Currently, the Russian market of household services is reaching a qualitatively new level. More and more people and organizations refuse to solve everyday problems on their own and resort to the help of qualified specialists. The images of incompetent hairdressers or cosmetologists are irrevocably a thing of the past; they are being replaced by highly paid professionals in their field. The number of consumer service organizations is increasing. The volume of the household services market in Russia is estimated at 400-500 million US dollars (according to market players). In 2006, market growth was 5.9%. Development of the service sector in Russia, which began in the 1990s. caused by the action of objective and subjective factors, went along a number of main directions, including;
The emergence of many types of new services;
Increasing interest in the service sector on the part of entrepreneurs - mainly small and medium business, - due to the investment attractiveness of the service sector;
Increase in share paid services to the population in the context of a decrease in the level of budget funding for a number of sectors of the social service sector;
Increased competition between service organizations.
At the same time, in a number of basic quantitative and qualitative indicators characterizing the level of development of the service sector, Russia is seriously inferior to leading foreign countries. This situation is largely a consequence of the undervaluation of the service sector in our country as one of the defining sectors of the economy. However, the logic of economic development inevitably leads to the expansion of the service sector, including in the sphere industrial production and personal consumption.
Hairdressing services belong to the sphere of personal services and are among the most popular in everyday life of people, and, therefore, are the most widespread in Russia. This service sector occupies the largest volume in the consumer services market and is currently represented by hairdressers, salons, beauty salons and other non-state enterprises, constituting 1/6 of the total number of service enterprises.
The number of workers in this area is also the highest among all sub-sectors of consumer services. In addition, hairdressing services are provided by individual hairdressers and cosmetologists who practice privately without following the mandatory registration procedure with government agencies. This increases the actual volume of hairdressing and cosmetic services sold to the population, according to experts, by 25-35%.
The growth rate of the volume of sold hairdressing services has not changed significantly, and at the moment the sub-industry confidently ranks 6th in the consumer services market, representing 3.7% of the total volume of household services. Experts consider the hairdressing services market to be one of the most stable, promising and rapidly developing.
Average statistics from European countries and the United States show that hairdressing salons (basic level of services) are located across the street, middle class salons (wide range of services) are one per block, and luxury salons (exclusive services) are located locally in the city center, in large shopping complexes. The numerical ratio looks like 10 / 3 / 1.
The Russian market has about 30,000 beauty salons and hairdressing salons, of which about 13% are in the capital region. The market for hairdressing and beauty salons in Moscow is acquiring a maturity phase, and entry into the market is hampered by strong competition from other market participants.
The main share of hairdressing and beauty salons in the capital, about 50%, are medium and medium-high level enterprises. The share of hairdressers belonging to economy class is 30% and 15% are hairdressers and luxury beauty salons. The remaining 5% is occupied by VIP salons (Fig. 4).
Rice. 4 - Composition of the hairdressing services market in Moscow
Of the total number of hairdressing and beauty salons in Moscow, 7% are chain stores. The majority of the population - more than 40% - visit hairdressing salons several times a year and about 24% - approximately once a month, using the services of hairdressing salons 2 or 3 times a month - about 8%. The rest either do not use hairdressing services at all or visit a hairdresser 1 or 2 times a year.
Speaking about the Moscow market, it should be noted that in the city today there is a clear overabundance of luxury salons. Many of which are not able to provide the exclusive level of service that their prices require. And there are too many studios that are open today in the city; there are not enough clients for everyone. And, consequently, they are either forced to lower the bar or create a mixed type of service (which is not comparable to luxury class). In general, the Moscow market is quite saturated as a whole, however, an incorrect understanding of the business tasks facing the salon and at the same time the seeming ease of earning money have led to a very high turnover among hairdressers. Every day, salons open and close in different parts of the city. Some succeed, others go broke.
Hairdressing salons usually occupy small areas. Most hairdressing salons are located in areas of 100 square meters. meters or more, as a rule, on the first floors of residential buildings (built-in and attached premises), at bathing and laundry plants, hotels, hostels, train stations, and large enterprises. Most of the premises occupied by hairdressing and beauty salons are in good condition. And only elite and expensive salons can afford to be located in a separate building.
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Summary
Marketing research contains information on the state of the Russian market hairdressing and beauty salons as of March 2013
As part of the study, the following blocks of questions were considered: the volume and dynamics of domestic production, imports and exports. The volumes of product consumption are calculated and an assessment of the current market conditions is given. Special attention is paid to factors that have a significant impact on the state of the hairdressing and beauty salon market. Based on macroeconomic indicators of the state of the Russian economy and data from an expert survey of market participants, a forecast of its development for the medium term was constructed.
Excerpt from previous edition report
The volume of hairdressing and cosmetic services to the population in 2011 amounted to 41.9 billion rubles, an increase of 3.6 billion compared to 2010. However, the growth occurred due to an increase in the cost of the services themselves, and the physical volume of services provided was at the level of the previous year ( a decrease of 0.1% was noted.
The most significant increases in physical volume were noted in 2006-2007, but during the crisis years there was also no decline in this service sector, only growth slowed down.
Main blocks of information
Volume and dynamics of domestic production
Production structure by product groups/price segments
Structure of product output by regions of the Russian Federation
Production volumes by key manufacturers
Volume and dynamics of export/import
Apparent consumption of products
Factors influencing the market state
Main consumers of products, consuming industries
Forecast of market volume (market capacity) in the medium term
Prices of production, import, export, consumption
Financial and economic profiles of leading enterprises in the industry
Research methodology
1. Personal and telephone surveys of experts conducted by IndexBox employees
2. Analysis of information materials provided by manufacturers, importers, distributors, retail operators
3. Analysis of statistical information, including Rosstat, Foreign Economic Activity, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Ministry of Industry and Trade, unions and industry associations
The report contains 199 pages, 26 tables, 31 figures
This study is 70% complete and is in the process of completion. At your request, we can make adjustments to the structure and content of the report. The finished study will be provided within 5 working days after placing the order.
Content1. Summary
2. Study design
3. Review of the market for paid services to the public
3.1. Classification of paid services to the population
3.2. Volume of the market for paid services to the population in 2007-2010.
3.3. Structure of the market for paid services to the population by federal districts
3.4. Trends in the Russian market of paid services to the population
4. Description and classification of hairdressing and beauty salons
4.1. Types of services provided on the market
4.2. Types of companies in the market
5. Characteristics of the Russian market of hairdressing and beauty salons in 2007-2011.
5.1. Volume and dynamics of the Russian market of hairdressing and beauty salons in 2007-2010.
5.2. Market structure of hairdressing and beauty salons by type
5.3. Market structure of hairdressing and beauty salons by federal districts
5.4. Seasonal fluctuations in the hairdressing and beauty salon market
5.5. Market capacity of hairdressing and beauty salons
6. Key players in the hairdressing and beauty salon market
6.1. Number of companies present on the market
6.2. Market structure by company revenue by federal districts of the Russian Federation in 2010-2011.
7. Competitive analysis of the main players in the hairdressing and beauty salon market
7.1. Level of competition in the hairdressing and beauty salon market
7.2. Assortment policy. Accompanying services
7.3. Competitive advantages of hairdressing and beauty salons
8. Consumers of the hairdressing and beauty salon market
8.1. Socio-demographic portrait of consumers in the hairdressing and beauty salon market
8.1.1. Characteristics of consumers by gender
8.1.2. Characteristics of consumers by age
8.1.3. Characteristics of consumers by social status
8.2. Consumer preferences in the hairdressing and beauty salon market
9. Characteristics of prices in the hairdressing and beauty salon market
9.1. Basic Pricing Principles
9.2. Price dynamics in the hairdressing and beauty salon market
10. Factors influencing the development of the hairdressing and beauty salon market
10.1. Level of well-being of the population
10.2. Demographic situation in the Russian Federation
11. Forecast for the development of the hairdressing and beauty salon market for 2012-2018.
11.1. Market trends. Forecast until 2018
Appendix 1. Revenue of companies providing hairdressing and cosmetic services
Table 1. Volume of paid services provided to the population by type in 2007-2010, billion rubles.
Table 2. Structure of the market for paid household services by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 3. Structure of the market for paid transport services by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 4. Structure of the market for paid communication services by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 5. Structure of the market for paid housing services by federal district in 2007-2010.
Table 6. Paid market structure educational services by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 7. Structure of the market for paid utility services by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 8. Structure of the market for paid hotel and restaurant services by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 9. Structure of the market for paid services for organizing recreation and entertainment, culture and sports by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 10. Structure of the market for paid services for organizing tourism by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 11. Structure of the market for paid medical services by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 12. Structure of the market for paid sanatorium and health services by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 13. Structure of the market for paid veterinary services by federal districts in 2007-2010.
Table 14. Market volume of hairdressing and beauty salons by region of the Russian Federation in 2005-2011, thousand rubles.
Table 15. Number of companies providing hairdressing and cosmetic services in 2006, 2009, 2010, pcs.
Table 16. Average consumer prices for model haircuts in the women's salon in the Russian Federation in January 2007-December 2011, rubles.
Table 17. Average consumer prices for a model haircut in the women's salon by region of the Russian Federation in January-December 2011, rubles
Table 18. Average consumer prices for model haircuts in men's hall in the Russian Federation in January 2007-December 2011, rub.
Table 19. Average consumer prices for a model haircut in a men's salon by region of the Russian Federation in January-December 2011, rubles
Table 20. Dynamics of household disposable resources (per 100 people), thousand rubles, Russian Federation, total population in the Russian Federation in 2000-2009.
Table 21. Differentiation of income of the population in 2005-2010
Table 22. Deviations of population income in federal districts from the Russian average in 2004-2009.
Table 23. Number of people born per year
Table 24. Total fertility rate (forecast), children per 1 woman
Table 25. Population distribution Russian Federation by gender and age groups as of January 1, 2010, thousand people
Table 26. Volume of revenue (net) from the sale of goods and services by major enterprises in 2005-2010 providing hairdressing and cosmetic services, thousand rubles.
Figure 1. Volume of the market for paid services to the population in 2007-2010, billion rubles.
Figure 2. Structure of the market for paid services to the population by type in 2007-2010.
Figure 3. Volume of the market for paid household services to the population in 2007-2010, billion rubles.
Figure 4. Structure of the market for paid household services to the population by type in 2007-2010.
Figure 5. Structure of the market for paid services to the population by federal district in 2010
Figure 6. Classification of hairdressing services enterprises
Figure 7. Volume of the market for hairdressing and cosmetic services to the population in 2005-2011, billion rubles.
Figure 8. Market structure of hairdressing and beauty salons by type in Russia
Figure 9. Market structure of hairdressing and beauty salons by type in Moscow
Figure 10. Market structure of hairdressing and beauty salons by federal district in 2005-2011.
Figure 11. Volume of the hairdressing services market in January-December 2010-2011, billion rubles. and physical volume index (in % of the previous year)
Figure 12. Indices of physical volume of hairdressing services in January 2010 - December 2011, in% compared to the same period of the previous year
Figure 13. Number of organizations providing hairdressing and cosmetic services in 2006, 2009 and 2010, pcs.
Figure 14. Structure of the hairdressing and beauty salon market by revenue by federal district in 2005-2011.
Figure 15. Distribution of visitors to hairdressing and beauty salons by gender
Figure 16. Distribution of visitors to hairdressing and beauty salons by age
Figure 17. Distribution of visitors to hairdressing and beauty salons by level of education
Figure 18. Distribution of visitors to hairdressing and beauty salons by employment 48
Figure 19. Average consumer price indices for model haircuts in the women's salon in the Russian Federation in January-December 2010
Figure 20. Average consumer price indices for model haircuts in the women's salon in the Russian Federation in January-December 2011
Figure 21. Dynamics of average consumer prices for model haircuts in the women's salon in the Russian Federation in January 2010 - December 2011, deviation in % compared to the same period of the previous year
Figure 22. Comparison of average consumer prices for a model haircut in a women's salon by federal district, in December 2011.
Figure 23. Average consumer price indices for model haircuts in the men's salon in the Russian Federation in January-December 2010
Figure 24. Average consumer price indices for model haircuts in the men's salon in the Russian Federation in January-December 2011
Figure 25. Dynamics of average consumer prices for model haircuts in the men's salon in the Russian Federation in January 2010 - December 2011, deviation in % compared to the same period of the previous year
Figure 26. Comparison of average consumer prices for a model haircut in a women's salon by federal district, in December 2011.
Figure 27. Distribution of total monetary income of the population in 2010 by group
Figure 28. Average deviation of per capita income in federal districts from the Russian average for the period 2000-2009.
Figure 29. Shares of free cash flows by federal districts relative to the Russian average, in %
Figure 30. Age and sex composition of the population of the Russian Federation as of January 1, 2010.
Figure 31. Market volume of hairdressing and cosmetic services in 2011-2018, billion rubles. and physical volume index
Marketing of the hairdressing services market Customer Needs Research Information support for marketing
The main task of the hairdressing business is to satisfy the needs of customers. Selecting the right client is one of the most important aspects of marketing. Marketing specialists often use in their practice research into the reasons that influence the decision to purchase certain services. In fact, this is as important to know as it is to hone your skills in communicating with clients.
In this section, we will try to answer the question of what factors influence clients’ decisions when choosing and purchasing hairdressing services. We will get acquainted with methods for classifying consumers of hairdressing services into categories. Although this classification is not universal, it can be used in practice as a guide.
When creating a hairdressing salon, you need to remember that it is possible to achieve stable and profitable work only when you know your future consumer and satisfy his needs, taking into account his cultural, psychological, social and other characteristics.
Market research is a term used to describe the process of collecting and applying market information. Information related to the market and clients of hair salons is of primary importance to you. It is clear that to run a successful business, one must base the decision-making process on relevant information that can be obtained from practical activities. This means that the head of a hairdressing salon must carefully select information, taking into account the degree of its importance.
Research in the hairdressing business is used not to satisfy the simple curiosity of employees, but to provide them with valuable information about the state of affairs in the service market and customer needs. Here are the main sources of information that can help you get a picture of the state of affairs in the hairdressing business.
Polls:
Customer survey;
Survey of former clients;
Survey of suppliers of products and equipment;
Survey of salon managers.
