BLOG: Finding a gap in the market, by Kebelo’s Benjamin Shipman
Benjamin Shipman, marketing director of innovative haircare brand, Kebelo, shares his practical advice on the best ways to spot a gap in the market and use it to your salon’s advantage.
In what can often be an over-saturated market, creating a point of difference, and spotting a gap to sell this difference to customers both loyal and new, is imperative to business success. We all know that keeping things fresh is one way to keep attracting clients through the doors, but in this fast-paced industry, it’s even more crucial to keep your eyes on any prospective opportunities before anyone else.
The first thing to do in order to capitalise on potential prospects is determine your USPs (Unique Selling Points), or in other words, the things that make you different to competing salons or brands. This can be even the smallest or simplest of things, such as the brands you carry, salon furnishings or decoration, add-on services, specially trained staff members – anything that contributes to the overall salon experience that you provide. Every salon offers haircuts, but what makes yours different from the business across town? It’s these little details that will benefit you most.
At the same time as listing your USPs it also helps to know your competition. What do they offer? Look at their service menus, and make it your goal to create a point of difference, even if that is in the way you present your products or services, or the customer service that you offer to clients. It’s the little things that often make the biggest impact, so never underestimate anything that you do to heighten the customer experience.
Too few people take the time to really listen to their customer’s wants and needs, which is a big mistake. While it’s important to guide customers and be seen as a source of knowledge and inspiration, don’t make the error of thinking that you know best if your customers are not receptive to what you are offering. Remember, these are the people who are keeping your business going, so it’s crucial to provide what they want. Examine the lifestyles of your most loyal and frequent customers and tailor your offerings to suit. If your clients say that they enjoy their time in the salon chair away from the stresses and strains of life, then they would clearly enjoy added elements of relaxation to their visit, such as massage chairs, an extended head massage at the backwash, soothing music or herbal teas. If you tend to book more appointments for clients who want to have their hair done before a big night out or special occasion, then change the atmosphere of the salon during your busiest periods for these appointments with fun music and a bespoke drinks menu. Listen to your clients and act accordingly.
In this industry, knowledge really is power, so it’s important to keep your finger on the pulse, not just in the hair, beauty and lifestyle industries, but also in the business and marketing world in general. Take to time to engage in regular reading, subscribe to the popular trade blogs and publications to keep on top of business industry trends, and use social media to gain insights into the next big thing. Putting in this extra time and effort could provide many new leads and ideas for furthering your business goals and keeping you one-step ahead of the competition. It can often take longer than you think to introduce a new process or way of doing things, so the sooner you can find out about a potential trend, the easier it will be to capitalise on it.
By employing a few simple tactics, and making a concerted effort to recognise your strengths and opportunities, you’ll soon be able to find, and benefit from, potential gaps in the market.
– Benjamin
Twitter: @LoveKebelo
