Why We Need Tech in Our Toolbelt
Do you remember a world where technology wasn’t a part of everyday life? It’s been a critical part of developing relationships with others, conducting research, getting inspiration, shopping, managing our money, and even playing a key role in how we manage our businesses! The power of the world is basically at our fingertips!
We’re going to cover ways you can use the power of technology to elevate and even evolve your business!
Lately, we’ve been talking a lot about change, and adding technology does create changes in a salon. Although we may love to stick to the status quo, so many good things can come out of change. Think about when Instagram added stories and then the store feature, both of these features were not overly popular, but in time we also got comfortable with them and we were able to evolve our habits within the app. So if you’re adding new technology to your salon routine, remember to be kind to yourself as it takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks to create a new habit!
Clientele Discovery
Do you have a website? Do you have social media? If you answered yes to one or both of those, you’re already off to a great start. The first place people go to look for something is usually the internet, so having a website for when someone types in “Salons in my area” your website and Google Listing will appear allowing you to be discoverable. The next place they go to is your personal or salon’s Instagram or other social media page to see your portfolio!
Having a website is a great way to create a strong first impression with clients. It allows you to introduce yourself and your team, list services offered, book appointments and even a place to sell retail items online! Websites have become a lot more simple to create with the increase in templates available on various providers. Here are a few platforms you can easily create and update your new website; WordPresss, Wix, and SquareSpace.
As for social media, Instagram in particular, the features enable the app to be a great tool for word-of-mouth marketing and building a personal brand. The features are also created to help us connect with others too. Posting a photo has the opportunity to reach potential clients. Simply by sharing a photo of your client’s hair, they’ll like it re-share it, and babe do those sticker taps count! Being able to share your portfolio will greatly help you to build your clientele and online presence.
Scheduling Softwares
How many times have you called to book an appointment and the phones are busy or they’re closed? Having a scheduling software allows your clients to easily book appointments at their convenience and see what times work best for them!
Your scheduling software is easy to add a link to your website and you can even include it in a link in your social media bios!
Hair-Color Management
Something we heard from one of our users was that they didn’t realize how much hair color cost, and knowing the cost of an ounce of color, made them more conscious when pouring to not over pour for their convenience.
Today especially it’s important to ensure that expenses you’re facing in your business aren’t eating away at the cash in your business. When you have a decrease in frequency, it’s important to ensure that this won’t impact your bottom line too much.
40% of the color sitting on our shelves in the color bar goes unused. Which when you add it up is a lot of money not being effectively used. The benefit of having a system to manage hair color costs is that it removes the guesswork of the final price you give to guests – preventing you from over and undercharging on services. It also helps to create transparency when your client does ask about a price breakdown, by showing the cost of the hair color used plus the time it took to complete the service (labor pricing). Adding a hair color management software, like SalonScale, has helped stylists and salons to accurately price for services performed, increase profit in their business, and ultimately charge their worth.
Utilizing Data
Whether you’re wanting to track employee performance and sales, the amount of product used during a service, or color formulas. Data enables us to make informed decisions. Data can be a word that is daunting sometimes, but it can greatly benefit our day-to-day!
For example, data helps to show trends in color products used depending on seasons. You may discover that you do not need to not hold the same amount of toners you would normally keep in in the back bar as clients tend to navigate towards darker and warmer hues. Data equips you to know what products you need and when.
Data also helps to track the history of color used in a salon and keep previously used formulas too. Saving time with future appointments and being able to look back at notes from previous appointments too. Data enables us to be more transparent when it comes to pricing. When you can explain share a breakdown of in pricing for color services you’re able to strengthen relationships with clients and staff!
