Top tips for offering afro services in your salon

The rapid growth of the Afro hair sector may make you considering adding services for Afro and mixed race hair to your service menu; but does your hair salon have the demand for ot and are you equipped to appeal to this new market?

Simon Russell-Roberts, franchisee of TONI&GUY, Gloucester Road, London, offers his top tips for introducing Afro services to the salon.

• Research the market
  
  If you're considering adding Afro services, do your research first. Assess the likely demand in your area, look at salons already catering for Afro hair, read relevant magazines, visit specialist hair shows, attend awards and speak to seasoned Afro stylists. The more you understand the market and how it works, the better you'll be able to determine the feasibility of diversifying into this area and the success you'll achieve as a result.



• Get the team on board
  
  Once you've completed your research, get your team on board. Decide whether it's
  
  practical to recruit a qualified Afro specialist, train your existing staff, or both. Stylists who have not worked with this hair type before may have misconceptions, so it's important to dispel any myths right from the start. Organising demonstrations and model nights to give them the chance to work on Afro hair will help break down those barriers.



• Choose the right products
  
  To successfully care for Afro hair, you need to use the right products. Always pick an established brand that is committed to research and development, and provides a good range of relaxers as well as shampoos, conditioners, custom-blend treatments, and styling and care products. We chose the Mizani range as it is specifically designed to care for Afro, mixed-race and excessively curly hair and is salon-exclusive. By stocking a premium line, you make the products aspirational, as well as giving the salon a  unique selling point, which helps attract clients and increase retail sales.  



• Make training a priority
  
  Training provides the skills and understanding to help your business thrive, therefore make Afro education a priority. A good manufacturer will send an expert to provide intensive product training and offer external courses on technical services such as relaxing. I would also recommend appointing a product ambassador as the ultimate Afro specialist in your team. They can then monitor market and product developments, organise workshops, and transfer their knowledge to the team to keep everyone well informed.



• Market your services
  
  Finally, there's little point offering Afro services if nobody knows they're available, so it's important to promote yourself. Take advantage of PR support offered by your product supplier to raise local awareness; and use point-of-sale materials, displaying them prominently to attract passers-by. Don't forget to inform your clients, as their friends or family may have curly hair and be interested in your new services, too. If you can build up a great reputation in your area for catering for this hair type, you'll widen your target audience and provide a welcome boost to your bottom line.