RETAIL THAT ROCKETSRetail gives clients that salon serotonin boost between appointments.Clients may not be coming in as regularly, but by keeping themstocked with mood-boosting products that make them feel great,you’ll be on their mind.Unique brands that feel luxe are great for clients who love to bein-the-know, especially ones that are tapping into the change inconsumer priorities. Alterna’s My Hair. My Canvas. range is a casein point. It focuses on the growing interest in self-care and selfexpression,with clean, vegan formulas for those who are increasinglyingredients-conscious while still being fun and playful. What it hasdone is feed into the image and conversation that what clientsonce saw as routine – such as washing their hair – can be seen asa ritual, something to enjoy as a moment of calm for themselves.Repositioned in this way, hair products become something else, away to enable clients to find and relishthose special moments to themselves.Need a hand with retail and anonline presence? Aveda’s A-Commerceplatform does all the hard work for youby helping you create a site that lookslike your brand, but with Aveda managing all of thebackend fulfilment and related costs, including shippingand handling. You earn a cool 10 per cent commissionon all retail sales, and trials in the US have seen hugeincreases in sales.With in-person socialising at a minimum, retail and gifting becomesthat link to connect with people. Showcase your knowledge andconnections with brands that will strike a real chord with clients, thatthey simply wouldn’t hear about otherwise. We’d bet every clienthas a hairdryer, but do they have a hairdryer with an antibacterialtreatment imbued in it? The new Parlux Alyon in Night Blue, availablefrom Hair Tools, contains an anti-microbial finish enrichedwith silver powder, and includes both a MagicSense Diffuserand two precision nozzles. Or harness the power of asupercar for a speedy blow-out at home, thanks to the newDiva Pro Atmos Dry and Atmos Atom hairdryers.Think about retail beyond the obvious salon fare, too. Corrinehair accessories, a cult Swedish brand, has also just landed in theUK, and its bendable leather hair ties, leather bows and glitteringbarrettes have that ultimate cool-girl, effortless appeal.Alterna My Hair. My Canvas.,Corinne accessories and Parlux AylonDavid Nicolson,Owner, Rainbow Room International,Royal Exchange Square“20 for 2020 is aimed at models being used by newstylists, but it’s open to all clients too. They book threeappointments, with a colour service on their second visit anda cut eight weeks after the first visit’s cut. The total cost is£60, payable in three payments, one on each visit. In returnthe salon asks the client to share their experience on socialmedia. This supports not just our new stylists but those inour community who are finding things tougher. We’re tryingsomething different that clients can afford.”No man (or business) is an island; it’s important to invest in your staff’swellbeing. Company mood and energy comes from the top down,and as things get tougher it’s crucial to offer support where you can.“2020 has been a challenging year to say the least, and your teammay not be firing on all cylinders at the moment,” says Simon Hill,owner of SESH Hairdressing. “We need to communicate and reachout to our teams. At SESH we host an annual wellness week tohighlight the importance and focus we put on mental health.”John McIntyre, co-owner of McIntyres salons in Dundee, knewthat they couldn’t expect their team to go back to how things werepre-lockdown. “We’ve split our two salon teams in two, so that oneteam does a six-hour morning shift and one does the afternoon, butwe’re open six days a week,” he explains. “I couldn’t expect ourteam members to come back from furlough and work 12-hour days,they’d be on their knees. Everyone’s working so hard. This way we’realso able to open earlier and close later – which clients love – andsocially distance with half as many people in the salon, so it’s beena brilliant strategy.”The Creative HEAD Collective is a new type of membership club forsalon owners, which offers salons support and practical assistance onall sorts of issues. In partnership with leading Employment AssistanceProgramme provider Care first, The Collective covers everythingfrom legal and financial matters to everyday practical and emotionalsupport. For more details, visit creativeheadmag.com/store46
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