Salon team of the year: judges' entry advice

Thinking of entering Salon Team of the Year at HJ's British Hairdressing Business Awards? We caught up with the category's sponsors, Affinage, to find out what they'll be looking for in a winning entry.

Salon Team of the Year, sponsored by Affinage

How should salons make their entry stand out? "Don’t waffle, make the key points that you want to raise stand out and always answer the question. It’s really easy with award entries to not actually answer the specific question and to present lots of other information, but not the relevant facts. You don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune on design, but it’s worth spending time on your entry so it looks professional and sleek. First impressions are so important and a concise, well written entry is really important for getting the judges attention." Why should salons enter the awards? "Awards are a fantastic way of growing your business and shouting about how wonderful you really are! Even to get to the final is a huge achievement and a great way of marketing your business. The process of putting an entry together is also very worthwhile, in terms of evaluating your business. It makes you sit down and look at the facts and figures and really summarise your achievements. That in itself is time well spent and an exercise you wouldn’t necessarily do." What is the benefit of winning this specific title? "Winning Salon Team of the Year is such a huge motivator for everyone involved in the salon. It’s the ultimate recognition that you are doing a fantastic job. I think this award in particular is a great one to win, because it’s for everyone – it’s the whole team and we all know that a successful salon is about teamwork and not one or two individuals. Winning this award will help you grow your business and in turn attract new clients and new staff. It most definitely puts you on the map both regionally and in the hairdressing industry." Doug Bailey, marketing director, Affinage Inspired? Download your entry form today!