Creating christmas cheer in your salon

What does Christmas mean to you? A glass of mulled wine by the fire? A sleigh-load of presents, or a few well-earned days off? That’s all well and good but as a salon owner the festive season should mean so much more – it should be a key time of year to boost business with your current clientele and attract new ones. However, no one likes a Scrooge, so it’s important to add an element of Christmas cheer. Getting the balance right between a friendly, festive atmosphere while raising your profits will be key to make Christmas work for you.Creating That Festive Feeling... Forget garish Christmas lights and the same old tree you drag out of the store cupboard year after year. If you’re going to decorate the salon – do it in style. Think about your salon image and choose decorations that are in keeping with your brand. More often than not, simple is best, but don’t be afraid to be creative. A few carefully chosen decorations will work much better than glitter, flashing lights and paper chains adorning every available surface. If you aren’t keen on decorations, find out what your florist can supply? Winter-themed floral displays look stunning and can be changed on a weekly basis. Creating a Christmas atmosphere in the Ishoka salon in Aberdeen has become an important part of the business’s year for both the team and the clients.

“Each year we really like to celebrate Christmas within the Ishoka salons, which our clients love. We have worked with a design company for several years now and each year we invite them in to dress the salon in a festive theme. They are excellent and always make the salons look absolutely beautiful. They decorate the salons in a different way each year, which means the overall appearance does not become stale or predictable,” says Malcolm MacNeil, partner at Ishoka.

No matter how great your decorations look, don’t let it be to the detriment of your team’s or clients’ health and safety. Independent health and safety consultant, David Smith, advises: “If you’re having Christmas lights, make sure they are run through a transformer and not through the mains.” He adds: “If you’re hanging decorations, make sure you use a proper stepladder and that another person is holding it at the bottom – this is often the cause of serious accidents at this time of year. "Finally, ensure that any hanging decorations don’t pose a fire risk.” It’s not just decorating the salon that can bring the yuletide atmosphere into the salon. Think about your refreshments menu and add some sparkle by adding Christmas specials. As well as favourites, such as mulled wine, think about more unusual treats such as cranberry cocktails and hot toddies. These will go down a storm with clients preparing for a big night out or a cosy night in. If you’re opening late, you could create a real party atmosphere by handing out canapés or chocolates. Create That Festive Profit... Christmas is full of potential to increase your profit, so don’t let it pass you by. Capitalise on the party season by offering seasonal packages to clients. Group together services that complement each other so that you can provide a ‘non-stop shop’ for clients getting ready for Christmas parties. Combinations such as a blow-dry and manicure, a colour with a backwash treatment, manicure and pedicure, or hair-up and make-up application, work well as they are all simple and can all be carried out in the client’s chair rather than using a separate beauty area. Encourage clients to book packages by pricing them competitively, and market them through posters in the salon, SMS text messages and mailshots. Retail is another area in which you can see your profits soar over Christmas. Everybody has to buy Christmas presents – so why not entice them to buy from you? However, it’s up to you to make it easy for them. Most manufacturers offer Christmas gift packs, which are perfect as stocking fillers. If you haven’t ordered these in yet, speak to your manufacturer to see if you’re still in time. Put a reminder in next year’s diary, around October, to allow you to see the gifts as soon as they come out so you can plan your Christmas retail accordingly. Buying in your stock is only the halfway point to successful retailing – shifting it from the shelves is what really counts. Make sure your retail display is accessible to clients so they can browse as they would in a shop, and clearly display the prices so shy clients won’t have to ask. However, don’t just stop at products, think about introducing jewellery, make-up or hair accessories, which not only look great in a display but are perfect for providing the finishing touches to your festive packages.