BLOG: Top tips for restyling your salon by Nick Joelson at Liberis
Nick Joelson is marketing manager at Liberis, the business-friendly finance company specialising in boosting business for salons. He has extensive experience working with independent salons and bringing products to market, improving profit and funding for businesses.
From your shop front to your treatment rooms, your salon décor has a big influence on how your clients view your business. You may be the finest hairdresser in the world, but if your salon décor doesn’t impress your potential clients, you probably won’t be able to convince them to step through the front door.
When considering a restyle, inspiration is everywhere: from trendy art galleries and museums to vintage bakeries and tea rooms. And where a total style overhaul isn’t possible, there are still some key areas you should be investing in. Here are my three top tips to refresh your salon and advice on how to finance it.
Make the right first impression
The first thing you need to do is ask yourself: do I want to restyle my salon to attract new clients, or retain my existing ones?
When attracting new clients, the most important element to consider is your salon’s exterior. Step outside and look at your shop front from a client’s perspective: would you book an appointment here? Does the external image of your salon represent your professional and stylish establishment? You could also consider refurbishing your reception area, which should be inviting and visible from the front window.
You can have unique cash wraps custom-built for a reasonable amount, and interesting designs not only give your customers a place to rest their handbags, they can also provide interesting talking points.
Nurture your unique selling points
You can easily introduce USPs to make your salon stand out from local competition through the use of concepts and themes. For example, if you’re one for creating drama with colour – and you’ve already been through black and purple – here’s a new way to add richness and interest to your salon: according to Design.com, one of the latest trends in home interior design is walls painted in deep blue hues. Traditionally, blue is a calming colour, so translate this trend to your salon and encourage your customers to cosy up enveloped by the soothing tones of the deep blue sea.
Another popular look is pairing contemporary surroundings with rustic furniture. By pairing two things that don’t seem to go together, you can draw attention to the best of both.
And if you can’t afford to refurbish your whole salon, you could revamp one of your zones instead. For example, you could create a new and unique backwash zone to introduce something unique and give your salon a fresh new feel. Styling chairs and backwash areas are crucial to a good impression: make this area as luxurious and relaxing as possible, with a focus on lighting and water temperature. If your budget is limited, try making small changes throughout by freshening up the paint job and being inventive with feature walls.
Where to splurge and where to save
Always buy the best quality chairs and backwashes you can afford, as these are items that get the most amount of use and you need them to last – cheap pieces will need replacing more quickly. You can get deals on waiting chairs and sofas, and perennial items like mirrors can be made bespoke for a reasonable price. Be creative, call in favours, and get deals locally. And most importantly, invest in the areas that make you money – like your retail area.
There’s always the option to borrow and if you have cash flow issues, a merchant cash advance can boost your finances in order to invest in décor, which can ultimately play a huge part in attracting more clients and boosting retention rates.
– Nick
Twitter: @LiberisUK
