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We normally associate the phase Stop, Drop, and Roll with being on fire. In this case, it reflects not being on fire but wanting that fire back.
We have all heard the phrase "three steps forward and one step back". Michael Hall ( a mentor of mine and many) told me to look at challenges and adversity more like two steps forward and one step back….. The one step back is necessary in order to spring and attack with all of our force. The mighty lion does this and is using the same force to spring forward regardless of his prey. So let's take that step back and pounce with all of our might. Please remember any thought or idea you may read from here or anywhere begins with you and how you are going to pounce. Get your mind in the positive and remember its up to you to succeed or fail, no one else. So lets Stop, Drop, and Rock n' Roll!
We all need to stop and figure out what are we going to do to generate the money we need to continue living in the lifestyle we have become accustom to.
Yelp , Citysearch, Facebook, Twitter, etc……. More than ever, the issue of trust is critical and nothing boosts business in a bad economy like the trust generated by client testimonials. I know its a drag asking people to tell others how great you do hair is. The Internet aids us so very much in this regard. No more paper questionnaires asking how did we do today? How was the service? Now it's on Yelp, City Search, Twitter or FaceBook. Tell them that you would consider it a personal favor if they would let prospective clients know about exceptional service they have received. If you are really savvy, you can have yelp or city search ready by your station and have them write out a shout out to you as you are gathering their products or even while their color is processing, if you have seen them before. One of the salons I worked at in the past had a computer set up in the waiting /retail area just for this reason. The more great reviews you get, the more new clients walk in saying I read about you on yelp!
We all know who Tabitha Coffey is now. Tabitha says, "There is strength in numbers." Go get those bridal parties where there are large populations of women planning their weddings and do some bridal bonding! "One of the best ways to promote your salon is to hook up with your local bridal shop," says Tabatha. Drop off business cards, a book of images and a service menu. Create a "look book" for brides to peruse. And don't just limit yourself to the bridal shops. Chat it up with local florists, caterers and bakeries and use materials from these vendors to create a bridal resource center in your salon.
Have you approached neighboring merchants with the same quality of the salon/spa you work in to cross promote your business with yours to boost business? Cross promoting opportunities are endless.
Promotions can aid in the survival of your salon business but how often have you realized that a "major opportunity" holiday is just a few days away and you're not prepared?
If you haven't already done so, sit down with your staff today and plan out the entire year's worth of promotions. Consider the "big ones" like Mother's Day and prom season. Brainstorm ideas for unique services and specials (purchase a Mother's Day gift certificate and get a free Designer hairbrush.). Then put together a complete to-do list so you'll be prepared for every occasion!
 Invite your clients to a styling party at your salon and let them know it's OK to bring a guest. Serve refreshments and use the opportunity to give each client a lesson on how to use their blow dryers, flat irons and curling irons to create gorgeous party styles at home. Have plenty of retail stock on hand, including the latest thermal tools to replace those worn out and/or strand-damaging items. Be prepared to book all of these ladies for the days and weeks ahead! Now maybe you are doing what you need to educate your clients as you do their hair. That's okay you can still have this event to educate them in how to work the curling iron or flat iron differently than they normally do.
Now we have gone over the STOP portion. Stop BEFORE you continue on the same path Stop and think about the business and what you personally need to be successful. Time to DROP!
If your salon will allow you and some stylists you work with to throw an event to drum up some business then do it! Now I know we ALL already do this right. Wink ,wink but in case you haven't done the best job in educating your ever so valuable clients how to style their hair with the products and tools we use in the salon. Here is the STOP & Some DROP………
DROP IT LIKE ITS HOT...
The average salon makes about 5% profit on services and a whopping 28-40% on retail! There's little to no other investment in the world that produces that kind of return. Some easy ideas to increase retail: mention the product at the backbar, hand the product to the client, give a testimonial ("my wife loves this product-it really prevents her hair from getting too frizzy") , offer up-selling options and place the products in the client's hand before she leaves.
Here's the big ol swap idea: if retail sales are sluggish, you know they could be better right? Some years ago, a salon I managed had dismal retail sales. I got to the salon early and switched out all backbar products from our professional lines to Suave, Head & Shoulders, and Herbal Essence. When the first stylists of the day took their client back to shampoo, they went nuts. I explained with our current retail sales, these were the products our clients must be buying because we sure weren't selling them anything. After the initial shock, I returned their usual products retail was pretty darn good that month.
If you can't or don't want to do something that dramatic, then this big ol swap idea is the winner. Tell your clients to bring in gently used hair products, either professional or drugstore items - which sometimes are the same - and give them a discount on any new product of their choice. This is a great way to introduce your clients to your brands of products that will perform better and it will encourage them to commit to an entire regimen. Offer this deal when they're in your chair-and point out that this is a great way to try something better.
TIME TO ROCK 'N ROLL...
Looking for ways to boost your color revenues? Consider this: people love exclusivity. Limited-edition handbags. Chef specials at a restaurant are limited, so why not add the "hard to get" factor to hair color? It's a fabulous idea to include 'signature' color patterns in a look-book or salon web-site. The concept grabs a client's attention much like the phrase, "only from Tiffany's" There are four distinct looks and all colorists know how to do them perfectly. Remember, both Target and Louis Vuitton sells handbags, and both handbags can hold your money, keys and other items, but everyone wants Louis' 200% more. Which one makes the statement you want? Make your color be the Louis Vuitton of color!
 Read your clients to retain them. When your client sits down with shoulder length hair, she will often say she's thinking about cutting it all off. This is especially common if she is a first time client. Don't do it until you find out what is really going on in her head. It's could be a spur-of-the-moment decision, and one that she may regret. Conduct a consultation and demonstrate exactly how much hair the client will lose, and then recommend a color change instead.
A lot of the time short hair may not work depending on hair type texture and mostly on her face shape. Remember you want to bring out her best features and diminish the flawed ones. She'll get the dramatic makeover that she wants without enduring any huge regret and you get a new color client that you will keep. Believe me early in my career I would love to take long hair to short. The maintenance alone would force them to see me more, I would reckon. Truthfully, if she wakes up the next morning with short hair she really didn't want and she is unsure how to style her new short hair, its bye bye client. On top of that, she probably told everybody how I forced her to cut off all of her beautiful hair! That adds up to a loss of even more potential clients. What a disaster. If you do not jump at the chance to cut all her hair off at the first opportunity and give her time to see the real beauty of her longer hair, your chance to cut it off will come. If she has thought it over and still wants to lose her length the next time she's in your chair, go ahead and cut away!
Pre-Book or Bust Do you pre-book your clients? If you book 300 clients every 8 weeks at $50 a ticket, you would see them 6 times a year and bring in $90,000 a year. If you pre-book them to come in every 5 weeks, you would see them 10 times a year, thus increasing your take in to $150,000 a year! That's a whopping $60,000 difference! Could you use $60,000 more? Yeah, me neither.
These are just a few of the ideas you could use in your salon and in your personal business to increase your sales, bolster your creativity and begin Rockin' n' Rollin' your way to happiness and financial success.
Copyright 2011 Andy Sible
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