Publications:
In newspapers and magazines - research of clients and the hairdressing market in general and its sectors in the hairdressing business;
In public libraries - service magazines, address and telephone directories, trade directories, government studies and publications, economic statistics, books by hairdressing business professionals;
Special sources:
Professional Hairdressing Associations and Manufacturers Associations - Membership Lists, Research, Latest Trade Consumer Statistics for the Hairdressing Industry, Basic Industry Information;
Market research companies/agencies – research, consultant reports;
Business associations (such as the Chamber of Commerce, shopping centers, various organizations for cooperation with foreign countries) - research, contacts, trade and commercial data by region;
Training institutes – research and interviews conducted by departments of economics, accounting, finance, commerce, sociology and psychology;
Research institutes – research, publications;
Government sources of information.
The importance of the client in the hairdressing business
When starting a conversation about clients, you need to determine the main principles of approach to them.
The client is the owner of a hairdressing salon. The main problem of the modern hairdressing business in Russia is the insufficient prevalence of this principle. Services provided by salons are accepted or rejected depending on the extent to which they meet the needs and lifestyle of a person. Therefore, understanding the motivation and behavior of clients, as well as taking this into account, is necessary when creating a salon, its positioning, developing an advertising campaign, forming and promoting services, as well as for surviving in an increasingly competitive environment.
The client is independent in his choice of services. For the successful operation of a hairdressing salon, the most important factor is understanding the client’s motivation and behavior. But a salon's marketing strategy can influence customer motivation and behavior. How? The answer is simple - the services provided should be organized and offered to clients in such a way as to fully satisfy their needs and expectations.
The success of the demand for hairdressing services is pre-programmed - after all, hair grows, turns gray and falls out. But do not forget that the client can make a choice in favor of a competitor’s salon. To prevent this from happening, hairdressing salons must establish relationships with clients and have as much contact as possible with potential consumers of hairdressing services from salons of the same level.
Customer behavior is influenced. When offering them hairdressing services, you need to remember that people are driven by the desire for beauty and perfection of appearance. The rapidly developing Russian market shows that the process of consumption of hairdressing services can be influenced not only by the choice of service in a particular salon, but also by interest in a larger volume and range of services.
The Russian client, purchasing the services of hairdressing salons, is gradually becoming more sophisticated as a consumer. He wants to get the most he can for his money. The goal of salons is to maximize the consumer value of the service.
To achieve this goal the following is necessary.
Know your clients as best as possible, using experience and intuition, collecting information about them, as well as analyzing and predicting the motives of their behavior. Each client served in your salon should be approached as a constant source of profit, and not as a one-time visitor.
Establish an individual approach to clients. In this context, we mean maintaining a database of clients (individualized marketing). A personal marketing approach to clients provides a real opportunity for personal impact on them.
Pursue a policy of high quality service and retaining regular customers. It is much more difficult to win new customers than to retain existing ones. In addition, when working in the hairdressing business, you should remember that for the majority of hairdressing salons, the market of potential consumers is limited by the population of the given area. Therefore, we are not afraid to say that a hairdressing business that is based on working with regular customers and leading in quality and service can be considered sustainable.
Make a name for your salon. Ensure that customers associate high quality services with the name of your salon. This provision, relevant for salons of any level, is an indisputable rule. The trivial saying “First you work for the name, and then the name works for you” is the absolute truth in the hairdressing business.
Segmentation of the consumer market
When thinking about the concept of a new hair salon or when developing marketing strategy An existing salon needs to decide what the contingent of your clients should be. Why, when offering your services, do you need to segment the market, that is, select a certain part from the entire vast contingent of clients, on which to rely in your further work on business development?
All people differ from each other in their preferences and needs, behavioral motivation, and social status. This means that they make different decisions about visiting this or that hairdressing salon, about purchasing certain hairdressing services.
Market segmentation and research of potential consumers will help you accurately target your services and in the future really achieve high profitability: “having shot, hit the top ten.”
When determining your customer base, you need to remember that it must be real and accessible to your salon. Agree, if you want to attract a wealthy audience to your small hairdresser's salon in the basement, which has not been renovated for a long time, you are unlikely to be able to do this. The choice of clients in the vast consumer market must, of course, be consistent with the overall marketing policy of the hair salon.
To correctly assess your segment of the consumer market, the salon manager needs the following.
Get information about consumer behavior in this market segment. Unfortunately, this is much more difficult to do in the hairdressing world than in other areas. Russian business or business abroad, but still possible (see later in this section).
Think about ways to influence on potential customers in this consumer segment. For example, two hairdressing salons are opened at once for the same market segment. One of them bears a name already known to consumers (a well-known chain of salons is developing). The name of the second salon means nothing to anyone. The second salon will have to spend much more effort to gain credibility among consumers in this market segment.
Determine the capacity of the consumer segment. In the hairdressing business, there is the concept of “optimal number of jobs,” meaning that they can be fully loaded in accordance with the market segment occupied. When opening a salon, you need to take into account the number of potential consumers and the number of competitors serving the same clients. The number of potential clients should be sufficient to fully load your salon's workspaces. Those directors who open a salon with a large number of jobs and think that thanks to this they will have a large turnover are mistaken.
Have a similarity of ideas potential clients about the salon. This criterion is important for developing any marketing strategies for the development of a hairdressing salon (promotion of services, pricing, etc.). If selected potential clients will react differently to the actions of the salon, it will be very difficult for him to succeed.
Typically, hairdressing salons use so-called concentrated marketing, aimed at one market segment. It is unlikely that a salon that chooses to work in several segments of the consumer market at once will be successful. This is only possible if the market segments are as close as possible to each other. Radical differences lead to unsuccessful positioning of the salon on the market. Agree, loud modern music in a salon aimed at avant-garde youth can scare off a wealthy lady of Balzac's age.
The hairdressing consumer market is segmented according to four principles, which are fundamental to analyzing its trends.
Territorial principle. Modern clients appreciate the convenience of a hair salon's location and do not want to waste time traveling to it. Due to the intense pace of life, they want to receive the service instantly, without waiting or making an appointment. This means that clients of the selected consumer segment must live or work close to the salon. This customer segment will be the most stable.
Demographic principle. To determine the customer segment using this principle, the characteristics of the population in census statistics are examined: age, gender, family size, education level, income level, etc.
Psychological principle. To determine “your client”, you will need to study the psychological characteristics of consumers of hairdressing services: social status, personality type, level of culture, lifestyle, availability of free time, etc.
Behavioral principle. By analyzing the motives of behavior of people among consumers of hairdressing services, you can more accurately identify your potential clients and then fight to attract them to your salon in all available ways.
Segmentation is most often used when developing a salon marketing strategy, including positioning and promotion of services, and establishing relationships with clients.
But we should not forget that the consumer market is constantly changing and dictates new conditions. To maintain your influence, it is important to offer customers exactly the services they want to buy. Therefore, salons are involved in a constant process of improving their offerings depending on changes in the consumer market.
To predict changes in the consumer market, your salon managers need to constantly monitor how the main components change qualitatively and quantitatively:
Number of clients;
Customer purchasing power;
Customer needs to buy salon services.
The process of purchasing hairdressing services
So, you have identified a market segment for your business. The next step in researching customer needs is to study the purchasing process of the services offered in hair salon. As a rule, the motives for going to the hairdresser have two sides: practical and emotional. Whatever the motive, the process of purchasing services usually goes through five stages.
1. Awareness of the need for hairdressing services, based on the desire to stand out from the crowd, to look more attractive, fashionable, neat. Such a need comes with awareness of the difference between the actual state of appearance and the desired one. But the salon can take on the role of stimulator of the process and help the client realize the need for regular hairdressing services, using and taking into account the following factors.
Time. The results of hairdressing services cannot be preserved over time. Remember Monsieur Porthos from the book “The Three Musketeers” by A. Dumas, who said that “no matter how much you eat, you still eat once.” This is how hair grows, turns gray, falls out, becomes dirty, and therefore requires constant care and visits to the hairdresser.
Changes in life circumstances. The new social status may influence the client's awareness of the need for regular hairdressing services.
Purchase of one hairdressing service may stimulate the need for regularity and receipt of other services. For example, a client changed his natural hair color. Growing roots will encourage him to visit the salon for coloring. Or a salon visitor resorted to hair extensions. This service encouraged weekly visits to style hair extensions, since doing this procedure at home is extremely difficult.
Quality of service in the salon. The style of service itself can stimulate the client's need to receive the same quality services. In this case, a well-known principle, formulated by folk wisdom, applies: “You quickly get used to good things.”
Advertising also promotes awareness that appearance is actually at odds with what is desired, and stimulates the need for hairdressing services. “Comparative advertising”, working under the motto “Before and After,” works especially well.
It should be noted that ordinary hairdressing salons are most often visited by clients who have a regular need for hairdressing services - it is simply impossible for them not to get a haircut. Such clients are called actual state consumers.
Hair salons and luxury salons are visited mainly by clients who recognize the need for hairdressing services even with a slight change in their desired appearance. Such clients are called consumers of the desired state.
2. Searching for information about hairdressing salons, which can satisfy the need for the necessary services (first in their own memory, then, if nothing suitable is found, with the help of external information: advertising, personal contacts, sales promotion, public relations, etc.).
3. Assessment of possible options for hairdressing services in various salons in terms of consumer value, benefits and client preferences (for details, see the section “Techniques for selling services in hairdressing salons”).
4. Service in the salon (for details, see the section “Techniques for selling services in hairdressing salons”).
5. Assessing the quality of the service received. If the client's expectations are met, the result will be satisfaction and the client will be more likely to choose your salon next time. Moreover, it is desirable that clients receive not adequate and not expected, but perfect quality- desired. After all, hairdressing services can temporarily change the client’s appearance!
If the service received does not meet the client's expectations, the resulting dissatisfaction or even disappointment is very dangerous for the salon. After all, attracting new customers is an expensive process. Therefore, customer retention is a higher priority, especially when the hairdressing salon reaches full capacity. (What methods can be used to retain clients in hairdressing salons will be discussed in detail in the following sections.)
Types of consumers and factors influencing their demand
TYPES OF CONSUMERS
Conventionally, clients of hairdressing salons can be divided into two groups: primary and repeat visitors.
Talking about primary visitors salon, two options for their behavior can be distinguished.
Clients actively use different sources information while trying to make the right choice. They consider an alternative salon before deciding to purchase the service. This longest decision-making process is characteristic of women.
Such clients, if the service or salon does not meet their expectations, express their dissatisfaction verbally or in writing. If the result of the service is positive, it is precisely such clients who advertise “by word of mouth” (see the section “Advertising in the marketing system” - Campaigns to promote services as the main tool in working with clients).
Clients make decisions about service in the salon without much thought. Typically these clients are men. The information source for them most often is an advertising sign. The realization that it's time to get a haircut brings them to the salon. Salon managers should think about how to be accessible to this group of primary clients.
Of course, these are rather conventional models of consumer behavior. In fact, the majority of primary clients make a decision to visit a hairdressing salon with an average duration.
For repeat visitors Making a decision to visit a salon may develop as follows.
If the client was radically dissatisfied with the previous service, he will begin to look for an alternative - another salon. Sometimes this happens on the same day, sometimes after a while.
If the client was not completely satisfied with the previous service, he will evaluate the pros and cons of his possible return visit and then decide whether to stay in this salon or spend time looking for another.
If the client was completely satisfied with the service in the salon, then he makes a decision that has already become familiar to him and does not waste his time on it. The more competitive the hairdressing environment becomes, the slower clients make decisions about service in a particular salon, especially if the prices are quite high. This is because purchasing hairdressing services is accompanied by a feeling of importance of one’s appearance and an interest in minimizing the risk of poor-quality service.
The presence of a large number of competing salons allows customers to consider alternative service options.
Some clients of hair salons are characterized by a special type of consumer behavior.
An impulsive decision to visit the salon. It occurs quite often, since hairdressing services are directly related to mood. This decision is typical for women who want to improve their mood.
Pursuit of diversity. Even if clients are quite satisfied with the salon in which they are served, they continue to be interested in other salons. They are driven by a desire for diversity. Don't be afraid that the client will try another salon. It is important that after visiting a competitor, he makes a decision in your favor. To do this, salons must constantly take care of new products: these can be services, equipment, accessories, related products, fringe benefits for clients.
FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMER DEMAND
The client’s decision to purchase services in a hairdressing salon is influenced by both the external environment and personal factors:
Material capabilities;
Social status;
Lifestyle;
Age;
General cultural level;
Level of knowledge about hairdressing services and attitude towards them;
Motivation for service in the salon;
Mood.
Let us dwell in some detail on the various factors of consumer power. One of the factors determining this difference is financial ability to pay for the service. The higher the client’s income, the higher-class salon he is willing to visit.
When creating a hairdressing salon, you must first think about the solvency of future clients.
Unfortunately, statistics on income of the population in modern Russia can hardly be considered real. Therefore, the salon is not able to determine the income level of its regular or potential clients with any reasonable accuracy.
The solvent segments of the Russian population are more confident in the future, although they are not ready, for example, to purchase subscriptions to services in hairdressing salons. “Nobody knows what the economic situation will be tomorrow - and whether this salon will close?” - clients think. In developed Western countries, on the contrary, the subscription system is more preferable than other forms of service, as it saves money.
Today, people spend the most money on their appearance in age from 30 to 45 years. Unfortunately, unlike developed Western countries, representatives of older age groups of the Russian population cannot afford serious expenses on their appearance.
Consumer culture Hairdressing services are developing very slowly in Russia. Most consumers of hairdressing services are people with low incomes. They tend to save on such “little things” as appearance. However, hair salons serving such clients must treat them with respect and provide a decent level of service.
Very often, salons are faced with a situation where even quite wealthy clients are not ready to pay for the services of expensive salons and still spend little money on their appearance. This situation is especially typical for men in remote Russian regions. Nevertheless, the culture of consumption of hairdressing services will grow, although initially only in cities and regions with relatively high per capita income. This is an excellent prospect for the development of the hairdressing business in Russia.
In addition to income, a very important role in the purchase of hairdressing salon services is played by level of customer education. What kind of knowledge are we talking about? Let's assume that the client has never heard of highlighting hair and using foil. In this case, he simply cannot wish to use such a service. The more a client knows about hairdressing services, the more sophisticated he is, as he understands the need for service in a hairdresser from a professional hairdresser who uses high-quality preparations and equipment.
An important point in making client decisions about using hairdressing services is environmental influence. Man is social. There is no doubt that he is shaped by the environment in which he grows, lives and works. Environmental influences include the following.
