Retention by design: 204% revenue growth through human insight
Retention by design: 204% revenue growth through human insight
PROJECT OVERVIEW
PROJECT OVERVIEW
In the business model, when stylists grow their revenue, StyleMap(the company) grows too. Getting a new customer is easy, but keeping them as long-term customers is the key to growth. Here’s how I built a system that helps our stylists to raise retention and grow revenue by 204%.
In the business model, when stylists grow their revenue, StyleMap(the company) grows too. Getting a new customer is easy, but keeping them as long-term customers is the key to growth. Here’s how I built a system that helps our stylists to raise retention and grow revenue by 204%.
DURATION
8 Months
DURATION
8 Months
TEAM
Researcher Peter Jian
Marketing Peggy Liao
Consultant Yiwei Chang
TEAM
Researcher Peter Jian
Marketing Peggy Liao
Consultant Yiwei Chang
Data analysis
Data analysis
Growth strategy
Growth strategy
Stakeholders management
Stakeholders management
The Challenge
The Challenge
Why do people come once and never come back?
We tried everything: ads, discounts, and promotions, but they didn’t fix the real problem. So I started listening differently, not only to what people said, but to what the data showed. That’s when we discovered: retention, not acquisition, drives lasting growth.
We tried everything: ads, discounts, and promotions, but they didn’t fix the real problem. So I started listening differently, not only to what people said, but to what the data showed. That’s when we discovered: retention, not acquisition, drives lasting growth.
Define
Define
A salon isn’t just about nice haircuts,
it’s about trust.
The best 20% of stylists make most of the money!
By interviewing our top performers, we found two secrets:
A salon isn’t just about nice haircuts,
it’s about trust.
The best 20% of stylists make most of the money!
By interviewing our top performers, we found two secrets:
01
They listen deeply.
Even to what customers don’t say. Sometimes a few kind words can make someone feel understood.
01
They listen deeply.
Even to what customers don’t say. Sometimes a few kind words can make someone feel understood.
02
They make it personal.
Make each haircut fit the person’s face, hair, daily life and most important, easy to take care of.
02
They make it personal.
Make each haircut fit the person’s face, hair, daily life and most important, easy to take care of.
how to reach good?
how to reach good?
The learning loop:
from feedback to growth
We built a simple “learning loop” so every haircut became a learning moment.
Learn from real customers → aware of small problems → grow confidence & fix.
The learning loop:
from feedback to growth
We built a simple “learning loop” so every haircut became a learning moment.
Learn from real customers → aware of small problems → grow confidence & fix.
01→
Free trial haircut
stylists practiced on new clients and all kinds of hair types.
01→
Free trial haircut
stylists practiced on new clients and all kinds of hair types.
02→
Feedback forms
customers shared what they really thought.
02→
Feedback forms
customers shared what they really thought.
03 → repeat
Insights into action
we visualized feedback into easy, clear guidance.
03 → repeat
Insights into action
we visualized feedback into easy, clear guidance.
Revisits aren’t luck, they’re designed.
People come back when it feels natural and easy.
So we designed the path for that to happen:
Revisits aren’t luck, they’re designed.
People come back when it feels natural and easy.
So we designed the path for that to happen:
Stay local
we invited people living nearby for free trials, so it felt friendly and convenient.
Stay local
we invited people living nearby for free trials, so it felt friendly and convenient.
Haircuts only
since most loyal customers stay for a stylist who “gets” them, we helped stylists build trust through this core service.
Haircuts only
since most loyal customers stay for a stylist who “gets” them, we helped stylists build trust through this core service.
Dive into the weeds
Dive into the weeds
Turning numbers into clues
Clients rarely explain why they don’t return, but data do.
We tracked who came back, how much they spent, and where growth stalled.
Then, patterns appeared:
Turning numbers into clues
Clients rarely explain why they don’t return, but data do.
We tracked who came back, how much they spent, and where growth stalled.
Then, patterns appeared:
01
Too pushy?
🔴low Retention + ⚠️high average spend
Stylists who sold too hard scared people off. We coached them to be friendly advisors instead of salespeople.
01
Too pushy?
🔴low Retention + ⚠️high average spend
Stylists who sold too hard scared people off. We coached them to be friendly advisors instead of salespeople.
02
Wrong prices?
✅normal retention + ⚠️Low performance
When prices didn’t match the feeling of quality, customers left.
02
Wrong prices?
✅normal retention + ⚠️Low performance
When prices didn’t match the feeling of quality, customers left.
From defensive to driven
The biggest barrier wasn’t skill, it was mindset.
Many stylists didn’t see what was holding them back.
I started by listening, not judging.
When they saw improvement, they wanted more.
That’s how small mindset shifts turned into lasting growth.
"I didn’t realize my mindset was holding me back until Yiwei helped me change it. I’m really grateful."
"I didn’t realize my mindset was holding me back until Yiwei helped me change it. I’m really grateful."
Kai
Kai
Senior Hairdresser & Store Manager
Senior Hairdresser & Store Manager
"Yiwei helped me see what I was missing and guided me to improve."
"Yiwei helped me see what I was missing and guided me to improve."
Carter
Carter
Hairdresser & Stylist
Hairdresser & Stylist
achievements
achievements
204%
more revenue
204%
more revenue
12%
more returning customers
12%
more returning customers
10x
more new clients
10x
more new clients
