Are You On The Christmas List?

Christmas might still feel a little way off, but if you’re a personal stylist, colour consultant or image professional, now is exactly the time to start thinking about it. Because while your clients are beginning to think about Christmas parties, presents and what they’re going to wear over the festive season, there is another question you need to be asking yourself:

Are you on the Christmas gifting list?

Not personally. Professionally. Because a colour analysis, styling experience or gift voucher can make a brilliant Christmas present. But nobody can buy something from you if they don’t know it exists. And this is where you have to become the master of your own destiny.

Stop waiting to be discovered

One of the biggest mistakes we see stylists make is assuming that if they do a brilliant job for their clients, word will naturally spread and the bookings will simply arrive. Sometimes it does and that is great. But the reality is that a business cannot be built on sometimes.

If you want to sell Christmas experiences, you need to start talking about them before Christmas arrives.

And not just to the people who have already booked with you. Think about all the people who could potentially buy what you offer as a gift:

• Partners looking for something special for their loved one
• Grown up children wanting to buy something for a parent
• Friends looking for a meaningful experience rather than another "thing"
• Colleagues looking for a Christmas gift
• Businesses wanting to thank or reward their employees
• People buying an experience for a friend who needs a confidence boost
• Clients who loved their own experience and might happily gift one to someone else

Who are your buyers?

And, importantly, where are they?

What are you actually selling?

This is where it gets really interesting. Are you selling a colour analysis? Or are you selling the feeling someone gets when they finally understand why certain colours make them glow?

Are you selling a personal styling session? Or are you selling the confidence to walk into a room feeling comfortable, visible and completely themselves?

Are you selling a few hours of your time? Or are you selling an experience that can change the way someone sees themselves for years to come?

Because the latter is a much more compelling Christmas present. A colour analysis isn't just a set of swatches and finding out your best colours. It can be the beginning of someone feeling more confident in their clothes. It can help them shop differently, get dressed more easily and stop buying things that sit unworn in the wardrobe. It can give someone permission to experiment. It can make them look in the mirror and like what they see. That is a pretty special gift.

The experience might last a few hours. The confidence can last for years. That is your gift that keeps on giving. So, how do you make sure you're on the list? You don't sit quietly and hope somebody remembers you. You put yourself on the list!

That means marketing. It means talking about your gift vouchers. It means reminding existing clients that their experience could make a wonderful gift. It means creating social media content specifically around gifting. It means contacting local businesses and asking whether they are looking for staff gifts or rewards. Speak to hairdressers, beauty therapists, photographers, therapists, bridal businesses, boutiques and other complementary businesses about collaborations. It’s about putting a beautiful gift voucher in front of people and making it incredibly easy to buy. And it means you will absolutely have to talk about it more than once.

People don't necessarily ignore you because they're not interested. Sometimes they simply haven't noticed you yet. You are busy thinking you already mentioned it and got tumbleweed. They’re thinking "Oh, I didn't know you did gift vouchers!"

Who needs to hear from you?

Make a list. Literally. Think about your existing clients. Your past clients. Your email list. Your social media followers. Your local business contacts. Your networking connections. Your friends and family. Your Stylist Collective contacts. Anyone who might know someone who would love what you offer. Then ask yourself:

Who could introduce me to my next customer?

Christmas is an excellent excuse to reconnect. You really don't have to send a hard sell. Simply start a conversation.

"I'm putting together my Christmas gift options this year and thought you might know someone who would love a colour analysis..."

That's marketing. Talking to people is marketing. Showing people what you do is marketing. Reminding people that you exist is marketing. You don't need a huge advertising budget to start.

You need to start! We know this can feel uncomfortable but the truth is nobody is coming to rescue your business. That isn't meant to sound harsh. It's actually incredibly empowering. Because if your success depends entirely on somebody else noticing you, you're handing them control. But when you decide:

I am going to tell people what I do.
I am going to make it easy for them to buy.
I am going to build relationships.
I am going to ask for the business.
I am going to put myself out there.

You take that control back. You become the master of your own destiny. You might not control how many people buy from you. But you absolutely can control how visible you are, how often you talk about your business,who you build relationships with and how easy you make it to book. Think about how clearly you communicate the value of what you do and whether you believe that your business deserves a place on someone's Christmas list.

Do you believe you're worth gifting?

This might actually be the biggest question of all because sometimes the obstacle isn't marketing, it's belief. If, somewhere in your head, you're thinking:

"Who would spend that much on me?"

"People won't pay that for a colour analysis."

"I don't want to keep selling to people."

"I'm not very good at marketing."

"There are loads of other stylists around."

Then those thoughts can quietly keep you small. But ask yourself what you would say to a client who desperately wanted more confidence, but didn't believe they were worthy of investing in themself. You'd probably tell them they were worth it. So start to tell yourself the same thing.

Your expertise has value.
Your time has value.
Your experience has value.
The transformation you create has value.

And you are absolutely allowed to build a business around it. Your industry is booming. Don’t undervalue what you and others are offering here. Make a start right here and right now. We’ve made it simple for you. 

Your Christmas action plan

Don't just read this and think, "Yes, I really must do something about Christmas." Grab a piece of paper (or your laptop) and answer these questions:

1. What am I selling for Christmas?
Colour analysis? Personal styling? Gift vouchers? Experiences? Something else?

2. Who is most likely to buy it?
Don't just think about your client. Think about the person buying the gift.

3. Where can I reach those people?
Social media? Email? Local businesses? Networking? Advertising? Partnerships? The school gates? My yoga class?

4. What am I going to say?
Don't just sell the appointment. Sell the transformation.

5. How easy is it to buy from me?
Can someone buy a voucher in a couple of clicks? Do they know exactly what they're getting?

6. How often am I going to talk about it?
Because one Instagram post in November isn't a Christmas marketing strategy.

7. Who can help me spread the word?
Clients, businesses, friends, fellow stylists, local networks?

And finally:

8. What am I going to do this week?

Not next month. Not when you have finished everything else. This week! Because Christmas is coming whether you're ready for it or not. So put yourself on the list.

Tell people what you do.

Tell them why it matters.

Tell them who it's for.

And don't wait for somebody to decide you're worthy of being there.

Decide it for yourself!

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