Referrals are the best source of new salon clients - but most salon owners get it completely wrong. They put up a poster saying "Refer a friend, get 10% off!" and wonder why nothing happens.

Here's the problem: referral programs fail because you run out of steam.

You can't maintain referral-focused energy year-round while also running your salon, doing your marketing, managing your team, and actually doing hair.

So referral programs die by March. The poster fades. Nobody notices it anymore.

The solution: Split your referral strategy into TWO parts.

PART 1: ALWAYS-ON FOUNDATION (Background referral generation all year)

- Shareable transformations (before/after photos sent automatically to clients)

- Branded Instagram templates (make it easy to tag you)

- New client welcome system (acknowledge who referred them)

- Thank you texts (when someone refers, thank them immediately)

Set it up once. Runs forever. Generates referrals passively.

PART 2: FOCUSED REFERRAL CAMPAIGN (One month, high energy, then STOP)

Pick ONE month per year (or two maximum).

Week 1: Announce the campaign

- Email everyone: "This month only - refer a friend, you both get [REWARD]"

- Make the reward generous (not 10% - that's not enough to change behavior)

- Stacking rewards (one customer sent us 13 referrals in one month!)

Week 2-3: Push hard

- Mention to EVERY client in salon

- Post about it on social media

- Send reminders by email

- Create urgency ("This month only")

Week 4: Final push

- "Last week! If you've been meaning to refer someone, now's the time!"

Then STOP. Campaign over. Back to normal.

WHY THIS WORKS:

✓ Focused energy for one month is sustainable (year-round isn't)

✓ Creates urgency (if it's always available, nobody acts)

✓ You don't burn out (the always-on foundation keeps ticking over)

✓ Referrals have minimal wasted marketing effort (your clients pre-qualify who they refer)

The mistake: Running referral campaigns for 3-6 months. You'll run out of steam by month 2.

Better: One month of brilliance beats six months half-arsed.

Pick your referral month (February is great if January was quiet, August works if you need summer boost).

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📊 RESOURCES:

Salon Spark (Weekly Accountability + Community): https://salon-spark.com

→ £75/month, cancel anytime, try it for £1 first month

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💬 WORK WITH ME:

1:1 Coaching: https://buildyoursalon.com

→ Book a call for help implementing referral systems

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👋 WHO I AM:

Phil Jackson. Ex-salon owner (award-winning, since 2001). Now I coach salon owners who want profitable businesses without the hustle BS.

This podcast is for the ones who take their business seriously.

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🎧 LISTEN:

Spotify: [your episode link]

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3MZp6jP

Website: buildyoursalonpodcast.com

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CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Why Referrals Are the Best Source

1:18 - The Problem: You Run Out of Steam

2:14 - Why Referrals Have Less Wasted Effort

4:05 - The Poster That Doesn't Work

4:51 - Two-Part Referral Strategy

5:44 - Part 1: Always-On Foundation

6:27 - Step 1: Shareable Transformations

7:21 - Step 2: Branded Instagram Templates

8:01 - Step 3: Acknowledge New Client Referrers

8:49 - Step 4: Thank You System

9:41 - Part 2: Focused Referral Campaign

10:22 - Make It Rewarding (One Customer Sent 13!)

11:17 - Mention to EVERY Client

12:06 - Don't Extend It - You'll Run Out of Steam

#salonreferrals #salonmarketing #salonreferralprogram #salonbusiness #wordofmouth

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Questions? Email: phil@buildyoursalon.com

Need help with salon marketing? Reach out - let's chat!