Cultural values, meaning certain things learned from childhood ethical standards. Culture is instilled by family, school, and religion. It is important that hair salons pay attention to national cultural differences. The trend of a single hairdressing salon for men and women, which is actively developing in modern hairdressing salons, is quite acceptable for Moscow or St. Petersburg, but may be inappropriate for regions with a Muslim population.
Social status determine the client’s profession, income, existing property, and social connections. These factors, emphasizing the social inequality of people, are at the same time decisive at the time of making a decision to visit a salon. So the demand for hairdressing business services directly depends on the social stratification of society.
Life style– a very important aspect in the customer’s consumer behavior. Hairdressing services tailored to the client's lifestyle are significantly more successful. In any material regarding preliminary consultation and diagnosis, hairdressers will find recommendations on how to bring hairdressing services as close as possible to style, habits, and lifestyle - and your services will always be in demand!
PARTICIPATION OF SALON IN RESEARCH OF CUSTOMER NEEDS
Russia has not created suitable conditions for independent research consumer demand of clients of hairdressing salons. This is extremely difficult and expensive for any small business. However, salons still obtain the necessary information for preliminary research and market segmentation. They usually use information about the density of the competitive environment, the number of people in the neighborhood, about houses and their quality, about enterprises and organizations in the area, about stores and their prices, etc.
Researching the consumer needs of existing clients is also difficult due to Russian reality, but it is more realistic and simpler to carry out than researching the needs of potential clients.
For research purposes, the salon may do the following.
Carry out communications with clients. Western beauty salon marketing experts recommend talking to clients and finding out whether they are satisfied with the services and what they see weak sides service. This helps the salon address shortcomings and improve its offerings.
Create a customer database. You can obtain the following data: last name, first name, patronymic; telephone; date of birth (day, month); commitment to a certain style. Even such information helps analyze customer requests and, accordingly, facilitates communication with them. With this information, you can offer customers exactly what they expect. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to find out more detailed information about clients, such as address, occupation, life preferences, etc. An attempt by the salon administration to find out such data may violate ethical standards in the minds of a modern Russian client. In practice, at the request of clients, anonymous surveys can be used.
Determine the attitude of clients towards the salon and its services. This is usually done through a questionnaire survey. This method does not require large financial costs. Many salon managers have a negative attitude towards surveying clients - they believe that they have difficulty agreeing to answer questions. As international and Russian experience shows, this is a prejudice. If the questionnaire is written in an interesting way, with humor, then clients fill it out with pleasure (anonymously, of course). Questioning helps:
Collect statistical data;
Get information about the need to improve something;
Determine the client's level of interest in new service or product (for example, if you have doubts about how a new and expensive dye will be perceived by customers, conduct a survey).
A questionnaire with correctly written questions gives the client the feeling that improvements in the salon (perhaps decided in advance) occurred solely due to his answers.
Analyze statistics customer consistency (frequency of visits), sales of related products in the salon, as well as the dynamics of services provided for a certain period.
Summing up, I would like to say once again that meeting the needs and requirements of clients is the main goal of the hairdressing business. We looked at ways in which you can identify customer needs. In a competitive world, customer satisfaction and long-term salon success are closely linked. It is satisfied customers that are the reliable future of every hairdressing salon, its asset. If a salon can serve customers more efficiently than its competitors, then its future in the market and financial success are assured.
Competition in the hairdressing market
Hairdressing services, one of the most popular in terms of consumption, are also the most profitable in the service sector. The funds invested in this business pay off relatively quickly. Therefore, entrepreneurs are quite willing to open new hairdressing salons. In this regard, today we can talk about increasing competition among hairdressing salons on the Russian market.
Competition is rivalry in the market, economic competition between manufacturers identical goods and services for attracting customers and thereby obtaining maximum benefits.
Pure competition between hairdressing salons of the same level
A pure competition market is characterized by the following features.
A large number of entrepreneurs. To start operating a hairdressing salon, you must obtain permission to open and certify the services provided. Any businessman who decides to open a salon or hairdresser can do this.
Quite free entry into and exit from the hairdressing business. The closure of the salon will not entail serious consequences for the population; permission from government authorities is not required to close the salon.
Insignificant volumes of services provided by a separate hairdressing salon in comparison with the volumes of services on the market. They vary within such limits that this does not have any impact on the price of the services provided.
Applied to Russian conditions There are isolated cases of monopolistic competition between hairdressing salons offering unique quality services. For example, the existence in a particular city of an exclusive salon, in which prices for services may differ significantly from prices in other hairdressing salons in the city.
The place and role of competition in a market economy
Competition is the most important factor and means of control in a market system. Market mechanism of supply and demand using marketing research communicates customer wishes to service providers, and through them to suppliers of necessary products. It is competition that forces hairdressing salons and manufacturers of hairdressing equipment and materials to properly satisfy customer needs. Competition stimulates the improvement of production and provision of services and lower prices for services. Competition forces hairdressing salons to fully embrace scientific and technological advances, use effective equipment, modern technologies, new methods of organizing production and labor.
Hairdressing salons for the most part belong to small businesses, which have a number of advantages that are not characteristic of companies with large capital and attract large labor potential.
In contrast to large companies, small firms are more flexible and responsive. It is vital for them to offer something new and really effective to the market on a mobile basis.
A hairdressing salon must provide services that are in constant demand from customers. This means that the services should be so interesting to clients that they are willing to pay money for the service, and more interesting than similar services from another salon. If services have these two properties, then they are said to have a competitive advantage.
Competitive forces
To understand how the competitive advantages of hairdressing salon services are created and maintained, it is necessary to analyze the relationships and, accordingly, the interaction of five subjects of the market environment - the driving forces of competition.
In the very general view A competitor to a hairdressing salon is any entity on the market whose actions can reduce its income or completely deprive it of it. The forces shaping the competitive environment and the competitive advantages of services are grouped into five groups. Figure 7 presents the concept of the interaction of the driving forces of competition, developed by Michael Porter.
Diagram 7. Driving forces of competition
First group constitute the competitive forces of producers of similar services in the market of existing hairdressing salons. In addition to salons of various levels, this group should also include individual private hairdressers. Do not underestimate this category - it has its advantages compared to hairdressing salons (direct friendly contact between hairdressers and clients, shortened waiting time for service) and disadvantages (less comfortable conditions for clients, inability to comprehensive service, lack of licenses for services and drugs).
Second group are formed by salon partners - suppliers of hairdressing equipment, tools, perfumery and cosmetic materials, as well as banks, products mass media etc. The power of influence of representatives of this group on the competitive potential of a hairdressing salon lies in their ability to retain service providers as their clients. First of all, this is manifested in the fact that this group has a significant impact on the quality and cost of providing services.
To the third group includes salon clients. Their competitive strength lies in the ability to demand certain consumer qualities of the service, as well as influence the price of the service in the direction of reducing it.
Fourth group consists of potential producers of a similar service. Their competitive strength lies in the ability to switch real clients to their services, as well as the ability to distract potential consumers of the service. For example, an unpopular and unprofitable hair salon located two blocks from your salon may be subject to reconstruction. After renovations and substantial financial investments, this hairdressing salon will be able to significantly expand the range of services offered, improve their quality, and offer affordable prices. That is, it will turn from a potential producer of a similar service into a real competitor.
Fifth group consists of manufacturers of products that replace the need for hairdressing services: these are manufacturers of hair coloring, styling, perm, and hair care products that can be used at home without the involvement of a specialist.
Competitiveness of the salon and its services
The main element in the consumer market is the client. Therefore, the competitive advantages of a service are the value it contains for the client. In order to win the competition for attracting customers over your competitors, you can use two ways.
Create competitive advantages of services, that is, the services offered by your salon should be preferable to clients over the services of your competitors.
Create competitive advantages of the salon, that is, service in your salon should be preferable to customers over service in the salons of your competitors.
The competitiveness of a service is determined primarily by its quality and price. A more competitive service is one that is of higher quality compared to other similar services at a lower price. This combination is most attractive to customers.
The quality of a service consists of a whole complex of parameters that can be combined into two groups: the quality of service delivery and the quality of customer service (see Table 14).
Quality of service directly depends on the qualifications of the craftsmen. In addition, it depends on the quality of the equipment used: its general condition, service life, safety, compliance with the modern level of scientific and technological development, etc. The quality of the technologies used to perform complex modern hairstyles also plays a role, as well as the quality of the tools, the means and preparations used.
Customer service quality depends on how courteous and courteous the staff is in communicating with the client, how quickly the client is served, what advanced service methods are used during the provision of the service (for example, preliminary computer diagnostics of the hair and scalp before hair coloring).
Table 14. Service quality
An omission in one of the parameters that determines quality will certainly affect the level of competitiveness of the service as a whole. If the salon has the latest equipment, modern medications are used, qualified personnel work, but at the same time, haircuts and styling are performed using outdated technology, the quality of the service loses a lot. In this case, many clients will prefer to be served in another salon that uses modern technologies.
Along with quality, another parameter that ensures the competitiveness of a service is price (see Table 15).
Price is the monetary expression of the cost of a service. Its level is influenced by many ways: internal factors, controlled by the salon itself, and factors beyond the control of the external marketing environment.
Table 15. Service price
Internal factors – these are the factors that are controlled, analyzed and adjusted by the salon administration. These include:
Costs of providing services (materials, wages, advertising) - in order to increase competitiveness, the salon strives to reduce costs for each service, which allows it to provide clients with services at lower prices than competitors;
The specificity of the service provided (uniqueness, difference from services offered by other salons) - in order to distinguish itself from competitors, the salon tries to provide a service that is different in some way, a service “with a twist” or a new one that has not yet been mastered by competitors;
Additional services - consulting clients, selling them hair care products, providing newspapers and drinks;
The image of the salon - it must be stable and evoke positive associations among clients who prefer to be served in a particular salon.
External factors - these are those that are beyond the control of the salon, but must be monitored, analyzed and taken into account when setting the price. They include:
Political stability of the country;
Government regulation of the economy (energy prices, exchange rates, taxation);
Level and dynamics of inflation;
The volume and distinctive characteristics of existing and future demand for hairdressing services (for example, the construction of a new metro station next to your salon or, conversely, a ban on car traffic in the block where your salon suite is located);
The presence and level of competition between hairdressing salons;
Availability of necessary resources on the market and their cost (hairdressing products, qualified personnel, etc.).
In order to objectively evaluate competitiveness of the service, When analyzing, it is necessary to use those criteria that are most important for clients: the quality of haircuts and styling, the complexity of the service, the level of service and prices. Only in this case can we expect that the salon’s assessment of the service will coincide with the client’s opinion.
If we consider salon competitiveness(cm. table 16), then it can be defined as an opportunity for effective economic activity and profitable sales of services in a competitive market. This implementation is ensured by the entire range of funds available to the salon. The competitiveness of a salon is a general indicator of its viability, the ability to effectively use financial (pricing), production (equipment, technology, hairdressing materials, administrative management) and labor (work with personnel) potentials.
In other words, the competitiveness of the salon is a mirror that reflects the results of the work of almost all departments (this characterizes the state internal environment), as well as the ability to quickly respond to changes in external factors.
Particularly important is the salon’s ability to quickly and adequately respond to changes in customer behavior, their tastes and needs, which is one of the most important tasks of marketing.
Table 16. Competitiveness of the salon
It is necessary to carry out constant work on research, analysis and evaluation of all components that determine the level of competitiveness of the salon. First of all, we are talking about competent organization and management of the salon’s activities, taking into account the influence of the external marketing environment. Only in this case can we hope for a certain level of competitiveness. Moreover, painstaking and systematic work is required to manage the competitiveness of the salon, including a set of measures to improve its activities.
In modern conditions, it is especially important for each salon to correctly assess the current market situation in order to offer effective means against competitors. The most difficult stages of this work are the analysis of possible ways to achieve competitive advantages and, on this basis, developing measures to strengthen the competitive position.
Method for assessing the competitive position of a salon
Determining the competitiveness of the salon is an integral element marketing activities. This assessment is required for:
Development of measures to increase competitiveness;
Selecting partners for the supply of equipment, tools, materials, drugs, labor resources;
Attracting investor funds in the future.
In any case, the assessment is main goal: determine the position of the salon among competitors in the hairdressing services market. Achieving this goal is possible only by using a prompt and objective assessment method.
The method for assessing the competitiveness of a salon is based on the principle that its competitiveness is higher, the higher the competitiveness of the services it provides. The ratio of two characteristics – price and quality – is used as an indicator assessing the competitiveness of a service. The most competitive service is one that has the optimal balance of these characteristics:
KS = K + C,
where K is an indicator of service quality;
P – price indicator;
KS is an indicator of the competitiveness of a service.
The greater the difference between the consumer value for the client and the price he pays for it, the higher the margin of competitiveness of the service for the client.
The main indicators being assessed are summarized in Table 17.
Table 17. Indicators of service competitiveness
You must first evaluate the weight of each indicator in a specific salon (your own and a competitor’s). The work to determine the weight is carried out by experts (for example, management or salon technicians). At the discretion of the experts, the range of assessments (number of points) can also be changed.
Let’s say the ideal indicator (weight) of personnel qualifications is 10 points, the ideal indicator of the quality of service provision is 20 points (the total sum of all indicators is 100 points). The actual state of these indicators in your salon is rated at 1 and 2 points, respectively, and at your competitor - at 3 and 4 points.
Score for your salon: 10 x 1 + 20 x 2 = 50 points.
Rating of a competitor's salon: 10 x 3 + 20 x 2 = 70 points.
Consequently, the competitiveness of your salon in these two indicators is lower than that of your competitor. It must be emphasized that the actual condition scores vary, but the weight indicators for the compared salons remain the same. General indicator competitiveness of the complex of services will be obtained by summing all multiplied actual indicators by their weight.
Using information about a competing salon, you can apply this method and compare the overall level of competitiveness of the two salons. However, we note that such work can only be done if your salon had access to a database of research about its own and competing salons. Similar studies are carried out by special agencies.
In the absence of such data, you can use a simplified version of this method for assessing the competitiveness of a salon.
As an independent task, we suggest considering three competing salons and filling out Table 18. The maximum number of points is 3 (low score – 1, average score – 2, high score – 3). Calculate which of the selected salons received the most points in total.
Table 18. Indicators of service competitiveness
In practice, it will not mean at all that this particular salon is the most competitive, since the priorities (weight) of the indicators by which the assessment was made were not initially determined. The most difficult in this method work is presented to determine the weight of each indicator and obtain necessary information according to competitors' performance.
