Spring is almost upon us. Well, officially it doesn’t start until 20 March, but the signs are there. My local shop is already selling spring flowers! I love spring and that feeling of nature waking up again. It’s a great time to think about renewal and rebirth. So, if your New Year resolutions for your business haven’t got underway yet, spring could be the perfect springboard (pun intended) to take a fresh look at your salon business and how you can breathe new life into it.
You could think about the following:
How does the salon look? Could it be looking a bit tired to your clients and prospective clients? Are there small steps you could take to give it a new lease of life? Small changes can make a big difference and attract attention from passing trade, plus let your regular clients know you want them to enjoy their experience with you.
Are your team members happy and motivated? Is it worth having a chat with each team member to find out how they are feeling? Are they enjoying their work? Do they have goals they would like to achieve that you could help with – goals that will ultimately benefit the business?
Do certain team members want training in a specific area that would help improve their skill set and the service they offer your clients? Obviously, budgets can be an issue here, but sometimes training could be a case of asking team members with different skill sets to mentor each other. Or use an external course as an incentive to sell more retail, with the winners attending an exciting course, and then presenting to the rest of the team and sharing what they have learnt.
Are there any small touches you could introduce to delight your clients? It could be as simple as extending the range of beverages available to them, or offering regular clients a free backwash treatment, just to say thank you for their loyalty. Are your team remembering to greet and say goodbye to clients in a friendly but professional way? Sometimes, when the salon is really busy, these small gestures can get overlooked, and they are a vital part of maintaining a loyal clientele.
What are your goals for the business? Again, when you’re working flat out it’s easy to lose track of where you originally wanted the business to go. Create a business plan with achievable goals that will help your business flourish during 2018 and beyond. Involve the team in your plans and make them feel valued and integral to the success of the company as a whole.