Introducing in-salon treatments for christmas

In-salon treatments can be a business booster and a business saver at Christmas, says Emil McMahon. Christmas, that time of the year when salons are so busy they don’t seem to have time for anything other than getting through the day without any major hiccups! It’s so busy that sometimes opportunities are missed. In-salon treatments are forgotten about in the rush to get every client who walks through the doors styled and coiffed in readiness for the festive season. Time is the critical factor here; hairdressers simply don’t have an extra five to 10 minutes for a client to have a treatment, and inevitably they run late because of the general chaos of December. But forward planning can make the opportunities of treatments boost revenue dramatically. It’s all in the planning. Stylists need to be talking to their clients now about their Christmas appointments and encouraging them to book in for a treatment. Preparation is key, when the client arrives for their Christmas appointment the treatment should already be built into the service, this guarantees additional revenue, healthier hair for the client and most importantly, a breather for the stylist to finish each client knowing that the next one isn’t sat impatiently waiting for her stylist to carry out the consultation. By allocating and pre-planning, the busiest month of the year can become an enjoyable experience for everyone. The consultation for each client is already ‘part done’, with the treatment arranged beforehand. This allows the hairdresser to carry out the normal consultation then finish off whatever they are working on safe in the knowledge that they have a window of opportunity to keep ahead of the game. Key Points:

• Pre-book Christmas treatment appointments now
• Explain to the client why this is happening.
• Use the treatment application time as a buffer zone for ‘catching up’.
• Maximise the experience for the client by ensuring the massage offered with the treatment is relaxing and therapeutic.

The average cost of a treatment service in salons is approximately £15. If a stylist is doing 10 clients a day, that's potentially £150 extra revenue. With salons having an industry average of four hairdressers, that means potential daily takings increase by £600. Multiply that by 21 working days in December (that doesn’t include Sundays) and there is a whopping £12,600 in takings available just by pre-planning. Even taking into consideration the cost of goods and taxes this additional revenue could be a lifeline for many a salon worrying about the month of January when business tends to take a downward turn. Of course in the real world not every client will say yes to having a treatment, but the opportunity for such an incredible addition to December’s takings should be looked at seriously and the service should be offered to everyone. Utilising treatment time gives stylists a real chance to work through the festive season in a less stressful way, it gives clients a relaxing experience (it’s their busiest month too) and it keeps a salon flowing more smoothly with little disruption to time frames and schedules. Emil McMahon has more than 35 years of industry experience and offers bespoke training for salons. Contact on 07885 985843 or [email protected]