The experience of recent years shows that not all hairdressing salons are ready to compete. Even the provision of competitive services does not allow some of them to effectively realize this advantage due to the lack of practice in using the entire range of marketing means: effective incentive methods for the sale of services, flexible assortment and pricing policies. It is the pricing methodology for the services of hairdressing salons and beauty salons that will be discussed in the next section.
Specifics of pricing hairdressing services
Currently, when competition in the hairdressing business is intensifying, many hairdressing salons are realizing the need for a marketing approach to the pricing mechanism for hairdressing services. We are forced to admit that without an analytical approach to this issue It will be increasingly difficult for the salon to stay afloat, much less improve its business.
Pricing as an element of marketing policy
Pricing is one of the most important elements of managing a hair salon, so managers are puzzled by the question of how to set the right prices. Note that pricing for services and goods differs significantly. It would seem, why? After all, in the hairdressing business, the product is the services sold in the salon. Yes, because hairdressing services are fundamentally different from any goods. Hairdressing services as a product to be sold have their own characteristics that must be taken into account.
DIFFERENCES OF HAIRDRESSING SERVICES FROM PRODUCT
The first feature of a service is intangibility. Hairdressing services, unlike a product, are intangible. They cannot be tasted on the tongue from the moment of purchase. If we could “taste” haircuts the way we taste cakes, selling hairdressing services would be much easier.
Of course, in fact, a hairdressing service can change a client’s image for a long time. But before deciding to make such a change, the client is forced to simply take the master’s word. An experienced hairdresser, trying to strengthen the client's trust in himself, is able to increase the tangibility of the service.
How can this be achieved?
Make the future service more real by showing the client modern hairdressing catalogs, magazines, and photographs. You can even pick up a pencil and draw the future shape of the haircut (after all, there are suspicious clients, right?).
Make the future service more desirable by describing the haircut (coloring, highlighting, curling, etc.) in terms of aesthetic and other benefits that the client will receive from this procedure.
We will talk more about this in the section “Techniques for selling services in hairdressing salons.”
The second feature of the service is the variability of quality. When working in a hairdressing salon, you should remember that the quality of the service varies widely depending on who provides it. In the same salon, two hairdressers perform the same haircut differently. Even the same master does not cut hair the same way twice.
Hairdressing service is manual labor, not stamping.
The client always strives for the highest possible quality of service. But many hairdressers are in vain mistaken, thinking that the criterion for the aerobatics of their skill, which will be appreciated by the client, will be the question “Should I cut your hair like last time?” and, accordingly, a precisely repeated haircut. It turns out that the client always dreams of improving his appearance and wants to get something new, but for this “something” to be unusually good for him.
The third feature of the service is its short duration.
The fourth feature of a service is its inseparability from its provider.
ACTIVE PRICE AND SERVICE VALUE
So, having determined the main differences between hairdressing services and any goods, we can assume that prices for hairdressing services are set in some way different from the prices of goods.
This is so because the pricing of hairdressing services takes into account not only objective factors (salon expenses, prices of competing salons), but also subjective ones (for example, the image of the salon).
The price is mainly determined by the market situation, and that is why hairdressing salons are obliged to implement a thoughtful pricing policy, taking into account the situation of specific services today, tomorrow and in the longer term.
Salons that can successfully analyze the situation in the hairdressing market and set optimal prices will find themselves in an advantageous position compared to their competitors, since they will be able to use a real market tool for success - active prices.
Active price is a correctly calculated price: one of the keys to success and profitability.
On the one hand, the price forms the income of the hairdressing salon. On the other hand, the price is a sacrifice that the client must make in order to become the owner of the desired benefit (in the form of hairdressing services). Perhaps the price in the eyes of the client, to a greater extent than any other element of the hairdressing salon, determines the attractiveness of the entire complex of his work.
It should be taken into account that the value of the service is important to the client.
The value of the service is the satisfaction from the service that the client receives in the salon.
The ratio of the price of the service and its value must correspond to each other: the satisfaction from the service must correspond to the donated funds. The task of the salon is to increase the consumer value of the service for the client as much as possible so that it maximally exceeds the cost of the costs incurred by the salon.
In assessing the consumer value of a hairdressing service, clients pay attention to many factors, the main of which are:
Comfort in the cabin - high-quality repairs and equipment;
Quality of work - qualified personnel;
Great service;
Salon image.
Therefore, in order to make money from services, you need to invest in these four factors. And don’t forget to do this regularly, according to a pre-approved salon development plan.
Pricing mechanism in salons
In the hairdressing business, as in any other area, there is a market pricing mechanism. This means that ideally there is a price for services that suits both the client and the salon. Its name - agreed price, or equilibrium price.
How to calculate this mysterious equilibrium price? The very first step should be a price analysis. For a salon, this is the starting point for pricing policy.
PRICE ANALYSIS
Price analysis is the first step in pricing. Before setting prices for services or revising existing ones, the director must conduct a price analysis of both his own salon and competing salons.
First, let's talk about price analysis of competing salons. How to research their market? First, it is necessary to identify hairdressing salons of a similar level, targeting the same customer groups. Secondly, find out prices for services from your colleagues in the hairdressing market. Third, find out what materials they use and under what conditions they work.
There are only two methods of such research available to the salon:
Telephone marketing (receiving information by phone);
Personal visits.
It should be noted that price analysis in hairdressing salons should be carried out not only in relation to competing salons. Regular analysis of your own (previously established) prices is very important.
VALUE ANALYSIS
You can start by making a list of specific questions to answer honestly. If you do this regularly, you will be able to ensure a reasonable formation of the pricing policy of your salon.
Here is a sample list of these questions.
1. How do your prices reflect your costs?
2. How do your prices reflect demand among your customers?
3. How do your prices correspond to the quality of your services?
4. If you do not change any components of your salon (do not invest in repairs, equipment upgrades, advertising activities, staff development), but decide to change your prices (higher or lower), what will be the likely reaction of your customers? Describe her.
5. How do your clients feel about the set prices for salon services (do they often complain about the high cost or are happy about the cheapness)?
6. Do the prices in the salon correspond to the current hairdressing market (for salons of the same level)?
7. Are your salon and its prices known to potential clients? (Is your advertising campaign successful?)
8. How do you act when competing salons raise prices: do you try to increase them or leave them at the same level?
9. Do you try to lower your prices compared to your competitors?
10. Are your prices attractive (by whatever means), and for new customers in particular? Do you have any discounts in your salon? If so, which ones and what do they depend on?
11. What are the main factors that determine pricing policy your salon?
Regular answers to these questions will allow your salon to be flexible and responsive in its pricing policy and thereby change the situation for the better.
To determine the salon's pricing policy, you must first understand what factors may influence it.
Pricing factors
Salon expenses. The most basic factor is salon costs (or expenses). They serve as a starting point for calculating the price, but not the only one.
A big mistake is made by salons that set prices using the direct cost method. They do not use even a tenth of the ability of prices to perform advertising and other functions.
What, besides costs, plays an active role in the pricing of hairdressing services?
Salon image. The image of your salon is the client’s impressions of his visit. Each person remembers different moments after a visit to the salon. Some will remember a friendly master or administrator, while others will remember shiny shop windows and the smell of expensive perfumes. Some were pleased with the service, while others were horrified by the agonizing minutes of waiting for a late technician.
Understanding the importance of image for the reputation and success of the salon, hairdressers themselves began to be much more attentive to the formation of their own image. This understanding makes it easier to bring the salon's capabilities to life.
The image of the salon is directly related to potential clients who need to be attracted.
Just as a salon should best suit its clients, its image and prices for services should match each other.
A hair salon client perceives price as a component of image factors:
Exterior view of the salon and its interior;
Convenience and quality of equipment;
The quality of services and drugs used by the salon;
Professionalism of all staff;
Level of service (what the client hears, what he sees, what he feels, what additional free services he receives).
Advertising, especially special promotions for clients, is directly related to the image of the salon.
Competitors. When calculating your own prices important given to competitors' prices. This pricing point cannot be underestimated. Some salons do not consider it necessary to research the experience of competitors, having certain prejudices and barriers to communication. I would like to say that today the Russian market is not saturated with competitors, although the density of the competitive environment is constantly increasing. Of course, you cannot compare a Russian client of hairdressing salons with a German or French client. The Russian client is still in the process of developing the need and habit of regularly seeking high-quality hairdressing services.
The main motto in communication in the service market should be the phrase: “Better a good colleague than a bad competitor.”
This is not about revealing professional secrets, but about normal contacts between salon managers. Such communication can significantly improve the situation in the hairdressing market and simplify the task of educating clients.
It is important to inform salon clients about your pricing policy for services at the pricing level. Typically, salons of the same level have approximately the same prices (± 10%), thereby limiting clients from receiving services of the same quality at lower prices.
Some salons, counting on attracting customers, attempt to use a policy of significant price reductions in relation to salons of the same level. What does this lead to? Who wins?
It should be noted that the hairdressing business has its own workload limit. A hairdressing chair cannot work 24 hours a day or even 18 hours. The maximum shift duration is 12 hours. Reducing the price compared to competitors will not lead to more workload than is physically possible, but may negatively affect the share of net profit. After all, an increase in turnover at lower prices does not always mean an increase in net profit in value terms. In addition, competitors, in response to your reduction (if they monitor the competitive environment), may also reduce prices, and then your decision will certainly not bring profit to anyone.
Do you want to increase your turnover and profit? Use other forms of attracting clients (cm. section “Advertising in the marketing system”). And if your salon is reaching capacity, think about creating a network of salons. After all, it is along this path that the hairdressing business is developing in the West.
Market recognition. If your salon is located not in a prestigious residential area, but in an area of typical new buildings, you cannot set high prices for services. Even if your salon is wonderfully renovated and equipped, has excellent specialists and appropriate service, clients living nearby will not be able to pay for the services of your salon.
The most important thing when setting prices is their recognition by potential customers.
In order to determine whether your prices are appropriate for your clientele, you need to have the following information.
How often do clients visit the salon?
How much money is left on average per visit?
Do they leave tips?
Do your salon buy products for home use? Or the most interesting stories about products receive the same reaction: “It’s too expensive. I will buy a larger quantity at the market or in a store.”
In your salon, do clients often ask for only part of the service, and not a complex (haircut without styling, perm without styling or haircut)?
Do clients often come with their own hair coloring product?
The more disappointing answers you get, the less aligned your prices are with your prospects' market.
Types of pricing policies
The salon manager must think through not only the general pricing policy for all salon services, but also for each service separately. I would like to note the most common types of pricing policies used by hairdressing salons.
Skimming policy. For example, a salon introduces a new progressive service into its price list, which no one provides (or a small number of salons provide). You can set a high price for such a service (“skim off the cream”), and with the transition of this service to the mass market, reduce the price. A striking example is the nail extension service, which was exclusive in 1995 but is now widespread. It seems that things were the same with “American” highlights (multi-color), “sour” perm and other innovations that appeared on the Russian market.
Spicy price policy. It applies fractional prices, which are perceived by customers as lower. This policy is constantly pursued by American hairdressers. In US hair salons you can often find a price of 18 dollars 88 cents, not 20 dollars.
There are also oddities. To surprise clients, salons sometimes set the same price for all services (for example, 300 rubles). Such a price list cannot fail to attract the attention of customers. True, salons rarely dare to adopt such a pricing policy.
Demand-oriented pricing policy by day of the week. It's no secret that the hairdressing business is subject to seasonal fluctuations in demand. But we will now talk about fluctuations in demand by day of the week. You know that there are the busiest days and the quietest days. Perhaps the least visited day is Monday, and the busiest days are from Thursday to Saturday. Of course, busiest days also depend on the time of year.
Western marketing experts for hair salons recommend reducing prices for services on days of least demand.
In this way, you can attract slightly less solvent clients to the salon (clients often bring their parents and children on such days). In addition, this principle makes it possible to load jobs more evenly, avoiding reloads and refusals to customers on days of peak demand.
But you should not increase prices on days when there is an influx of customers (for example, on holidays). This is what some hairdressing salons do in pursuit of short-term profit. Clients are forced to use services at such increased prices (competing salons are also busy), but the risk that they will be outraged by this attitude towards themselves and will cease to be your clients is very high.
Sales Policy. If you try to sell hairdressing services using regular sales (not promotions), the results will not be the most brilliant. Unlike products, hairdressing services are difficult to sell out. The client begins to fear that the salon’s services are of poor quality, the technicians are inexperienced, the products are stitched, the hairstyle is not fashionable, that the salon itself is not popular and its business is bad. Therefore, the sales policy is applied mainly to goods offered for related trade. But even in this case, the sale must be convincingly justified in order to dispel the doubts and fears of customers.
Image policy. This policy is typical for the most prestigious luxury salons and image studios. When calculating prices, the emphasis is on prestige and image. As a result, weighted average prices are established in accordance with the chosen image and potential clients of the salon.
Psychological perception of the price of hairdressing services
Psychologists studying the processes of purchasing hairdressing services have accumulated some information about the phenomenon of customer behavior associated with a rational assessment (at the level of common sense and the subconscious) of the relationship between price and quality of services.
In general terms, the price-quality relationship is a concept in which customers often believe that high prices mean high quality, and low prices– low quality of service. This perception is especially typical for clients of luxury salons. For ordinary hairdressing salons, this opinion of clients is not typical. Sometimes clients of low-price hair salons even have the leading conclusion: “Cheap means good.”
However, the average hair salon client, trying to relate the cost of a service to its consumer value, views price as a reliable indicator of the quality of the service.
However, when evaluating a service, the client sometimes does not take into account the following circumstances.
He is not familiar with hairdressing or has a superficial understanding of it.
The service he evaluates is impossible to perform independently (at home).
By choosing a cheaper hairdressing service, he risks an unsuccessful haircut (coloring, perm) ruining his appearance for some period.
These subjective circumstances must be taken into account by the salon when setting prices for hairdressing services.
The marketing approach to pricing involves setting prices that would suit both the salon and clients. Moreover, it should be taken into account that the inflated price for some services (if the market allows it) may completely cover the underpriced price for other services. This is where price flexibility comes in.
Now that you know the approach to setting prices for hairdressing services, you need to figure out how to attract the attention of customers and encourage them to use these services.
This is a question many owners ask. On the one hand, with the help of advertising, you want to attract as many customers as possible, the influx of which will ensure an increase in profits. On the other hand, there is a constant fear of wasting money. Let's try to figure out in what situations hair salons need advertising and how best to organize it.
