For many salon owners, it can be thrilling to create the salon you've always dreamed of, however it's important to also consider how your salon will grow with you in years to come. Anna Peters, Sam Villa ArTeam Member and owner of re:TREAT Color + Hair Design Studio, has been a stylist for 18 years, salon owner for seven and educator for over a decade, so knows a thing or two about changing with the times. Here she offers four tips that helped her boost business as a stylist and salon owner...
1. Focus on Customer Retention
Customer retention is all about keeping your clients coming back to you, and there are a few things you can do to help with this, including nurturing your relationship with clients through consistent communication via text,
email or social media. You can also improve your customer service by personally reaching out to check in with clients about their hair and scheduled appointments. In today’s world, high touch customer service adds value and a personal connection that can be hard to find, and that will set you apart.
Another way to keep clients coming back to you is to keep your books open to new clients. If your books are closed, new clients can't get in and growth can't happen. If your books are too full, consider raising your prices to open up space for those who want to pay your prices and value what you do.
You can also avoid alienating your clients by focusing on sharing, not selling. This entails offering valuable information and ways to improve hair at home versus just selling products. Another great tip is to have guests record on their phone when you’re styling their hair, so they can reference back to it at home.
2. Embrace Digital Tools
The more streamlined business operations are, the more professional the business will look and perform, and the more time you will gain to use in other areas of your life. Allow clients to book online and post booking links everywhere so your business can grow effortlessly; the easier it is for clients to book with you the more bookings you will get and the less likely they will go somewhere else.
3. Network and Collaborate
Reach out to other businesses that share the same values as you do, as this can open doors to new opportunities and get you in front of the eyes of future clients. One great way to do this is by hosting events that invite the community into your salon, such as a charity fundraiser.
Another option is to find a local influencer that aligns with your style and values and offer to do their hair
for a special event or as a regular client for special pricing, in return for them spreading the word in person and on social.
4. Invest in Your Future
Time is our most precious resource. Stop planning on how to get more business tomorrow and instead use a slow day as an investing day for the months ahead. Education is always an investment you can get an immediate return on. It’s a guaranteed way to increase your value, salon culture and client experience.
You also want to invest in systems that will make your business run smoother and save you time, but make sure you factor in the cost of these systems into your prices. However, if you’re not good with numbers, or you don’t have time to do your accounting monthly, it is well worth investing in an accountant that can keep you on track.
