How Serving Alcohol Helps Market Your Hair Salon

How often would you say your customers come to your salon? For some people, it can be as few as a couple of times a year, but for others, the salon can almost be a second home with maintenance appointments every few weeks or so! The relationship that you have as a salon owner with your customers is one that is super important in order to build trust and secure repeat custom.

Take a second to think about the kind of experience that you want your establishment to provide for clients. I think we can all agree that in any positive version of this situation, the thought of a bottle of beer or glass of wine to offer certainly makes it even better!

Here in California, there’s an increasing trend for salons and barbershops to serve alcohol to enhance the hair appointment experience and take it to brand new heights.

The good thing about this, is that thanks to a change in the law, as of January 1st, 2017, there is no need for salons and barbershops to hold a California liquor license.

In such establishments, where zoning permits, the rules limit options to beers and wines. Other alcoholic drinks are not permitted – for those you must hold the relevant license. As a free drink, you are allowed to serve up to 6oz of wine or 12 oz of beer per customer.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest and best reasons why serving alcohol at a hair salon or barbershop can be great for your business.

• It Turns A Simple Hair Appointment Into A Fun Experience

The addition of a drink at a hair appointment transforms it from being a chore to tick off the list into a fun experience that a customer actually looks forward to getting done. It turns the process into more of an event that gets talked about after the fact!

• It Builds Positive Vibes And Connections With Potential Return Customers

The simple act of offering delicious beverages can build a great relationship with your customers and create the kind of positive vibes and memories that encourages people to come back time and time again.

• It Gives Customers Something To Do If There Is A Delay

In a place as busy as a fully booked hair salon, you can’t always guarantee that appointments are going to run 100% on time, and on these occasions you can see the addition of a drink for each customer as something for them to enjoy whilst they are waiting for their slot to finally become available. This kind of hospitality can take the edge off what might otherwise be an annoying delay.

• It Has The Potential To Improve Social Media Status

Maybe most importantly for the strength and longevity of a business, something like a drinks menu at a salon can spark some interest on social media to improve your online status. Having a glass of wine while you are being pampered at the salon is the kind of situation that most people will want to boast about on their Instagram and Snapchat accounts, and the more your business gets talked about online, the more chance there is that you will go viral in your community.

If you are going to serve alcohol in your salon, you are allowed to include it in your advertising and marketing literature. Make it attractive by having a selection of wines and beers available and have coffee and tea and cold beverages alongside for customers who don’t want alcohol. Strike up a deal with a local liquor merchant (with the relevant licenses) to get a good price rather than buying from a supermarket.