Archive for the Community Category
Posted on March 11, 2010 with No Comments
Get the short look you want!
Are you looking for versatile styles for your short hair? First you have to have a good short hair cut that has the right proportions and includes all the basic elements of balance, line and movement. The cut should be manageable and the hair should look great in its natural form even before it is styled.
Selecting the best hair style for short hair is part technique and part art. You can easily change your look according to your whim, with the aid of today’s amazing styling tools and products. You can choose from layered styles, shag, bob, curly styles and bangs, among the many options of short hairstyles.
Why Classic Short Hair Styles Are So Great
As in all fashion styles, hairstyle trends come and go. But if you choose a simple bob or pixie cut or the timeless shag, you’re sure you’d never look outdated. These classic hairstyles look gorgeous no matter if you’re young or old; they can even make you look younger.
Another good news is classic styles can easily go hand in hand with modern hairstyles, from super short and sexy to angled and edgy.
Here are some of the best classic-modern combination hairstyles for short hair to consider:
Asymmetrical or Layered Bob
If you want a classic hair style with a twist try going for asymmetrical or layered bob. This hairstyle is a statement of independence and uniqueness and will surely get you noticed. Some may go for the subtle, while others go for the extreme. You can have one side of your bob drastically longer and cut to a different angle than the other or you may choose an inverted bob that’s longer in the front than the back.
Side-swept bangs that are longer than the back is a nice touch, too. For added effects, you may place streaks of color to accentuate the cut and style.
Wavy Pixie Crop
If you want a flirty hairstyle that would look fantastic with your wavy hair, then pixie hair is the answer. A modern variation of this is the messy crop with spiked, wavy top that’s easy to style. Cut hair along the sides as well as the back around two or three inches long with light layering and taper the trim following the head shape.
The crown hair should not exceed below eye-length, also with light layering. This style looks best with the ends of each curl sticking out lightly. Spread a tiny bit of styling gel at the tips to enhance the curls. Add root lifter to your roots for volume and push the bangs upward with a styling gel.
Wild Choppy Short Hairstyle
This is a blend of classic diva style with a modern twist, which is all about layers and textures. The short hairstyle is layered all over and you can make the bangs come to life with highlights and fun, frizzy fringes around the face. Since this hairstyle is designed to be worn messy, it is great for women who don’t have much time fussing over their hair in the morning.
Tousling and volumizing are the only two biggest techniques you need to make the hairstyle work. One of the most versatile styles for short hair, you can wear it tame, in a sophisticated way or on the wild side with some styling gel kneaded through while the hair is semi dry.
So if you’re looking for the best hair styles for short hair to make your morning routine to go a little faster, try the many variations of classic and modern combinations for a snazzy look that won’t take forever to do.
And while you’re at it, here’s one good advice that women with short hair do have to heed: Invest in a blow dryer and some hair styling products such as gel and hair spray.
Posted on January 19, 2010 with No Comments
Though business had its usual “kicker” around the holidays, our contacts in the idustry continue to report business is down approximately 30-50% over levels in 2007. This of course is function of location, clientele, and perceived quality by the surrounding community, but it is still a very low number.
Making Salon Business Better
All of us have been fighting to increase business, traffic flow, product sales and client retention. Through-out this blog, I have written a number of posts on ideas that are worth considering. Take a look around and you might find something that will work well for you – or you might find several ideas that, when used in conjunction, can bring sales and revenue to pre-recession levels.
One idea that I noticed recently (that hits on the perception of your local marketplace) is the idea of upfitting your shop. One of the local salons – large volume and mid-market – undertook a “facelift”.
So, what do I mean by a “facelift”?
Well, first of all, I don’t mean a re-build. What I observed was the owners re-painting the out side and inside. Adding some startegic plants, putting-up new artwork, replacing aged promotional banners and signs, and reorganizing product displays…and replacing their signage.
This took a couple of weekends to complete and I doubt the cost was too much. I looked like DIY project. The building does not look materially different, but fresh, clean and vibrant. I’m guessing the new sign cost ~$1,000-$3,000, but the remainder of the work was probably done on a budget of less than $1,000 – a true HGTV makeover!
Following the changes and upgrades, the owners placed an elegant, yet inexpensive banner outside (approved by the city of course) announcing “A New Year, A new Look!”, with an invitation to a ”Grand Re-Opening” . They invited customers, guests, and some local well-known celebrities out for a drop-in. They have free drinks, snacks, and a photographer for pictures in the local paper and their website.
Overall, it was a great, innovative idea and proved to be a “design on a dime” success!
Good Luck…and please pass on your ideas and comments. Thanks
Posted on October 27, 2009 with No Comments
Whether you’re a salon owner or a concerned parent, you should give So Cozy Boo! Shampoo (lice shampoo for children) a careful consideration. Not just because it has been shown successful as a natural-based lice repellant, but because it’s FUN!
