads, it’s time to get strategic.
We love Daniela’s refreshingly low-tech approach to solving this problem:
Grab a notebook, keep it by the front desk, and track where every single new client came from for a month.
Once you know where your clients are coming from, you can make smarter marketing decisions. If most leads come from referrals, create a formal referral program. If Instagram drives traffic, optimize your content strategy there. And if Google search brings clients in, invest in your SEO and Google Business Profile.
Customizing the Salon Client Experience to Build Loyalty
When it comes to retention, the client journey is everything. Top-performing salons consistently map out their customer journey, from first appointment to ongoing touchpoints.
Making Automated Messages Feel Personal
Pro Tip: Never use “no-reply” email addresses. Even automated messages should come from a real person who can respond if clients reply.
Even with automation, make messages feel personal. Strategic email marketing personalization can dramatically improve open rates and client engagement.
Clients want a connection. A quick text from their actual stylist feels like a friend reaching out, not a robot.
Replace generic blasts with personalized messages that mention specific details from their visit.
How Personalization Builds Loyal Salon Clients
Let’s get specific about what personalization actually means in a salon setting. After implementing these strategies with dozens of salon clients, we’ve found that effective personalization isn’t complicated. Consider these practical approaches:
- Train your team to record one personal detail in each client’s profile during every visit, their upcoming vacation, a life change, or even their coffee preference
- Set up automated (but personal-sounding) birthday messages with a special offer, we’ve seen these generate 40-60% redemption rates compared to standard promotions
- Create a “missing you” campaign that triggers when clients haven’t visited in 2.5 times their usual booking interval
Actionable Tips for Creating a Personalized Salon Experience
- Start with Small Gestures: We’ve found the highest ROI comes from the simplest actions, like having stylists send a quick selfie with their client to “show off their new look” after the appointment.
- Make Automation Personal: Replace generic “Your appointment is tomorrow” texts with “[Stylist name] is looking forward to seeing you at 2pm tomorrow! She’s got your favorite coffee ready.”
- Use Client Data: When we implemented color formula note reviews before client appointments at a partner salon, their retail sales jumped 22%. Clients feel special when you remember their preferences.
- Recognize Milestones: Celebrate “anniversary visits” (client’s 10th visit, etc.) with a small gift and social media feature to build loyalty and increase engagement.
Practical Client Retention Strategies for 2025
The salons positioned for stronger client retention in 2025 aren’t doing anything revolutionary—they’re just being deliberate. Daniela suggests:
Go back to your top 25 clients of all time and ask them how they found you. That’s a goldmine of information.
Expand on Client Feedback for Success
We recently helped a struggling salon owner implement this “top 25” exercise, and the results were eye-opening. She discovered that 17 of her most valuable clients came through referrals from just three existing clients, yet she had no formal referral program in place. Within 60 days of launching one, her new client bookings increased by 34%.
Next Steps to Strengthen Retention and Growth
Based on our work with salons across the country, here’s a prioritized action plan you can implement starting today:
- Evaluate Your Current Challenges: Pull your retention numbers before doing anything else. You can’t fix what you don’t measure. If you’re below the 70/80 benchmarks, start there before spending on new client acquisition.
- Track Lead Sources: Start the front desk notebook tracking system today, we’ve never had a salon implement this that didn’t have at least one “aha” moment about where to focus their marketing dollars.
- Enhance Client Retention: Choose ONE personalized gesture to implement consistently before adding more, we’ve seen the most success with 48-hour follow-up texts from the actual service provider.
- Humanize Communication & Gather Feedback: Audit your automated messages and schedule regular “coffee chats” with top clients to ask what keeps them coming back.
Looking Ahead
As Daniela summarized:
Numbers are information, they’re knowledge. And knowledge is power.
By taking time to reflect and act strategically, you’ll build stronger client relationships and a more profitable business.
👉 Download our FREE 90-Day Salon Client Journey Map PDF and start turning first-time visitors into loyal, long-term clients. This actionable template helps you map out every critical touchpoint in the first 90 days.
For those interested in tools like Mangomint to streamline operations or enhance your marketing efforts, it might be worth exploring their free trial.
And don’t forget to check out Daniela’s Spa Marketing Made Easy podcast for more actionable tips to help grow your business.
P.S. For even more proven salon marketing tips, don’t forget to check out the rest of our Marketing 100 series.
