August can be a slow month for both service and retail sales. How was yours, and what are your plans for getting the numbers up for September?

This past summer was extremely slow and for two weeks now I have seen an increase in booking, however slight. For about a month my schedule for 09/11/06 has been booked. Coincidence? We'll see what that day brings.

During this slow time I have continued to call regularly and send notes for special occasions my clients have told me about. We developed a new facial and ran an article in our local paper. Last week I also sent out a letter to all IPL clients stating that fall/winter months are great for maintenance treatments. Next week I will have our first ever educational seminar about hydration. I will speak at two different times, an evening and daytime. Registration is $10 and will go to a local breast cancer foundation.

I feel very confident that business will pick up and I have my roller skates ready for my soon to be busy schedule.

Great approach, Alicia! Very good example to inspire others for boosting business in that traditionally quiet month. Thanks for the share!

August was my second busiest month this year. July was my slower month which worked out fine because I had more time to play.
But the plan for September is to get clients going on treatments in series, such as peels or micro.

August was actually my busiest month since I opened in December of 2005. Actually turned a profit in August and September looks like it will be even better!

I'm with pacific skin on the series treatments for fall. I've got clients ready to go with their peels. Should be good for business.

I've done zero advertising since I opened. All of my new business has come from referrals. I've done no discounting either. I really wouldl like to do some promotions, but do I want to start discounting if I don't have to? I'm sure it might draw in a few new clients, but it has been my experience that the bargain hunters don't hang around. What do y'all think?

Great work, all! Here's a tip on series sales: why are they always sold as 5 with one free? Instead of that sell 6 at the price of 5 1/2. That's still a discount for the client but more income for you. You'll sell just as many series programs without having to take such a cash hit. Take it from the voice of experience, it works!

ooh la la, "Your last treatment will be half price" Douglas I like that
And you know it's that time of year, Series Time!

kva

Oh Oh Oh, I just read what I wrote....Series Time!!!
Does that give anyone else ideas????
Can you say Baseball, World Series.....
Sounds like a great combo to me!!
kva

I agree - they whine more too, and overall, don't tend to value your service. (Sweeping generalizations, I know, but not without cause )


valM

August was a record month for us in sales and sevices. It's slowing down this week, but thankfully it allows us to re-group and plan for Christmas! I don't think we will run any "specials" this fall, and I hope that isn't a mistake... I may be whining because it stays too slow in a few weeks!

Go girl!!!

Thanks Lisa! Any great ideas for fall/Christmas promotions or retail?
Sue

Do yo have a treatment based on the pumpkin peel? Always a great fall promo--a seasonal facial, you can spritz indulgence blend in the room, use the glycolic/lactic pro pumpkin peel, massage hands with stimulating contour creme (warm and spicy!) Can use the nourishing anti-ox mask and if you want a more potent scent can add a drop or two of an eo that fits the season.

And maybe build a multi-enzyme smoothing peel into the price.

The Himalayan Honey body products (which of course you can call anything you want) have a rich scent--you could build a whole body tx arouond that (as there'll be a body wrap, the sugar polish, lotion).

Not that we've even announced it yet but...we're about to roll out travel sizes for the whole line too. So you could make up gift kits with a variety of products, and bigger gift baskets with full-size. Great thing to do with your slow movers! Great to have things to sell to the guys who come in to buy gift cards, now they don't want just a little 'ol envelope under the tree do they?

Lisa - will it be possible to custom label the travel sizes?

ValM

They're all custom label. So now we'll have:

-sample size single-use white foil pouches (don't know how much is in there, 1/10 ounce maybe?
-travel size (1/4 ounce to 1 ounce);
-retail size;
-professional size;
-gallons.

I am gearing up to overhaul our price list!

Lisa,
When you upadate the price list, could you email one to me? I have never ordered the sample packets and I need to do that. Also want to check out the new products. Do you know if the taller bottles fit in some of the cool Max pax vinyl packaging? I think they would be very fun!
Sue

August was a record braker for us. It was our best August ever in retail. Service sales were also very good, second best this year. September we have a lot of those series sales but we're not discounting them. We sell 6 at regular price and include a high priced serum that costs us very little .


Aleks V.

You go boy!!!