Your salon’s students are its future. Nurture them and you’ll reap the business rewards.

Last week I talked about National Apprenticeship Week (6-10 February 2012) and how your salon team and marketing could benefit. Well, here’s another opportunity, hot off the press, to showcase your talented students and create some exciting local PR. The Hairdressing Council have just announced their 2012 UK Student of the Year Awards (run by the Hairdressing Council and in association with L’Oréal Professionnel and VTCT).

Impress the judges: Patrick Cameron and Andrew Barton

Hairdressing icons Patrick Cameron and Andrew Barton will be judging together with other high-profile industry names.

Level 2 in Hairdressing students have to impress with a stunning red-carpet hair-up whilst at Level 3 the judges are looking for a commercial, yet innovative, cut and blow dry.

The competition is initially being judged regionally. The 8 students with the overall highest marks  will go on to battle it out in the final at the L’Oréal studios in London on 14th October 2012.

Winners announced at Salon International

The two winners will be announced live on stage in front of the crowds, later that day, at Salon International. As well as the prestigious title they’ll each receive an iPad 2, a fantastic day with Andrew Barton, tea at the House of Commons and vouchers for a course with L’Oréal and Wella.

Whether your apprentices make it all the way to Salon International or not this is an exciting chance to recognise your team, challenge them to give their very best and shout about your salon in the local media.

How to enter

Students need to send digital photographs plus a short personal statement describing their entry. For details and rules visit  The Hairdressing Council website. Closing date 18 May 2012.

Good luck!

Did you know today is the start of National Apprenticeship Week 2012?

Now in its fifth year, National Apprenticeship Week (6-10 February) is all about profile-raising. It’s a great opportunity to build your brand locally and recognise your salon trainees – they are the future of your business after all.

Here are a few marketing and PR ideas you can use in your salon throughout the year, not just this week, to encourage and motivate your trainees and spread the word in your local community.

Promote your salon locally

Make time to build relationships with your local schools to promote your salon training. Take your team into schools to discuss the training benefits and opportunities available at your salon. Get local people talking about your salon.

Recruit top salon talent

Follow this up by hosting a Recruitment Open Day at your salon. Give potential trainees and their parents the chance to see your salon, chat with current assistants and meet stylists. Be open, welcoming and interesting. You might even pick up a new client or two as well as attracting some sparkling new talent!

Mentor and motivate

It’s easy to forget your internal customers. Your team.
Invest some time and energy to market to this important internal audience and your salon will reap the benefits. Try shadowing one of your apprentices for the day. Not only will you have the chance for some mentoring, you’ll discover how well your team really deliver customer service and interact with your clients.

Have fun

• Many salons I work with have an annual Awards Evening especially for their assistants. It’s a fun, motivating way of celebrating their achievements.
• Try teaming up with a salon owner in another town for an evening of friendly competition with prizes and certificates all round. Remember to let your local media know in advance and take plenty of photos for your website and Facebook. Use every opportunity to shout about your salon.
• Alternatively, set up a “Hall of Fame” in your team room to showcase and chart success. Have a notice board packed with photos, client comments, graphs and certificates. Above all, make it fun and inspiring.

For more advice and news visit The National Apprenticeship Service website. And do let us know what your salon is doing to celebrate and motivate your newest recruits.

Potential clients do not look for a new hair salon using Facebook. They search on Google. 91% of all searches are now through Google. Your salon really cannot afford to ignore its Google ranking if you want to grow.

Google: the search King

To rank highly on the first page of Google for say, “hairdressers YOUR TOWN” your salon website content is crucial.

And let’s face it, you need to rank on the first page of such a specific search to stand any chance of attracting new clients online. 95% of people do not look past the first page of Google, as they find a salon within these first results.

Recent changes to Google searches

Late last year, Google announced an important update to its indexing system known as the “freshness update.” This latest key Google update rewards newer content on websites with a higher ranking in search results.

What does this mean for my salon website?

Having your salon website professionally designed and marketed is only the beginning. Keeping it fresh and up to date on an on-going basis is now more important than ever, for search engines, clients and potential clients.

If you want to be on the 1st page of Google you should continually add new content and pages to your salon website.

Moreover, it is important to insert your quality search keywords into this new content for the search engines, whilst still appealing to the human reader.

And if you don’t keep your content fresh and regularly updated?

Even reputable, well-established salons, with a high-quality website, may not show up in the first few Google search pages. You need to devote time and resources to staying “fresh and up to date”.

