BLOG: Making your salon more profitable, by Kebelo’s Benjamin Shipman

Benjamin Shipman is marketing director at Kebelo.

For any salon, the main aim is to have a full appointment book and busy stylists during every hour of operation to ensure a thriving business. But if this already rings true for your salon, what can you do in order to increase profits without resorting to bigger measures such as expansion? Styling and cutting services tend to be the most requested by clients at any given time, while appointments for more profitable services, such as colouring are not booked as frequently, so it’s important place your focus on making sure the entire salon menu is being utilised.

The key lies in educating clients about the entire scope of treatments that your salon boasts and matching the services on offer to individual client needs. As industry professionals, hairdressers are a potential fountain of knowledge for their clients, with the skills to answer questions, provide recommendations and impart advice that clients cannot find elsewhere. Stylists should use this prime position to upsell products and services at every opportunity, but this doesn’t mean going in at full force with a hard sales pitch. Use the specialist expertise you already possess to continually educate your client during their appointment, while remembering to listen to their wants at the same time.

Begin by delivering a ‘lesson’ on the best products and treatments for each individual client. This starts with deciphering their hair type, texture and desired style; is the client’s hair naturally frizzy, but they want more of a sleek look? Do they often wear up-dos and therefore need extra hold? Is their hair dry and damaged and needs bringing back to life, or does it become greasy very quickly and requires something that will maintain a fresh appearance for longer? By discovering what the client’s current hair condition is, as well as their desired outcome, will immediately instil a sense of confidence and trust in you as a specialist in your field. As a result, clients are more likely to take on board any recommendations you make. You’d be surprised how few stylists really take the time to explain the processes that they are carrying out, or fully detail the benefits of a particular service or treatment, so clients really appreciate, and respond to, hairdressers who do. With that said, look for the points of difference on your salon service menu and ensure that you explain the benefits of your treatment offerings to clients. What does your salon offer that the one down the street doesn’t? It’s the little unique details that make all the difference and can really set you apart from the competition.

Customers are becoming savvier, and where once they may have foregone the condition of their hair in order to look good, they are now more concerned with the benefits treatments and services give to hair strength and vitality, as well as outside appearance. This has led to an increased opportunity for salons to provide added services to clients that will maintain hair condition as well as style. It’s no secret that colour services provide the biggest returns in revenue, and Kebelo offers a treatment that gives salons a point of difference in colouring services. The unique dual-step Bondage professional strengthening treatment can be used alongside any in-salon hair colouring service to strengthen the hair bonds, improve overall texture and maintain the elasticity of each strand. For the client, appointment time barely increases as the neutralising cream works in five minutes, so the system is time-effective, yet yields long-lasting results. Outlay is minimal, costing only £1 per application, making it a cost-effective solution for salons looking to increase their offerings and revenue. In a world saturated with competition, it’s little details such as these that make all the difference to clients, leaving them with a memorable experience and making a noticeable difference to their hair.

Salons should also look to introduce innovative treatments and services to the salon menu in order to increase profits, and scout for the next big thing in haircare that they can bring to their clients ahead of the competition to provide a distinct advantage. My brothers and myself launched the Kebelo brand five years ago with the pioneering treatment, Advantage, an one-hour long, in-salon hair smoothing system that results in smooth, glossy, manageable hair that lasts for up to 100 days, with an RRP of just £99. For salons, Advantage brings the profitability of colour treatments, yet for clients, provides an affordable solution to frizz-prone hair. Winter is an ideal time to educate clients on the benefits of smoothing treatments such as Advantage, as the unpredictable weather means that many will be looking for a solution to dry, damaged or unruly hair. Why not put together a promotion for seasonal appropriate treatments, such as a smoothing haircare package that clients could give or receive as a gift, or redeem in January, when the salon is likely to be quieter?

Offers, promotions and loyalty schemes are also a great way to put extra focus on your retail ranges and highlight everything you have to offer. Don’t be afraid to use this tactic as, rather than leaving you short, it can actually encourage some new faces through the door, or inspire existing clients to buy their products from you as opposed to a competitor. Even with a discount, you can bundle together products that work for a particular hair type and offer a promotion on multi-buys, such as a shampoo, conditioner and serum for frizzy or dry hair. ‘Buy one get one free’ deals or gifts with purchase will also entice more clients to buy, leaving the salon tills ringing and profits rising.