How to upscale your salon business

Want to target the luxury market in 2024? If you’re thinking of expanding into a new town or adding another salon in your current location, there are so many options to choose from.

Since the pandemic, annual spending on hairdressing and beauty treatments has continually increased. In the second quarter of 2022, for example, consumers spent approximately two billion pounds at salons and grooming establishments.

Whether you’re just starting out or heading towards your biggest year yet, it’s worth knowing the best ways to grow your hairdressing business.

How to grow your salon business: Four steps to success

1. Use referral programs

Drafting up unique and innovative marketing strategies is perhaps the best way to keep your clients returning in this industry. Social media accounts speak only to your clients who use social platforms, so it’s important to consider other – and more traditional – forms of marketing too.

Referral schemes provide an incentive for your clients to recommend you to their friends, family and colleagues. By offering a small but valuable bonus or gift, both parties can benefit from bringing new business to your salon.

• Invest in your team

According to the National Hair & Beauty Federation, more than three quarters of UK hair and beauty businesses employ fewer than five people. Since you’re likely to be working with a tight-knit team in each salon you own, it’s important to ensure only the best talent in your franchise.

Appreciating and rewarding your staff is more critical than ever. As well as providing fair pay and generous holiday allowances, you should try to promote loyalty through creating a genuinely positive working environment.   

• Consider your finances

Before any growth period, it’s important to make sure that your company can afford to move onto bigger things. Set an ambitious yet achievable budget and ensure that your team know their roles and responsibilities over the coming months. If necessary, you might need to review staff pay to keep your team feeling motivated.

Undertaking a more detailed review of company incomings and outgoings could be invaluable You can hire a professional to audit your finances in detail and ensure that everything is running smoothly.

• Identify your niche

Try to find your niche before expanding your business. If there’s something that you do better than your surrounding competitors, it could be imperative to capitalise on that.

Alternatively, choosing a specific focus could be rewarding for your company.  Use your staff talent as a guide before offering any new services or refining your current offerings. Make sure you listen to your clients too, since understanding your target audience could be more effective than simply feeding into wider trends.

Overview

Knowing your clients is the first step towards building a successful brand in hairdressing. The rest comes down to your team and their expertise, along with the products and services you offer.

Make sure you’re always in tune with current economic challenges too. If your salon is in an area where your clients might be more likely to struggle to afford a haircut, it’s crucial to offer core services at an accessible price point. Stepping into the luxury market shouldn’t mean alienating other clients.