august 009 - Stylist and Salon Newspapers

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o Salon Profits with New Services By Craig Black We all know the economy is being battered from all sides and it is getting more difficult for salons to survive. As smart business professionals, we’ve cut our expenses to the bone, pushed customer service to the limit, and yet it seems difficult to make any forward progress. Any rainy day fund we still have is being washed away by the economic monsoon. That pressure you’re feeling, which sometimes borders on panic, is you being pushed out of your comfort zone. All of the familiar solutions that have worked in the past; specials, add on services, and discounts are no longer bringing the reward they once did. At this point we start to ask ourselves what am I missing? What is the solution? And is my business going to survive this? Okay, that’s enough gloom and doom. I’m writing this article to give you hope and encouragement, and also, to lead you to what may be the answer to the problem, how you can make more money. If after a long, tough week, when you’ve had a little too much chardonnay and you start thinking about using Aunt Martha’s cookie recipe to open a bakery in the back of the shop... don’t go there! Instead, pursue the most likely path to success, by advancing forward in the profession you know so well. What if you were challenged to generate extra profit for your salon? How would you begin? Your first instinct may be to consider the usual suspects. By that, I mean ideas such as raising your prices, working longer hours, hiring additional staff or adding a new service. Each idea has its merits, but they all have definite limitations and are not likely to generate a big return for the average salon. Keep in mind that anything you must do yourself is inherently limited by the time required for you to perform the service. If you incur more payroll by hiring it done, then it will return only a small net profit, if any profit at all. What you really desire is not just extra income, but extra profit. You want to keep some of that money for yourself, right? Let’s look more closely at the idea of adding a new service. It’s true that some services are more profitable than others, and our instinct may be to stop doing one thing to do another. You might think, “If I do more chemical services and fewer haircuts, or if I do some high-end service, such as hair extensions, I can generate more income.” This may raise your income slightly, but you are still just exchanging one service for another and possibly increasing the supply cost per service at the same time. You are on the right track, but not quite there. To find the answer to producing added profit, let’s approach this challenge from a different direction. Ask your self this question, what features would a new service need to have in order to measure up? To make significant extra income with a high level of profit, here are the features a service should have. • a service that produces income while you do something else. • a service that doesn’t require more staffing or employees. • a service that has a large potential market. • a service that does not consume expensive supplies. • a service that produces significant fees, while still affordable to clients. • a service that doesn’t require new skills, hands on training, or a special license. • a service that is easy to incorporate into your existing salon without construction, wiring or plumbing. To do all these things, we may need a service that has never been offered before in salons. In fact, we need to create a whole new service category. While it may seem unlikely, that any one service could incorporate all those features, such a service does exist, it’s called “Laser Hair Enhancement.” The laser hair enhancement service fits perfectly in a salon setting. No one knows more about hair than the salon professional. You are the person they will turn to when they have concerns about thinning hair and for the first time you will have a solution for the problem. It’s not complicated. Some foundation knowledge is necessary to provide a good client consultation. This training is provided with the laser equipment. How big is the market for a service that provides a solution for clients with thinning hair? The desire for thicker hair is universal; it transcends every age, sex and race. It is estimated that 70 to 80 million men and women in the United States suffer from a significant amount of hair loss today. Laser hair enhancement has a huge potential market, uses no supplies and only takes a minute of your time to provide the service. The equipment requires no installation and is as easy to use as a hair dryer. The new service can produce significant additional income with just a few clients in your program. If you are serious about wanting to create more income for yourself, you may need to move out of your comfort zone and explore new options and opportunities. Laser hair enhancement is the first truly new service offered to our profession in a very long time. There has never been a better time to add laser hair enhancement to your salon and begin to reap the profits. Craig Black is president of Salon Lasers, Inc. a distributor for Hair Enhancement Laser equipment. For more information on this subject, visit his company website www.SalonLasers.com, or call 866-646-9050. FLORENCE F JOHNSON, RCI - Registered Provider of Continuing Education for Nurses and Esthetic Professionals. President Southern District of CCA NEW “ RETRO HAIR” WORKSHOP Sign Up for Next Class WE INVITE YOU TO A FREE 5 HOUR CLASS & WORKSHOP LEARN HOLISTIC DERMAL THERAPY, W I T H S C I E N T I F I C F A C T S ! PROFESSIONALS: You will be given instructions on how you can be on your way to EARNING A SUBSTANTIAL INCOME with only one table or chair in a small quiet area with our special start up package. ESTHETICIANS PHARMACOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (EPRI) is now offering OUR SPECIALIZED “Head to Toe” solutions naturally, using the original professional Botanical products formulated by Dr. Clyde Johnson, Medical BioChemist with years of proven results: repeat and referral services and sales worldwide. Ask about our California Cosmetology Association registration form and join our prestigious professionals offering many special continuing educational classes and workshops, plus insurance benefits and more. Cosmetology Associati ESTHETICIANS PHARMACOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE (EPRI) 8 FARADAY, SUITE A, IRVINE, CALIFORNIA 92618 800-441-3264 • (949) 598-4500 • fax: (949) 598-4511 • info@fanie.com • www.fanie.com a i rn o if l a C n I n c . ® 12 | AUGUST 2009 | CALIFORNIA STYLIST & SALON