When creating a new salon, the task is to inform potential clients about your appearance on the market. Advertising at this stage is vital, so it is advisable to organize even an entire advertising campaign using a number of events.
Sometimes an advertising campaign is necessary due to the emergence of new competitors, whose activities lead to a reduction in the number of clients of your salon. In this case, the goal of the advertising campaign should be to show the advantages of your salon over competitors.
Seasonal fluctuations in the level of demand for services throughout the year also require additional advertising investments in order to stimulate customers.
In general, at any salon, depending on life situation There may be a variety of reasons for attracting advertising.
In marketing, there is a complex of different areas of activity aimed at promoting a service.
Promotion is a set of activities to effective selling services to clients.
This set of activities includes:
Stimulating the sale of services (service promotion campaigns);
When organizing the activities of a salon, the competent use of the components of this complex allows you to achieve maximum effect in generating profit and satisfying customer needs. Let's look at what they are fundamental differences other activities from the advertising campaign itself.
Stimulating the sale of services
The purpose of this type of promotion is to increase customer demand for services. Events that encourage the purchase of more services will ultimately allow your salon to stand out from the competition. To stimulate the sale of services, you can organize the following events and conduct them as promotions:
Seasonal price reduction;
Subscription service;
Providing several types of services in a complex at reduced prices;
Free additional services (for example, providing information about new types of services or hair care products, image adjustments, etc.).
This type of promotion, as the main one when working with salon clients, will be given the closest attention in the second part of the section.
Public relations
Public relations (English) Public Relations are planned activities aimed at creating and maintaining friendly relations and mutual understanding between the organization and the public. Public relations provides visibility and a favorable image for the salon in the area it serves and in the hairdressing market.
A salon can form a favorable image as a result of not only the provision of high-quality services, but also the dissemination of information not directly aimed at advertising services.
This kind of material is perceived by potential clients and partners as more reliable.
Public relations help create or change a certain attitude towards the salon on the part of target audiences - clients, the media, partners, local governments, etc. It is a common belief that only large salons can achieve the effect of public relations. However, hair salons can also use some opportunities. For example, take part in hairdressing competitions, publish materials about your services in the media prepared by management, clients of the company or independent journalists.
Competitions are very important for hairdressers, as they are an excellent opportunity to improve their skills. They also raise the authority of the salon in the eyes of clients. I would like to note that participation in show programs or fashion shows also strengthens the position of the salon. The media usually covers all these events with pleasure.
For hairdressers, participation in creative life is advancement, an opportunity to realize their wildest ideas in hairstyles. If a hairdressing salon gives its hairdressers a chance not only to stand at the chair, serving clients, but also to engage in creativity, then the hairdressers feel like real artists. In such salons, the team spirit is the strongest; masters from such salons rarely quit.
Any extraordinary event or event that a hairdressing salon holds or in which it participates will remain just internal information of the salon until it is covered in a certain way in the press, radio, TV, etc. Therefore, you need to take care of establishing relations with the media, provide them with all possible assistance (for example, give advice on hairdressing for writing articles, provide photographs for the design of publications).
Transfer of information about the services provided;
Introducing potential clients to them;
Convincing them of the need to consume the services offered.
By the word “advertising” in its broadest interpretation, we mean targeted information designed to help a hairdressing salon sell its services more profitably, and the client to profitably purchase them. The purpose of such an information message is to notify the potential client that you can meet his needs, solve his problems or offer something beneficial to him.
A detailed and step-by-step description of these activities is called advertising campaign plan. Such a plan usually includes the following tasks:
Establish the purpose of this event;
Identify the target market (potential clients);
Identify the problems that motivate the advertising campaign;
Determine the costs of its implementation;
Find out what information needs to be conveyed to potential clients;
Determine what means of communication with potential or existing clients can be used;
The initial stage of developing an advertising campaign is to determine the purpose of its implementation. It is formed by identifying the real problems and challenges facing the salon. When talking about the purpose of an advertising campaign, it is necessary to remember to analyze the activities of the salon and study the surrounding market. At this stage, a study of statistical data on the demand for services for a certain period is carried out, new products in the hairdressing market, new technologies, etc. are analyzed. Attention should also be paid to the strategic actions of existing and newly emerging competitor salons.
The goal of the campaign can be formulated by a marketing or advertising specialist (if there is one on staff), or an economist. Usually, the director of a hairdressing salon is responsible for determining the goals and setting objectives of an advertising campaign, since it is too expensive to have an advertising specialist on staff unless we are talking about a large chain of salons.
Here are some of the possible goals:
Informing potential clients about the opening of a new salon and the services offered;
Stimulating demand, attracting additional clients in the event of a drop in demand for specific types of services (for example, a decrease in the number of clients);
Expanding the range of services offered (organizing new services for a given hairdressing salon, such as manicure, pedicure or cosmetology; the goal is to inform clients about this);
Introduction of services requiring application latest technologies or materials (for example, new methods of perm, preparations for hair treatment, etc.; the goal is to explain to clients the benefits of new methods and products);
Mastering new forms of customer service (for example, a technician visiting a client’s home, pre-registration of clients, etc.; the goal is to inform the client about the benefits he receives when using new forms of service);
The emergence of new competitors whose activities lead to a reduction in the number of clients (explaining the advantages of your salon in advertising; the goal is to retain your clients);
Stimulating demand for services in cases of seasonal decline (for example, additional advertising investments in the autumn-winter period; the goal is to retain your clients);
Improving or changing the image of the salon (for example, developing a unified style in the interior of the salon; the goal is to achieve positive associations among clients when mentioning the salon).
You can carry out several simultaneously advertising campaigns, each of which will be focused on its specific goal. Let us only recall that the goals of advertising events should be inextricably linked with the overall marketing strategy of your salon and the existing market conditions.
So, advertising goals have been defined. Now we need to start approving the expenditure side of the budget. How much should you spend on advertising? This question constantly haunts advertisers. How to distribute allocated advertising funds for one or another type of advertising within the proposed assortment? A promotional plan developed taking into account all planned costs will help answer these questions.
Advertising costs are often classified as operating expenses. In reality, they are rather investment, aimed at creating not material, but extremely significant value - the image of the salon. The issue of investment in advertising is especially acute at the stage of opening a new hairdressing salon. Some marketing specialists classify such costs as capital expenditures, and advertising costs for an existing salon as operating costs.
Your planned income;
Desired percentage of profit;
Salon location;
Your potential clients;
The specifics of your services, their competitiveness and the density of the competitive environment;
Stage life cycle your salon (advertising a well-known salon is necessary to maintain the level of sales of its services, the costs of its implementation are not so high. But in order to introduce clients to a new salon and gain recognition, you will need to spend much more money);
Marketing specialists have developed a number of models for estimating advertising costs. One of the first models was proposed by economists M. Weidel and G. Wolf. Such models can be studied in detail in additional literature; each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Based on them, you will have to independently develop your advertising budget. By conducting regular research, your advertising costs will be close to optimal.
When determining the costs of an advertising campaign, you can divide all advertising activities into mandatory and desirable. Having assessed the required and desirable costs, you need to find out which of the desirable ones are available for your salon, which of them are most effective. If the advertising budget is too small, the hair salon may fall behind the competition, and if it is a new salon, it may take longer to find its feet.
If we talk about the information contained in advertising messages about hairdressing services, then first of all it must be truthful. Since hairdressing services, unlike goods, are not tangible, and most people tend to be extremely sensitive to their own appearance, it is necessary to talk about the adequacy of the services offered in the information.
Informing (introduces clients to new products, sets out arguments in their favor);
Competitive (contains information about the advantages of the services provided compared to competitors);
Comparative (compares the services of several salons of the same class according to one or more characteristics);
Stimulating (attracts customers with additional offers – free services for diagnosis or consultation);
Based on your goals, identification of the target market and the developed budget, you can decide which type of advertising is most suitable for your salon. Table 19 provides examples of advertising messages depending on the type of advertising.
Table 19. Messages in different types of advertising
Salons usually use different types of advertising depending on their goals, the list of services provided, and the prestigious level. The choice of advertising type is influenced by many other factors. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze and determine the feasibility of their use at each stage of the advertising campaign for individual services and the salon as a whole. For example, when organizing a new salon, you can use competitive advertising in the local press, which describes in sufficient detail the advantages of the new enterprise. In the future, this salon can use various types of advertising, depending on the situation in the hairdressing services market.
Let's look at some of the means of advertising distribution that hairdressing salons can use to fulfill the target task - to convey necessary information to clients.
signs, located above or in front of the entrance to the salon, which are both an element of advertising and an attribute of the company, part of its image. The necessary requirements for the design of the sign are compliance with the style of the hairdressing salon and a harmonious combination with the environment. A poorly executed sign indicates a lack of funds and a thoughtful corporate identity. The front sign should contain text revealing the profile of the hairdressing salon and its own name. It is preferable to produce an illuminated sign that can attract attention at any time of the day;
façade design, which must match general style salon, create a favorable mood among clients. Specially designed display windows (if there are display windows) can also serve as an advertising medium;
city format signs, luminous boxes (usually mounted on a building) indicating the location of the salon, its name and hairdressing products used;
banners, located in close proximity to the salon building (for example, banners announcing the opening of a new salon). Using large billboards is a very expensive pleasure that only large salons can afford. Often this is a necessary measure due to the inconvenient location of the salon (in the courtyards of houses, in closed residential areas). In such cases, billboards installed on highways serve as signposts.
business card salon with the image of corporate symbols (name, logo, address, telephone, etc.); its development should be given especially close attention;
calendar; The production of pocket calendars seems to be an effective and relatively inexpensive advertising material. Thanks to its spectacular design, it can work for your salon for a year. The production of other advertising materials, such as wall calendars, booklets, brochures, catalogs, is available only to large salons;
leaflet; This small-format, relatively inexpensive, non-folded publication is typically used for direct mail advertising. The leaflet should be bright and eye-catching.
The main problem in using such advertising is determining address lists. The list of recipient addresses mainly depends on the location of the salon. If, for example, this is a residential area, a separate residential area, then at the initial stage, addressless mailing works best. In the centers of business activity of cities, you can send mailings to the addresses of commercial enterprises and organizations.
The costs of sending information by mail depend on the volume of mail and the cost of developing advertising, printing, selecting promotional materials and sorting envelopes. However, thanks to constant analysis of the reaction of potential consumers, postal items can be carried out selectively, which leads to lower costs.
As one option, some salons practice holiday mailings with congratulations ( New Year, Christmas), announcing special offer(for example, a discount on service and a gift).
advertising in print media: central and local newspapers, magazines (women's, for men), designed for a wide range of readers. In these sources you can publish advertising materials of various contents. You can promise a guaranteed discount on services in your salon in a modular ad. You can also publish articles and run special columns with the help of your salon’s specialists. With such advertising you will achieve a significant response from customers;
television advertising; Dealing with a constant shortage of funds that need to be allocated for advertising campaigns, you will be faced with the high cost of producing and posting advertising video clips. Therefore, when talking about television advertising, we recommend that you think about sponsorship in television programs. As one of the options, sponsorship could consist of your salon’s masters creating makeup and hairstyles for the show’s presenters. You can also recommend the participation of your salon’s specialists in special “ladies’” programs such as “Beauty Secrets”;
radio advertising: radio spots with advertising content for broadcast. One should take into account the abundance of existing radio stations, which scatter the client’s attention, and therefore radio advertising may be ineffective. But if your city doesn't have too many popular radio stations, radio advertising can yield good results;
Internet advertising; it is possible to use the following forms: 1) web server, which is a direct channel for distributing constantly updated advertising information about the salon and its services; 2) banners, advertising screensavers located on various web pages and having hyperlinks to a personal web server; 3) e-mail (address Email), which can be used to transmit advertising information to specific addresses. The Internet is effective method distribution of advertising information. Unfortunately, hair salons do not yet widely use this method of advertising.
Word of mouth advertising – This is advertising in direct communication or over the phone with a potential client. Oral advertising can be carried out by salon employees (administrator, master). It is one of the most difficult, but also effective types of advertising, since when communicating with a client, personal charm, the ability to conduct a dialogue, and knowledge of the advertised services and products play a special role. Particular attention to these aspects will be given in the next section.
Word of Mouth Advertising – the process of transferring advertising information from client to client. It occurs in cases when the client, having received absolute satisfaction from the service, comes to the salon again and, moreover, expresses it among his friends positive reviews about his work.
The degree of novelty of technological processes;
Progressiveness of the equipment used;
The quality of the products used;
Personnel qualification level;
Friendly customer service;
Sophistication of room design;
Form style;
I would like to emphasize the importance of corporate identity, which is one of the most important elements of the salon’s image and, therefore, image advertising. The concept of “corporate style” includes corporate symbols (logo), branded clothing, branded accessories, etc. Corporate style allows you to conduct an advertising campaign in a single direction, is perceived as a kind of guarantee of the quality of services and therefore increases the effectiveness of advertising.
In newspapers and magazines (local);
When conducting advertising events, salon workers are constantly faced with questions: which advertising medium is more effective for the salon at this stage? how to define it? What should you consider when choosing a form of advertising?
Studying the target audience, the motives due to which clients decide to purchase hairdressing services;
Research of the media that are most popular among potential clients (magazines about fashion, beauty, health);
If your choice falls on advertising in the press, we recommend making a list periodicals, which due to their content may fall into the hands of the intended client. Next, you need to collect the necessary information about each of the publications: about frequency, circulation, prices for advertisements of different sizes, with printing in different versions (cover, page, space on the page, use of color). You should also keep in mind the prestige of the publication, its focus, and the quality of printing.
If your salon is just planning to place advertising, then next time it is advisable to determine the attitude of target consumers to your advertising in general, as well as to individual advertising media.
VARIABLE FACTORS IN THE ADVERTISING SCHEDULE
Variables such as the timing, frequency, and consistency of advertising messages are very important but rarely studied in hair salons. But the behavior of customers and the level of their demand are influenced by the time of year, the week of the month, the day of the week, and even the hour of the day. Advertising services is different from advertising goods. When it is known in what season and what product is in massive consumer demand, then advertising works more effectively during this period.
By the season, at the time of peak demand, salons can stock up on medications necessary to provide services.
It is impossible to create a stock of services. Their peculiarity lies precisely in the fact that they are intangible in nature.
This feature constitutes the main difficulty for advertising. After all, it is aimed at equalizing consumer demand, preventing downtime of workers and equipment out of season and, conversely, queues of unsatisfied customers during peak season.
