Quiet time in the salon? try these hairdresser-approved tips

The craziness of Christmas is over and 2023 has begun, and while it’s the perfect time to take some time out, it’s also a great time to start planning for the coming year. So, what can you do now to make 2023 as easy as possible? We spoke to the experts for their top tips and advice on how to make the most of quiet time in the salon.

Clive Collins, HOB Salons

“January is a great time to hold team appraisals, catch up with managers, and discover what worked – and more importantly, what didn’t work – in the past 12 months. Put together your training plan for yourself and all your team members; keeping on top of your skills and knowledge is essential in this ever-changing world and with the pressure of everything else that is going on, it’s easy to put your education and training on the back burner. But be creative – product houses offer training for your teams and there’s some great business coaches that will make a real difference to your business. It may cost money so do your research, it is worth every penny and will really make you stand out from your competitors.”

Elena Lavagni, Neville Hair & Beauty for L’Oréal Professionnel

“January and all of Q1 is normally the quiet period of the year, so take advantage of this. It’s the perfect opportunity to strategise the future and to share your vision with your team, getting their input and finding the best way to flourish as a team. Have a look at every part of your business where you can save. Using fear and pressure given by other businesses isn’t the way of moving your business forward. If you don’t usually discount, why would you do that now? In the short term, this game is okay, but the more you do it, the more difficult it is to go back to your normal price set and your clients will be reluctant to pay any more. It is a downward spiral of prices. As salon owners, our business is our life and we need to do everything we can to not just survive, but to thrive.”

Sean Hanna, seanhanna salons for L’Oréal Professionnel

“Have a plan – don’t drift into the new year and then start thinking about what to do. It’s good to start January with something exciting. A new hair story, a new service, or a new campaign. Get all the team on board and create a spirit of optimism for the coming year. We always hold our annual awards in February to ensure the team have something to look forward to and become engaged with. After the excitement of Christmas and the busy December columns, it’s easy for teams to feel a little unmotivated, so creating a buzz at this time of year is super helpful for everyone.”

Marcello Moccia, Room 97 Creative

“Sit down, grab a cup of tea and a paper and pen, and breathe. Write a list of everything that has been successful for you in the last year and what hasn’t really worked or has dominated your time. Focus on what you want to achieve and above all, be realistic. 2023 is going to be a tough year, so set goals that push you, but aren’t unreasonable – this will just depress you and your team if you can never hit them. Look at the atmosphere you create and make sure it’s always positive for your clients but also your team. When holding appraisals, check how they feel as well as how they are doing; a happy team means happy clients and a profitable business!”