Owning a salon business can be as challenging as it can be rewarding. On the one hand, being a salon business owner can provide you with freedom and the ability to build wealth. On the other hand, being a salon business owner is also a huge responsibility filled with ups and downs. Either way, if you want to create a successful salon business, you need to be prepared to do the work. One very important aspect of owning a beauty salon is growing your business. This is because this is the best way to boost profits and establish a beauty brand with longevity. In this week’s episode of Huddletime with Ronit, we will find out what a salon industry expert, Chris Murphy, has to say about this topic. In particular, he will be giving us marketing tips on how to grow your salon business.
Huddletime Guest: Chris Murphy
For those who are yet unfamiliar, Chris Murphy is a seasoned salon business owner. He has been in the industry for over two decades. His salon maximum fx salon, is a staple in the Austin TX area. Although he has seen astronomical success in the salon industry, Chris already had a lucrative career before entering the industry. In particular, Chris was a senior financial analyst who worked for the likes of Dell, Ford Motor Credit, and many other Fortune 500 companies. As such, he has been able to leverage his experience to help him create a highly successful salon business. With the help of his expertise and the experience he received along the way, he has been able to help others do the same.
The Challenges of Salon Ownership
Despite the fact that Chris had an immense amount of experience before becoming a salon owner, he has also made his mistakes. As he puts it, he was, “Baptized by fire”. He admits that he endured a steep learning curve when he ventured into the salon industry. He had to learn that service-driven industries are vastly different from corporate America. This learning curve was littered with hurdles such as learning how to lead a team, developing systems, and more. Nevertheless, he also asserts that his previous experience made mastering these things much simpler. With that in mind, here are his tips for using marketing to grow your salon business.
3 Most Common Mistakes Leaders Make
Before we delve into the marketing tips for growing your salon business, Chris offered some insight into the common mistakes of salon owners. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many salon owners have had to assess and revamp various aspects of their business model. Nevertheless, since the pandemic is so unprecedented, most have made mistakes while doing so. According to Chris Murphy, many business owners make the following mistakes:
Overlooking your team
- Stylists and other members of your team are the lifeblood of your company. Therefore, salon owners should be doing their best to ensure their team members are feeling safe and secure. It is important to remember that your team may need reassurance during these uncertain times. However, given that these times have been anxiety-inducing, many salon owners have failed to do so.
Making the salon safe
- Moreover, Chris asserts that many salon owners fail to ensure their clients feel safe. Salon owners should be taking the time to create new safety precautions. However, this alone is not enough. Salon owners should also be adding these precautions to their marketing. Given that many people are fearful of visiting a salon during a pandemic, salon owners must send out a message to let them know their salon is safe. This can be one of the best methods of attracting existing and new customers.
Missed opportunities
- Lastly, Chris asserts that salon owners should be able to recognize the opportunities that are innate within disastrous times. Despite the fact that many aspects of this pandemic have been terrifying, there are many ways to leverage this negativity. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the types of services salons can offer. However, it also created opportunities to create new services that can provide your clients with a 5-star salon experience. For instance, Chris created color kits for his clients. This allowed his clients to be able to get the hair color they needed, even while the salons were closed down. If you have had to subtract certain services and amenities from your salon, you will need to be creative and replace them with other COVID-friendly services.
Marketing Tips on How to Grow Your Salon Business
Chris Murphy offered a list of salon marketing strategies that can help any salon owner take their business to the next level. Here is an overview of the most important tips:
Advertise new salon services
- One of the top methods of using marketing to grow your salon business is by advertising your new services. For instance, the services you are creating to replace the non-COVID-friendly services should become a selling point for your salon. Therefore, if you are now offering private salon sessions, this should be one of the main marketing points of your website and social media pages. Rather than focusing on what you are losing, you can move forward by focusing on the new things you will be offering.
Promote the most beneficial salon services
- Also, Chris asserts that it is important to promote existing services that are beneficial. For instance, anything that can help improve hair health, provide relaxation, etc., are all more marketable during stressful times. No matter how long you have been offering the service, you can rebrand and market these services by promoting the various benefits of using them.
Market research to boost your salon traffic
- Also, Chris asserts that salon business owners should be constantly conducting marketing research. The best way to do this is by asking the clients themselves. For instance, by giving your clients a survey at their appointment or even by sending them one online, you will be able to assess how well your salon is doing. This will also enable you to uncover the best ways to improve. For instance, if clients are complaining about the removal of older services, you can ask them what services they would like for you to offer in place of them. By asking your clients for this feedback, you will be able to improve your business based on direct feedback from those who are already patronizing your business.
Venture out to new ways of creating salon income
- Lastly, Chris asserts that salon owners should not be afraid to venture out. For instance, since many people wish to remain in their homes, now is an excellent time to build an eCommerce business. This can offer you to sell products that are directly related to the beauty industry, as well as those that can help your clients improve their lives overall.
The Bottom Line
Owning a salon business is a huge undertaking. Despite being a highly lucrative industry, it is also loaded with competition. Therefore, those who wish to remain successful over time must find the best methods of remaining competitive. Marketing is one of the best methods of doing this. While service and amenities play a major role in the success of a salon, you must be sure to market these services to continue to grow your salon business. Moreover, you must also take the time to uncover the new needs of your customers and leverage this feedback. In doing so, you can be sure that you are moving forward in a way that will allow your salon to be successful and continue to grow.
I you liked these marketing tips on how to grow your salon business, be sure to check out our Salon Email Marketing Strategies to Attract Clients.