Another difficulty is answering the question: what is better - an intense burst of advertising or regular advertising messages over a long period of time?
In an advertising campaign, the control that must accompany any activity is relevant before it is carried out (preliminary analysis) and after (subsequent analysis). However, pre- and post-tests only reduce uncertainty and should not be relied upon to predict the success or failure of a campaign.
Preliminary tests are useful in order to clearly verify the correctness of the chosen advertising line. They are carried out on part of the target audience with the use of advertising material, which is supposed to be used in a subsequent advertising campaign.
Attracting attention (how many people will remember that they saw the advertisement?);
Accessibility to understanding (is the meaning understood?);
Reliability (is the argument being understood? Can the prospective client be confident in what is being assured?);
Interest (enough to lead to purchase of the advertised service?).
Regarding subsequent analysis advertising program, then it is not only useful, but also necessary, since here we are talking about control over the impact of advertising. Salon employees responsible for carrying out promotional events need to constantly evaluate them from the standpoint of communicative and economic efficiency.
Measurements of communication effectiveness are carried out in order to determine whether advertising achieves its goals. Such an assessment is carried out both before the advertisement is placed and after its publication (broadcast). Before placing an ad, the advertiser can conduct a survey of customers on whether they like the proposed ad and whether the message stands out from others. After placing an ad, the advertiser can measure the recall of what was previously seen.
Whatever the purpose of the ad, it must first be seen, read or heard. One ad may make 80% of a magazine's readers stop and read, while another may only make 5%.
The action that the ad is intended to induce is usually delayed in time. Impressions can bridge the gap between perception of an ad/series of ads and action if they last long enough to influence the prospect's behavior at the right time. On the other hand, advertising provides new knowledge, and the process of acquiring knowledge is inseparable from memory.
According to one of these methods, a survey of readers of a publication begins with showing a list of various companies. Readers must say whether they saw an advertisement about this salon in this publication, and if the answer is positive, describe this message. Only then do readers receive answers to questions of interest (does the message attract you? Is it easy to understand? etc.).
According to another technique, each of the respondents, leafing through a publication, says which messages he has already seen before. Experts consider this method not as reliable as the previous one. In their opinion, it is impossible to verify the statements of the respondents, since they may “recognize” a message that they actually encountered in another publication.
A detailed description of methods for analyzing advertising messages can be found in specialized publications (cm. at the end of the manual “List of recommended literature”). But, unfortunately, hairdressing salons rarely use these methods in their practice. Currently, the most commonly used method is one that analyzes the client’s “return.” It consists in keeping records and analyzing the sources from which clients learn about the existence of the salon they are interested in.
Most salons whose specific activity is the provision of services on a limited basis local market(service locality), have the opportunity to use only forms of inexpensive advertising. Only a few large salons can organize advertising campaigns with the involvement of specialized agencies or their consultants.
The salon undertakes the creation and distribution of advertising and other marketing communications, limited by the experience of its own managers;
A combination of these options is possible.
Autonomous work according to the first option is not always effective, since advertising requires a lot of time, effort and special knowledge.
The second option is more expensive. In addition, it is difficult to find a highly professional partner willing to provide a full cycle of advertising services for a fee acceptable to the salon (that fits into the advertising budget).
If the salon nevertheless chooses the option of cooperation with professionals in the field of advertising services, you need to carefully consider your choice and first consult with those who have already used their services.
Let us remind you once again that regardless of the choice of organizing an advertising campaign for a salon, it is recommended to plan it in the following sequence:
Determine the “portrait” of your client;
Compare the amount received with the amount that you can allocate for its implementation;
Draw up a detailed campaign plan;
Develop all elements;
Check the possible effectiveness of the chosen goal, idea, elements of the advertising campaign;
If necessary, clarify and change elements of the advertising campaign;
Organize the work of the salon during the campaign;
Summarize.
In advertising you cannot work at random. Sooner or later, such an attitude will lead to great moral and financial losses. Organizing an advertising campaign is, first of all, a clear plan. Basic questions need to be answered.
For what Do you need this particular advertising campaign?
For whom is it intended?
What necessary to have as a result?
The description of the strategy should begin with a brief definition of the audience to which the advertising campaign is aimed and the priorities in working with it. Don't forget to justify your choice. You should also indicate the types of advertising media, methods and frequency of their use. The nature of the advertising message must be explained. It is necessary to provide a breakdown of information by different advertising means, as well as the budget for each of them (which will include production costs and necessary materials). Finally, it is necessary to indicate the planned volume and duration of the advertising campaign, along with technical capabilities and time requirements, as well as budgetary restrictions.
Next you can carry out comparative analysis advertising of different performers, using different methods, in order to determine what should be done in the future: use only salon employees or attract well-established advertising specialists.
If the salon provides low-quality services, then first of all you should eliminate the shortcomings, and only then contact potential consumers with advertising.
SALES PROMOTION ACTIONS
A hair salon needs to constantly improve and diversify its marketing tool. A great opportunity for this is sales promotions.
Sales promotions are short-term measures to encourage the purchase of hairdressing services and related products.
Let us dwell on this component of the service promotion complex in more detail.
Sales promotion as a method of promotion has been steadily developing in the field of Russian hairdressing salons over the past years. In our opinion, it is available to any enterprise, regardless of its level. Unlike other methods of promotion (advertising and publicity), it is characterized by efficiency (you can quickly promote certain services), relative cheapness and sufficient effectiveness in increasing turnover. The main thing is that this is the most promising type of promotion of services for hairdressing salons. I would like to note that this is also evidenced by international statistics. Investments in stimulating sales of services (in promotions) pay off to a much greater extent than advertising costs.
OBJECTIVES OF PROMOTIONS IN HAIRDRESSING SALONS
When carrying out sales promotion campaigns, salons pursue a number of goals that can be classified as follows (see Table 20).
An action to stimulate the sale of hairdressing services always consists of two directions according to the objects of influence: stimulating clients and stimulating staff. What does this mean? The whole point is that any action can be successful only when all parties involved are interested in it.
How can the promotion interest the salon staff - masters and administrators? What can be done to make them want to participate in the action and promote services?
Table 20. Goals of sales promotions
Forms of personnel incentives can be very different, although the following main areas can be distinguished:
Bonus for results of participation in promotions.
Various competitions among staff and participants of the action.
Other non-material forms of encouragement.
Of course, a second party also takes part in any action; the main value of hairdressing salons is their clients. The main areas of customer stimulation that are usually used in the hairdressing business are:
Discount service cards.
Special additional service.
Various discounts on services.
Lotteries and games.
Awards and competitions.
Trial services.
Complexes of services, etc., etc.
When stimulating the sale of services, salon management must monitor the choice marketing tool. Depending on what stage of development the hair salon is at, its marketing should be dominated by either advertising campaigns or sales promotions.
During the opening period The salon needs advertising and more advertising. Without it, the salon will not achieve the creation of primary demand for services. Promotions are almost never used during this period, with the goal of letting clients try certain services. A striking example would be specially reduced trial prices, etc.
During the formative period and intensively winning clientele, the salon needs to pay attention not only to advertising, but also to promotions. At this stage, promotions are usually aimed at increasing customer visits and their purchase of not just one service, but several.
During the period of “resting on laurels”, when clients are won and workload is close to the maximum (planned) level, small supporting advertising, publicity and promotions seem especially effective. The purpose of promotions at this stage of the life of a hairdressing salon is to maintain a circle of regular customers with regular reminders that by choosing your salon, they made the right choice.
During the period of experiencing difficult times salon promotions can be one of the keys to restoring customer interest (although we must not forget about other components of marketing).
CONDUCTING SALES PROMOTION ACTIONS
Regardless of the period of development of the salon, any campaign to promote services is built in four stages (see diagram 8).
First stage should be the collection of regular statistical data on the work of the salon. Among the huge variety of this data, stop at the analysis of services and sales of related products. These data, studied over time, will allow you to see the real picture of demand in the salon and will become a springboard for further promotions. Of course, in reality, many other financial and production indicators. During the analysis process, the strengths and weaknesses of the salon should be identified, and on this basis the tasks and goals of the action should be determined.
Having set a goal, it’s time to get creative and, using the experience of Russian and foreign salons, as well as your own creative ideas, “come up” with an action and its theme. I would like to note that “coming up” with a theme for an action means not only creating its general creative idea, but also drawing up a detailed plan for its implementation.
Diagram 8. Preparation and conduct of the action
Starts here second phase carrying out the action - planning. The plan should include:
Necessary training of personnel participating in the action;
Detailed development of the organization of the event for clients who will participate in it.
Once the action is planned, it seems that you can begin to implement it. But the decision to hold the action can be finally made only after the budget for the action has been approved. Once the budget has been approved, you can safely begin to turn your plans into reality.
Third stage is the holding of the action itself:
Communicating to the staff the meaning, goals and objectives of the action;
Training of personnel involved in the campaign on the method of its implementation (oral advertising);
Control over the action.
The fourth stage is to study the results of the action. As already mentioned, the promotions are aimed not only at stimulating sales of services, but also at improving the image of the hairdressing salon. Therefore, when assessing the success of a promotion, you need to remember not only its financial efficiency at the moment, but also about long-term efficiency that works for the image of the salon.
Let's take a closer look at assessing the success of the action in monetary terms. Table 21 below makes it possible to clearly compare the planned costs and income from the action and the actual results of the action. It should be noted that not all shares should and can bring monetary benefits. Many promotions are carried out solely to improve the image of the salon and are therefore quite expensive at the time of implementation, but profitable in the long term.
Table 21. Valuation of shares in monetary terms
PROMOTION TOPICS
Issue of club cards. What could be the theme for the action? As already mentioned, one of the target parties of any promotion is customers. What is the best way to express to your customers that they are your main value? For example, you can create a client club and hold a promotion to issue club cards that will entitle you to a permanent discount on services in your salon. In addition to financial benefits, a plastic card has an image effect, since it is stored in a wallet and thus provokes the client to visit your salon.
How does a client become the owner of such a card?
Buying a club card. The cost is calculated in such a way that the purchase of the card is repaid with a discount on services for ten visits. For example, a haircut costs 200 rubles, a 10% discount is 20 rubles. Therefore, if you buy a club card for 200 rubles, then from the eleventh visit to the salon the client will begin to receive a net benefit. If the card is bought by a lady who not only gets her hair cut, but also receives other services, then the purchase of her club card will pay off faster.
However, the unstable situation in the Russian financial market negatively affects clients’ decisions to purchase club cards and subscriptions. Many clients consider it unreasonable to pay in advance. Therefore, another option is more common.
Giving a club card. How to determine who and when to give a club card to? To do this, you need to keep a client file. It should be noted that maintaining such a file is available to any hairdressing salon. Salons that are seriously involved in marketing and promoting their services keep files using special computer programs. Modern computer technologies are coming into the hairdressing business by leaps and bounds and are giving unusually good results in working with clients.
Once the client reaches a certain monetary milestone (for example, 2000 rubles) and a certain number of visits to the salon (for example, 10), the computer will “demand”, according to the condition programmed by you, to give this client a club card as a gift.
For many hairdressing salons, issuing plastic cards is too expensive. In this case, printed cards that can be covered with a laminate are perfect.
Gifts for regular customers. Gifts and incentives are also a suitable and pressing topic for promotions. How can you tag a client who regularly visits your salon and already has a club card? Once the client reaches a certain monetary milestone in expenses for services and the number of visits, you can give him a gift for consistency. Usually in salons there are perfumes and cosmetics products that are put up for sale, but are poorly sold out because they are unfamiliar to customers. Distributing it to regular customers in the form of gifts can not only be an excellent incentive prize, but also stimulate sales of these cosmetics.
Happy Birthday. In salon promotions to stimulate services, you can actually use such information about clients as birthdays. The main interest of every person is himself. You can use this human weakness as a good reason to remind your salon and make a pleasant surprise to your clients - happy birthday.
To do this, you only need to ask the client for his date of birth (day and month, but not year) while maintaining a card index in an unobtrusive form. Each client of your salon has the right to count on a phone call with congratulations. It costs the salon nothing, but is very pleasant for the client. In a larger salon, if you have the funds, you can also give a gift in the form of a discount on hair styling for the holiday or on some hairdressing product for home use.
In the automated card index, when you turn on the computer, a list of necessary congratulations is immediately displayed, which facilitates such work with clients. When maintaining a card index manually, working with client congratulations takes too much time from the administrator.
New Year's greetings. There is a real opportunity for the salon to benefit from regular annual events. Russian reality is such that the most popular annual holiday for all salon clients is the New Year. In the hairdressing business, December is a month of increased demand for services and related perfume and cosmetic products.
New Year's greetings can be an excellent topic for a campaign to promote your services during this period. The promotion includes telephone calls to all clients and congratulations on the upcoming New Year and Christmas. This promotion is very economical, since it does not incur any cash costs other than payment for telephone calls.
New Year gifts– this is a different action. It provides, for example, a gift for every client who comes to the salon on the eve of
New Year. You yourself determine the validity period of this promotion - only 1 day or 1 month. You can use some of the cosmetic products you work with as gifts. Or you can give a branded calendar with the logo of your salon. Such one-time promotions, timed to coincide with an annual event, are very memorable among customers and perfectly stimulate demand.
“Tell your friends about us.” According to statistics, the most effective of all types of advertising is word-of-mouth advertising. Any hairdresser knows that the first time clients come to the salon mainly on the personal recommendations of their friends who have already had a positive experience of service. So how can you use these satisfied customers to attract new ones? You can hold a campaign “Tell your friends and acquaintances about our salon” (see diagram 9).
Diagram 9. Campaign “Tell your friends and acquaintances about our salon”
A haircut;
Perm;
Coloring;
Highlighting;
Toning;
Diagnosis of hair and scalp condition;
Hair care (hair treatment);
Hair care in summer;
Selection of hairstyles on the computer;
Anniversary or birthday of the salon, opening of a new salon;
Sales of related products in the hairdressing salon;
Many other creative ideas from your team.
Let's talk about a topic like sale of related products, which is one of the services of a hairdressing salon. Why is it necessary to sell it? The client will be completely satisfied with the service if you offer him to buy cosmetics for home care at a good professional level. Your arguments in favor of these products will help consolidate the result of the service provided in the salon (for example, coloring or perm). In addition, sales significantly affect the salon's turnover. Income from the sale of related products in successful salons reaches 20% of the total turnover. Trade margin on products sold is usually at least 25%, which makes this type of activity very attractive for the seller.
