In a SmartTan.com poll, eight of ten salons said they most commonly cross promote with either gyms or beauty salons.

Forty-two percent said they work with gyms most, and 38 percent said they most often cross promote with beauty salons. Nine percent said they most commonly partner with bars or restaurants, and the remaining 11 percent said they work most with types of businesses other than gyms, beauty salons, restaurants and bars.

Cross promotion, or partnering with other businesses in your area, is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to drive traffic into your salon. Because it’s a mutually beneficial relationship, simple partnerships only cost you time and the money it takes to produce any materials involved. While getting more involved can certainly increase the value for both sides, something as simple as exchanging promotional cards to place next to your respective cash registers can be beneficial to everyone involved.

The key is to find businesses that hold similar values and already cater to your target customers. Gyms and beauty salons are popular choices because they reach similar clientele and focus on healthy lifestyles and, of course, looking good. Just make sure you find partners that are well respected in your community. That way, just being associated with that business improves the image of yours.