Being a successful hairstylist isn’t as simple as maintaining your client list. A hairstylist‘s success is dependent on their ability to form long-lasting relationships with clients, continuously grow their client list, and become a resource to other hairstylists. In cosmetology school, you’re rarely prepared for the realities of what your career’s growth will require. In addition to honing strong interpersonal skills, you’ll need to develop a signature style, a method of tailoring your services to each client, and your own best practices. If you have your own salon, you’ll need to staff your salon with the best hair stylists in your area and make sure that they’re supported, as well. This may all sound like common sense, especially if you’re already a salon owner. However, there are several more ways you can ensure that your business doesn’t stagnate. Here are some tips on how you can continue to grow your business.
Revamp your website.
Many of your prospective clients will find you via a Google search. Make sure you’re putting your best foot forward by revamping your website. Not only that, but look into buying IP address for yourself and your salon. Using a unique IP address to host your website can help strengthen the search engine optimization of your website, improving its visibility online. With an easily searchable site that sets you apart from the competition, you’ll draw more clients and grow your business.
Social media is key.
If you have ambitious goals, the best way to build your client base is to make sure that your Instagram account is reaching potential customers. Clients find a new hairstylist by searching with hashtags like “haircut,” “hair color,” or “balayage” along with their location. From the hundreds of accounts on Instagram, you have to make sure that yours stands out.
A great way to do this is to make sure that your Instagram’s grid is streamlined and has a color story. If your feed is full of wordy graphics or grainy photos, you’ll drive away potential clients. Hairdressers and cosmetologists can grow their businesses on Instagram in a way that other business owners can’t. The beauty industry is inherently visual. Draw in your clients by showing off the best of your work. Instagram is also a great way to recruit new stylists graduating from cosmetology school. Develop your team, grow your business, and attract new clients through savvy social marketing.
Stay on top of trends.
When you first become a hair stylist you likely feel like you know all you need to about styling, cutting, and coloring hair. However, there’s so much more to learn outside of beauty school. Many beauty school teachers have been off of the salon floor for a while and aren’t actively taking clients. Instead, their focus is on education. It’s up to you as a hairstylist to seek out additional information and make a commitment to continuing education.
If you’re a young, new stylist, seek out apprenticeship positions in salons that offer classes or some kind of training program as part of their assistant program. In this kind of learning environment, you’ll be able to build your client book, learn more advanced techniques, and get a handle on how a salon runs. If you’re a more established stylist, it’s your responsibility to stay on top of trends. If you don’t know how to cut a modern shag or mullet, get yourself signed up for a cutting class. If you’re not comfortable with vivids, reach out to master colorists for some guidance. Lastly, if you’re a salon owner, the success of your business is heavily reliant on your hairstylists‘ skill level. Make continuing education both a requirement and a perk of your hairstylists‘ employment with you.
Set your salon‘s OKRs.
As a hair stylist, you spend all day thinking about incredibly technical and artistic work. However, you also have to think like a business owner. As such, you have to think about what your business goals are and set your salon‘s objectives and key results, also known as OKR. Set your OKRs monthly, quarterly, and yearly. Determine what the best key results for your objectives will be by working with a business management professional. You can include your hair stylists in this process and even set OKRs for their own personal growth as well. Using OKRs will help your team understand what the salon‘s goals are, how to achieve them, and how those goals are progressing throughout the year. OKRs will help your hair stylist‘s feel a sense of buy-in and, as a result, you’ll see that they’ll not only meet your expectations but they’ll even be able to meet your stretch goals.
Using social media, continuing education, and OKRs will lead to very real, measurable results. You’ll see an increase in employee engagement, improved client retention, and ultimately, the growth of your business.
