Hair Salon Goals And Objectives (And How To Set Them Effectively)

As a business owner, you have to have goals and objectives that help you to keep your business growing and flourishing in the right direction. A hair salon is no different. Establishing the right goals and objectives for your styling salon can take your business from the bottom tier to the most sought-after hair salon in your area.

To set and achieve goals and objectives for your hair salon: First, ensure that the goals and objectives you set are specific, quantifiable, attainable, relevant to your specific needs, and have a set timeframe for completion. Secondly, write out your objectives and goals. Third, actively track your progress in real-time. Finally, acknowledge successful completion of set goals and reward accordingly.

If setting your styling salon up for success with the proper goals and objectives is something you wish to achieve, then this article has been designed with you in mind!

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What’s the difference between goals and objectives?

Goals specifically cite what direction you want to take your styling salon and the steps (objectives) you will have to take to get there.

Objectives are individual targets to reach that will ultimately result in the fruition of your hair salon goals.

Hair salon goals are generalized and typically described with words, for instance, to increase profits. Whereas objectives are geared more towards specific dates or numbers, like setting the objective to have four new clients per month (which would increase overall profits).

Having set goals and objectives can help your styling salon to reach its full potential and aid you in building the hair empire you have always dreamed of.

How do I set goals for my salon?

First and foremost, you have to be S.M.A.R.T.!

SMART is a system created by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson that aids you in developing attainable goals. The acronym stands for:

Specific: Set precise, clear goals and objectives. Being specific in your goals will aid you in choosing how to focus your efforts and resources. Instead of making broad statements like “I want more clients in the chairs of my salon” and leaving it at that. Set an objective with a number, like “I want five new clients a month”. Achieving your objectives will result in reaching your ultimate goal.
Measurable: You cannot track your progress if you have no way to measure it. Be specific in the amounts and numbers you wish for you and your team to reach. In doing so, you will have a sure-fire way to know that your efforts are yielding results.
Attainable: Although it is important to rise above your personal and professional expectations for your styling salon, you have to do it in such a way that you aren’t setting yourself up for inevitable failure. Goals and objectives should motivate you and your styling team, not tear you down. For instance, you cannot justly expect to earn $3,500 per week when you barely earned that in a full month. Instead of setting yourself up for failure, set objectives that will ultimately allow you to achieve that goal. You could easily set an attainable objective for yourself of increasing your overall profit by 10% a week. Once reached, you can increase your objective until your overall goal is met.
Relevant: Set objectives and goals that align with the philosophy and values of your styling salon. If the goals you are setting do not matter to you, your staff, or your business, there will be no motivation to reach them.
Time-bound: Set realistic timeframes for objectives and goals. Without deadlines, you will have no sense of urgency to reach your goals.

I’m S.M.A.R.T., now what?

Write your goals down! It has been scientifically proven that people who physically write their goals down are more likely to accomplish those goals than individuals who do not. The act of putting your goals and objectives on paper makes them feel more solid, more real and will allow for you and your staff to hold yourselves accountable to those goals. Post the goals and objectives for your hair salon in an area where you and your team can regularly see them.

Take notes and track progress! There is absolutely no point in setting goals and objectives if you aren’t going to keep track of the progress your salon is making. Tracking progress allows for you and your team to monitor what is working and what isn’t. Keeping note of goal progression is also a handy tool you can use to evaluate the performance of yourself and your salon staff.

Celebrate! Did you or a member of your styling team hit a major objective? Acknowledge it and give a proper reward. It’s much easier to stay on the path of your goals when you know that you have something great to look forward to. There’s nothing quite as motivating as a reward!

What are some S.M.A.R.T. goals I can have for my salon?

Increase profits: Any salon owner in their right mind is going to have to make a profit as a goal. You’d be a loon if that weren’t your endgame. How you get there, however, can make a difference.
- You’ll need to set specific and attainable objectives like:
  - Increasing overall profit by X% each month
  - Securing X number of new clients per month
  - Decreasing expenses by shopping your options and using different suppliers
  - Increasing retail sales by X dollars per week

If you notice, your objectives should have specific, time-sensitive meters that you can track and, in turn, the reward for reaching.

Employee retention: Turnover in your salon chairs can break a styling salon. You want to keep those great stylists that make your salon the wonderful place it is.
- Objectives you can set, as a business owner, are:
  - Rewarding positively when employees attain set targets
  - Setting regular meetings to air any grievances stylists may have
  - Special seminars and continuing education training for staff

Client retention: As a salon owner, you know that clients are your literal bread and butter. Every hair salon wants to be so great in the services they offer, that clients return time and time.
- Objectives you can set to ensure client preservation:
  - Ensuring your stylists are conducting a full consultation at every visit
  - Repeat client discounts for goods or services
  - Referral programs
  - Enlist and listen to client feedback (you can’t fix something if you don’t know it’s broken)

Offering the best customer service in your market: You know that one unhappy customer can ruin a hair salon. No, it isn’t possible to please every person that graces your doors, but you can aim to please the vast majority.
- A few objectives you can set to clinch the title of best customer service are:
  - Reducing customer complaints by X per month
  - Promising to resolve complaints or issues in X amount of days

Growing your business: The goal of just about any business owner is to achieve growth and have a deeper reach to gain and retain more clients.
- A few objectives that can aid you in reaching optimum growth are:
  - Retaining X number of employees per year (reduce turnover)
  - Aim to open X number of new chairs in your current location by X date
  - Set an expansion goal in either service offered or retail products carried to be met by X date

Check out more tips and tricks HERE.

What happens if I or my staff don’t reach set objectives?

As with all service industries, the business of beauty and hair has its mountains and valleys, highs and lows. Oftentimes, it can be as unpredictable as the weather. There will be times when targets just cannot be met, but don’t lose all hope. As long as you and your team can look at the missed objectives and create a strategy to overcome the obstacles, your hair salon will continue to flourish.

Missing set objectives should only become an issue if it begins to be a constant struggle. In that case, you need to sit down and re-evaluate your targets and their subsequent goals.

A huge part of being a salon owner is being able to adopt the mantra of the United States Marines and “Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome”.

You’ve got this!

Owning and operating your hair salon can be a very rewarding and fun career path. Giving people a reason to feel better about themselves is a great way to turn your passion into a paycheck. While setting objectives, targets, and goals for your styling salon may seem scary, it is a vital part of having a successful salon. Objectives and goals are how you and your styling team can stay on the path of creating a lasting, successful business.