Spring Cleaning in the Salon

It’s Spring Cleaning Time in the Salon

As the weather starts to warm and the sun streams in through the salon’s windows, I realize it’s spring-cleaning time. I love spring-cleaning. It’s an excuse to turn everything inside out and reanalyze how we do things. After a while, we just don’t see things. Take a fresh look.

It the salon, it’s also a great time to check the expiration dates on everything. Any retail products nearing expiration are gathered up and sent to a local women’s center.

While cleaning, we check the electrical cords on all appliances for wear. Anything that shows signs of wear is discarded and replaced with shiny new replacements. How much fun is that?

Plants can only stay if they fit the theme and are in spectacular condition. Otherwise, the dust-catching green leaves are out of here. I’m skeptical of anything that requires a ton of dusting.

Could it be it’s time to purchase new towels for the salon? It’s such an easy way to update the look. Toss the tattered magazines and look books, replacing them with current spring trends.
I might need to drag out the touch-up paint and fix nicks and scratches that detract from the salon’s appearance. When will it be time to repaint? Should I be thinking about fitting it into the budget?

Once everything is sparkling clean, it’s time to arrange the retail. Building small attractive displays of new spring merchandise, such as Nurture Lotion, will attract attention. Keeping the displays and testers in client areas can increase sales. Perhaps we can even build some specialty services around new products.Everyday cleaning is great for keeping dust and germs at bay.

Deep cleaning and adjusting the layout makes everything feel new. What a great way to prime for hot summer sales.

Note

I occasionally do product reviews. If you would like to be considered, you may send a sample to: Erin Snyder Dixon, PO Box 1189, Newport News, VA 23601. We do not receive any funding for reviews. If you would like to pass along a discount code, we will consider including it in the review. We don not guarantee that we will review a product or the time-frame in which we decide to do so. It is helpful if background info is included that can be included in the review. We review products (products, books, CDs, tools, etc.) that are related to health and beauty, or the written word.

Every Salon Needs a Back-up Plan

When the Lights Go Out

Winter snowstorms and the heat of summer have a few things in common. One thing is the potential for power outages. I was reminded of this recently. A seemingly small snowfall left the salon without power and phones.

Fortunately, we’ve done this drill before—after a hurricane. The lessons we learned then proved helpful this time around. We fired up the generator and had all the salon calls transferred to a cell phone. Disposable cell phones allowed us to make outgoing calls without tying up the incoming line. The thing we could have done better was our backup plans for Internet service. Tethering the cell phone to a computer turned out not as reliable as we had hoped. An aircard from our local wireless carrier is now our plan C.

When you operate a salon, things will happen. Sometimes they are little and other times, well, they can shut you down completely. The idea is to control the little things and have backup plans in place.

If you depend on certain utilities, what would happen if they ceased to work properly? What’s the worst-case scenario and what would you do?

If the power goes out- Consider installing a generator for backup power.

If the phones go out- Keep a salon cell phone and a couple disposable cell phones for emergencies. Make sure you have cell phone numbers for clients and staff members.

If the water is shut down- Keep emergency bottled water on hand to get you through the clients you have and to flush toilets.

If the gas is shut off- Have an alternate means to heat the salon.
If the Internet service is out- Aircards and tethering can be done through your wireless company.

The difference between staying in business and losing out on income may boil down to how prepared your salon is. What’s your backup plan? And your backup plan for the backup plan?

Note

I occasionally do product reviews. If you would like to be considered, you may send a sample to: Erin Snyder Dixon, PO Box 1189, Newport News, VA 23601. We do not receive any funding for reviews. If you would like to pass along a discount code, we will consider including it in the review. We don not guarantee that we will review a product or the time-frame in which we decide to do so. It is helpful if background info is included that can be included in the review. We review products (products, books, CDs, tools, etc.) that are related to health and beauty, or the written word.

The Nitty Gritty

Okay, it’s here. Whether we want to admit it or not, clients are starting to express concern over the economy. We are lucky in our industry. We make people feel and look good. When they have a bad day, they want to see us even more!

However, it may have you a bit nervous as well. What’s a salon owner or nail professional to do? It’s time to be conscious of our needs while we continue to provide for the needs and wants of others. Be alert for the knee-jerk reaction that can come on. When we overreact to the situation and tighten our belts excessively we hurt the overall economy and spur a snowball that could be sustained by fear alone. We also run the risk of hurting our own businesses through our actions or attitude.

Remember, our economy is based on spending. Yep, I sure do my part.

At the same time, I am looking at expenses and deciding which ones fuel my business and which ones, well, just drain it. I am currently looking at things like how many phone lines I need and whether the help of a virtual assistant could be used for some tasks. You may find it odd that right now I am increasing exposure through advertising and participation in social media. It is incredibly important for clients to feel you are here for the long haul. Find new ways to connect with them. Get to know them and add products and services to the lineup that give them a boost without draining the bank.

It is odd. In a time when I would expect to see the numbers a bit flat, they are not. In fact, nail art is in higher demand than I have seen in years! Could it be because I am wearing it daily? Maybe. It may also be that when someone needs a pick-me-up and doesn’t want to spend $300 on a pair of new shoes, they will still have some nail art done to spice things up.

Be vigilant as you make decisions on business expenses. Some expenses are needed to make money—without them, you hurt your bottom line. Talk with clients before cutting things they have grown to love. Some expenses should never be cut and only you can make those decisions. Areas that are ripe for expense reductions are things such as energy consumption and water consumption. Now is the time to think about options that can reduce usage. Your tax advisor can help you understand the tax advantages of the improvements. These types of improvements are also great news for clients as they help the salon become a little greener.

Be realistic. Don’t let others’ circumstance guide the decisions for your business. Look at your own numbers and do it frequently.

