13 February 2025
As winter winds down, February is the perfect month to prepare your salon for a thriving spring season. This period not only provides time to strategise for growth but also to ensure your business is prepared for upcoming economic changes in the UK, such as the new budget laws set to take effect in April. Here’s how you can be proactive and set your salon up for success.
Utilise SalonIQ’s comprehensive data management tools to perform an efficiency audit of your salon operations. Identify any subscriptions, services, or routines that are underutilised and could be reduced or eliminated. Optimising utility (electricity) usage and renegotiating supplier contracts such as broadband, or insurance providers can also lead to significant savings. According to recent studies, businesses that conduct regular audits can save up to 15% in operational costs annually.
Conduct a thorough stocktake using SalonIQ stock control tools to ensure accurate professional and retail stock management. By maintaining precise stock records, you can avoid over-purchasing and ensure products are used before expiration. Implementing a just-in-time ordering system can help control inventory levels and minimise excess stock. SalonIQ provides you with a comprehensive stock dashboard to help you identify slow movers and dead stock that you may be best to remove from your range and in turn showcases the popular products that you can use to your advantage.
Expand your retail offerings by introducing high-demand products that complement the services you provide. SalonIQ’s extensive (100+ reports) reporting can help you analyse which products are particularly popular among your clients, enabling focused promotions and ensuring stock levels match demand. Ask clients for a testimonial after using a salon product & share this with other clients or on your social media and marketing channels.
Review your current payroll and make adjustments to accommodate the anticipated increases in the minimum wage and national insurance costs this April. This might involve optimising team schedules or providing additional to enhance productivity.
Instead of reducing our number of apprentices, we have simply made slight reductions to the hours they work each week – Carolyn
To offset rising salon costs, consider implementing a price increase for your services. Communicate transparently with your clients about the reasons for the change, emphasising the quality improvements and added value they will continue to receive. Offer loyal clients advance bookings at current rates or a loyalty programme to retain their custom during the transition.
Every client interaction offers multiple upselling opportunities. Educate your team on effective upselling techniques for products and complementary services. SalonIQ also includes a homecare recommendation system that works on auto-pilot reaching out to your clients once they have left the salon with a unique link to purchase their recommended products from your online salon shop. Offering bundled services or courses at a slight discount can appeal to clients seeking value while boosting your overall revenue and securing return visits. Use client data insights from SalonIQ to tailor recommendations based on previous purchases and preferences.
Research shows that salons implementing upsell strategies can increase revenue by up to 30%.
Take the opportunity to strengthen client relationships. Reach out to regular clients with personalised messages, provide them with valuable content such as hair, skin or nail maintenance tips, and invite them to book early for new services planned in the spring. Maintaining engagement keeps your salon at the top of your clients mind and increases loyalty.
SalonIQ introduces you to a pioneering cashless tipping system that significantly enhances team earnings whilst boosting client loyalty. This innovative platform ensures tips are transferred directly from the client to the team member, bypassing the business and providing instant payment.
We are so excited on the future of cashless tipping, the results are phenomenal with so many hair stylists and therapists are seeing an increase in their income.
Notably, SalonIQ salons are now enjoying tips on 68% of their bills, highlighting the widespread acceptance and success of this feature in enhancing both employee satisfaction and customer loyalty. With an average tip for January 2025 being between £14-£16.
Encourage repeat business with loyalty incentives and leverage referrals to expand your client base. SalonIQ software allows you to easily track and manage client loyalty programmes and referral bonuses, facilitating seamless reward provision.
Transform February from a quiet time into a bustling period. By focusing on streamlining costs, preparing for budget changes, and maximising client profitability, your salon can not only survive but thrive in the coming months. Stay proactive, harness technology like SalonIQ software, and watch your hair and beauty salon’s growth flourish.
Call a member of our team today on 01892 280 123