Keeping your salon website on Page 1 of Google

Your salon website has achieved the sought-after 1st page ranking. What next?

Don’t rest on your laurels. Invest time and money in keeping your website up to date.

Every salon website should consider having a promotions or exclusive offers section with new pages posted every few weeks.

A news section is also excellent for Google rankings but only if it is kept current. There is nothing worse than a site where the news section was last added to in November 2010.

And don’t forget: it’s not just Google search spiders that see your ever-changing website. If you want your clients and potential clients to keep re-visiting your salon website keep it fresh with plenty of useful ‘what’s in it for me’ advice and offers.

As the saying goes: “If nothing changes, nothing changes”. If you want to grow your salon in 2012 now is the time – new year, new you!

Change your approach to your salon marketing

It may be difficult to accept but sometimes the only thing stopping you, is you. Take a long, hard look at your salon, your systems and yourself. Now, make your list of say 5 key areas and resolve to focus on them over the next 12 months. Don’t look for quick fixes.  To change your habits and your mindset takes a new approach – one that must be embraced every day, month after month.

The most successful salon owners we work with are those who realise that short-term fixes are not the answer: commitment and consistency are. Walk your talk in 2012.

Motivate yourself

Running a salon can be a lonely business. Positive self-talk is a powerful motivational tool. Remind yourself how good you’ll feel when you’ve dealt with an issue that has been festering or lying forgotten. Remember to give yourself positive messages with no ‘ifs and buts’.

Treat yourself. There is nothing wrong with a bribe, be it a chocolate bar or that weekend away with someone special. Reward and motivate yourself to change.

‘Stop’ doing things

Create a list of the things you will stop doing. This can be even more powerful than the list of things you are going to do.

As blogger Jonathan Mead* explains, “we often spend lots of time creating lists for the things we need to do, but rarely do we reflect on the things that aren’t working. So create a list of all the things that are sucking away your energy and are wasting your time. Figure out which of those things is having the biggest negative impact on you doing the stuff you really want to do. Tackle that thing head on each day.”

Organise your salon marketing

January is an ideal time to plan your marketing year. It doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Break it down into bite sized chunks. Plan the first 6 months in detail and the second part of the year in outline at this stage.

A little later this month I’ll be looking at ‘how to write a salon marketing plan’ in more depth so keep an eye out for this.

Block time out for marketing activities each week and month in your diary. Marketing is vital to increasing salon turnover and profit so give it the importance it deserves.

Delegate

We all have the same 24 hours in the day. So why do some salon owners have time for marketing, one to ones with their team or going on training courses whilst others don’t?

The answer may be that you’re spending too much time in your business and not enough on it. Are you the main earner in your salon – tied behind a chair whilst your senior stylists stand around with no clients?

Start by blocking out one morning a week to focus on growing your salon. Resolve to stick with this, no matter how persuasive your clients are. Then spend this time working on attracting new clients, improving your retention rates, ensuring your website is fresh and up to date and increasing retail spend.

Invest in your salon’s biggest asset

That’s you, in case you overlooked it!

To change your mindset and broaden your horizons step outside your comfort zone from time to time. Resolve to read more about marketing, business and customer service or join a local business network.

Try enrolling on salon specific business and marketing courses. Not only will you learn new ways to help you grow your salon, they’re also a great opportunity to learn from other owners and keep your business ideas fresh.

Remember “If nothing changes, nothing changes.”

*Jonathan Mead

Licensing rules for salons

We’re often asked what the regulations are for serving alcohol in your salon. The answer is clear: even if the drink is not being charged for and is included as part of the hair service you still need a Licence under the Licensing Act.

Don’t let this put you off. It is relatively inexpensive and simple to get a Licence. As probably the only hair salon in town with one you can then use it to get some useful publicity with a press release to your local newspaper.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to market your salon – why not approach your local wine merchant and feature a wine of the month for example in return for a discount from them.

If you just want to serve a complimentary glass of bubbly for a one-off occasion, such as a salon open evening or a party, then you won’t need a Licence if the people attending aren’t there for a haircut. If it’s a regular occurrence, you might need a temporary event notice.

How to get started in your salon

You need two licences to sell alcohol:

The salon owner or manager

You will need a  Personal Licence as you are authorised to sell the alcohol. Cost: £37.

You will also need a National Certificate. A number of organisations run one day courses around the country which take you through what is required. Their prices range from £125 to £175 for the day. There are also online courses which will rapidly take you through what you need to know.

