Salon Top Tips

Creating a consistent, memorable and lasting brand is essential to attracting clientele, creating customer loyalty, and standing out from your competitors. However, establishing a brand is about so much more than deciding on a name and designing a logo.

First and foremost, you need to identify the qualities, values, experiences and standards you want your clients to expect from your business. Before you can meet these standards and offer these experiences you have to be clear on what they are. Branding goes beyond your name, your logo, your product or service. Every part of your business builds your brand – from your staff and your business partnerships to your geographical location and social media activity – and sends out a message, so deciding what this message is, is crucial.

Once you’ve determined the image you wish to portray, aim to keep your message consistent. Think about every element of your business and make sure the message you portray is the same. When we developed our 360 Salon concept, this was our greatest concern. 360 Salon business packages give select salons the chance to be fully partnered with the Kebelo brand. Every element of business is covered and fits the Kebelo model, including marketing, business development and retail. Kebelo covers 360 degrees of a 360 Salon’s service and retail business.

However you position yourself in your market, it’s crucial that you stand out from competitors. This means going over and above what other businesses are offering in your local area. In an industry where clients are inundated with choice, you need to offer something unexpected or something that others can’t or don’t. Partner with a haircare brand that’s not available elsewhere, or send your staff to train at prestigious academies. Offer clients a complimentary head massage or glass of champagne with their blow-dry. Great or small, it’s these points of difference that will result in clients choosing you over your competitor.

Make your clients feel good and you’ll tick that standout box too. If a client has to choose between two hair salons offering the exact same services at the exact same price, they’ll choose the one with a better client experience. Clients want to feel special, so treat them as an individual, listen to their needs, remember their preferences and always tailor a service to their needs. Client consultation cards are a key part of making sure you understand and stay on top of what your clients want.

Reward client loyalty: this is a huge part of making your clients feel special. Run loyalty schemes, with special offers for regular clients. Make a note of birthdays and send out Christmas cards with special offers. Don’t just get hung up on the big stuff: remember it’s often the little things – like remembering how a client likes their coffee – that can make a huge difference to a client’s overall salon experience.

Whatever your point of difference – whether it is your award-winning staff or your impressive retail line – make sure you let everyone know about it. Make full use of promotional materials to let everyone know and exploit social media, which is a quick and effective promotional tool.

To gain respect in the industry, enter trusted awards. In an over-saturated market, winning awards distinguishes you from competitors. Additionally, awards can generate press coverage in local and national news and in trade publications. Make relevant media outlets aware of your competition success and show off your press coverage in salon and across all of your salon’s social media channels. Award wins also boost team morale, encourage high standards among your staff, and this, in turn, has a positive effect on business.

Develop a distinctive visual brand. This must reflect your overall identity. If necessary, seek professional help from designers and then apply this to all visual elements of your brand: from packaging and visual merchandising to signage and your website. Consider legal protection for your visual branding, any logos or distinct slogans.

It’s also important to evolve. To be a lasting brand, as well as a consistent one, you must adapt over time. Nothing in life is stagnant: economies change, clients’ needs change and fashions change, so your business should evolve with these. There are several ways of developing your brand: keep staff up to date with training; stay on top of trends, new retails lines and new techniques; and over time, consider expansion.

Don’t build false hope. If the promises you make to clients and the messages you send out about your brand aren’t met in reality, customers won’t return. Make sure you can live up to the expectations you build, before building them.

Finally, remember everything you do is linked to your brand – right down to the images you post on Instagram and the way your staff dress. It’s often these finer details that are forgotten about, but these are the things that will set your brand apart from your competitors, and that will truly reinforce a consistent brand message.

8/10/2016