Football season: 17 weeks of half-time shows, touchdowns, and Sunday junk-food feasts. It's also an opportunity for your salon or spa to offer 17 weeks of football-themed specials and services. This year, the NFL kicks off on Thursday, September 7. If you start planning your football marketing campaigns now, you'll be able to take full advantage of the 17-week season. Here are 7 ways to market your salon or spa to football fans this year.

The Idea: The Ultimate Fan Color Special

How To Make It Happen: Only true fans are willing to color their hair with their favorite team's colors. Before advertising the special, create the perfect color mix and offer to color a willing client, friend, or family member's hair at a deep discount or for free. The purpose of this color session is to get photographs you can use to advertise the special on social media, in email, and in your salon. Don't think too many clients would be interested in a teal and orange 'do? Offer temporary hair stenciling with team colors, logos, etc.

The Idea: Team Nail Art

How To Make It Happen: This idea can bring fans back multiple times in one season, making it an easy way to get extra cash. Advertise your nail art by painting faux nails with team colors, logos, star player numbers, etc. Glue these nails to orange sticks, popsicle sticks, etc. and stick them in a mason jar at your front desk or nail stations. Create signs next to the jars that say, "Ask About Our *Team Name* Nail Art!"

The Idea: Game Day Deals

How To Make It Happen: NFL games are played Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays during the regular season. Check out the schedule for your local team here and offer special discounts or add-ons during these days. Ideas include mani/pedi specials, blowouts, etc. To really create the team atmosphere, put the game on your televisions and offer complimentary game day snacks like pretzels, seltzer, etc. A super fan yourself? Purchase a few balloons in your team's colors and set them outside your salon or spa with a sidewalk sign or banner advertising your game day deal.

The Idea: The All-Star Cut

How To Make It Happen: There is no lack of creativity when it comes to the cuts professional football players rock on the field. Take advantage of a player's fandom by offering cuts to help your client's look like their favorite player. Need some ideas? Check out Pinterest or this list of the most memorable NFL cuts of all-time. Another great idea is to offer undercuts of logos, team names, etc.

Photo by @hairbybradymoody

The Idea: Big Win Discounts

How To Make It Happen: Advertise free add-ons or small discounts the day after your local team wins. You've probably seen large brands like Dunkin' Donuts and Subway offer similar deals: free donuts the day after a Patriot's win in Massachusetts, free six-inch sub in Miami if the Dolphins score 6 touchdowns, etc. You want your incentives to be small enough to create a profit, but enticing enough to make customers travel to your salon or spa. Free deep conditioning treatments with every cut or a hydrating hand treatment after a manicure are good examples.

The Idea: The Anti-Football Retreat

How To Make It Happen: Whether it be a Fantasy Football draft day or just your average Sunday, some customers want to escape the madness happening in their living rooms. Offer an anti-football retreat experience during certain games of the season (a big rivalry game, the playoffs, etc.) Put together a special combination of services that will last the duration of the game (2-3 hours) so that customers can keep busy the entire game.

The Idea: The Fan Favorite

How To Make It Happen: Offer a 5% discount off a service if your client comes in wearing your local team's jersey. Make sure to snap photos of your client before and after your service in their game-day gear and share the photos on social media. In your post, thank your customer for taking advantage of your "Fan Favorite" deal and invite others to join in on the fun. The availability for this deal is up to you. Set specific deadlines for these deals, like all season, only on game-days, only on Sundays, etc

No matter what options you choose, awareness of your campaign is crucial. Fill your email newsletters, appointment reminders, Facebook posts, and Instagram stories with snapshots of happy clients and brief descriptions of your deals. This will get fans excited and entice new customers to stop by for a service. Happy football season!

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