Boo! Shampoo
Good for Kids
Yepper, that’s what I said…FUN! Between its creative name, catchy slogan, purple label and “spooky” font-style, it and its companion, Boo! Conditioner, are fun for everyone – kids, parents, and salon owners (because you’ll probably be selling them and getting rid of nasty critters at the same time!)
Boo! Lice shampoo is paraben-free and is not formulated with either of the Laure(th,l) sulfates, so it is gentle on the scalp and for younger kids hair. Tea Tree oil keeps away the bugs, and it smells great! Best of all, kids get excited about it – that’s almost enough to make parents happy.
Good for Parents
Both Boo! products are made by So Cozy and who also have a chain of kids/children hair salons. Though I can only speculate, I’m sure the saw a problem and addressed it. Cool label, image, and colors…just what the doctor ordered when trying to keep away bugs – when can be a not-so pleasant discussion.
In addition to the “cool” look and verbiage (We make hair care Fun!), they use a very creative twist to approach the issue of lice – which most folks envision crawling around on their kids pillows at home likening it to infection, the flu or a plague – they refer to it as a “camp and school formula”.
This little marketing trick, whether intentional or not, moves you away from the “not in my house” panic to “oh…ha, ha, ha…he must have gotten them at school or while he was camping…no big deal, we’ll just use this shampoo”. Its a great technique used by pest exterminators and plumbers. Take an icky subject and make it fun…somehow!
So, from a parent perspective there are several reasons why you might want this in the shower or next to the bath:
- It repels lice, ticks, and various bugs
- Its got a fun logo, slogan and mission which kids like
- Colors are fun
- It might entice your children to shower or bathe more often
- Its a natural-based, safe shampoo
If you’re a salon owner, there’s several benefits for you as well:
- You add a unique product to your line
- You liven-up what could be an over-serious discussion about bugs in kid’s hair
- It diversifies products into “natural” or “organic-based” category with no sulfates or parabens
- You can help build customer loyalty
- Increase salon revenues
If you’re looking for a funproduct to get for your kids or a new line to add to your salon, take a look at Boo! Lice Shampoo and Boo! Spray-On Lice Conditioner – both are excellent repellants, smell good, and are safe for even the most sensitive scalps.
Posted on October 14, 2009 with No Comments
Many of the folks I know in the salon and barber business tell me many of their customers – women and men – suffer from sort of hair loss or thinning, especially as their customers reach 40-50 years old. While its certainly more accepted for men, thinning hair on women is embarassing for many. The key here is…helping our customers with hair loss problems can help drive more revenue and sales.
Follicle Boosters
When discussing methods for increasing revenue and traffic into salons, several recommendations came up that salon owners and stylists should take a more active role helping their customers other than the traditional “well, you should try this shampoo” tactic. And while the objective is not to become a hair transplant or hair replacement specialist (or proponent, in fact), there are several things we can do, recommendations we can make, and products we can sell that will be a win-win for everyone.
First, understand your customers needs. Most men are indifferent to hair loss unless they are younger and are experiencing rapid hair loss or traditional alopecia male pattern balding. So, offering a shampoo for thinning that smells good and works well with their hair type might be a good suggestion.
For women however, finding more of a solution might be best. Women’s hair loss is often the result of hormones, dirt, oil accumulation, chemical treatments, poor circulation, et al. Recommending a topical application or a scalp cleanser might be most appropriate – especially if they are specifically formulated with active ingredients such as Minoxidil or Trichogen.
Second, understand what products might be helpful. Biojen® and Nioxin® are two of the most popular products for thinning hair and for har loss. There are also several alternatives. Nourish® makes a shampoo/conditioner combo called Awaken & Replenish® that works very well and gets high reviews. Also ProFolla® makes some topical applications that work and that are designed for use on men and women alike – a follicle booster and hair a growth stimulant.
All of these products are designed to boost hair growth and can be an easy way for you to increase revenue in your salon or shop. And, they all can be purchased at wholesale from manufacturers or distributors. Call 888-909-1658 if you want to get more information. The trick to helping cuatomers with hair loss is to understand what the problem is and formulate a solution – and if additional or new product purchases are included in the solution, then good for you. Either way its a win-win situation.
Posted on September 28, 2009 with No Comments
In our continuing quest to increase sales and traffic in salons and barber shops, consider selling major brand salon products at a discount – it has worked for Wal-Mart and other major retailers, it might just work for you!
Many salons and barber shops I have visited generally carry one to three major brands they keep on the shelf. If promoted by the stylists or owner, you might get a few sales. Unfortunately, this is often NOT the case and product sits on the shelf moving very slowly. If this sounds like it might be the situation for you, then consider an alternative – deeply discounting well-known shampoos and conditioners to attract more customers and increase sales.
Many small and even multi-unit shops believe products should be marked-up to give them the highest margin. For high-demand products or if your shop has high traffic, this very well may be the strategy you might follow. However, as with many types of products, there is an “elasticity” to the price and volume associated with most products.
