Top tips to help your salon beat the credit crunch
Published
11th Sep 2008
by sophieh
With a recession predicted, now is the time to tighten your belts and take a new look at what you are offering.
Managing director of TIGI European Operations, Simon Ostler, gives his 10 top tips for avoiding the credit crunch in your salon.
- Go out of your salon door
Walk across the road and look at your salon objectively. Does it look professional, welcoming, clean and attractive? What can you see through the window? Does your window sell your services - and is it merchandised to retail? If not, then it is time to make some changes. - Focus on being the best in your area
That means well-educated and highly motivated staff, fantastic customer service, continual training for yourself and those who work for you, pristine surroundings, and total professionalism. - Use your space
Every centimetre of your salon costs you money, but some areas - for example, the front window - cost you more. Ensure these expensive spaces aren't dead. A window area is not the place to have open space or seating. This is where you need to merchandise and retail. - Get web-friendly
The internet is a great way to market your business. It's cheap, instantaneous and a high proportion of the British public have a PC at home and work and check their emails and surf the net daily. Don't miss out on opportunities to market to your clients via your own website, email or by creating a page on a site like Myspace. - Continue to educate yourself and your staff
To keep ahead and retain your clients, you need to continuously update your work. Regular training keeps your work fresh and enables you to move your clients' hairstyle forward so they are always on trend. Remember, your clients are your best advert. - Avoid waste
Ensure you always have enough stock, but don't run out or be wasteful. Good stock control is especially important in difficult financial times. Look at other ways of avoiding waste too, from your use of paper, towels, gowns and all other consumables. - Maintain your staff
Employing new staff is a costly business. So make sure your staff are motivated and loyal and are happy to grow with you. - Improve your retail
Successful retailing is a must. It's good to have three complementary brands, merchandise them well, run promotions, and let the products sell themselves. Remember, retail can give you a 50% return on its cost; a good stylist will give you 25% plus. Invest as much in retail as you would in a stylist. - Use the support your product company offers
At TIGI we believe in supporting our customers as much as possible and in many ways. From our customer service staff at our head office, to our sales force, our education team, our PR and marketing departments. Product companies are there to help you, the hairdresser. - Smile!
Happy staff make clients happy. A salon that has a feel-good factor will be full.
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