Review your Business As A Salon Owner

Being a salon owner can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. Salons are where your clients go for some much needed me-time, to feel better about themselves and to relax and de-stress.  It is also a place where your staff can work on improving their skills and progress within their careers.  But it can be challenging too.  People are looking to make cutbacks in their spending and have less disposable income due to the cost-of-living crisis and this means beauty treatments may become few and far between. Salons now need to work even harder to retain their customers and compete in a tough market.  It is worth taking some time to do a review of your business and really think about how you can run your business at its very best.

Running costs of a salon can rack up very quickly. It can be very beneficial to reduce these costs, however knowing where to start without compromising on quality can be overwhelming.  Make a list of the bills you are paying and shop around to get the best deal available.  Check for discounts available from suppliers for the products you use and take advantage of trade shows like Professional Beauty London and Professional Beauty North where suppliers can offer fantastic savings.  You could even retain the services of a consultant to help you identify areas where you are overspending and where you can make savings.

Have you thought about adding new services to your treatment list to grow your business?  If you offer hairdressing services, you could also offer nail treatments like a gel polish and manicure.  Adding new treatments doesn’t have to be costly, if you rent a chair out to a self-employed nail technician and state that they need to provide their own equipment the costs can be kept to a minimum.  If you expand your treatment offering not only can you attract new customers, you can increase your revenue from existing customers who just might be tempted to try and new treatment.  If you are not sure which new services to offer you could speak to your existing clients to gauge their interest.

We all know that the team of staff is the key part of any salon. You cannot expect your business to thrive without having the right people working there.  Having a beauty treatment can be an intimate, and even worrying, experience for some and so it is key that the therapists in your salon can put the clients at ease and make them feel comfortable.  Whilst their attitude is important, it is crucial that staff use high-quality techniques too.  Whether they are employees or self-employed colleagues renting a chair, make sure to provide an induction for all new team member so there is no room for doubt regarding the standards required and expected of them.  Look into local accredited training providers for courses that you can send your staff on to really perfect their skills.  Perhaps the trainer would offer a discount for a group booking?  Better yet, if you are looking to take on new treatments and products, the brand you partner with may offer free training to your staff as an extra perk.

Increasing your client base is always a great way to improve your business. There are many different approaches you could take such as running a promotion for new customers where they have 50% off a first treatment.  However, it is important to remember that it is cheaper to retain existing clients than it is to attract new ones, so do not overlook your existing customers.  You could get your current clients involved by running a referral program, meaning they are rewarded for every successful referral they make to your salon.
Take time to read some of our other blogs on marketing ideas to get the best results from promotions you wish to run.

Finally, one considerable cost to salon owners is their insurance premium so take the time to shop around for the most competitive price.  At Professional Beauty Direct we offer very competitive premiums and love to help people save money on their insurance.  Why not give our friendly and knowledgeable team a call on 0345 605 8670 or use our easy quote and buy system to see how much you could save.

12/03/2024