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Top
Tips on how to sell more products
Welcome
to Salon Top Tips. Here we have some top tips
that are business focused and offer advice on
what salons can do to improve their bottom lines.
So sit back and read on...
 INAA Scottish Hair & Beauty Awards
At the end of May, we held our annual Scottish Hair & Beauty Awards at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow. Now in its third year, the awards is run by myself and business partner, Ruthanne of I Need An Appointment, a hair and beauty portal providing appointments in hair and beauty salons in Scotland.
We decided to create the Scottish Hair & Beauty Awards as there are salons out there doing amazing work that don’t get deserved recognition for their efforts. We wanted to give them a voice and a showcasing opportunity. It provides a super platform for salons to be recognised for their excellence, flair, style and dedication to their art. By taking part, salons can help grow their business and achieve well-deserved acclaim.
The awards are open to anyone working in the sector and are representative of all those working in – hair, beauty or specialist services within Scotland. From hairdressers to therapists to managers to owners, who have made an impact in their own unique way, whether it is by customer service excellence, training, innovation or style.
Deborah Clark of Deborah’s Beauty In the City won at our first ever awards ceremony and won again this year she comments on the benefits on achieving an INAA Scottish Hair & Beauty Award ‘I really believe that winning an INAA award has helped my business gain recognition and appreciation of the level of care that I and my team provide to clients. These awards help raise standards and provide ambition especially to the younger therapists to complete at the highest level in our industry. It is something we look forward to each year.’
This year we have been overwhelmed by the increase in entry numbers. Each year we push forward to grow and develop the awards so that the salons and individuals can be recognised for all the hard work they put in. We have also seen an increase in public voting, which proves there is a real demand for the awards. It allows customers to have a say and vote for their hair or beauty confidant and it is also a great way for hairdressers to engage on the evening not just from Glasgow but also right up to the Highlands and Islands
We have had many iconic hairdressers attend the event; Rita Rusk, was our first Icon. Many young hairdressers were unaware of the huge contribution she made at the global level including having a set of scissors she designed entered into the V&A; in London. Trevor Sorbie MBE has also picked up the Icon award last year commented “ I attended the INAA Scottish Hair & Beauty Awards last year where I was honoured to be recognised for my work and privileged to accept the acclaimed Icon award. It is a fantastic evening, where salons all across Scotland are recognised for their excellence. I was truly inspired by the latent coming out of Scotland in this industry.
This year, we had fellow Scot, Charlie Miller OBE receiving the Icon award for his commitment to hairdressing and stated in his speech that he had never taken anything for granted and asked all the finalists from the evening to give themselves a round of applause for their continued dedication to the industry, He concluded by passing on some wise words, “ Have a small head, but a big heart.”
Joanne Reid – Managing Director of inaa.com 14/06/2013 |
 Accept Card Payments Affordably
How Can Independent Stylists & Small Salons Accept Card Payments Affordably? Getting paid has been a longstanding bugbear for many hairdressers & beauticians - especially when for independent freelancersing and visiting customers’ homes. Clients don’t always have cash on them, cheques are used less-and-less used and due to be phased out in a few years, and how many times has a client promised to make a bank transfer and forgotten unless repeatedly reminded by follow-up calls & and emails? Having the ability to accept cards would be the natural solution for most most small salons or independent stylists -- but traditional card machines are just too bulky and cumbersome to carry about, as well as being expensive, with costly long-term contracts and high fixed fees.
UKHairdressers.com is pleased to announce that is has found a solution - that it and has agreed an exclusive discount for all readers for a new mobile, low-cost hip and pin machine from Payleven.
The intelligent technology works through a small, pocket-sized Chip & PIN reader which connects via Bluetooth to an App on either your Apple or Android Smartphone / Tablet. This converts your Phone or Tabletsmartphone./ tablet into a fully mobile debit & and credit card Chip & PIN solution, with the same stringent security standards as a traditional card terminal, but at a fraction of the cost.
It is truly mobile and will let you take payments anywhere with a mobile data connection (3G/ EDGE or Wi-Fi).
Unlike traditional card machines, Payleven is 100% pay-as-you-go with no contractual obligations or minimum monthly fees/turnover requirements. Payleven simply charges a flat 2.75% fee on all transactions. Signing up is easy -- it simply takes 5 minutes to complete an online form, with no paperwork and no merchant account is required.
