Post Covid Salon Growth Opportunity
The beauty industry experienced brisk change and disruption requiring business adjustment according to a recent Salon Magazine trend report. The Covid shutdown required salon professionals to pivot and adapt during a weeks long shutdown, followed by expensive protocols and mandates.
Beauty professionals were polled on the impact to their business and measured the degree of survival, particularly regarding digital adaptation and innovation. Covid exposed beauty professionals that experienced success by adapting to rapid change, and set the trajectory for The Salon of the Future.
Make no mistake Covid was hard for everyone in the industry. These revolutionary changes are an opportunity for growth. The future success of your beauty-based business will be determined by your willingness to pivot and adapt toward digital modifications.
One key stat shows that salons attracted first ticket prices 3X higher with an 80% rebook rate for new clients that heard about them digitally. These new clients interviewed salons through Google, Instagram, and the salon’s website before opting in for services. These three key digital platforms are essential to attract new clients, onboard Xennial stylists, and keep current staff from leaving for self-employment options.
Let’s look at the data to see where we fit in this landscape and our opportunities for growth!
Salons first – These percentages reflect the answers to the following question: Looking at the shutdown and the period that followed in 2021, which statement best reflects how you feel about your beauty-based business?
It was heartbreaking to hear about some that had to close their business, our heart goes out to you. To the 55% that struggled either with or without financial assistance the opportunities and steps we provide below can help you grow toward the 18% that survived and thrived.
*************************
Stylists Second – These percentages reflect the answer to the same question in relation to how they feel about their professional beauty career:
We see percentages that correlate to the salon’s percentages. The salons that thrived were able to recruit and their staff stayed through the sudden, dramatic and unexpected changes.
*************************
Recruitment is going to be a significant obstacle for salon owners! New talent in the industry (Xennials) are the future. They are growing their client base into double digit income within two years. In the good ol’ days this use to take 3-5 years. Why? They are digital innovators and will interview salons before ever coming in for an interview. The same is true for Xennial clients – they are interviewing you or your salon before ever booking an appointment.
This change in recruitment and attracting new clients can be met with dressing your salon’s digital ‘window front’ (Instagram) with your absolute best work linked to the stylist’s Instagram, that should be just as polished with amazing images of their best work.
Your Instagram profile should include a link to your salon website that offers online booking, links to your social accounts, online shopping, and virtual consultations. All of this is linked to your ranking in Google, so you can be founds near the top of the listings when someone searches; ‘best salon near me,’ or ‘best salon in
Let’s take a look at the industry digital innovation adaptation rate to see where we land.
Innovators and early adopters are the NEW breed of digital salons!
Question you should ask yourself: What would my competition have to do to put me out of business? The answer should become the foundation of your future business plan. Find out about their website, social feeds, online shopping/booking, staff demographics, and start taking forward growth steps one platform at a time.
The Opportunity to Close the Gap!
Here are some actionable steps that salons and beauty professionals can take to create or update the 3 Key digital properties to provide a digital highway toward salon discovery and increased revenue.
#1 – GOOGLE MY BUSINESS
(every business has a Google business listing that can be claimed and edited by you)
Author’s Note: Google is changing this feature in 2022 making this a time sensitive #1 platform to optimize today! We at Icon were extremely surprised at the huge volume of people that find our stores through our Google Business listings.
- Become the architect of your Google listing page
- Fill in all the relevant information and upload amazing images of and about your business
- Start a review promo in-salon – this helps your business get higher in the google search listing
- Add links to specific pages on your website
- Add an Instagram link to your Google listing (Xennials use this all the time)
LINK TO YOUTUBE ‘HOW-TO’ TUTORIAL – CLICK HERE
#2 – SALON WEBSITE
The top of your website is prime digital property and should be 90% image based and 10% text. All your social and online links should be clearly shown in this premier location and should include:
- Online Booking
- Online Shopping
- Gift Cards
- Request Consultation
More SEO (Search Engine Optimization) features to optimize your website: Profile description, Blogs, titles and descriptions of all your content. This helps to get your website to the top of a Google search page.
We highly recommend using a trusted website developer to help you with this platform.
A Case for Online Booking:
- Online bookers are already SOLD because they have checked you out.
- Online booking strategy (when combined with the other key digital updates) is to get a first-time client with a service/retail ticket that is 2X higher than the client who calls in their booking.
- Learn how to overcome objections and problems – particularly important. A hybrid model can pave the path forward to full digital automation.
- Some prospective clients will not book with you if they cannot book online, particularly Xennials.
Analyze your competitors. When you google search “top salon in
#3 – INSTAGRAM
Author’s Note: Be sure to secure your Instagram account with 2-Factor Authentication (we suggest using an app like Google Authenticator versus text or email authentication). You have or are going to put a lot of effort into your Instagram page; protect it! Here at Icon we just had to start over after being hacked by very savvy hackers, even thought we’re experienced digital professionals. We all need a little bit of help sometimes!
Instagram is the SHOWCASE digital platform for your business! Post eye catching images that show off the incredible work from the beauty professionals in your salon. Your profile and images should show:
- Who you are
- Top service commitment & new services
- Post story graphics of your reviews & save to a ‘Reviews’ highlight at the top of your profile.
- Create different ‘Highlight’ headings that showcase your salon, services, past promotions and retail.
- Website should be linked in your Instagram bio
- Include your address and any salon hashtags
- Stylists Instagram Accounts can have their online booking page linked in their profile.
- Link stylists account to your post of their work so clients can quickly browse their work.
- Add a CTA (Call to Action): Book Today, Call for Consultation etc.
This list is not an exhausted list but it’s a good list to start with. There are a ton of YouTube tutorials to help optimize your Business Instagram channel.
*Extra Tip: Your Instagram can and should be linked to your TikTok.
Digital consultations and online booking were almost non-existent before Covid and have now launched the industry into warp-speed transformation. The principles behind word of mouth, salon window advertising, local newspaper ads, and mailout newsletters/specials have stayed the same. They have just moved to digital platforms with the next generation of stylists and clients expecting the same level of digital service offered for other goods and services.
This all creates a huge opportunity to pivot, adapt, adopt and thrive in becoming The Salon of the Future in your neighborhood.
Let us know if you are interested in a class that covers these ideas and steps by filling out the contact form below.
