Increasing the average hair salon client bill

One of the challenges for any business is how to increase the average sale, says Gilli Bruce, founder of Gilli bruce Training.

This may sound hard-edged to those of us who usually develop our businesses via relationships, but it's the edge that sustains a business.

Understanding spending shifts can help us to meet that challenge. Traditionally, spending habits fall into three categories:

• Need to buy/need to have - this would include staple items such as toothpaste and soap.
•  Nice to buy/nice to have - favoured brands of filter coffee or treats such as confectionery, for example.
• Must buy/must have - products and services with strong emotional needs attached to them, which could range from the latest fashion trends to the newest gadgets, cars or holidays, depending on the individual.

Consider your spending habits - what are your treats and your must-haves?

Now, consider your salon services from the clients' perspective - where would they place a cut and finish, partial foils or a root application, for example?

How to profit from these spending habits

• Plan how to create a 'must-have' feel for key profitable services.
  
  Human beings are herd animals and are often influenced by the majority. If we are missing out on something everyone else is doing, we subconsciously seek it. Talk to your clients about which products and services are popular; make them feel they need to be a part of something.
• Celebrities remain a major driving force behind client decisions. Use visuals of celebrities of various ages to underpin suggestions and create 'must-have' thoughts.
• Put services into context by giving specific examples of how they have benefited other clients. Relate the story of the lady who came in fed-up, treated herself to some colour slices, and went out looking and feeling fantastic. 

Increasing 'nice-to-have' purchases

These are usually impulse buys - we've all thrown a little treat into the supermarket trolley that wasn't on our list, and we can convert this idea into salon services.

Popular price points for impulse buys are under £4.99, under £9.99 and under £14.99.

Here's some suggestions of how to push 'nice- to-haves':

• Use the team's ideas to create a menu for each styling station, offering a selection of service treats. To keep the cost down, these services could be carried out by less experienced team members. Use terms such as  'spoil yourself' on these menus.
• Use a digital camera and put some simple, hair-only before and after shots on a social networking site such as Facebook for express service treats.
• Use Twitter to update clients on this month's express service treats. 
•  Promote temporary shine and colour services for £3-£5.
• Ensure the team is showcasing a range of nice-to-have services, such as on-trend, semi-permanent blended shading, or three to five subtle foils at focal points to strengthen the look. Use these living examples as talking points to increase sales.