5 Hairdresser Business Strategies for Success

In all of our lives and certainly when our business has such a colossal influence on our lives, (eating 3 squares a day, so on and so forth) we need to continue to look at the very basic elements that makes up a flourishing hairdresser business.

I remember reading a story about Jack Nicklaus, who for those that don't know is a golfing legend. And he talked about the way that he started the season every year he went to his teaching pro and told him, "show me how to hold the club, address the ball, etc. Do you understand what he's doing? He's going over the same fundamental aspects of his trade and accomplishments, and we need to learn the same lesson.

Learning is an outstanding tool that will replace some of the distortions of how to run a successful hairdresser business that we run into from our contemporaries in the industry that haven't ever increased their sales. If we listen to the marketing guru's in the station next to us we become apathetic and cold and our customers will catch the vibes and start to seek another salon that can perform the services we provide. But the real achievement is to keep learning continually and never embrace the premise that you or I have arrived.

So let's just consider some of the many facets of conducting a successful hairdresser business:

1. Your customers are #1: This is as basic as it gets and yet we're all to quick to pull the trigger and let our clientele know totally what we see ... like, 'don't they realize how I'm helping them? I'm just having a bad day today so I hope that they'd stop with the complaints all the time.'

Do we really have bad days? I mean does it rain on the just and the unjust? Yes absolutely, but we have got to show our respect of our customers and value them just like we want them to value us. Actually, would you like to try a little test with your customers? Exceed their expectations with your service and see how they react to it; are you game?

2. There's gold in your list: I can't repeat this too many times because this is critical that you must have or develop your own list of customers that you can stay in touch with on a constant basis. So let me see ... how would you like to have your customers be loyal to you?

Just how good would it be if you produced a totally loyal client base that will keep coming in and tells others about you? How do you develop this and continue to give them a lot more value as a customer of yours? By starting and maintaining a list of every customer that you serve and then communicate with them on a regular basis.

3. Lifetime customer value: This is a term that business people don't embrace or use in their businesses. And it's a shame. You will never really know how well you can serve your customers until you know exactly what they are worth to you in your hairdresser business in the long run. Or as it's called ... their lifetime customer value. You will have to know a simple equation that allows you to crunch the numbers cost per visit, products bought, visits per year, times 5 years.

4. New Faces: First time folks ought to have some benefits from you each and every time you're able to get one in your chair. Have you ever been to a mechanic for the first time and wondered how you were going to get screwed? I mean treated? Have you ever been a little short on patience with those that come in to you the first time? I'm sure that you haven't, but we've all certainly had that awful experience ourselves, haven't we?

5. Being fresh: And I don't mean being rude with your clients, but by infusing some new thing into your salon or station to change the image that you've been stuck with for the past XXX years. And I bet you already know exactly what I'm referring to don't you? Come on spruce it up a little. Do some cool theme for a little while to bring some novel look in your space and enjoy it with your customers. Make them laugh, treat them to a cup of tea or fresh coffee or a bottled water. How about fresh popcorn? Don't give them those peppermints that are so old the cellophane is stuck to them. Give them a break!

These are some things that you can think about and then ... make it happen. Come on, give yourself to your clients and see if they don't respond to your kindness.

How awesome would it be to become one of the prominent hairdresser businesses in your corner of the world? You can and you should because you are the worth your best effort. We have a lot more to talk about, come and spend some time with us.