Attention Woodbridge Hairstylists:
You CAN Keep Your LOVE ALIVE for Doing Hair!
Here’s how…
Hi, my name is Tammy NcNelis, a Woodbridge hairstylist and owner of Best Kept Secrets, my private studio salon.
It’s true, I’m so fortunate because I just LOVE what I do.
Let me share with you how I went from finding my life’s mission as a hairdresser, to almost losing my zest for hair, and the one important change I made to love it more than ever…
An Impossible Dream?
Ten years ago, I opened a big salon called “Best Kept Secrets” – same name as now. At the time, I was so convinced that my salon was going to be really wonderful. We’d all be really close friends who’d go to the salon and chat, and all get along like the one in the Steel Magnolia movie where everyone loves everybody.
But that isn’t realistic in a big salon environment. This is a competitive business. At its worst, everything comes down to money. And you know, truthfully, some women can be mean when it comes to money.
For 7 years, dividing my time between scheduling, ordering product and the biggest challenge of all – hiring and managing other stylists – I thought I was losing my love for hair.
But that wasn’t it.
Running a big salon with 10 stylists working under me, half renters, half on commission, took away from what I truly want to be doing: making people happy about how they look.
Salon Plaza Made All the Difference
At Salon Plaza, I have all that and much more. Now it’s just me and my clients. I love Salon Plaza. I will be here forever. It’s a fantastic concept. I love Love LOVE that I can shut my door. My clients have privacy and one-on-one time.
Compared to the mega-salon I used to own, my studio salon is much more intimate. This is a sacred space.
My Specialty is Color
As my clients will tell you, I have a knack for seeing the color and style that really brings out the hidden beauty in my guests. Want to find out more about my services? Click here Hairdresser Tammy McNelis
6 Studio Salon Secrets to Bring Success Within Reach
1. Listen and Listen Again
With your guests you must put yourself out of the picture. It’s not about you, it’s all about them. It’s their time. Let them lead you.
This is really hard at first. When they ask about you, give a brief answer and redirect it back to them. If they ask me,
“How’s your daughter?” I say,
“She’s doing great! How are your children?”
Ask them questions to allow them to focus on themselves. That’s the true spa experience. I really believe that hairdressers would be so much happier if they just did that.
2. Show Up on Facebook
A Facebook business page is an excellent way to be seen for what you can do. It’s best to use lots of images and just a little text. Add ‘Before and After’ shots.
You can put faces with the testimonials your clients give. Try adding a video!
Come see what works for me – Best Kept Secrets on Facebook
3. Try NextDoor.com
Signing up on nextdoor.com has been a great way to bring in new business. This directory / social media platform links me to my surrounding community. It’s free, local and supported by neighborhoods.
When I posted a classified ad for my salon, my clients wrote reviews. This is KEY. Once someone gives you a review, you are golden. Now people are referring me left and right.
Other than that, directories in general are good places to show up. Try this: Do a search on Google for hair salons near me and see which directories come up, such as Yelp and Yellowpages. Register your salon on those.
Be sure to fill out every field and be consistent with your information on all directories, on your website, on Facebook… wherever you appear online. Having exactly the same name and contact information keeps the search engines happy.
4. Use Online Booking
Throw out your paper appointment book, if you still use one. Clients like online booking – it’s the wave of the future.
The most user-friendly online appointment scheduler I’ve found is MindBody. This has made my life so much easier.
5. Put Your Backside to Work!
The reverse side of your business card is prime real estate for advertising. On the back of my card are three QR codes:
- Contact info, which anyone can download into their phone
- Facebook page to show images of my work
- Online appointment scheduler
If you don’t use QR codes, you can use this space to make a special offer or to encourage referrals.
Most important of all –
6. Visualize What You Want
Maybe you know by now that we create what we think about. So direct your thoughts toward what you want in your life. It’s too easy to complain and say,
“I’m not busy enough and I don’t know why.”
or –
“Why don’t I have anyone today?”
There’s nothing to complain about when you’re in the right setting like Salon Plaza. You are in control. You are your own boss, making your own decisions. This is a huge blessing.
If you are not as busy as you want to be, the only person to be frustrated with is yourself. Truth is, you are as busy or not busy as you choose to be. When things are slow, ask yourself…
“What am I doing to make myself busy?
Salon Plaza’s Prosperity Club teaches me marketing and business skills to run my salon better. They show me how to define my target audience and describe what makes me different from all the other salon professionals in town. I like this a lot.
In fact, following these Prosperity Club Action Steps makes me more confident in my own abilities. Listing your strengths is not something you think about on a daily basis, but when you write it down and see it in front of you, it makes a big difference.
Benefits of Membership
For Woodbridge hairstylists, this 6-Figure Income Prosperity Club is a big advantage. The program gives Salon Plaza Members training and inspiration. Even though we own our own business and work separately, it unifies us and helps us to work together as a whole.
And it makes us stop and think about things that we would normally just forget about or take for granted. I love the fact that Salon Plaza regularly helps us build our business with classes, emails and audio recordings. In the past, I’ve worked for places that don’t do any of that for you.
Going through the Prosperity Club Action Steps reminds us how valuable the gift we have is. We can work any where with any one. We are blessed.
My secret to serenity? My husband and my friends. I surround myself with the greatest possible people. If you’re ready to find serenity in your salon life, then come see what Salon Plaza is all about.
Your destiny awaits you…
You’ll be so glad you did!