Are Your Salon Emails Working? Here’s How to Tell
Do you ever wonder, when you send an email, if it’s actually working? Unlike social media, email doesn’t come with instant likes, views, or comments to reassure you it’s working.
But here’s what most stylists need to hear: if you’re sending emails consistently, they are working. Email works differently than Instagram, and once you understand what each email’s job is, it’s so much easier to trust the process.
Let’s break down each email’s job and exactly how to tell if your emails are really working behind the scenes.
1. Emails That Build Trust
In marketing terms, these are called nurture emails, but in real life, they’re just emails that help clients feel connected to you. They’re also crucial because they position you as a trusted guide.
The most common form of nurture emails in salon communications is the monthly newsletter, but it could also be a tutorial or a deep dive about a service or product where you explain what it is, why it’s amazing, and how it will make them feel.
You can lightly sell in these emails, but the main goal is to overdeliver on value so clients feel seen and like you are the right person to solve their hair problems. For example, explaining why you recommend spacing blonding appointments a certain way or why you recommend a gloss treatment.
How do you know if your nurture emails are working?
→ Look at your open and click through rates to see what your clients truly care about.
→ Notice the responses. Do people hit reply and tell you how much they loved your newsletter? Do your clients reference it when they sit down in your chair?
→ Trust is building in your client relationships. Nurture emails can feel hard to gauge, but one of the best indicators is how clients respond to your recommendations in the salon. Does it feel like they trust your judgment on product and service recommendations?
2. Emails That Convert (Conversion Emails)
Some salon communications are calls to action. Think appointment booking reminders, sharing appointment availability, or simply dropping a link to purchase the product you talked about. These are the emails that actually make you money because they build real demand in your salon chair. They can also cut back on back-and-forth DMs because clients have clear next steps.
Your conversion emails are working if:
→ Sales or bookings rise after you send an email. For example, if you send out a booking reminder and your subscribers snag all the open spots on your books, your conversion emails are working as they should.
→ Product sales rise. If you include a link to buy certain products online or pick up in-salon and orders pour in, you’re striking the right balance of serving and value.
Determining if your conversion emails are working is generally easier than the other two types because there is often a direct connection between sending an email out and a rise in revenue.
3. Emails That Retain Clients
Let’s be honest: your clients are busy. Unless they’re due for a haircut or root touch-up, they’re probably not thinking about you. That’s where retention emails come in. By providing value and positioning you as the expert, they keep you top of your clients’ minds and remind them to book on time without constantly selling to them.
Plus, they have an added benefit of keeping your clients’ eyes from wandering to the shiny new salon down the street.
What kind of emails count as retention? You probably already guessed it: newsletters are a popular strategy. They serve up endless value to your subscribers and keep them updated on what’s going on in your salon (like new products, specials, new services) without feeling salesy.
Remember, nurture emails build trust. Retention emails maintain it over time.
How to tell if your retention emails are working:
→ Clients stay with you for the long haul. Your long-term clients aren’t tempted to see what else is out there and new clients stick around instead of just dropping in for one appointment.
→ They refer you and talk you up. Another way to think about retained clients is they are your biggest fans. They’re most likely to take advantage of your referral program, to forward your newsletter to their friends and family, and to refer you, all because you keep serving up value.
How to write emails that work
Right now, email inboxes are flooded with emails that feel rushed, generic, or overly salesy.. After a while, people stop opening…and eventually unsubscribe from. How do you keep that from happening?
Writing intentional emails.
Here’s the difference:
Generic emails generally have a more salesy/impersonal vibe and often sound like, “Book now,” “Spots are filling fast,” and “Don’t forget to schedule!”
Intentional emails, on the other hand, feel like, “I thought of you,” “Here’s what your hair might need right now,” “Here’s how to plan your next visit with ease.”
It’s a whole different feel, right?
When your email reflects the same care you give in the chair, clients respond. They rebook sooner, trust you more, and feel taken care of, even between appointments.
The secret to writing intentional emails is simple: make them sound like you. Write how you speak, don’t be afraid of the odd typo here and there, and show up with support and care, just as you would in the salon.
Email doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. As long as it nurtures, converts, or retains, it is working in the background to grow your clientele and business. Trust the process, be consistent, and be intentional. And if you need help creating simple emails that quietly and consistently support your business, Elevated Email gives you plug-and-play emails that nurture, convert, and retain without overthinking every send.
