The Outliers Issue 1

Live True communal colour consultation tables
Lockonego
If it’s not right, 70 per cent of women
say they won’t return.*
The back bar needs to be located in
a quieter area, separate from the buzzy
salon atmosphere. Think dimmable lights,
a partition wall or even a separate room
for more relaxation. It’s a great place to
add some branding, with products on
clear display alongside treatment menus.
Of course, clients don’t want to invest
in salon appointments and products if
they can’t reproduce the look they love
at home. Recent studies have shown that
consumers really trust their hairdresser
and will buy into a recommendation,
regardless of price.
Indeed, this recommendation
approach seems to be what clients are
missing – 54 per cent of customers don’t
buy because ‘nothing was recommended’.*
Only 8 per cent said that price was the
issue.* With merchandising tools and a
fresh strategy, your staff won’t need to
apply the hard sell. Perhaps a communal
table without a mirror where customers
can relax, read, use iPads or test products,
is worth considering.
At Lockonego, Jonathan knew he
wanted to expand and adapt his retail
offering to create a more involved
experience. “We have opened up our
retail area so clients feel free to touch and
feel the products, and this has worked
wonderfully for us. Sales are up
15 per cent,” he explains. “The mask
bar has been successful as it gets the
conversation started, and we can create
bespoke treatments for each individual
client. We introduced a new way of taking
bills that has also improved our sales.”
Retail areas at George Northwood
and The Chapel are stand- out examples
– visible and accessible. Clear pricing and
navigation for self-service are important
too. Redken has created shelf talkers,
designed in the language that people
search in – think ‘for coloured hair’ and
‘for flat hair’, alongside clipper card stands
that call out ‘#trending’, ‘best sellers’, and
‘new arrivals’. This helps close the loop on
all the buzz clients will have seen about
Redken products across social media,
particularly from influencers.
Salon events where clients can try
out services and products can also have a
feel good boost on retail sales and client
engagement. A great example is the Big
Hair Do, where 100 salons open their
doors for one night in September.
Finally, once that client is finished and
looking fabulous in your chair, get them
to share.
“The power of the selfie today on
social media is huge – and it’s a fantastic
advertisement for your staff’s skills.
So think about getting those selfies on
point,” advises Melissa Fernandez, UK and
Ireland general manager for Redken.
Eleven Hair has designed a 3D flower
wall for clients to capture their selfie
looks, while Liverpool’s Voodou has
a neon ‘Fit Hair’ light, as well as selfie
backdrop. No wonder an increasingly
standard piece of kit in the salon is a ring
light, for the most flattering light possible.
*TNS study on ‘women and hairstylists’ in four
countries 2012, data client wave panel UK 2012
48 The Outliers