Running A Salon

Many cosmetology students attend school with the idea of ultimately running or owning their own salon one day but some just start out wanting to be hairstylists and then find dow the road that they really might enjoy having their own salon and being in charge of a facility that way. Others find that they want to manage salons or even own or manage a spa or a beauty resort. Whatever you decide to do there are many many aspects to running your own salon and though it can be a lot of fun it certainly isn’t very easy - especially if you’re a young cosmetologist just getting started.

When you first begin you’ll want to make sure you have enough in the way of investors to get your spa or salon off the ground. Buildings are very expensive and you want your spa to have a prime location or to make sure that your salon is in an area with a lot of foot traffic. You also have to factor in things like the deposits on rent and utilities as well as the costs of any fixing the place might need, fitting the plumbing and so forth into it, as well as decorating and styling that you may want done. On top of all of that you have to buy equipment and that doesn't even begin to calculate the cost of having a staff on hand. You’ll also need some basic administrative equipment as well like computers, phones, fax machines, and so forth and you’ll want to look into the cost of a website too.

The key thing when it comes to having a successful salon or spa business is customer service. The best way to retain clients and to get new ones is to have an outstanding level of customer service - so much so that they’ll leave satisfied and happy every single time they come to visit you. You want to go above and beyond when it comes to clients and if you do so they will recommend you and your staff to their friends and family and you will generate a lot of organic referrals this way without having to spend any money on marketing. You also want to make sure that your salon is beautiful, well decorated, with current styles and trends and that it provides a comfortable, relaxing, safe atmosphere for clients. Make sure counters and floors are always clean, that soft relaxing music is playing, that drinks are available for clients that want them and that there are plenty of magazines or coffee table books set out for reading during any wait times. Spas should be quiet with no loud phones ringing, and relaxing without people running about, rushing to do things. You also want to make sure that all equipment is freshly washed and sanitized and that there are clean towels and other accessories available for client use at all times.

It’s also important that you market you salon as well as have competitive pricing. Retaining customers isn’t enough if you want your business to grow and expand to be able to compete with other salons and maintain good profits. You’ll want to make sure that you have a nice quality logo and style guide for your salon is because it’s a very important element of branding your salon's image in the public mind. Do you have a quality logo that represents the level of professionalism offered by your salon or spa? Does your color scheme invoke the correct type of visceral response in potential customer's minds or does it make you seem inexperience and unprofessional? You also need a slog that defines the qualities your business wants to exemplify and that set it apart from the competition. Make sure the signage on your building is attractive and try to imagine what customers see when they walk or drive by your location. Do you blend in with other shops or do you stand out and really catch the eyes of your customers, making them want to come in and pay you a visit. It’s a good plan to use regular marketing methods to advertise your salon as well by doing things like getting a phonebook or yellow page listing, putting some advertising on the radio or tv and trying some direct mail advertising as well to bring in potential clients. Consider partnering with a day spa, a massage center, or other similar places that can refer business back and forth to you. You may also want to try getting more creative and doing things like sponsoring a charity organization, donating to high profile centers, having an incentive program for customer that refer friends or family and coming up with coupons or specials that your clients can take advantage of.

The very most important thing you can do is have a helpful and reliable staff working in your salon because they are ultimately the reason that people will come in to visit you. Your customers may like the decor, the chairs, and the music but they’re their first and foremost because they like the way one of the stylists does their hair. If it wasn’t for that stylist they wouldn’t be coming in to get their hair or nails done. So make sure that you conduct lots of interviews and only hire the very top applicants. Make sure to look online and to visit local cosmetology schools or beauty academies. Ask the teachers there who the top students are and get in touch with them, asking them to come in and demonstrate their skills. Make sure you are always on the look for rising new talent and invest in your employees by making certain that they keep up their training and stay fresh with the newest trends and styles.

If you follow the tips above you’ll be able to run and manage your own salon or spa successful and with fewer road blocks or bumps than you’d be able to otherwise. Be sure to stay informed and keep trying new things!