Leadership is a word that takes on a variety of meanings. Some leaders have a natural talent for inspiring others and some leadership skills are developed over time. Regardless, when you see a passionate leader doing their thing, you can spot it from a mile away.
Some of the best leaders have the talent to not only inspire but the ability to convince a group of individuals that better is possible and within reach. One of the most important and under-utilized leadership traits in business is transparency, and transparency is trending upwards.
Before we get to that, however, let’s talk about you.
HAVING THE RIGHT MINDSET
SalonScale has seen a number of salons face challenges through the pandemic, and are now at the grips of hyperinflation. Times of uncertainty multiply fear and concern in your team. This can be a HUGE cause of stress for you as a leader. Our biggest recommendation for our salon leaders is to extend your team a strong sense of trust and transparency. Trust is the newest form of currency, both with your clients, as well as with your team members.
You might be thinking “How do I convey a sense of trust and transparency within my salon?”. It starts with you taking care of yourself and allowing yourself to have a healthy mindset. To provide a sense of security, leadership, and trust in your salon, you need to be in a good headspace. Taking care of yourself as a leader is critical to the success of your business. What’s the best way to do this? Start making time for the things you enjoy. Long stressful days come with the territory of being in the industry. Burnout is a prominent thing that can weaken your efficiency, quality of work, and your relationships.
Our best advice to you is to take time to do what gives you joy. Spend time with friends and family, exercise, take alone time, whatever it is that makes you feel your best, make time for it. These elements can make you happier, and healthier and ready to lead your team.
TRANSPARENCY FOR YOUR CLIENTS
Have you ever been to a mechanic and gotten a larger bill than you were expecting?
You were probably confused and frustrated by the number on your invoice, filled with words you didn’t understand and numbers you didn’t want to see. Or even just a lack of clarity as to what you’re paying for. Can you imagine if your clients felt like this after they left your salon?
The market is starting to see a shift with consumers wanting to have a precise breakdown of where their money is going. Online banking has already revolutionized the way we see our bank statements on our phones and allows us to see every single dollar that leaves our accounts and where it goes (i.e. groceries, travel, etc.).
How can you offer a similar amount of digital transparency to your clients? Most salons simply offer their clients a receipt with the price of the entire service plus taxes. SalonScale allows you the opportunity to present your clients with a detailed breakdown of what exactly they are paying for when they come to the salon. Creating this culture of transparency will win you huge brownie points with your clients, and word will travel fast! (ps our CS team will help get you set this up for you!)
TRANSPARENCY FOR YOUR TEAM
Having a backbar management app allows you to account for every scoop, squeeze, drop, and item that is used in your salon. One of the biggest benefits is being confident that every service is covering the cost of the product and turning a profit! We see that salons that don’t cover the cost of their product, have a hard time trying to turn a profit. Remember this month shouldn’t be covering for last month’s mistakes.
Having the ability to track your product usage in real-time, allows you to have a transparent look at your numbers. Use this to see what’s working and what could use adjustments. This is a game changer and allows you to raise your prices on high-demand services and boost your profits. The average SalonScale user grows their revenue by $50,000 per year and a majority of this comes from tightening up the backbar.
You owe it to yourself and your team to grow your profits. Your team wants to see you (and the salon) do well and they will be in your corner! You don’t have to be a natural-born leader to succeed in your salon it’s completely normal to have anxiety. You just have to be you and be open. Be brave, lead with empathy, compassion, and your team will rally behind you. You’ve got this!
