Protecting Your Salon Business

Article Published in Stylist Magazine, November 2013

If you’ve never considered how your salon would function without you, it’s about time. Could it function while you take a vacation or attend a beauty show (voluntary absence), or if you were to become ill or be assigned to jury duty (involuntary absence)? As a salon owner and service provider, I’ve considered these possibilities, not just for myself, but for my employees also. While life can be unpredictable, it’s worthwhile to think through how you can protect yourself from possible threats to your business, even something as simple being absent, planned or not. Managing the risk associated with salon ownership may not be as exciting as developing a new service or creating a client loyalty program, but ultimately, it’s more strategic and advantageous.

Risk cannot be eliminated entirely, but it amazes me how salons operate as if either there wasn’t any, or it was beyond their control. How many salons fail to satisfy the most basic requirements, such as valid professional licensing? What about providing services beyond the scope of practice? Ignoring the state’s health and safety regulations? Working on clients with serious medical concerns? Falsely advertising services? Underreporting income and avoiding taxes? Inadequately compensating service providers? Both salon owners and beauty professionals have legal and financial obligations and every effort should be made to understand and comply.

Even when you’re not obligated by law, there are precautions that can be taken, the most obvious being insurance. Anything worth having is worth protecting, so you may already have multiple insurance policies. Currently, I have insurance policies for my home, health, auto, life, business liability and property, worker’s compensation . . . and even earthquakes. I could have even more (dental, vision, disability insurance, etc.), but haven’t deemed them necessary to justify the additional expense. An independent insurance professional can give you specific guidance on which policies would best protect your interests given your circumstances.

Product safety has become a bigger concern lately, as some speculate about the health risks presented by certain nail products and equipment, while others present scientific facts and offer useful suggestions (e.g. avoiding overexposure, wearing eye protection and having an adequate ventilation system). While I don’t welcome more government regulations, I would appreciate greater accessibility to regulatory information pertaining to our industry, starting with our respective state boards. Federal agencies, like the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), also have jurisdiction over our industry. For example, did you know that according to the FDA, “There are no color additives approved by FDA for permanent dyeing or tinting of eyelashes and eyebrows?” In effect, this renders these services illegal, no matter what your state board regulations might state.

Speaking of health, why not take better care of yourself? Get enough sleep, stop smoking, improve your eating habits, develop an exercise routine, work more ergonomically, take frequent breaks (including the bathroom!), know your family health history, have regular exams, ask your doctor/nurse practitioner about your concerns, etc. Your physical health may be your greatest asset, not only for your personal well-being but for the medical costs and complications you could avoid later in life.

Personal safety is something we don’t often discuss within our industry, but it’s something I take seriously. Every news report of a violent incident within a beauty salon reminds me of how vulnerable we can be. “Good customer service” shouldn’t make you a target; protecting yourself and your staff is more important than being friendly and making money.

While most salons welcome interaction with the general public by keeping their doors unlocked, I’m doing just the opposite. This may contradict everyone’s expectations of a nail salon, but that’s not my concern. After 8 years of interacting with the public, I grew tired of the disruptions (“Would the owner be interested in buying . . . ?“), the ridiculous questions (“Is this a nail salon?”) and the casual browsers (“I’ve never seen so many different polish colors. What’s a good red?”). One of the latest interactions went like this:
Lady 1: “We need two pedicures and two manicures and . . . “
Me (slowly shaking my head): “We don’t have time for those services today; our next availability would be Friday morning.”
Lady 2: “It’s now or never!”
Me: “Then it’s never.”
Did I risk offending them? Perhaps, but that’s a risk I was willing to take; their lack of planning was not my problem.

As the end of my lease approached, I considered what I liked most and least about my salon business, and what changes I could make to minimize my risk. Changing salon locations gives me the opportunity to reinforce the best, and eliminate the worst, aspects. In the new salon, we're not required to keep particular hours; we work when we have appointments scheduled. And only those who have appointment reservations are allowed to enter the salon. Signage on the door emphasizing “By Appointment Only” directs visitors to the website and provides the salon phone number, while our new brochure is displayed in the adjacent window. A magnetic door lock with remote control makes “walk-ins” impossible, allowing us to give clients our undivided attention in a more private and secure setting.