Promotion for staff “Learning to sell.” Unfortunately, as statistics show, today hair salons in Russia sell very few related products or do not sell them at all. In order to interest and teach staff to sell related products, it is necessary to hold a special “Learning to Sell” campaign. It consists of three stages.
1. Training of personnel (masters and administrators) on products and techniques (psychology) of sales.
2. Creating staff interest in receiving a percentage of sales. The most effective method is to pay a percentage to employees who recommend products for sale.
3. Creating staff interest in receiving bonuses at the end of the month as the best salesperson.
Promotion "Complex service". It is no secret that, unlike developed Western countries, Russian consumers are currently not yet active clients of hairdressing salons. How to attract them? Especially for this purpose, many salons hold comprehensive service promotions. When developing a promotion, the complex must include:
The most popular service;
Fashion service;
Care (treatment) service;
A service that provides pleasure or entertainment.
With the help of such a range of services, it is possible to significantly increase the degree of customer satisfaction, not only by saving money, but also by the quality of care, which is very difficult to refuse in the future.
Services must be correctly selected into the complex. Don't try to sell an unfashionable service. Even the most effective incentives cannot bring back the novelty of outdated hair coloring technology or increase demand for an unfashionable haircut. To achieve maximum effect in stimulating customers to purchase services, it is necessary to closely link the promotion to the services themselves.
Here are examples of such a comprehensive service campaign.
Promotion “Guaranteed arrival of customers during periods of low demand.”
It's no secret that in hairdressing The time of year plays a big role. It is known that January and February are considered dead months, that the demand for services in October and November decreases, during the May holidays the attendance is quite low, many hairdressing salons even close for several days.
How to prevent workers and equipment from being idle? The answer is simple - to develop and implement demand promotion campaigns during periods of low demand, using the flow of customers during periods of increased demand.
To run a promotion, prepare temporary coupons that offer special benefits to your hair salon clients.
INFORMATION TOOLS USED IN PROMOTIONS
This is a very important aspect - how to convey information about the promotion to customers. Of course, you can use various types of external advertising. But is it really worthwhile if the promotion is not large-scale and takes place within one salon, and not a large chain of salons? Obviously, such information to customers would be unreasonably expensive. In fact, there are only three main ways to inform salon clients about upcoming promotions:
Actively informing customers through employees (including verbal advertising over the phone);
Promotion announcements (cm. table 22);
Table 22. Types of promotion announcements and their placement
Summing up the results of stimulating the sale of services in hairdressing salons, it should be noted that an action carried out unprofessionally can harm the image of the salon. All efforts can be nullified if the timing is wrong or customers are not sufficiently informed, as well as if promotions are carried out too often. If promotions are properly planned, carried out and analyzed, the hairdressing salon has every chance of success.
Techniques for selling services in hairdressing salons
SALES AND SELLER
We all have to deal with the buying and selling process in our lives. We buy groceries at the grocery store and pay public utilities, transport services, services of doctors, lawyers and many other specialists. The sellers of these goods and services turn into money what is the usual means of subsistence for everyone else.
Selling is one of the most ancient human activities that has become a profession.
To survive and achieve greater success in the competition, you need to understand the meaning of selling services, hone the technique of this process and gain mastery.
We have no doubt that each of our readers has their own experience of dealing with bad sellers. You may have met more than once with distributors of various goods who, in an intrusive or rude manner, offered (or rather tried to force) you to buy their product. Perhaps you have encountered indifferent and sometimes discourteous administrators in salons. Remember how often you refused service or a purchase for precisely this reason.
A natural salesperson? Examples of bad salespeople follow us every step of the way. Because of such poorly trained salespeople, there is an opinion that there are people who are born salesmen, and there are people who are not capable of selling anything. Let us take the liberty of asserting that this is not at all the case. A person is born with a natural ability for everything. The only question is how they will develop. This means that not everyone will professional seller. But anyone can acquire the necessary basic skills.
Appointment of the seller. You can often hear: “A good salesman will sell anything.” This is wrong. A good salesman can only sell what he believes in value.
A salesperson who does not believe in the value of what he is selling is like a ship without a rudder.
First of all, you need faith in the purpose of hairdressing services. When offering a client to buy a service, you must remember your main task– to help each client become more beautiful and through this make the world a more beautiful place. When selling a service to a client, you need to be proud of your mission.
Individual approach to the buyer. You can sell a service only to a specific client, for example Maria Ivanova, who at the age of 34 has two small children and a huge lack of time for personal care. How and what to sell to Maria? Probably, you can give her a haircut that does not require complex styling at home, and in addition, look after the kids during the service. An excellent option would be a light perm, which adds volume and makes it easier to care for your hair. Maria will most likely buy these services. But it’s unlikely to be possible to sell her a haircut that requires daily styling and ten long sessions with a cosmetologist.
If you sell all services in the same way, without a personal approach to each client, they will be bought quite rarely.
Success factors. The hairdressing business is shaped by people. The success of the business depends on them, which is achieved through personal desire, enthusiasm and the ability to communicate. For the masters of any hairdressing salon, there are three decisive factors for success in communicating with clients:
Competent consulting;
High quality service;
Sales of related products.
Selling well is an art. So try to master the secrets of this art!
Qualities of hairdressing professionals
Many buyers have a negative opinion about the sale and the low-skilled salespeople involved in it. However, the sales administrator must have the following qualities.
PERSISTENCE
You have more than once witnessed how small children in stores ask their parents to buy them a toy. Sometimes this ends in tears - parents flatly refuse to fulfill the request. But often parents can’t stand it and buy the required gift only because the children are extremely persistent. This happens because a little person at the beginning of his life’s journey is not afraid of the word “no” and fights the ban in all possible ways.
Of course, we're not suggesting you do the same thing, but in our opinion, assertiveness is the most important quality for selling hair and beauty services.
INITIATIVE
It is unacceptable to stand at your workplace and wait until clients themselves want to buy a service or related hairdressing products. The master or administrator must conduct the dialogue correctly, offering clients to buy services/products and without being afraid of the answer “no”. After the greeting, you need to start communicating with the client who has entered the salon with the most correct question: “Can I help you with anything?”
You need to treat the word “no” normally, remembering that it often means: “No, not today.”
A SOber ATTITUDE TO REALITY
A significant value for a salesperson is maintaining a database not only of regular customers, but also of potential customers who have said, “No, not today.” The salon reception should keep a record of such clients in order to return to them from time to time with a repeated offer to purchase services. And perhaps that client who came to your salon only for a haircut will decide to do coloring or highlighting, or buy hair care products that she has not used before.
You need to take refusals normally and understand that everyone cannot become your client. One day, a client who lived nearby came into the new salon. She inquired about the prices for services, noting that it was quite a distance to get to her hairdresser. Unfortunately, the prices turned out to be higher than she expected. Despite the fact that the administrator and the salon master treated the lady with great attention and tried to leave a pleasant impression, she was annoyed.
Evaluate this case philosophically, realizing that it is always impossible to win.
Avoid the stereotype of judging “by clothes”, which is formed in many masters after communicating with “insolvent” clients and is unacceptable for the behavior of salon staff.
Remember that the word “no” means: “No, not today.”
PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE
For the buyer of a service/product, it is a great pleasure to deal with a seller who is professional in the subject of sale. Typically, a professional (master/administrator) demonstrates his knowledge of services, drugs and technologies in the confident argumentation with which he speaks to clients.
As an example, let’s take the sale of related products such as perfumes in a salon. You may have heard more than once how a salon administrator, trying to sell perfume or eau de toilette to a client, utters words such as “pleasant aroma,” “fresh,” “sweet,” “fashionable.” But rarely do any of the administrators really sell perfume correctly: they talk about the history of the brand, the creation of this fragrance, and its constituent notes. Namely, such professional knowledge is the key to successful sales of related products and hairdressing services.
There are several positions on which the professionalism of a hairdressing services seller rests.
1. Knowledge of the hairdressing business. The hairdresser must be well informed about modern trends in the field of hairdressing services, about the latest trends in hairdressing fashion in the country and abroad. This will help the master guide the client in choosing a hairstyle and hair care products. The presence of such knowledge among the staff increases the prestige of the salon.
It is also recommended to know the names of leading hairdressing industry specialists working not only in the capital, but also in your city. That is why it is necessary to communicate with colleagues, attend hairdressing festivals, collection shows and other events.
2. Knowledge of technologies for performing services. A professional hairdresser must have perfect knowledge of the technology for performing services. To be in demand, a hairdresser needs to constantly improve his skills, become familiar with the latest equipment in the hairdressing industry, and advances in the production of hair care cosmetics.
There is nothing more discouraging for a client than a hairdresser who doesn't do his job well or doesn't know the products he's working with. Without professionalism and deep knowledge of products, it is impossible to learn the art of convincing a client. Read professional literature, attend all available seminars and master classes, collection shows that take place in your city or region.
3. Know your salon. It is necessary to clearly understand the structure of the salon, know the area of responsibility of each employee, be aware of ongoing advertising campaigns, and know about special discounts and promotions of the salon.
You must also be familiar with the services of competing salons and their prices. However, you should not scold competitors in front of clients. This will most likely have a negative impact on the image of your salon. In a situation of comparison with competitors, it is better to focus on the advantages of providing services in your salon.
4. Ability to inspire client trust. Many purchases (services/products) are based on emotions and first impressions. In the service industry, it is the first impression that really matters. To sell a service to a client, the hairdresser must impress him and inspire confidence. How to gain this trust?
Try to strictly adhere to the image of a hairdresser.
A professional hairdresser should look like part of his salon and thus match the level of his salon and the type of his clients. It is very important that it has a modern and fashionable appearance. A hair salon master must have a fashionable haircut and a fashionable hair color (he must not have undyed hair at the roots). Hair should be healthy and well-groomed; modern makeup is required for women.
Of course, these are very average recommendations. If your salon specializes in progressive-minded young people, then the hairdresser’s appearance may be more avant-garde, and if your visitors are ladies with classic tastes, then a more conservative style will do.
It is also very important that the hairdresser has a properly organized workplace. The instrument must be sterilely clean, and the products and accessories that the master works with must be displayed at the workplace.
The master must maintain a database of his clients.
This is the only way to “remember” everything about the client: his past purchases of services and related products, his preferences in colors when dyeing his hair and other information.
Of course, the easiest way to maintain a card index is using a computer program. If the salon does not have such an opportunity, then you can record customer data in the log manually. Unfortunately, in the hairdressing business, as in any other, anything can happen: unaffordable rent, financial crisis, etc. can lead to the closure of the salon. But, having a card index, you can open a new salon relatively nearby, retaining almost all of your clients.
If someone has not yet understood why all this trouble with clients is actually needed, then let us remind you that only good knowledge of clients allows the master to gain confidence in them and subsequently surprise and delight them with an attentive personal attitude. So always welcome your clients and offer them your help!
5. Attitude to business. This is the basis of success. Every hairdresser must remember that success is determined primarily by desire, not ability. This does not mean that without talent you can be a good hairdresser. But hairdressers who believe in themselves always achieve greater success in their profession. Everything will be as bad as you allow it to happen!
How to succeed?
Don't be lazy.
Don't get bored at work.
Always learn (remember the famous saying of Socrates: “I know that I know nothing”).
Always do a little more than necessary. This is the only way you will be ahead.
And most importantly, the hairdresser must be an optimist, an enthusiast of his business. How can you help yourself become an optimist? The answer is simple - you need to smile more often!
It's difficult to say something unpleasant to someone who smiles. It's hard to give in to gloomy thoughts when someone is smiling next to you. It's nice to be in the company of a smiling person.
RULES FOR SELLERS OF HAIRDRESSING SERVICES
1. Become an expert on people. All potential clients are very different: they live in different houses, work in different places and communicate in different business environments, have different problems and goals in life. They can be young or old, happy or unhappy, good or evil, optimists or pessimists. In order for clients to be happy to buy services from a professional hairdresser, he must be able to find his own key for each, and become an expert on people. Learn to communicate with different people You can by attending seminars on the psychology of communication, reading special literature on psychology.
Try to roughly assess the client’s psychological type and give him the opportunity to realize his needs for the service.
2. Ask the right questions to the client. People are very interested in themselves. For many, this is the most important interest in life! Ask them questions and let them talk about themselves. In a dialogue, the one who asks wins. Try to conduct it in such a way that your questions always have positive answers: ask questions to which the client will answer “yes”. For example:
“See how shiny the dye gave your hair?”
“Do you have little time at home to take care of your hair?”
“Do you prefer haircuts that don’t require styling?”
“Have you ever encountered a dandruff problem?”
“Do you see how intensely this treatment mask works on your hair?”
3. Listen to the client. This is a well-known rule, but very few masters actually know how to do it. By listening, you can learn a lot about the client, as he sends many signals about his problems and concerns. Do not try to interrupt the client and offer some services and goods. First, listen to the end, ask again, clarify whether you understood him correctly, and only after that make your offer.
4. Emphasize to the client the benefits of purchasing the service. Not
the client should be informed simply of the advantages of the service: “American highlighting is multi-color dyeing with strands.” It’s better to show what benefits he will receive from purchasing it: “Having done American highlighting, you will get spectacular coloring with strands, as if sunlight had fallen on your hair. In addition, the dye will give the hair a characteristic shine, which is very popular this season.”
That is, when talking about a service, you need to confidently emphasize its benefits for a specific person. The wording should be directly aimed at the client:
“It’s important for you...”
“For your hair you need...”
Try to avoid intonations of uncertainty: “maybe”, “probably”. This uncertainty can be transmitted to the client and shake his desire to buy a service or related products in your salon.
5. Don't rely on logic. What makes people make decisions about service in a salon: logic or emotions? With clients, the heart speaks more than the mind.
According to statistics, more than 80% of clients' decisions regarding hairdressing services are based on emotions, feelings, and not on logical thinking.
The main emotions associated with service in the salon:
Feeling of health (“My hair is taken care of, this is a good prevention against hair loss and accelerates hair growth”);
Feeling of security (“My master professional uses quality products and technology”);
A sense of prestige (“I get my hair cut by a fashionable stylist”);
Feeling of fear (“If I don’t go to the salon and get quality color done, I will look much older”);
Pride of ownership (“I wish I had such beautiful highlights”);
Focus on your ego (“I want to pamper myself, do something nice for myself, improve my mood”);
Ambitiousness (“I buy only the most expensive cosmetics based on herbal ingredients”);
Desire to save money (“If I buy a comprehensive service subscription, I will get a good discount”).
