DIGITAL PERSPECTIVE

From the moment Coiffeur’s Salon opened its doors in Phoenix in January, the 1,780-square-foot beauty establishment has made an impression on the city with its educated stylists. Offering exclusively hair services and facial waxing, the salon stands out among its competition because of the personalized treatment it offers to clients and the technological components that help streamline daily tasks and enhance the overall client experience. Real-time online booking allows customers to view and book available appointments; order hair products online at a discount; and choose a preferred method of contact—text, email or phone call—for personalized follow-ups. Additionally, each stylist is equipped with an iPad for personal consultations, eliminating the need for manual recipe cards and ensuring that important details and photos of each client’s services are recorded. Says Loren Bennink, who co-owns the salon with Mark “Nando” Garcia, “We have incorporated the latest technology into our salon to further enhance and personalize the client experience.” —N.A.

BRIGHT IDEA

Weekly Planner Signatures Salon in Lake Charles, LA is keeping its appointment books full by following a business model from the book 3 Day Work Week. The free e-book, released in August and written by Signatures Salon owner Wendy White-McCown, illustrates how salons can improve business by implementing a three-day workweek and how to maximize productivity.

Since changing from a five-day to three-day system, White-McCown says the salon is 90 to 100 percent booked each day, and the staff receives a percentage of the salon’s gross profit on days when the booking goal is met. White-McCown is also launching a six-week online course to coincide with the book, which is broken into three parts—vision, culture and profit—and registration is open until September 19. White-McCown stresses that moving to a three-day workweek is only effective if it’s planned properly. “If we weren’t training the stylists and didn’t have systems in place to maintain numbers, three days would be a very bad idea,” she says. 3dayworkweek.biz —C.R.

 

 

Law of Attraction

Don’t just take what you can get when it comes to salon clients—get the guests you really want, says Artistic & TechniCulture Director for Goldwell and KMS California Patrick McIvor. On October 6 and 7 at the Goldwell Academy in Santa Monica, CA, McIvor is heading a two-day class called The Guests You Want to teach stylists how to attract the clients they truly seek. Here, McIvor shares a few tips for landing your dream clients.

Use social media. Online lookbooks can speak to potential guests who admire your style.

Keep clients happy. When you create an ideal experience for current guests, they’re more likely to recommend you to other like-minded people. “Our guests have always been our best advertisement,” McIvor says.

Understand your brand. How do you know when you’re not attracting the right clients? When you don’t like the looks your guests are asking for, or you’re uninspired by the looks new guests are bringing in for you to create, McIvor says. “To get the guests you want, understand your brand and create the brand you want so every day you create looks that help you grow,” he adds. —C.R.

 

PERSONAL BEST

Offering a range of appointment-only beauty services, including facials, massage, microdermabrasion, eyebrow design, makeup application and hairstyling, Ölsüss Skin Boutique is a 400-square-foot space located in Miami’s up-and-coming trendy Design District. As the sole proprietor, creator and specialist, Sonia Reisin works with each client on a one-on-one basis. “This is a unique experience for clients and a very different and more appealing feeling than a big spa or salon,” she says. Ölsüss Skin Boutique, opened in February 2013, features a serene and calm aesthetic designed entirely by Reisin. In addition to an abundance of white furniture and accents, the skin boutique boasts recycled wood, paper and paint throughout, adding to the craft aesthetic Reisin hoped to achieve. “I have my own soap and bath products line that is all-natural and handmade, and I sell handmade jewelry, clothes, candles and shoes from independent designers,” she says. She also called upon a feng shui expert to improve the energy of the space, which she believes has helped clients feel comfortable and excited to return. “My clients don’t want to leave,” she says. —N.A.

Wishing Well

In an effort to unite the professional beauty industry for a good cause, Martino Cartier, salon owner and Keratin Complex global artistic director, launched Friends Are By Your Side (FABYS) in 2011, a charity that donates wigs to cancer patients. Additionally, he promotes a variety of daily, monthly and annual fundraising events for the organization. At Martino Cartier Salons, he encourages stylists to ask every client if they’d like to donate to FABYS to provide wigs for people going through chemotherapy. Quarterly, the staff runs promotions—each product has $1 of charitable profit built into it—that benefit the organization and also get stylists focused on retail sales. Annually, stylists host outdoor cut-a-thon celebrations, performing $20 washes and cuts, with proceeds donated to FABYS. What’s more, Cartier invites a family the network is helping to the event to show the community and salon how their contributions can make a difference. The cut-a-thon not only raises community awareness, but is a huge team-building opportunity for his staff.

In addition to these ongoing efforts, Cartier introduced A Night of Wigs & Wishes, an annual event that began in 2013 to raise funds and awareness of FABYS, with all proceeds devoted to fulfilling the wishes of women and children fighting cancer. This year’s soiree invites special guests Tabatha Coffey and Paula Abdul, and will take place in October. For more information, visit friendsarebyyourside.com. —K.H.

 

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FRESH PERSPECTIVE

This summer, e-Cure Treatment from Armada Style got a modern update, redesigning its website for a new look and more user-friendly experience. Features include a secure shopping cart; a mobile- and tablet-friendly platform; a homepage with an e-Cure salon success story video; and a social media tab, allowing visitors to view all Facebook and Twitter updates on one page. “We’re excited about where the e-Cure Treatment system is headed in 2015,” says Armada Style’s New York office general manager Iaisha Smith. “We listened to the requests of the e-Cure community and have redesigned the website to be more user-friendly and to provide a streamlined online shopping experience. The relaunch is just the first step in our brand’s ongoing evolution.” ecure-treatment.com —E.G.