We All Want New Clients!

By Jay Chapman

Well…. Most of us do! For those that are already too busy, WELL DONE! Having a wait list and demand outweighing supply is a very good problem to have.

But before we hit marketing hard, there’s a few things I want you to think about before you open the floodgates. When we deep dive into the role that new clients play in our business, it often surprises me how many salon owners take for granted the number of new clients on the weekly reports.

A quiet salon can have STACKS of new clients, but we give them to the least qualified team member, we don’t track retention, or you hog them all to yourself!

Today, I want to take you on a deep dive into your new client numbers AND experience. We need to make sure you are super clear on how to deliver service in such a way that keeps people coming back for more and that the clients are being directed to the team members with intention, not just by default.

Let’s start by looking at your role with new clients.

Okay, let’s just say you are in a position where you are needing new clients and it’s time to flex those marketing muscles to get them through the door. If you would like new clients ** BUT** you want to place them in your team’s hands, are they up to scratch to give them a phenomenal service and retain them? If you’re wanting to set your intention to close your books or reduce your client/time on the floor, what boundaries are you thinking of putting in place to make this happen?

YES! There is more to this then just putting an offer out there, especially if YOU are already busy.

So! If there were absolutely no limits, no judgments and no consequences, would you personally close your books to new clients? Do YOU really need to grow your own client base?

It’s not a trick question, and I think so many people assume a coach is going to force you off the floor to work on the business. Yes, that is one option, but so many of my coaching client LOVE having a balance of both.

Let’s look at some options

**Option A**

Throw yourself into growing your biz:

- 0 new clients in your book

- 6-8 hours growth related actions

- Requires time/resources/potential out-sourcing/skill development

- Revenue = The sky is the limit

**Option B**

Throw yourself into looking after new clients:

- 4 new clients in your book pw

- 6+ hours of work on the floor

- Requires exceptional consultation/service/quality

- Revenue = $600+ depending on services + potential future revenue if retained

All too often I see salon owners not truly appreciate the value of their time. If you personally have gaps in your appointment book and you want to grow how many clients you look after, option B is great for you!

However, most salon owners, if they are really honest with themselves, want to opt for option A. If you really want to flex that business growth muscle, more often than not the return on investment of your time greatly outweighs you spending hours looking after new clients.

There is a phenomenon which I have experienced firsthand, when I look after new clients, they leave hungry for more, a complete raving fan, spending a truckload of money and telling all their friends about how amazing the service was. BUT! (And a big but), I didn’t want to grow my client base, and I had a team that could not deliver the service that I did.

I needed to make a shift in my mindset and also a shift in where I spent my time in the business. I also have to shift my belief that my team (with training) could deliver the same level of service as I could

The sooner I realised that I could impact the lives of more people by showing my team how I delivered that exceptional client experience, the faster and more sustainably my business grew.

So, this begs the question, what do you REALLY want?

Whatever your decision is; set your intentions, create a plan and execute like you never have before. But promise me this! You dive deep into your new client stats and grow with purpose.

Follow Jay and his coaching team on Instagram at @yourgrowthcoaches