How to make your beauty business appeal to new & expectant mums

Helena Linsky, co-director of Q61, reveals how to make your beauty business mum-friendly…

For Mother’s Day promos and across the entire year, it’s important to consider how you can implement in-salon initiatives that are mum-friendly. Mum-to-be and new mum clients tend to have slightly different needs to your other clients, and so in order to build up this client base, or to retain your existing clients once they start to have children, it pays to give a little extra consideration to their new requirements.

At Q61’s two Yorkshire-based nail and beauty studios, we have put in place some particularly creative initiatives as a way of appealing to new mums. Likewise, we offer a range of treatments that are suitable and ideal for pregnant clients, and as such, have implemented a range of effective tried-and-tested marketing tools to attract pregnant clientele.

You want your clients to see your salon as somewhere that is inviting, and this is particularly true for your pregnant clients and new mums.

Pregnant clients will choose a nail salon that is proven to be safe, known to be comfortable and is welcoming to pregnant women, particularly as they may already be feeling nervous, tired and stressed. This is a time when a woman truly needs to be made to feel pampered and looked after, yet conversely is often the time a woman tends to neglect her own needs, focusing instead on her pregnancy.

Likewise, a new mum tends to focus on the needs of her newborn baby, at the detriment of her own needs. At a time in her life when she is time-poor, sometimes cash-poor and undoubtedly very tired, initiatives that make your salon a welcome, accessible retreat to her, will be beneficial to her.

Benefiting pregnant clients also makes great financial sense for your business.

Being pregnant is an exciting yet often challenging time for a woman: pregnancy can be both physically demanding and emotionally draining, which actually makes it the ideal time for a woman to indulge in beauty treatments that will make her feel pampered, relaxed and rejuvenated. Unfortunately, however, pregnancy can be a contra-indication to certain treatments, which can make visiting a beauty salon or spa confusing for pregnant women, who don’t know which treatments are safe to try and which to avoid during pregnancy.

This uncertainty often makes a nail salon all the more appealing – a pregnant woman will usually choose a manicure or pedicure over a massage or facial, because they feel confident that the treatment is safe and suitable. This uncertainty also means that it is essential that as a salon you ensure your staff are highly trained and fully qualified to treat pregnant women, and it’s important that your clients know this.

You want your pregnant clients to feel confident about indulging in your treatments, rather than nervous or anxious.

At Q61, our staff are fully trained to understand the limitations of pregnancy, to know which treatments are fully safe during the various stages of pregnancy, and which treatments should be avoided, or advised against. It’s important that beauty therapists are not only highly trained, but are experienced and confident in treating pregnant clients, and are able to make their pregnant clients feel at ease. A manicure or pedicure is an enjoyable treat and a relaxing way to indulge during pregnancy.

This Mother’s Day, create a range of pamper package gifts to suit all mothers, and when marketing your treatments to pregnant women and new mums, make sure you promote the safe nature of the treatments, as well as the relaxation benefits. Entice clients to treat their mums, their mum friends and their mum-to-be partners, to a well-deserved pamper treatment that focuses on encouraging deep relaxation.

Incorporate hand massage with aromatherapy oils into your manicures, and relaxing foot and lower leg massage into your deluxe pedicure options. Do however be aware that certain pressure points should be avoided during pregnancy – only incorporate reflexology if your therapists are trained and qualified to do so. Pampering treatments that focus on relieving issues common during pregnancy, such as fluid retention, are great to include in pamper packages aimed at pregnant clients, and packages that include express appointments that can be fitted into a new mum’s busy schedule, are ideal for new mothers.

Pamper packages specifically tailored to new mums or pregnant women are a great gift, so market them in this way.

For example you could put together a pregnancy pamper package that includes a voucher for a fluid reducing lower leg massage and a pedicure that’s safe during pregnancy, that has been designed specifically for heavy legs and feet. Market the package as a great baby shower gift or ‘push present.’ Likewise, you could create a ‘new mum’ package, that includes an express gel manicure and pedicure, that will help a new mum to look good and feel good, at a time when she doesn’t have the time to paint her own nails. Focus on express treatments, that can be fitted between feeds, which will appeal to a new mum that doesn’t want to be away from her baby for too long.

Also consider creating certain appointment slots when mothers can bring their child along, without worrying that they’re disturbing other clients.

At Q61 we have designated appointment times for mothers of young children, when they can pop in for a beauty treatment or nail appointment and bring their baby or toddler along.

It means that mums can indulge in treatments, without the need to arrange childcare, and they can feel confident that their child is welcome and isn’t causing disruption! We offer complimentary refreshments to ensure the client feels indulged and pampered during their beauty appointment.

You can also entice new mums with bathrooms that have a baby changing area and plenty of child-friendly facilities, plus an area where they can sit and enjoy a coffee and slice of cake in peace. At Q61 in Harrogate for example, we’ve set up a separate and private feeding room in the salon, where clients (and non-clients) can feed their baby in a relaxed environment.

Making a new mum’s life slightly easier will go a huge way to encouraging her along to a beauty appointment!

We also have designated pram parking in our Harrogate salon, and offer children’s pamper parties, where, instead of our usual fashion-related content streaming on the walls, we can screen the childrens’ favourite shows, such as Peppa Pig – a godsend for many mothers looking to keep their children entertained.

While it won’t necessarily harm your business if you don’t consider how your clients’ needs change when they become pregnant or when they become a new mother, it certainly pays to do so. You will find your retention rate isn’t negatively affected as clients become pregnant – particularly if many of your clients are in their thirties – and it will help to cement your salon’s reputation as one that is inclusive, inviting and relaxing.

Many new mothers form close bonds with other new mums and are quick to share their tips on mum-friendly activities, so making your salon a haven for new mums, with initiatives like the ones we’ve implemented at Q61, will really help to spread the word about your salon and be a welcome boost to your business.

www.q61studio.co.uk