By using your smartphone/tablet, Payleven’s technology also offers greater functionality. It is truly mobile and will let you take payments anywhere with a mobile data connection (3G or EDGE), easily download your transactions off the web to do your accounts, and quickly send email receipts to the customer. The chip and pin device’s battery life lasts for up to 10 days and is easily recharged on the go with the Micro USB charger. It also provides full end-to-end data encryption with EMV Level 2 and PCI 3.1 compliance, the very latest in card payment security standards.
Payleven has already been causing a lot of excitement among both stylists and small businesses generally. It is exclusively stocked in Apple Stores across the UK, as well as being the recommended payment solution of both the British Association of Beauticians (BABTAC) and the FHBF (Freelance Hair and Beauty Federation).
Stylists already using Payleven all praise the benefits of the solution. For example Kathryn, owner of mobile beauty franchise Flutter eyes, says:
“Payleven is really easy to use, I simply access the App, key in the amount and pass the device to my client. Payleven is great because it gives my clients the opportunity to pay on card, and it’ is so simple and easy to use, and the device is small and portable and looks so professional”
All salons now need to be able to take card payments, as last year for the first time debit card spending was greater than cash spending in the economy, showing that consumers increasingly expect to be able to pay by card. Furthermore a survey of businesses that have started accepting card payments, shows that on average they manage to increase sales by up to 15%. Accepting cards also helps small businesses manage their cash flow. On average small businesses spends an average of 10hrs a month chasing payments and visiting the bank to cash in checkques and deposit cash, and 5% of services which are not paid for on the spot never get paid. Combining the lost time and unpaid bills, not being able to accept cards can cost the average salon or stylist up to several thousands of pounds each year in lost earnings.
To get your Payleven device, simply purchase it from your nearest Apple Store or order online at www.payleven.co.uk
Exclusive Introductory UK Hairdressers Offer SAVE £20 RRP £89+ VAT, UK Hairdressers Promo £69+VAT Sign up using promo Code UKHAIR
OFFER VALID FOR 2 WEEKS ONLY (Closes 12th June 2013)
29/05/2013 |
 Unleashing Salon Potential
“Unleashing Salon Potential”
So, why do Clients change their salon, and what do they look for when choosing a new one?
Facts:-
28% of Clients are thinking of changing their salon
80% of Clients say they want to change as their current salon (stylist) never suggests anything new
72% of Clients are salon recommended by a friend
Clearly from these statistics we need to address how we look after our Clients
1. We need to reduce the number of Clients leaving us
2. How we can ensure retaining new ones
Keeping Clients…
Within hairdressing, we need to make sure we are up-to-date with the latest fashion trends, and have the in-house expertise to create new looks - remember clients expect that anyway!
In my opinion, the answer lies with good communication and staff attitude.
Let me explain…It is a commonality within most salons that the stylist who is the most talented hairdresser, isn’t always the busiest. The busiest stylist tends to be a good hairdresser who has the right attitude and communication skills.
Customer service:
I visit hundreds of salons annually, observing staff interacting with Clients; watching how they conduct consultations, and in my opinion nearly all of them could do better!
For example, a first time client visits a salon, and is seated for styling consultation. The stylist introduces themselves and will usually say something like “So, what are we doing today”? or “how do you normally have your hair”?
We have already said that 80% of Clients change their salon because nothing new is ever suggested / discussed, and clearly here we are doing just that by not suggesting anything new.
My advice would be, following introductions say something like…
so, “Do you have any ideas? or are you open to suggestions”?
This allows the Client the opportunity to discuss their ideas, or show you a picture. However, you will find most Clients will say something like “I’m not sure, so what would you do? This is then your opening to be creative and not just to talk haircut - but colour, style, support, treatments and any other services you think may be Client beneficial.
Existing Clients: At each visit, you should always conduct a consultation, saying things like...
“How’s your hair been? or Do you fancy a change”?
If you don’t, there is a good chance that you will at some stage lose them as a Client. You should never take a Client for granted as it could be costly, not just the Client spend but potentially other clientele such as family/friends who regularly visit your salon.
Most salons from my experience do not have a dedicated customer service system in place, and therefore are not retaining as many Clients as they could. Therefore using a proven system will certainly increase Client spend, retain Clients and make our jobs more exciting and profitable.
The Reverend Kevina (Salon Developement Training)
Kevin Hamm
Salon Development Training
www.sdtraining.co.uk
email: kevinhamm00@gmail.co.uk
Tel: 07533 004956
24/05/2013 |
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