The premises

You will also need a Premises Licence for the salon itself. Cost: from £100 depending on your salon’s rateable value.

Application forms for both Licences are available from your local authority and they should be able to advise you on the simple steps needed.

Improve your team’s consultation skills and boost re-bookings, colour ratios, recommendations to friends, retail spend and salon treatments whilst decreasing the length of time between salon appointments. I asked Richard Wallace from salon specialists Winning Ways Education and owner of Richard Wallace Hair for his tips.

Eye level is more relaxing

Always sit down for salon consultations. If a client has to look up to you they may feel a little intimidated – those standing up always look more powerful to those sitting down. Sit on the same level, not too close, and avoid folded arms and legs.

Listen and learn

You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion. Ensure you’re really listening to what the client is telling you:  thinking about the fact you’re running late and need to get them to the backwash is not listening.

It’s not all about the hair

Ask wider and more personalised questions so you understand why clients want their hair a certain way: time constraints, sports fanatic, fashion-lover, wears glasses? This allows you to offer practical and better solutions to fit their lifestyle and needs.

“Same as usual?” should never feature in your client consultation. Explore everything. If they always just book in for a cut and finish, ask what their thoughts are on their natural colour and see where this leads. Make them excited about their future hair appointments.

Body language builds rapport

Use their language, not hair jargon, to explain what you are going to do. This instantly reassures the client that you understand them. Match the body posture of the person you’re talking to and the gestures they use. Again, by mirroring or matching them they will feel more comfortable and at ease with you. And most of all smile.

Check, check and check again

Ensure you are 100% clear about what you are going to do before starting anything. This avoids issues arises during, and more importantly, after the service. Explaining why you couldn’t achieve a certain look for them at the end of their visit will look more like a lame excuse than a genuine reason.

Increase salon retail

And finally, ask about their hair care regime at home. This enables you to introduce retail recommendations, improve their daily hair care routine and help them maintain the salon look at home.

Winning Ways Education runs courses throughout the country. Business advice for salon owners by salon owners.

When you do, here’s some ideas to make it more impactful and more profitable for your salon.

1. Drive a hard bargain - A single advert is probably wasted. Book a series to reinforce your message and negotiate a better rate. If you can get some editorial included as part of the package, even better.
2. Avoid the left-hand page - When booking your salon advertising always ask to have your adverts placed on the right hand page. When you read a publication, your eyes are drawn to the right hand page as you flick through. Try it, now. So more people will see your salon advert if it’s on the right hand page. It may be more expensive but it is worth it.
3. Keep it simple - Keep your advert layout simple with plenty of white space. It’s tempting to over-clutter just because it’s costing you a lot. The headline is the most important part of your advertisement. Make it big and bold. Use at least a quarter of the advert for the headline.
4. Build Your Salon Brand - Use your salon branding every time to reinforce and increase recognition. Consistency is everything when it comes to building a brand. This is no time to introduce a new colour or fiddle with your logo. Don’t ignore the other salon marketing tools available to you. Post the advert offer on your website, your Facebook business page, have a poster in salon and include it in your email marketing. All of these should feature the same message, image and branding as the advertisement to strengthen your brand and increase the take-up of your salon offer.
5. Content is King - Remember clients are most interested in ‘What’s in it for me’. Use the words ’You’ and ‘Your’ often.I always try to include a salon offer. Be concise and clear with this. ‘50% off your first cut and finish at Luxe’. Give it urgency by adding an expiry date.If there isn’t room to include Terms and Conditions try adding *Terms and conditions apply. See www.yourwebsite.co.uk. And make sure they are on your website before the advert is published.
6. Call to Action - Have a call to action.‘Call xxxxx now to receive your complimentary treatment’ . Add a response code so you can monitor the take up or have a tear-off voucher. And don’t forget your salon phone number, email, web address and social media. Easily done!
7. Measure, measure and measure again - The golden rule of salon marketing: tracking your advertising so you know what was a success and what didn’t work for you.

“…we set up a table in the middle of the restaurant, and four actors were hired to pretend to be friends sharing the conviviality of a meal. They all ordered the soup, since it was the only starter on the menu, thus allowing an element of control. After breaking some bread and taking his first mouthful, one of the actors called for the waiter and proceeded to deliver a three-minute rant about the scalding temperature of the soup. As the soup continued to be served to the other tables, the complaints began rolling in. By the end of the dinner, 26% of the guests had made similar complaints. Each bowl had come from the same pot, so either they had extremely sensitive tongues or they had all been influenced by the initial complaint.”*

There are two situations where complaints can affect others – the angry client standing at reception and online, especially social media.

