Marketing plays a vital role in the success of any brand, but especially for a lash business. Think about it: You can have the finest training, the best products, and the greatest location, but if no one hears about you and books appointments, none of that matters. 

With the proper marketing strategies in place, you can generate buzz, grow your clientele and make more money. 

So ask yourself, are you taking advantage of these marketing tips? 

1. HAVE AN ACTIVE PRESENCE ON SOCIAL

This doesn't mean, however, that you should run out and join all the platforms out there — quite the opposite, actually. Pick a couple and do them well. We suggest Facebook and Instagram, and here's why:

• With 2 billion monthly users, Facebook is the most popular social media site, and your lash business needs to be on there, period. It's where you'll reach the greatest number of potential new clients.
• Instagram has respectable user numbers — 800 million monthly users — but its photo-sharing capabilities are really what make it mandatory. It's the perfect platform on which to create an online look-book.

2. INTEGRATE RETAIL PRODUCTS INTO YOUR BUSINESS

Clients love a one-stop shop. When you're able to offer them the products they need to maintain their looks as they're on their way out the door, they're much more likely to continue coming to you. Providing that full-service experience is a huge factor in creating happy clients, and happy clients are your best brand advocates.

For more information on why and how you should feature retail products in your salon, read our post, "How to Integrate Retail into Your Lash Business." 

3. START A REFERRAL PROGRAM

Speaking of happy clients... why not reward them for referring new clients to you? 

Referral programs work. In fact, in a Nielsen survey, 92 percent of people said they trusted referrals from people they know. And you don't need to go crazy offering elaborate incentives, either — according to the American Marketing Association, reward programs increases the chances that someone will give you a referral, but the size of the reward doesn't matter.

4. START A LOYALTY PROGRAM

People love loyalty programs. According to the global management consulting company Accenture, 77 percent of people participate in at least one retail loyalty program, and members of such programs generate 12-18 percent incremental revenue growth a year than non-members.

That's because loyalty programs provide clients with an incentive to buy products and services from you and not another salon. Check out these tips on creating a VIP program that's perfect for your salon and clientele.

5. PRODUCE A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

As you book appointments and promote yourself on social media, collect people's email addresses. Then once a month, send them an email newsletter showcasing your salon, services, and products. Make sure to include compelling images of your gorgeous lash work, too. An email newsletter is also the perfect place to promote your social channels and your referral and loyalty programs.

You don't need to be an expert graphic designer to create a gorgeous email newsletter, either. Here are nine templates you can use for free.