Occasionally your salon needs a good spring clean to improve your company’s performance and service to your clients. Here is my guide to sprucing up your salon.
Clean up your finances
The first place to tidy up a business is to get all your finances in order, making sure that you are managing your cashflow on a daily and weekly basis.
Your business finances are at the center of your business. They can help you to forecast your financial future and make better decisions. To organize your books, review files and accounts, sort your receipts and digitize what you can. Consider using an accountant to do this for you, as they will know exactly what to do and will probably be faster than you.
Keep your tax affairs in order
This is an unavoidable chore. File paperwork on time. If the business cannot meet its tax obligations, get in touch with the IRS and go on a payment plan.
Clean up your website
It doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul and sometimes just a tidy up and refresh is all that’s needed. This can be reworking the way information is presented to make it easier to clients and potential clients to digest.
Review your key words and ensure your pages are up to date and working. Add a blog, reviews, appointment system, videos, case studies, shopping cart and maps. Google loves new content and loves video, so make sure your site has all of this. Then check your Google Analytics and whether all links are functioning.
Get rid of stale material. Determine the key goals for your site — is it to direct sales and inquiries to your salon? Gather salon news media articles and relevant content to upload immediately, based on your salon’s new priorities.
Then objectively assess how fresh it all appears and diary time for website cleaning year round for optimal health.
Update your social media profiles
A sloppy online presence is never a good look, especially for a salon business. Google yourself—ensure you have good photos, clear content, accessible contact information and excellent ‘calls to action.’
Review your business plan
Now is the perfect time to revisit your business plan. Business constantly change and develop, so your business plan needs regular updating. The basics of your business plan are:
- Where do you want your business to go? (objectives)
- How are you going to get there? (strategy and tactics)
- How will you know when you are there? (measurement and review)
- Reflect on the past year and ask yourself what kind of changes your business has made in the last year.
Create a clear vision for your salon
Vision is so much more than management jargon: it really does help to drive the salon forward, because it provides energy and direction, a common understanding of where the business is going and enables all staff members to work out how they can personally add value to the salon.
Clean up your database
Your salon database is one of your company’s most important assets. Use it to your full advantage: record every single client’s details, keep it up to date and use it to stay in regular touch with your clients.
Get closer to your clients
Review your business through your clients eyes, prioritize issues for improvement and gain competitive advantage by giving clients what they really want. Do this by running a ‘client survey’ which:
- Provides feedback on how they see your salon
- Highlights areas for improvement
- Shows clients that you care about their options
- Helps you listen to your clients
- Keeps you up to date with competitors’ strengths and weaknesses
Clean up your image
‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression.’ Take an objective look at your business: what image do you portray to both regular and potential new clients and is that image in keeping with your vision for your salon?
If it is, great, and if no, then it is time to raise the bar and improve your standards in every aspect of the business from the exterior, to the look of your work areas, to the image of your team, to the layout of your front of house area and to the quality of every single service you provide.
Organize your inbox
As a busy owner, things like emails, paperwork and other documents can quickly pile up. When you are occupied day to day in your business, it is easy to become disorganized, fall behind and feel out of control.
Segment emails into: 1) to do, 2) archive, 3) pending and follow up. While you are clearing out your inbox, you can also do some other digital spring cleaning. Go through old files on your computer and delete unnecessary documents and folders. This will reduce space on your computer and make it more efficient.
Create specific folders to sort your documents, helping you access your work without having to search through hundreds of documents to find what you need.
Declutter
A clean, clear work area is a key element of productivity. Whether you work from home, a desk, or an office—take everything off your desk, wipe away the grime, clean your computer screen, get rid of all the obsolete paperwork. Add some plants or fresh flowers.
Spring cleaning your workspace can make you feel refreshed and organized.
Remember your long-term goals for your salon. All business is cyclical. Use Springtime to spruce up all your business strategies and your salon and get ready to capitalize on a fantastic Summer season.
Liz McKeon is an internationally renowned author, columnist, coach, trainer and mentor, specializing is business development within the sector. For further details, visit www.lizmckeon.com.