People often spend money on what they want, but not necessarily on what they need. A true professional hairdresser must find out what the client needs and turn this need into a desire.
The master must make sure that the client wants to receive the service!
6. Offer additional services. Each salon has its own unique offers. For example, your salon may offer a free makeover when you change your hair color. Be sure to tell your clients about this.
7. Be proud of the prices in your salon. Never make excuses to clients for the prices set in your salon. Don't doubt the great principle: people buy value, not price. Don't be intimidated by these prices, otherwise the fear will instantly be transferred to the client. Be confident and proud of your salon and its prices.
8. Show the client more than explain in words. Considering the fact that people trust their eyes more than their ears, try to increase the tangibility of your services. Offer your clients magazines, place a TV in the waiting area, but not to show soap operas, but to show videos of master classes, show programs, competitions, fashion shows, commercials for the products your salon works with.
You have other powerful weapons at your disposal - your own appearance, the appearance of your colleagues and the beautiful, happy faces of clients leaving the hairdressing salon.
When explaining something to a client, do not speak monotonously. And in general, watch your facial expressions. Smile!
Remember! Only 10% of the information that we transmit during communication is absorbed by the listener through words, and the remaining 90% through facial expressions, eye expressions, and gestures.
Culture of communication with clients
The word “culture” translated from Latin means “cultivation, improvement, upbringing, education.” Culture characterizes both the degree of development of a particular sphere of human activity and the person himself.
GO TO MEET THE CLIENT
The most successful artists focus on building relationships with clients. If a hairdresser regards each client as a partner, is friendly, is ready to help, and is honest with the client, then he stands on the right way and will undoubtedly succeed.
People really like to buy when they are sold to skillfully. What does it do for this? real professional when offering services to a client? Tries to make the purchase of services pleasant for the client, so that he feels satisfaction from his action, helps the client buy those services that he really needs.
You cannot be annoying, hypocritical, overly verbose, or talk down to others. It is not permissible to use slang expressions or use terminology that is unclear to clients. You cannot show your client your fatigue from communicating with him. This will scare him away and will only bring up unpleasant memories of the salon as a whole and of the master personally.
Creating a pleasant atmosphere for the client is very important. To begin with, you can invite the lady who comes into the salon to sit quietly in a chair with a cup of free coffee to get acquainted with the price list and look at hairstyle magazines. It would not be amiss to remind you that these magazine issues must be in excellent condition: fresh, relevant, fashionable.
If the master is delayed with the previous client, he should personally go out into the hall and apologize to the next client for the delay.
Yes, and don’t forget to smile at the client!
If the client arrives earlier than the appointed time, and the master is free, you need to accept the client immediately. This behavior, called counter service, will be very pleasing to the client. The shorter the wait time for service in the salon, the more positive customers are towards it.
After service, invite the client to come again and promise him your help on all issues related to services or products. Don't expect tips - only in this case you will receive more than usual.
The behavior of craftsmen who receive a percentage of turnover and therefore impose on the client the maximum number of services and goods at the same time is very short-sighted. Those professionals who build their customer service with a long-term perspective behave more professionally. The best client is not the one who came today and bought a lot, but the one who will come constantly. Therefore, take care of the wallet of your regular customer, offer him favorable conditions, discounts, sales. This is the only way to count on the future and positive recommendations “by word of mouth.”
PARATE CUSTOMER OBJECTIONS
The word “objection” does not mean rejection of something. An objection is an expression by an interlocutor of an opposing opinion.
If your client objects, this indicates that he is interested in the services of your salon and at the same time feels a sense of uncertainty and anxiety about them. It is possible that he was not satisfied with the service or you could not convince him at the previous stages of selling the service.
Preventing an objection is easier than correcting it. How to respond to objections if they arise? Learn to deflect. There are three stages in this process.
Stage 1. Ask the client again. This is very important for the master. This is the only way to find out what is bothering the client. The reasons for objections can be business-related (for example, an allergy to paint) or emotional (last time we had to wait too long).
The most common objection is high price. When a client says that the price of a haircut at your salon is high, she may be thinking the following:
“In other salons I went to before, the price was lower.”
“The price of a haircut here is much higher than I expected.”
“I don’t have that kind of money with me.”
“I can’t afford this haircut – it doesn’t fit into my budget.”
“I’ll have to ask my husband for money.”
“If I haggle, maybe they’ll offer me a discount.”
"I'm not actually going to cut my hair."
The task of the salon staff is to find out which of the listed options motivates the client. This can be done using clarification questions:
“What price were you expecting?”
“How much higher is our price than you expected?”
Stage 2. Agree with the client’s objection, but at the same time bring your own compelling arguments.
Agreeing does not mean saying: “I completely share your opinion.” This means acknowledging the client's thinking rather than their objection. This means making a case for your salon’s unique offerings (additional services).
What arguments can be made regarding price? It is necessary to make the quantitative expression of the price understandable to the client, using the following words:
High-end technology;
Intensively active composition of the drug;
Efficiency;
Optimal hair care;
Dermatologically tested, etc.
Stage 3. Parry the objection. This means giving the client an answer that will dispel his doubts. For example, a client comes to you who is interested in a facial cleansing program from a cosmetologist. After looking at the price list and listening to your suggestions, she sighs and notices that the price is too high for her.
Answer to the client: “Indeed, the price is quite high, but the program includes not only manual cleaning, but also peeling with a polishing brush, skin cleansing with special preparations (trademark), a disinfectant mask, and also (if necessary) vacuum massage. After such a cleaning program with our cosmetologist, you will not have to sit at home for two days, as there will be no irritation on your skin. The program is absolutely safe even for the most sensitive skin.”
Such arguments will overcome all objections and convince any client. When selling services, it is always easier to deal with objections than with a categorical refusal.
So put your polished sales techniques at your clients' disposal and help them find solutions to their problems.
Fundamentals of small business management in the field of hairdressing services Mysin Alexander Anatolyevich
Competition in the hairdressing market
Hairdressing services, one of the most popular in terms of consumption, are also the most profitable in the service sector. The funds invested in this business pay off relatively quickly. Therefore, entrepreneurs are quite willing to open new hairdressing salons. In this regard, today we can talk about increasing competition among hairdressing salons on the Russian market.
Competition is rivalry in the market, economic competition between manufacturers of identical goods and services to attract customers and thereby obtain maximum benefits.
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From the book Basics of Small Business Management in the Hairdressing Industry author Mysin Alexander Anatolievich From the book Basics of Small Business Management in the Hairdressing Industry author Mysin Alexander AnatolievichTechniques for selling services in hairdressing salons SALES AND SELLER We all have to deal with the buying and selling process in our lives. We buy groceries at the grocery store, pay utilities, transportation services, services of doctors, lawyers and many others.
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In this article we will compile detailed business plan hairdresser with calculations.
If we talk about the hairdressing services market, it should be noted that the crisis and various economic changes react to it, of course, but not critically. A person cannot go long without a haircut. And if a woman has dyed hair, then she will definitely run to the salon as soon as her roots grow out. And here price will no longer matter as much as quality.
In total, there are more than 35 thousand different beauty salons in Russia. By the way, almost 15% goes to the Moscow region.
It is noteworthy that the share of chain stores does not exceed 3%. Almost the entire market is based on the work of individual hair salons. Each of them has its own consumer.
It is quite easy for a new service provider to enter the market - it has no financial or competitive barriers. All competitors occupy a very small market share. In fact, they are not direct competitors. Except for the salons that are very close by. It turns out that each hairdresser serves its own market segment, most often determined by location.
Almost 85% of the market is middle or economy class salons. When determining the cost of services, it is worth focusing on the prices of this particular market segment. VIP and luxury hairdressing salons need not be taken into account. They serve a separate stratum of society.
Thus, the main competitor is small suppliers of hairdressing services that have an average market price or below the market price. Their individual influence on the sphere is not significant.
Of course, the most frequent consumers of the service are women. Men and children have a smaller share of consumption.
Portrait of a potential buyer: women with average income who actively take care of themselves (age 18-55 years), as well as men with average or above average income aged 20-45 years. Children are also potential consumers, but, as a rule, parents bring them to get their hair cut at the same place where they themselves use hairdressing services.
When drawing up a business plan, you need to consider external factors that may have a positive or negative impact on the business. They cannot be changed, but it is quite possible to minimize the threat. External opportunities include:
If speak about external threats, then the following factors cannot be ignored:
In addition, the hairdressing salon has its own strengths and weaknesses, which will need to be worked with throughout the entire time. So, to strengths can be attributed:
Weaknesses will be:
Number of working days in a week: 7.
Operating mode:
In total, the hairdressing salon will work 80 hours each week. Let us remind you that the maximum weekly hourly output by law must be no more than 40 hours. Thus, the organization must have at least 2 hairdressers.
At first, 2 masters per shift will be enough. In case of high demand and a large number of clients, an additional work unit can be hired. The premises must be equipped in such a way that there is room for one more employee.
You will also have to acquire a log indicating that the organization keeps records of the consumption of disinfectants.
All workers must be familiar with safety regulations. This is recorded in the appropriate log book.
Make sure you have bars on the windows (if necessary), an evacuation plan, a ventilation system, and fire safety equipment.
Please note that there is no need to obtain permission. However, failure to comply with the rules in the future may result in a fine or closure of your hairdresser!
Please remember that certificates are required to provide the following services:
When developing a strategy, it is very important to decide on the name of the organization. The style of the hairdressing salon should be consistent with the name. Pay attention to interior details. It is better to choose a name that is memorable and catchy. It’s good if it is immediately associated with the corresponding type of activity.
At first, clients will come, learning about your hairdressing salon exclusively from advertising campaigns. Only then will the word of mouth system start working.
The following types of advertising should be used:
Along the way, you may want to create your own website. Remember that it should not only be beautiful and informative, but also easy to use.
Due to the fact that we do not have a lot of initial funds, and the main competitors will be small middle- and economy-class hair salons, the price must be set at the market average level. It is very important that workers have sufficient qualifications. The quality of service should not be inferior to competitors. The average bill at a hairdresser is 400 rubles. A men's haircut can cost 150-250 rubles, but women's haircuts can cost up to 800 rubles, and if with coloring, for example, it will be much more.
The average price of the service is 400 rubles. The average traffic volume is 10 people per day per 1 technician. Total 2 masters for 4000 rubles. they will make 8000 rub. revenue per day.
Total monthly revenue: 240,000 rubles.
The work can be carried out in an ordinary one-room apartment. The main thing is that it be converted into commercial real estate.
Remember that one hairdresser should have at least 7-8 m2. We have 2 hairdressers. If we consider that the area of a one-room apartment is approximately 40-50 m2, then there will be an additional reserve space that can be used to attract another hairdresser to work.
It is better to choose a room that has already been renovated. In any case, some modifications will be needed. Especially if the apartment does not comply with fire safety rules (no ventilation, no evacuation plan). This also includes the installation of special sinks for work.
Of course, the most important component of any hairdressing salon is the equipment. This includes chairs, tables, necessary tools (curling irons, hair dryers, etc.), counters, mirrors, cabinets, drawers, bins, shelves, racks. In a word, everything that is connected with the work of hairdressers.
Furniture includes an administrator's chair and desk, hangers, and armchairs for waiting visitors.
In terms of equipment, you will need a laptop for work, a telephone for receiving calls, and you can also install a music center to create an appropriate or relaxing environment.
Particular attention should be paid to the clothing of staff. It is better to order a uniform from a special company. Have them make clothes in a specific color scheme, with the logo or name of the organization. This move will instill confidence in customers. They will understand that the establishment cares about its own reputation and pays attention to even the smallest details.
4 hairdressers will work in the organization. 2 people per shift. Work 2 through 2. There will also be 2 administrators who carry out wet cleaning several times during the day.
To attract professional hairdressers, it is worth considering working conditions that are beneficial for them (possibly a larger percentage of the cost of services, bonuses). The quality of services will directly affect the number of clients.
Monthly income: 240,000 rubles.
Monthly costs:
Net profit before tax: 75,500 rubles
Tax amount (USN, 15% of the difference between income and expenses): 75,500*0.15= 11,325 rubles
Net profit: 64,175 rubles.
Payback: 415,000/64,175= 6.46. Therefore, the business will pay off in about 7 months, at least. But the first 1-3 months will be a promotion period and there may not be many clients. Therefore, on average, you can take 10 months of payback.
When starting a business, it is very important to take into account all possible risks and try to minimize them. When opening a hairdresser, pay attention to the following risks:
To combat them, it is necessary to develop a more flexible pricing policy, ensure high quality of services, work with clients, and conduct advertising campaigns.
To avoid these risks, it is necessary to promptly replace and repair equipment and have a clear schedule for performing this work.
It is worth thinking about attracting investment and considering the option of taking out a loan. If possible, you can insure not only property, but also specific risks. It is very important to develop a competent and very detailed strategy that will help the organization get into the zone of profitable operation.
You can avoid them by insuring your own property.
I would like to give a few more tips:
If you feel that clients are not coming to you, run advertising. The most effective in today's technological age is advertising on the Internet. Order contextual advertising, for example.
Don't try to save money on equipment. This will reduce the quality of the service provided. In addition, low-quality equipment may break. Pay attention to finding a reliable supplier. Be sure to review all certifications. And when purchasing, do not throw away guarantees and receipts.
It is also better to purchase raw materials in bulk. Find a local supplier or work with a company that provides professional cosmetics directly. This not only saves money, but also ensures the reliability and quality of your products.
In the future, you can also sell cosmetics at retail. Just don’t forget to include the corresponding OKVED code in the extract from the Unified State Register of Individual Entrepreneurs or the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.
Take the time to find professional craftsmen. Half the success of your business depends on them. Be sure to work with them, send them to new courses.
If you cannot find qualified specialists, contact special schools that train future hairdressers. Select the most promising ones and offer them a job.
To reduce costs and increase control over the business, some entrepreneurs independently act as an administrator in shifts. Thus, consumption is reduced by the amount wages one administrator and goes to your net profit.
You can provide manicure services together with hairdressers. To do this, check out.
Important: Remember that you can independently create a business plan specifically for your business. To do this, read the articles:
One last request: We are all human and can make mistakes, leave something out, etc. Do not judge strictly if this business plan or others in the section seem incomplete to you. If you have experience in this or that activity or you see a flaw and can add to the article, please let me know in the comments! This is the only way we can jointly make business plans more complete, detailed and up-to-date. Thank you for your attention!