“Elasticity”, or more commonly referred to as “price elasticity”, refers to the sensitivity the product’s price has on its sales volume. For the highest demand products, the price can be raised quite high before demand drops. For most products, however, discounting the price leads to increased sales – to the point where discounting no longer shows an acceptable profit. The trick is finding the perfect balance – and that balance varies depending on the product’s demand and exclusivity (can they find it somewhere else?)
Many salons sell brand products at a 100% mark-up or a 50% gross margin. This is typical is the similar mark-up the distributor might get from the manufacturer. For instance, a distributor may get Kenra shampoo from the manufacturer for $4.00. They in turn sell to the salon for $8.00. The salon in turn sells to their customers for $16.00. Pretty stardard fare.
But, what good does a good, high or reasonable mark-up get you if you don’t sell anything?
Therein lies the the justification for selling discount salon products. If you discount a $16.00 shampoo 25% (selling price of $12.00), you still get a reasonable gross margin (GM), but you might triple your sales – puttting you ahead on cash and profit. Also, if a customer likes the product they bought AND the price is good, they will likely return for more purchases – giving you an annuity-like revenue you didn’t have before.
While this sounds good on the surface, you must promote the products. Signage, ads, recommendations by stylists, etc can “get the word out” improving traffic. Next time we will talk mores specifically about how to promote your discounted products.
Tags: barber shop management, discount salon products, hair salons, improving sales, increase profits, increase revenue, increase traffic, more sales, recession, salon management, salon products
Category: Community, Improving Profits, Traffic & Revenue
Posted on September 21, 2009 with No Comments
A good friend of mine owns one of the largest hair salons in north Georgia. Owned and run by he and his wife, they have experienced a measurable drop in volume and sales in the past 18 months.
Theirs is a full service salon offering color, perms, straightening, and serve both women and men. In the past, they also offered facials along with foot care and fingernail work. The first thing they noticed was business dropping in these ancillary services – primarily because they were not considered necessities per customer feedback.
Regardless, during “good” economic times, these services sold well and were considered by many a very relaxing way to complete a salon experience – not necessarily competing with a spa or day spa, but a nice supplement to services and a very nice add-on for additional revenue.
Something you might consider to increase salon revenue, is to offer a promotion of a free facial periodically. While this may not be a tactic you want to offer daily, picking a day or two a month might be a big draw to bring in some very tired customers looking for a renewal.
The cost can be minimal relative to a big boost in sales. Setting up a station toward the back of the store may be as easy as putting up a few screens and there should be plenty of massage experts who would be willing to work a dy or two a month for some additional exposure.
If you have an outdoor display, post the promotion or foot the bill for a $50-$100 banner that you can display. For those salons who have tried this, promotions have ranged from “free” to “free with a perm or styling”. Again this may not be an answer to an overall increase in permanent traffic, it’s a service that will probably bring in new customers and boost loyalty of your current customer base.
Tags: Add new tag, hair salons, increase profits, increase revenue, increase traffic, recession, salon management, salon revenue
Category: Community, Improving Profits, salon management, Traffic & Revenue
Posted on August 14, 2009 with No Comments
Publishing your prices to the world – competitors or prospective customers, alike – can be a good thing and, well, a not so good thing.
With a deepening economy and salon traffic and sales down substantially, the creativity fires are brewing – leading to many conservative as well as fringe techniques for getting more folks through the door.
Most recently I noticed one of the top boutique salons in Atlanta publishing their prices on their marque. Normally used for prophetic sayings or introducing new products, the sign clearly laid out all the prices they were charging for certain treatments…shampoo and style; shampoo, color and style, perms, et al!
While this may not seem too unusual, for this “top tier” exclusive salon, it was unexpected for me. Does it work? Well, yes and no.
The first argument is that you give away your pricing to your competition and you lose exclusivity. The first issue is competitors can get your prices easy enough with a quick call or having a “shopper” stop by the salon or in fact have their hair done.
Yet pricing exclusivity issue is another challenge. Exclusivity draws customers, and in some cases, repels them. The trick is to find the balance – which I believe is understanding what are the most common treatments in your area, finding a price point that will draw folks into the store, then keeping them (with service and a great hairstyle) for increased salon revenue?
So, how do you price the services?? I recommend running seasonal or situational sales – back-to-school, Thanksgiving, Halloween, wedding parties, etc. Whatever the occassion, make sure it is well publisized – on your website, in the papers, on your sign, or have a small sign made-up to stick in your lawn, outside the store or in your window.
Remember, as you consider pricing and competition, that the majority of customers will stay with and be loyal to their stylist once they find someone who works well with them and does a great job on their hair. Pulling someone away from that loyalty is tough, so make it easy with the right pricing and occasion.
The idea to keep in the back of your mind is that if you normally see 60 customers per week and each of them extend their stylings one week, you will lose about 240 stylings per year – or the equivalent of roughly one month’s worth of revenue. (Note- this assumes your clients get their hair styled once per month)
Price your services and consider your service specials accordingly to make-up for that lost traffic.
Tags: advertising, barbers, hair salons, increase profits, increase revenue, pricing services, salon management, salon revenue
Category: Community, Improving Profits, salon management, Traffic & Revenue
