THREESIXFIVE Hair and Beauty Information Hub 2nd Edition

Welcome to the SECOND edition of THREESIXFIVE information blog.Thanks to those that have already asked to be recipients of our business blogs. If you find the articles you read interesting and even helpful in the day to day understanding of your business, please feel free to share our contact details with anyone you know might benefit from the service we offer.

“INFORMATION IS POWER”

To be precise, information gives you knowledge however, the POWER comes when you turn knowledge into action.

We are a skill based-industry which relies on service providers (stylists and therapists) remaining up to date with the latest developments in our industry.

But it all starts with information EVERYWHERE! To be precise we get our inspiration from everything we come in to contact with—the trick is to filter the important stuff and then act on that information.

Trade publications like HAIRNEWS and Professional Beauty are always good to see what’s happening in the industry, and fashion magazines to see what your clients are seeing.

Gathering information about anything has never been easier since the creation of the internet.

The trick is, how to turnover information in to knowledge. Clients don’t want to know about what ingredients are contained in a product or how complicated it is to provide a 5-star service but what they do want to know is, how would your recommendation add value but addressing their problems, needs and desires.

A final tip about how powerful knowledge is. Your clients are passionate about things in their lives. It might be gardening, the latest news, fitness or feng shui, it doesn’t matter. However, if you know a little bit about everything your clients are interested in, it impresses clients by making you appear more knowledgeable.

Bottom line regarding knowledge “Clients don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care”

Staff Performance Reviews

Recruiting, managing, motivating and retaining good staff is undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges we have. However, NOTHING is more successful than a team of people, skilled, motivated and focused on being the best for themselves, for their clients and for the salon they work for.

As General Manager for a UK based salon group, I probably spent 80% of my time on people issues. The one skill that proved most effective was Staff Performance Reviews. Literally stopping the clock and reviewing their business within your business.

This exercise should be done at least twice a year, firstly in the first two months of the year to gear your staff up for the months ahead, and again around August/September, just before we go into the ‘silly season’.

In the first review we give each staff member feedback regarding their previous three, six, or twelve months. Only deal with facts that can be quantified. Essential information for that time period:

If done properly the staff member should leave the meeting both motivated by the feedback AND armed with a set of targets to achieve before the next performance review.

Understanding Promotion

Very often people think that PROMOTION is a ‘silver bullet’, a single strategy that will guarantee the success of your business. When you talk about promotion you automatically think about events, something clients can see or worse still, discounts or “2 for the price of one” or anything that promises clients the opportunity to save money.

A word of warning “In the service industry” discounting is a slippery slope, because it creates a consciousness of price rather that one of value. “Added value” is the only way to grow your business consistently and profitably.

When used as a Noun, Promotion describes an event or something tangible, something they can see, touch and feel and then make a buying decision.

However, when PROMOTION is used as a Verb it describes action, energy, the things clients can sense and feel. PRO-MOTION.

When you promote a warm, friendly ambience in your salon clients relax easier. When you promote open dialogue with your clients it is easier to identify other problems, needs or desires the client might have.

When you promote the importance of clients maintaining their hair, it is easier to rebook the next appointment before they leave. This also applies to the problem, need or desire clients have: thin- ning hair, colours not lasting, oily scalp, dry ends, dandruff, no volume, traumatized hair — you have solutions to virtually any problem, all you need to do is PROMOTE THEM.