By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.

Social Media? Not for Me

Article Published in Stylist Magazine, October 2013

Most salon owners, nail professionals and consultants may believe otherwise, but social media is just not that important to the success of my business. Perhaps I am old-fashioned, protective of my privacy and too busy to bother; I don’t invest much time or other resources promoting my salon online. Please don’t get me wrong. I love technology and how it simplifies running my business, especially the work that’s not obvious to clients: managing the schedule, handling finances, paying employees, tracking inventory, ordering products, etc. My responsibilities as a business owner would be difficult to meet without technology. It’s an incredible resource that I value for its reliability, cost-effectiveness and convenience.

Using technology for marketing, however, is an entirely different proposition; while it plays a large role in providing information, the social/interactive aspect means very little to me. Anyone with access to the internet could easily find my salon and learn about the nail services we offer, upcoming events and more. I update my website every month, write an article for the Stylist and post occasionally on Facebook, Twitter and BeautyTech. However, these activities represent less than 5% of the time I devote to my business. Could I do more online? Spend more time and money? I suppose, but why should I? As long as most clients reserve their appointments a year in advance, and potential clients continue to contact us, I’m very comfortable with my current level of online involvement. To do more (advertise, tweet, post, request reviews, etc.) without the capacity to accept more clients would be foolish.

Before it’s suggested, let me address the concept of expanding my business. One of the most critical features of a successful salon is  maintaining the proper balance between supply (services offered and time available) and demand (services desired and time required). I understand my limits and don’t want to be stretched beyond what’s reasonable. It’s not my intent to make my salon available to everyone; that’s not my business model. Above all else, I want to serve my clients well. That means welcoming them at every appointment, doing quality work and showing appreciation for their loyalty. Besides, it’s not possible to meet the needs of everyone at the exact moment they want them met. That’s why walk-in salons exist, and their manicurists can stay busy churning through new clients.

A salon that needs new clients would likely have more reason to market online. Social media might seem worthwhile; after all, if you aren’t busy doing nails, you have more time to talk about nails, or your clients or things completely unrelated to nails. There’s no privacy in these interactions and some opinions are not meant to be shared. Giving your clients and potential clients/complete strangers more information with which they cannot help but judge you is not productive. Even if I had an opening in my schedule or a negative client experience, I certainly wouldn’t post about it. But that’s my choice.

Any time spent/wasted online serves as a reminder that the most important interactions I have are with my clients in person. Most of my work time (approximately 75%) is spent providing nail services and getting paid. I can share anything they need to know about me or the salon during their appointments. If immediate communication is necessary, I can send emails or make phone calls. To reduce the need for excess communication, I encourage standing appointments, if possible, for convenience and my peace of mind. (If I were to commit to more clients than I could serve, that would make me anxious!) I don’t expect them to follow me on Twitter, post to Facebook, write reviews or anything else beyond remaining satisfied clients. That’s enough for me.

No amount of stars, likes, views, comments, replies, or any other measure of “popularity” can capture the quality of the salon experience. Comments, testimonials and recommendations, though more qualitative and seemingly informative, can only be trusted to a certain extent. The anonymity of most online interactions allows for some dubious, unethical and sometimes nasty behavior. I’ve encountered one too many salon owners posting positive reviews of their own salons, and more than a handful of “clients” expressing their disappointment in salon services when their complaints have no merit and only serve to disparage. If all this information hasn’t been verified, why believe any of it?

Ultimately, every business owner has to consider how best to use time and resources. That’s a personal decision based on priorities. My priority is my existing clientele; the individuals who month after month, year after year, support my business financially. Potential clients are everywhere, but I don’t feel the need to pursue them online. I don’t even market to existing clients online; they know where to find me and how to contact the salon. And if they want my opinion abut something, all they have to do is ask.

By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.

Don't Forget the Brochure

Article Published in Stylist Magazine, September 2013

It’s not possible to interact personally with every person who may be interested in our salon services. That’s why I invest in a brochure and website to promote my business to both existing and potential clients. I strongly recommend that other salon owners do the same. However, unless you’re a competent writer, graphic designer and website developer, you shouldn’t attempt these marketing projects on your own. Without the requisite ability, the results would be inferior and amateurish, and that’s certainly not the first impression I’d want to make.

