How to market to male clients

The male beauty market is booming as salons see men make up one in five clients*, indulging in their appearance through treatments such as manicures and pedicures, waxing and tanning.

We witness old-fashioned stigmas attached to men paying ‘too much’ attention to their appearance or the notions that a ‘real man’ shouldn’t wear moisturiser rapidly starting to wane. Thanks to convention-breaking consumer adverts and marketing strategies, the beauty industry continues to welcome men into its throes; from salon veterans to nail newbies. Done are the days when it was rare to see a ma in the salon, so capitalise on the male grooming industry by catering specifically to the needs of men through targeted marketing, tailored treatments and retail offerings with the man in mind.

The challenge of marketing to male trade is two-fold: you first need to explore how to initially attract the client, and then convert them into a long-term customers. It may sound like common sense, but ensuring you are marketing your services to men is the first step in extending your male client client base, says international beauty expert, Liz Mckeon. “If you choose conventional advertising in your marketing plan, place your advertisements where men tend to read. Think about sports or business magazines or websites,” she advises.

When marketing to the male client base in this way, also think about offering treatment packages tailored specifically to men. “A male treatment package will give men the opportunity to enjoy multiple services in a single visit and expose them to more treatment options, all while increasing your retail opportunities,” Liz continues. Such a package can be marketed in an introductory offer as a way to showcase your skills and offerings to new clients, or as an ongoing service that men can indulge in when they fancy something extra.

Another way of tapping into the male grooming industry is to look to female clients for male leads. Offering couples’ treatment or retail gifts and discounts, for example, is a great way to angle the already existing trust you have with your female clients and extend that to their male counterparts. “Get the girls to do the selling!” Liz agrees. “One of the easiest ways to lure him into the salon is through a wife, girlfriend or daughter who can see the benefits and do the selling for you. Christmas gifts, Father’s Day and birthdays offer great opportunities to introduce your services to men.”

Discover more marketing tricks and tips, as well as product picks and expert advice, for extending your male client base in the July 2018 issue of Scratch. Click here to read!

Image c/o
Photography & art direction: Michael Pool Photography www.michaelpoolphotography.com
Nails: Denise Bourne for The Rex Agency using Deborah Lippmann
Model: Josh Kloss

*Salon Services Beautiful Britain Report 2017