In the extremely competitive beauty industry, your business needs more than just passion and professionalism to succeed. You need to effectively manage your business with strategic planning and exceptional service.
Whether you’ve just launched a new beauty salon business or have a seasoned business wanting to step up your game, here’s everything you need to know!
- Build an effective team
Hire passionate and talented people for your business. Remember that a salon’s reputation majorly depends on the staff. So, if you don’t get the best people on the floor, the business may not be around for too long. Ensure your staff has nice skills, an honest and sporty attitude, and a pleasant personality.
While hiring, be specific about your expectations, their roles and responsibilities, their shifts, and ways to maintain the salon’s standards.
You must also train your employees on serving clients, using products and equipment, and trendy procedures. This ensures every client receives the best experience and becomes loyal to your services.
- Order the necessary equipment
The right cosmetics equipment will make your salon stand out and attract more customers. List out all the standard and luxury equipment into two columns – fill one side with must-haves and the other one with the equipment you want, but there’s no urgency.
The most important equipment are:
- Salon stations with chairs, mirrors, and storage space for products and styling tools
- Shampoo stations with chairs, storage space, and shampoo bowl
- Drying stations with chair drying tool (for coloring services)
Next, figure out how much capital you need to get the must-haves and whether you have enough funds for it.
Some consider getting second-hand but good-quality equipment. However, that’s a huge gamble. Instead, you can sign up for cosmetics equipment financing from a reliable financing solution platform.
This is way better than getting a traditional bank loan in several ways. For instance, you only need to share four months of recent business bank statements, select the funding plan, and get funded.
- Get professional-grade products
Whether you’re a small or established business, invest in professional-grade exclusive products. These offer the best results and are safer than retail products.
Especially avoid drugstore products that are available from retailers like Walmart, Target, CVS, or Amazon.
These not only have lower performance and results but might also unfavorably react with your client’s skin and hair. This is a huge risk to your salon’s reputation.
Moreover, if a client has had a negative experience with a particular retail product, they won’t avail of your services.
- Work on the customer complaints
Stay updated about online and in-person reviews and feedback and take appropriate steps to address them. These are the best to help your business grow. After all, good customer service is important for 3 out of 5 customers to be loyal to a business.
Create a complaints log to note down and track how and by when each complaint is addressed. Whenever there’s a negative review, connect with the customer promptly, fill it in the log, and take necessary actions. Once it’s fixed, follow up with the customer to win their loyalty.
While keeping tabs on these, notice these facts and take the necessary steps to improve:
- The most common issues customers complain about
- Most common staff customers complain about
- Salon performance complaints and compliments
- Methods of complaint resolution
- Whether industry-grade complaint resolution practices are followed
- Stay on the floor
Work along with the team and stay on the floor whenever clients visit. But don’t be in “Manager” mode on the floor. Instead, help out alongside.
For instance, fold the towels, restock products the cabinet has run out of, take used brushes, towels, etc., to the cleaning station, or sit at the register. This way, you will be able to mingle with your staff instead of intimidating them and build a robust team!
Meanwhile, the staff’s behavior, attitude, and personality around the customers should be observed. If there’s any issue, tell them in a one-on-one setting instead of calling them out in public.
- Provide value to first-time customers
Surprise new customers at the end of their appointment with a discount coupon for their next visit. This ensures they return for a second time.
For your existing customers, start an offer that they’ll get one service for free or at a discount if they refer a new customer.
Conclusion
With these tips, you can manage and grow your salon business steadily. So, embrace them now and patiently watch your business become an industry leader!
