How you can make your salon stand out.

When you own your own salon or work in one, your best way to make more money is to bring in more customers. But how can you make your salon stand out so you can rake in that extra income?

To make your salon stand out, create a brand and an image unique to your community, utilize social media often and on trend, cross promote with other local businesses, focus on the customer experience, find a service you can provide that others don’t, and continue your education.

 When you’re searching for ways to make your business stand out, you’re not going to want to use some sort of fad marketing or something that may go away in a week or two. Stick with the tried-and-true methods to increase your visibility in your community below.

1. Create a brand and an image unique to your community.

Depending on where you live and work, it may vary on how difficult it is to create your own image, but don’t fret! If you consider the mission statement in your business plan, you should be able to create what you want to display to your customers in no time. Create your brand through your name, social media pages and your website, and then make sure your image is cohesive with that brand. They go hand in hand—what your salon looks like and what you post should match how you want people to perceive your business. 

2. Utilize social media often and on trend

We all know that teens and young adults right now are on Instagram and TikTok, so how can you leverage that to increase your traffic into your salon? The first key is making sure you have a consistent presence. Getting on the social media apps isn’t going to be the end all solution for your salon—you need to post consistently with a similar message to your posts.

How do you do that? Make sure you’re posting at least three to four times a week on your chosen social media platforms. That being said, you should pick one or two to focus on—with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and all of the others in between, it’s hard to make a dent in their timelines or For You Pages if you’re scattered among too many social media apps. By picking one or two, you can put all your work into one app to get maximum views.

Along with that, you should be cross promoting across your platforms. If you post on one app, make sure you’re making your information accessible on the other while promoting your website on both.

3. Cross promote with other local businesses.

Customers love when you work with other businesses in the area—especially when it’s two or more businesses they frequent. It can be something as simple as including flyers for other businesses in your own business and providing marketing information to other businesses for them to share.

You could take it also a step further by working with another business to provide coupons or discounts to their customers. People love receiving discounts and frequently use them, but especially in smaller communities, people love seeing businesses work together. In this shop local-focused age, make it easier for people to choose your business by working with others. If you need help connecting or networking with those businesses in your community, contact your local chamber of commerce. They can help you set up that networking and help encourage cooperation between small businesses of any type, not just salons.

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4. Focus on the customer experience.

Your customers should always be your primary focus, so making sure they have a high-end customer experience can bring them back—and tell everyone about the experiences they had at your salon. You don’t have to have an expensive experience or even be in a larger community to make your salon appear high-end—there are several ways to do so.

The first thing to do to increase the prestige of your salon is making sure all your stylists, whether independent contractors renting a booth or your employees, have the highest education and talent. If you want to give your customers the best experience, you need to hire the best.

Your space should also be peaceful and quiet, along with staying within a certain aesthetic. While you don’t have to have an expensive, modern looking salon to create a great experience, it should be welcoming and calming.

You should also be using the best equipment and inventory. People expect the best and when you provide that, it will make your salon stand out.

How Do I Attract More Customers to My Salon?

5. Find a service you can provide that others don’t.

Especially if you are in a community with a high number of salons, try providing a service that’s unique. Whether it’s opening up your salon to other services like spa services, aromatherapy, or nail services, adding on those possibilities can not only make you a one stop shop, but gives you a unique leg up on other businesses around you.

This also requires some research, so make sure you visit other competitors in your area to see what they’re doing. What can they provide that you aren’t? Are there things you can do better?

Consider looking further into more add-on services, like flat ironing or curling. You can also consider waxing unwanted hair or lash extensions. Nail services, massage therapy, and aromatherapy are all great matches to your hair salon and don’t require much shifting in your salon’s business plan to include.

 

6. Continue your education

If you’re finding that your stylists aren’t up to par or you don’t know what service you can additionally provide, it’s time to look into furthering your education. Whether it’s personally going to school to add to your resume or helping one of your stylists do so, you can leverage that new knowledge into creating better experiences for your customers.

If you’re looking to add additional services, make sure you have someone on staff that can provide them, like a nail tech or spa tech. Education goes hand in hand with providing additional services, so make sure they are fully licensed before you open that part of your salon to customers.

Whether you’re focusing on social media or bulking up your customer experience, make sure you give 100 percent. The only way you’re going to stand out is by catching the attention of current and potential customers, and you cannot do that if you’re not putting in your all—and don’t think you have to do every single option on this list. Like choosing a social media app or two, find what you think will work best in your community and your salon and stick with it. People want consistency—if you change too much, it may turn people away. Make sure your services are your priority, and the attention will follow.

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Related Questions

What is the best software to run a salon business?

There are many options on the market for salons in terms of software, but if you’re looking for the best overall software, consider Square Appointments. For something that is an all-in-one program, try Vagaro. For something that’s Cloud-based, Zenoti is a fantastic choice, while Fresha allows for a cheaper option by staying subscription free, but charging per customer. If you’re just looking for a scheduler, try Acuity Scheduling.

How can I boost sales in my hair salon?

There are several tried-and-true ways to increase your sales, including raising booth rental spaces or rental cost, increase employee commission rates, and increasing marketing. You can also sell more retail items in your salon, along with building better relationships within your community and with your clients. While an expensive upfront cost, you can also provide more services through your salon.

 

Looking to start your own Salon? Get the documents you need to get organized and funded here.

Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.