Is Stress the Magic Key? Esthetic Endeavors Judith Culp Periodically you have to ask yourself, “Are the services we currently offer as popular as they were a year ago?” It’s certainly a time when most of us are taking a second look at the services and products we are offering and doing serious re-evaluation. This is really something that needs to be done on an annual basis. Have the demand for them grown, shrunk or stayed about the same? This knowledge gives us valuable information about the direction we are headed in the future. It’s also an issue that taking the time to do this right now may be more difficult. If a business has felt negative economic impact then the owners may cut extraneous spending and may be trying to do more themselves instead of paying for it to be done. So we are working more hours, spread thinner and making less money. Whoa! Wait!! This doesn’t sound like fun. It sounds like stress. STRESS. There in lies a magic word that we can use to recreate ourselves and improve our future. What do stressed people need? We need to be de-stressed, relaxed and taken care of. We need products and services to help us accomplish this. If anyone knows a client who is not more stressed today than they were a year ago, please email me and let me know. I’d like to meet this person. This stress creates its own demand for our services. Sure they want to have services that produce results, but they also need to destress. For the client to look their best and feel their best we can pamper them and offer ways to make them feel cared for or that their lives will be much easier. This can be achieved in multiple ways. Stress-reduction treatments: Start by developing a menu item specifically designed to reduce clients’ stress. This might be a pampering facial just focusing on relaxing massage and soothing products. Or, it might be using anti-stress, anti-aging products so when the client completes their service they are not only relaxed but their skin looks and feels more youthful. These treatments trigger the need for home care products to continue improvement and achieve long term goals of looking younger. Another treatment might be energy balancing incorporating floral waters, chakra gemstones and Reiki therapy. Reiki and alternative energy management are some of the fastest growing areas of renewed interest. It isn’t surprising due to not only their effectiveness but the new focus on alternative, more “natural” health modalities. These treatments may create the demand for home care items that the client can employ to keep stress down. Crystals, floral waters, tinctures, relaxation music, soy candles, and other items can become great impulse items for the client. Don’t overlook Ayurveda. The most relaxing treatment I have ever had was Shirodarah. This is the procedure where warm oil is streamed over the third eye and it is mesmerizing. One loses the ability to continue to focus on stressors during the treatment. Ambiance and the appropriate skills are essential. It can be incorporated into most treatment spaces and the set-up costs are like nothing compared to most of our technology. This could be done as a stand-alone service or incorporated with other treatments. It is always suggested that it be the last service performed and the client should be allowed to slowly come back to reality rather than rushed out the door. Marma point massage is another Ayurvedic service that is very relaxing. There are treatment protocols out there that focus on the head and neck. This could be offered prior to the Shirodarah or as a stand alone treatment. Rose essential oil and rose quartz stones are both known to have many favorable attributes for stressed females. Put together a rose and rose quartz facial service incorporating your favorite products. My personal favorite for a rose essential oil is Rose Otto from Bulgaria. I think it has a more true rose scent and may actually be less expensive than some others. For summer use your stones at room temperature and they will impart a delightfully cooling sensation. Do you have some great smelling items the client can purchase to keep the ambiance you have created going? Essential oil enhanced lotions or body care that helps them get back to the natural is great. Everyone is jumping on this bandwagon. Did you know all those fabulous wineries are starting to add great smelling body products that tout the benefits of the grapes included in them? Anyone located in areas where wine growing is a popular thing may want to add some of these lotions for home care or gift giving. The manufacturer knows that a great smelling lotion sells because of how it makes the client feel physically and emotionally. It can be very relaxing – and de-stressing. We can reduce our own stress by offering services and products that de-stress clients, make their lives simpler and protect them in a way that helps them emotionally and physically. It’s a win-win solution. Judith Culp, a CIDESCO Diplomat has been in the esthetics industry since 1980. A CPCP permanent makeup technician for over 18 years she served a 4-year term as a Director for the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals, two years as their president. She is president of Culp Enterprises Inc. and CEO of NW Institute of Esthetics. Judy Culp is available for consulting. For more information visit www.estheticsnw.com. Maly’s Reveals Undressed 2009 Maly’s is redefining salon education with 2009 Undressed - Creativity Exposed. Undressed is a one day affair that brings all of stylists favorite brands together in one place. It allows them to see what they can learn from top names in the industry and discover what they can reveal when they let their creativity run free. After a tremendous debut last year, the Undressed experience is being expanded to three cities: San Francisco, Calif. on September 13; Bellevue, Wash. on September 20; and Irvine, Calif. on October 18. All of the top brands participating (including Redken, L’Oreal, Matrix, Sexy Hair, PureOlogy and Framesi) will host sessions showcasing unique forms of artistic expression, creativity and educational trends. Top names headlining will include Michael O’Rourke, Founder and Chairman of Sexy Hair (who will be presenting at all three), and renowned colorist David Stanko of Redken (appearing in the Washington and Southern California shows). Stylists will be able to create a day that is all their own by selecting which sessions most inspire them. Dottie Lanham, Maly’s Director of Education believes, “We are excited to produce a spectacular event showcasing industry faves, who put on creative presentations along with inspirational and imaginative performances.” To purchase tickets call 1.800.446.2597, contact their Maly’s salon consultant, or visit their nearest Maly’s Store. Downloadable brochures are available at malys.com. CALIFORNIA STYLIST & SALON | AUGUST 2009 | 13
Page 2: California Stylist & Salon Volume X
Page 5 and 6: Multiple Personalities By Erika Som
Page 7 and 8: One Salon Makes Retailing Work Reta
Page 9 and 10: earlier and go over your schedule.
Page 11: Build Your Business with Cosmetics
Page 15 and 16: PALMDALE, CA - WEST SIDE - THREE HA
Page 17 and 18: HAIR SALON FOR SALE IN PLEASANT HIL
Page 19 and 20: WHAT’S NEW IN THE MARKET 1. Mirab

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