The Good Receiver

Once again, it’s holiday time in the salon. I don’t know about you but it always brings on an uncomfortable feeling. What do I say when someone gives me a gift?

The simple answer is, “Thank you.”

The deeper answer is that you really won’t endear yourself if you make someone feel uncomfortable. Our clients notice our feelings and attitudes. So, get ready for the season and remind yourself how much you offer others throughout the year. You make others feel wonderful. You listen to their complaints and concerns without judgment (well, most of the time) and they think of you as a pseudo-counselor. Go ahead and enjoy the gift.

After all, you wouldn’t want to deny someone else a little pleasure, would you? I didn’t think so.

Happy holidays.

Gear Up for the Holidays

As the fall weather moves in, people’s attention turns to gifts, wrap, and holiday parties. Lucky for us, we can help clients meet their needs in all three areas.

Now is the time to start thinking about your holiday nail art line-up. You should be assembling a display board of easy to complete, quick designs that can turn a plain manicure or enhancement into a fashion accessory in no time. Imagine adding $5 to every service ticket over the holiday season. That’s conservative. While you are at it, don’t forget about those party toes. With all of that holiday shopping and prepping comes fatigue. Add a quick foot massage to the menu to quickly recharge weary clients. Charge by the minute with increments as low as 5 minutes. This is a great way for our clients to sneak in some pampering. The first year I offered mini foot massages, I didn’t have enough time to accommodate everyone. Now the clients ask as soon as they walk in the door. Everyone loves a foot rub!

Okay, your client is seated in the chair enjoying their service and a cup of tea. What do they see as they look around? Create mini retail areas in their direct line of sight. Baskets of products, paired with gift certificates, testers, and literature will keep them interested. Impulse buying is at its height during the holidays. Start placing orders now and have plenty of lotions, oils, and bath and body products around.

Encourage clients to purchase a gift certificate for themselves. Offer a buy one, get one at a discount and you can busy up those post holiday downtimes. Imagine for every gift certificate that your client buys for one of her friends, she can purchase one for herself at 10% off! Tuck free gift certificates for paraffin dips into gift baskets to encourage the recipients to come in and partake of salon services.

When it’s time to tally up the purchases, don’t forget the wrap. Offer gift wrap or bag services and it will be one less thing your client has to think about. Gift bags are inexpensive and have a fairly high markup. It just makes the whole experience more polished.

Offer to deliver the purchases to the client’s car when the sale is final. If you plan to take care of them, the client will take care of you long after the holiday season has passed.

Value Added Services in the Salon or Spa

As conversations turn to economic woes and sudden uncertainty, the salon can hold enormous power in how they position services. Positioning services doesn't just pad the salon pockets, it helps the client get through tough times also.

So, what am I talking about? You think value added services is just about hyping the benefits of a service. Well, way off. Adding value gives clients another reason to choose us. Simple ways we add value are to absorb casts that the client would ordinarily have to pay for. Some of these costs are for things such as parking, snacks and beverages, trial sizes of products, use of additional facilities, or even the wonderful feeling they get when they leave.

For instance, try adding a simple complimentary coffee bar for clients. I hear clients complain that they are missing their favorite double grand latte because it just had to be cut from the budget. My clients come in and can partake of the grand Lavazza Coffee beverage center in the salon. They can have anything they want. Even take one for the road when they leave. I encourage it. Sure I have a tip center at the bar. The truth is that so far the tips have covered the entire cost of the coffee bar. You hear that? It pays for itself. But, there is more. The coffee bar gives a client a reason to rethink giving up her weekly manicure. 2 coffee drinks cost more than a manicure. In the client's mind, she is getting a deal. She gets to have her manicure and drink her coffee too.

I'm up front with my clients about my motives. I want to make the choice to come to my salon a easy one. Bored, just want to stop in and say "Hello"? I tell them to come on by. Stop, look around, have a cup of coffee. The increase in retail and appointments is worth every bit of effort. The coffee bar entices the clients to keep coming back for more.

So, what other ways do we add value to services. Be creative. Listen to what your clients say they are giving up in these hard times. Tucked into those dreaded budget cuts are opportunities for you to attract clients and keep them. Endear them by giving them back their standard of living.

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

It's a pleasure to meet you.
If you would like to chat or follow me online, just go to www.twitter.com/BeautyWriter and you find me tweeting away between appointments. You can also add me on facebook and myspace too. http://www.tinyurl.com/4cypjs or www.myspace.com/sandinmysuit
While you are at it, tuck away my name and and email address:
Erin Snyder Dixon iNails@hotmail.com
If you are in the beauty industry, I want to know you. If you just love anything to do with inside and outside beauty, I want to hear from you too!
My passion is uniting the professional beauty industry with the consumer in a way that lets us enjoy the pleasures in life. That means enjoying each other's company and taking the experience home.
Over time, I run into a lot of people who think that the spa experience is just out of their reach. It's surely not. Aside from the healing human touch, you can recreate the experience at home.
People will often say, "Doesn't hat hurt your spa and salon business?" and the resounding answer is "no".
The more people who learn how to destress in a healthy way, the better off we all are. Many of my clients were do-it-yourselfers for one reason or another. Busy Moms, workaholics who couldn't get out of the office, or men who thought they just didn't belong in the salons.
Well, I'm here to tell you- professionals and clients alike- that there is a big need out there. I would like to show you both how to find each other and get more out of that relationship over the years.
So, Don't be stranger. Email me, twitter me, or friend me on another space. If I'm not there, send me an invite to your network and I'll join in on the action.
Till I get to chat with you again, it's been fun,
Erin Snyder Dixon "BeautyWriter"
iNails@hotmail.com
BeautyJournalist@aol.com