Targeting Men

Why is it that guys will spend thousands of dollars on top-of-the-line stereo equipment, sportscars and high-tech gadgets, but wash their hair with a bar of soap? Howard Silver, president of Mark for Men, a new men's haircare company, thinks he knows why. "When it comes to hair, men feel like they're in a woman's world," he says. "They think the products aren't for them, and they don't want to use a lot of different things. They want one product that will do everything." With this in mind, Silver created Mark for Men, which consists of an in-salon conditioning and thickening treatment or extra control shampoos and conditioners for home use.

Mark for Men launched nationwide in January, and to promote the line, the company recently teamed up with Bravo's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. They have also placed regional ads in magazines like GQ with coupons for a free Mark for Men treatment at a local salon. "We want to get more men into these salons," says Silver, who owns two salons in West Palm Beach, FL. Any salon that sells the Mark for Men treatment line will also receive free treatment coupons for female clients to give their partners.

Clients who receive the Mark for Men conditioning treatment ($10) are shampooed as usual, then the treatment is applied to the scalp and left on for three to five minutes before being rinsed out. Clients are encouraged to buy the shampoo and conditioner to maintain the results of the treatment until their next appointment. This strategy has been successful at Silver's salons, where more than 50 percent of men who get the treatment have bought the shampoo and conditioner. “Salon owners don‘t normally look at men as profitable,” he says. “This boosts the service ticket, making the men‚s segment more attractive.” For more information, visit www.markformen.com