Fortunately, the salon industry is booming, and consumers are willing to pay for the latest styles. A recent study by Groupon found that women spend an average of
$3,756 a year enhancing their appearance with products and in salons, while men spend $2,928. Since it’s evident that patrons are willing to invest in their appearances, why not offer the latest and greatest treatments and styles at your salon?
In this post, we’ll list six trends you can implement that will help you stand out against the competition and earn more sales.
How to Implement Trends to Attract Customers to Your Salon:
1. Provide Online Scheduling
Many salon clients prefer scheduling appointments during non-business hours, which means you could be losing business if you don’t allow online booking. These patrons don’t have time to schedule appointments during the day and hold off until nighttime or weekends to book.
There are companies that specialize in salon booking software like
Square Appointments and
Flash Appointments and you can tailor your plan to fit your salon’s size and individual needs.
2. Offer Natural Beauty Treatments
A growing number of women are rejecting chemical-laden beauty products and opting for natural or organic products. This trend is only going to continue, and you could be missing out on revenue if you don’t offer an organic alternative.
3. Add a Selfie Station
Salon guests love posting selfies to their Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts after they get a haircut, manicure, or receive another type of glamorous beauty treatment. Many customers take photos in their car or bedroom, but they don’t always mention the stylist or salon. By having a selfie station at your salon, you’re capitalizing on that moment and getting free promotion. To get the most out of this, make sure to advertise your salon’s social media handles and hashtag, so that customers using the selfie station will tag your business and attract more customers!
4. Allow Multiple Payment Options
Offering multiple payment options to your guests is essential in providing them with a great experience. If you only accept cash or certain credit cards, you may lose guests who don’t have time to visit an ATM machine. Some salons are even taking
PayPal and
Venmo mobile payments, making it even more convenient for guests to pay.
While some salon owners prefer that their customers leave tips in cash, this could actually hurt your business. If patrons are low on cash, your stylists could get smaller tips than they otherwise would. Due to this, you might want to consider allowing patrons to leave tips on their credit card or have them Venmo your stylists directly.
5. Attract Male Clients
The men’s grooming market is currently thriving and is projected to reach nearly
$24 billion by 2020. In fact, 80 percent of male grooming products are sold in brick-and-mortar stores and many salons are attracting male clients by adding male-friendly design elements, products, and services. If you want to increase the male clientele at your salon, expand the reading materials in your waiting room to include magazines like
Sports Illustrated and
Men’s Health, and if you have TV’s, turn on a sports channel on at least one of them. There should also be unique services for men like neck-shaves and hair growth services, and a full selection of men’s beauty products including shampoo, shaving cream, and hair gel.
Still, it’s important to ensure that you don’t make your salon too male-centric, because you don’t want to deter female clients. Try using gender-neutral décor and graphics to keep it stylish. If you’re not sure about your color and design decisions, you can ask a focus group for feedback. This way, you won’t exclude any sector of your clientele!
6. Design a Mobile App
With
95 percent of Americans owning a mobile phone, mobile usage is becoming increasingly common. Your salon could benefit from a mobile app for online scheduling, easy access to your service list, and a library of styles for inspiration. For example,
Great Clips uses their mobile app to allow customers to check-in and see their wait time before getting to the salon. This saves their customers time and creates a better experience for their walk-in guests.
Conclusion
By implementing these trends, you’ll have a leg up on the competition, which will make your business more appealing to your clients. However, it’s important to note that the salon industry is ever-changing, so you must consistently conduct research to see what the latest trends are. In addition, we suggest subscribing to salon trade publications, so you can stay up-to-date on the latest industry news.