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According to the beauty industry insights report from the Australian Industry and Skills Committee, the prospects for a salon business look good. The industry is growing steadily, and it’s predicted that it will continue to do so for some years.
This means opening a beauty salon is a good idea at the moment. However, you need to be prepared for several problems that you’re sure to face if you decide to jump in.
Opening a Beauty Salon: 4 Common Problems and Their Solutions
1. Constant Change in Trends
Few people realize how intense and fast-paced the beauty industry is. It has close connections to fashion and also runs on trends. In order to open a beauty salon that will succeed, you need to not only be aware of the current trends, but you also need to have a plan in place that will allow you to keep on top of all the changes so you can offer your customers the most popular treatments and styles.
To achieve this you should subscribe to all the most relevant news sources for the industry. Note that you need to follow both trends among celebrities and fashionistas as well as tech and scientific developments in the industry. You should also research schools and workshops where you can send your employees to learn about new techniques and keep their skills cutting-edge sharp.
2. Big Initial Investment
To run a successful salon these days, you’ll need to go for top quality when setting it up. The consumers of today enjoy and seek luxury experiences. Therefore, you should use leading brands that appeal to clients, such as Glammar for salon furniture. You also need to open a salon in a popular location with lots of traffic. This means a hefty initial investment.
In case you can’t secure a large business loan and lack another type of capital, you should reduce the size instead of quality. It’s essential that your setup is the best from the start, even if you can only service two customers at a time and have no room to fit a beautician’s office yet.
Start saving money right away because you’ll need to expand as soon as possible to keep the influx of clients growing.
3. Finding Good Employees
It’s very difficult to define ‘the best’ employee type for a beauty salon. On the one hand, hiring a renowned stylist can boost your salon’s profile right away. Such professionals come to you with their own clients already, so you get a small but loyal customer base from the start.
On the other hand, such professionals might be demanding, and an emerging businesses might not be able to afford them. You also don’t want to build your brand around a single name because if you part ways with this professional in the future, your business will suffer greatly.
However, hiring stylists who don’t have much experience is another kind of risk. You have to establish yourself as an excellent service provider from day one, so you have to be 100% confident in your staff.
The best way is to hire an experienced team with top-skills and reasonable expectations. Look for people who want to be a part of a new brand and will help you build up the business, instead of focusing on their personal clientele.
You also shouldn’t forget that a beauty salon has to employ more people than hair stylists, beauticians, and other beauty professionals. You’;ll also need an excellent manager who will be able to ensure that your team works smoothly.
4. Customer Retention
When opening a beauty salon, you’ll definitely focus on acquiring new clients first. However, you have to understand that this business runs on loyal customers instead of new customers. Therefore, you have to launch a customer retention plan from day one.
From the moment a new person enters your salon, you have to prioritize making them come back for more. Don’t wait around to offer loyalty discounts after ten consecutive visits. Instead, offer customers a discount on the second visit, and offer them a loyalty program membership on the third.
Keep things interesting by offering new services and small special treats, like a cup of coffee with a homemade cookie to enjoy while they’re waiting. People should see your salon as not only a place to get beautiful but also a place to relax and relieve some stress.