You’ve Come to the Right Place If You Want Studio Salon Advice!
Salon Plaza continues their interview with Katina McCollum, our Member of the Month for August. Her studio salon advice can make a big difference for you…
Katina knows how to turn $15 bucks into $2000.00 – consistently and easily! To see her talents as a salon professional, click to discover the Best Hair Salon in Laurel MD.
If you’re thinking about opening a Studio Salon… Or perhaps you own a multi-chair salon now and want to downsize to something with fewer headaches?
Here’s Katina’s Studio Salon Advice for Salon Professionals:
How I Grow My Studio Salon Business
My first advice is to make it easy for clients to book with you. I offer online booking and by phone. Most people text now-a-days. That’s why I do a lot of appointments through texting. Even though I encourage clients to book on line using stylesheet, I will handle a booking directly if someone prefers.
One nice thing about online booking is that it makes it easy to use automatic text messaging for appointment reminders. Getting a text 24 to 48 hours before appointment cuts down on no shows.
More Studio Salon Advice: Get Found Online!
The next thing I do is to be active online. My Salon Plaza personal website brings in clients. Also, I market myself on Facebook and Instagram. I do get clients that way, who for the most part will stay and become regulars.
While going about my everyday life, I’m out and about and talking to people. I always look my best because that way I look professional and show what I can do. If people say to me,
“I like your hair. Do you do hair?”
That’s when I give them a card.
Referrals: A Simple Effort turns $15 into $2,000
People liked to be helpful, especially if they feel acknowledged and appreciated. The most valuable thing I do to grow my salon business is to ask for referrals.
To ask for a referral, I simply give them extra business cards and ask them to refer a friend. I remind each client to tell the person to mention her name. Then I show appreciation by offering a reward to clients who refer their family and friends. This really works out amazingly for me.
A new idea I’m going to try out is to write the client’s name on the back when giving her the card. Then when her referral comes in, she can hand me the card with her friend’s name on the back. This will make everyone feel important and considered. It also will make keeping track easier.
Here’s what happens:
Let’s say over the next few months, ten referrals come in for their first appointment. Each new client spends at least $65 for a wash and a style. If they also get a cut, or maybe a relaxer, trim, and demi color – that’s anywhere from $85 to $125 for the first visit.
Let’s say on average those ten new referrals spend $85 each. That’s $850 right there. Out of those first-time visitors, four or five will become regulars. Most of my clients come every other week and spend $65. And every 8 weeks they get a chemical treatment for $95 to $125.
That means over the course of a year, a client spends about $2,000 at my shop. Those ten referrals bring in an extra $8000 to $10,000 a year, just by asking to recommend me to friends and family.
And what does it cost me?
Two referrals save a client $15. The incentive to get ten referrals costs me $75. That’s only $75 to get more than $8000 worth of new business over the course of a year. And when these new clients start referring their friends and family… !
THAT’S why I stay busy, PLUS…
“Done with Love”
Of course, to make all this work, you have to be excellent at what you do AND provide a great atmosphere. My service is done with love. I really enjoy working with people and do everything with love.
Some of my clients come in every week, pay $65 or more, add on a tip. And they don’t mind at all. It’s a good experience coming in here.
Advice for Aspiring Studio Salon Owners:
My motto is to always push forward. Come in to work with a positive attitude and be happy. If you are happy, your clients will be happy.
Really, it’s not even work, I’m so passionate about it. I just know I’m going to have a good day every day.
Have A Solid Base
It’s important to have a client base before you move to Salon Plaza Laurel. It’s peaceful and private. You’ll meet other salon professionals. But there are not a lot of walk-ins here.
Salon Plaza makes you really comfortable with owning your own shop. When you lease from Salon Plaza, you don’t have to deal with any overhead. They pay my insurance, maintenance… I don’t have to deal with all of that. And it works for my clients.
Salon Plaza is convenient and supportive.
What do I do to step out of my studio and keep things fresh? I go to classes, read online, visit the Wella website and the like. I find the latest trends on the Internet. I look for the latest classes, see what new salons are opening – social media plays a big part to keep me up to date.
Are You an Aspiring Salon Professional?
If you are a hairstylist, nail tech, esthetician or barber in Virginia or Maryland… You might be ready to open your own shop. If you already own a salon, simplifying your life might be the real key to happiness.
Get ready for a life-changing opportunity… Come in for a tour!