If that sounds snobbish, understand that I rarely encounter a salon brochure or website that impresses me. I don’t accept the excuse of a limited budget; it doesn’t cost any more to spell words correctly and use proper grammar. Even when salon owners spend a lot of money on their marketing, the results can be disappointing and ineffective, repelling clients rather than attracting them. 

I’ve already written extensively about my experience developing a salon website (Stylist, February, 2012), an ongoing collaborative process between my graphic designer/website developer and myself. Every month, we update and refine the content to keep it relevant. With so much focus on establishing an online presence, some might question whether a brochure is worth doing. After all, a brochure doesn’t have the same reach as a website, and once printed, it cannot be changed without reprinting, rendering the previous one obsolete. While I appreciate the power and convenience of an effective website, I believe that a brochure is still necessary as a tangible representation of my salon. 

Producing a good brochure may seem simple, but if that were true, more salons would have them. In my Brochure Basics class, I challenge salon owners to communicate the culture of their salon and the value of their services in written form. This isn’t easy. How do you describe the experience of your salon to those who’ve never experienced it? How are your services different from the competition’s? How do you respond to the most frequently asked questions? If a salon owner hasn’t considered any of this, then it’s about time! 

A brochure can’t perform services, but if done well, it will generate interest and give you more time to do nails rather than talk about them. Much more than just a price list, an effective brochure:

• Represents your salon in a professional way
• Includes your salon’s location, contact information, hours, etc.
• Describes your services, including pricing and timing
• Prioritizes your most profitable services
• Explains salon policies (cancellations, payment, etc.)
• Instructs clients about scheduling appointments 
• Answers frequently asked questions
• Uses colors/fonts/images in an attractive format

To make a brochure even more distinct, a salon owner can add information about the salon’s history, its staff or some other point of difference. For example, in the Precision Nails brochure, I dedicate an entire panel of our 8-panel brochure to “Our Philosophy.” It might seem ridiculous that a nail salon would even have a philosophy statement, and I don’t expect everyone to agree with it, but this conveys my commitment and perspective on the nail industry:

For more than 20 years, Precision Nails has redefined nail care through innovations in safety, quality and professionalism.

Precision Nails protects your safety:

• we sanitize our hands and put on clean gloves before your service begins;
• we use a new file for every service and protect you from cross-contamination;
• we autoclave sterilize our metal tools, exceeding state board requirements;
• we refuse to provide any service that cannot be performed safely.

Precision Nails delivers quality:

• we employ licensed beauty professionals;
• we continually train our staff to meet our high standards and your specific needs;
• we depend on superior products and our advanced technical skills, not drills; 
• we serve our clients in private rooms, equipped with leather recliners.

Precision Nails promotes professionalism:

• we provide professional nail services, not personal relationships;
• we respect the privacy of our clients, and request that you respect ours;
• we value your time and work efficiently and diligently to remain on schedule;
• we support the beauty industry through education, trade shows, competitions and compliance with all applicable laws.

If your salon needs a brochure, or the existing one needs updating, I suggest the following:

• Set a deadline
• Gather examples from other salons/spas/businesses
• DO NOT PLAGIARIZE
• Write your own service descriptions, salon policies, etc.
• Consider adjusting your prices 
• Work with a graphic designer for professional results
• Choose a reputable printer to handle your brochure
• Select colors/fonts/images that reflect your salon’s decor
• Proof your brochure, and then proof it again 
• Order at least 1000 pieces for better pricing
• Plan on revising/reprinting your brochure every year

The content of the brochure is as important as how it looks. And I obsess over the wording until it cannot possibly be any more direct, concise or accurate. For the next reprinting, I have the opportunity to make changes, like adjusting prices, adding/deleting services, etc.  

Once your brochures are printed, put them to good use:

• Give to clients for reference at home or to share
• Laminate copies for the front desk and work stations
• Frame and hang in the salon window for reading from outside
• Display at your chamber of commerce
• Distribute to other local businesses
• Include with gift cards
• Adapt content to your online presence
• Reference when talking on the phone

Together with your salon website, a well-designed brochure will “speak your truth,” even when you can’t find the time.

By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.