Social media: dealing swiftly with online complaints is crucial as we explain in our blog ‘Stay on top of your salon’s social media’.

In salon: Ensure your team understand that complaining clients can influence others and explain these steps to calm the situation:

• Listen carefully: don’t interrupt and let the client finish.
• Start with a sincere, yet simple, “I’m sorry about this” to help diffuse the situation.
• Adopt a considerate and concerned tone. Ask plenty of open questions – what, where, how, when – so you get to the root of their concern, and try not jump to conclusions.
• Avoid sounding defensive and be aware of your body language. Remember, most of the time the client is not attacking you personally.
• Empathise: show you understand and are on their side.
• Focus on what you can do to help rather than what you can’t do. Suggest a couple of options to solve the problem.
• Then deal with it there and then.

As the salon owner it’s important to understand why the problem happened so it can be avoided in the future. Make a note of lessons learnt and if you can change your systems to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

*Monkey See, Monkey Buy M. Lindstrom best-selling author of ‘Brandwashed’.

Researchers commented ‘Relaxed consumers think products are worth more than less–relaxed consumers because relaxed individuals tend to think about the value of products at a more abstract level. For example, when bidding for the camera, relaxed participants focused more on what the camera would enable them to do (e.g. collect memories) and how desirable and advantageous it was to own it, whereas the less–relaxed participants focused more on the concrete features of the camera itself (e.g. the number of megapixels it had, the shutter speed).’

Profit from this research by creating a relaxing salon and grow your sales:

• Create a welcoming tranquil environment from the moment clients step through your door with a smiling, calm receptionist and prompt attention.
• Banish clutter and mess. Choose attractive peaceful salon décor.
• Offer a relaxing drink, with a smile, as soon as possible.
• Your backwash is crucial.  This is the hairdressing experience most clients value most.  Educate your team to give a relaxing, stress-busting head massage.  Don’t talk constantly to clients – let them float away and enjoy the experience…
• If you have news channels streamed on to salon TV screens think again. The latest financial meltdown and loud, argumentative presenters do not create a serene salon atmosphere.
• Offer an indulgent pampering treatments’ menu to unwind clients.
• Avoid loud or inappropriate music. Choose carefully; soothing yet upbeat helps client spend.
• Finally, ensure your team talk about ’Results’ – how good their client will look/feel when they leave your salon.

*American Marketing Association’s Journal of Marketing Research. Researchers at Columbia Business School 2011 discovered customers value products on average 10% more when in a relaxing environment.

Work your salon reception desk

Think of standing waiting to pay at a supermarket. You are surrounded by those last minute small items to tempt you just to spend a little bit more. And many people do get tempted.

Do the same in your salon. Place an attractive basket of travel size shampoo and conditioners or a handbag size hair spray on your reception desk.

Eyes right!

Did you know most people will always head to the right after first entering a shop? It happens unconsciously simply because most people are right-handed.

So ensure your salon has any bargains and your best sellers in this area to entice your clients to start to spend.

Ready, steady… SHOP!

Create a focal point at eye level on your shelving. A new shampoo could be the main focal point, with complementary items such as conditioner and styling products placed nearby to encourage multiple sales.

Ensure your salon display is visually balanced with dark colours (which appear heavier than light ones) lower in the display and lighter coloured products at the top to avoid appearing top heavy.

Keep it simple

Make it easy for the client to find what they are looking for. Don’t confuse them – too often I see salon displays where every row or shelf has a different arrangement.

Use individual product signs – known as shelf talkers – clearly showing the price, name and size of the product.  Clients can feel embarrassed about asking for prices so make it easy for them to buy.

Clean up

Don’t let basic housekeeping slip just because your salon is busy or understaffed. Salons are dusty places so make an organised team member responsible for cleaning every bottle and shelf at least once a week.  You don’t see dusty shelves in Boots or Sainsbury’s so your clients don’t expect to see them in your salon.

Keep suppliers on their toes

Ensure you’re getting the best package from your salon product suppliers. Think discounts, payment terms, service, help with prizes and give-aways and delivery times.

Think too about buying quantities and wherever possible keep the stock in their warehouse and not in your salon. Remember: cash flow is King.