
One opens an own beauty salon out of love for beauty. The goal of a professional beautician is to ensure that her customers have perfect skin, eyelashes, or nails. She is constantly striving for excellence. However, professional skills alone are not enough to guarantee a success on the beauty market. There are more factors that determine a business growth. Excellent customer service is as important, if not more. It is customer service which will make customers feel the most important from the doorstep, so they will gladly recommend the beauty salon to others. We will give you some tips how to achieve that!

## Building relations with customers - learn this art and you will not regret it

Many factors may have an impact on the first impression of a customer in a beauty salon. Some of them, like a decor, home page or design of the website, may be planned in every detail in advance. Other are more intangible - they include many subtle elements of interaction, which will have an impact on the customer’s opinion about the salon.

Customer service in a beauty salon usually starts from arranging a visit. It is worth to refine this experience to make customers feel distinguished, which will increase their satisfaction level. During a phone talk customers should hear such messages that will prove that the employees of the salon intentionally engage in their matters.

Arranging visits online, though often automated, also gives a chance to show care by welcoming a customer properly, expressing thanks and greetings. If customers can leave an e-mail address, they will certainly be happy once they find in their mailbox a welcoming e-mail with a coupon for selected services.

## Verbal communication - key channel for understanding a customer

Direct talks with customers are strategically important for building relations. Customers must feel that their goals and needs are in the first place, and the personnel of a beauty salon is doing everything to meet them.

Extremely useful are invaluable techniques of active listening and resulting types of expression like paraphrasing, empathy statements, mirroring or clarification. It is also extremely important to meet a customer in the conditions comfortable for her. A beauty salon should appear accessible. Using too complicated, professional terms or unclear presentation of treatment details will make customers feel alienated.

To create a friendly atmosphere, giving customers the possibility to relax, one should use a clear, understandable language, full of warmth, but focused on direct information flow. It is important, especially at the stage of talking about prices and costs where any misunderstanding may even lead to a loss of a customer.

## Non-verbal communication - effective talking beyond words

Talking with customer it’s not just words. Albert Mehrabian, a researcher of body language proved that only 7% of communication take place through the words. Since than the facial expression, tone of voice or intonation have become especially important in customer service.

Customers should feel satisfied from the first moments spent in a salon. Therefore, they should be welcomed by a person with an open body posture, smiling and establishing eye contact. Body language showing empathy and readiness for problem-solving also matters at the stage of explaining procedures, establishing their details, talking about prices and in the case of complaints.

It should be emphasized that while talking with an unsatisfied customer it is worth to send the same positive verbal messages. We should strive to fully emphasize with her situation also at the level of facial expression, by appropriate intonation of voice, leaning a head towards her or hand gestures.

## Problem-solving and coping with difficult situations

And what to do in the situations where we must deal first of all with a customer’s objections towards the salon or performed beauty treatments? The customer service in a beauty salon will not always run smoothly, but the tools used in customer care work well also in such circumstances. In case of problems the quality of support will be the basic value the customer will get.

Respond with empathy to irritation or anger. In case of objections propose concrete solutions and be flexible. Be mindful and attentive. Assume full responsibility for errors or mistakes - this will create positive associations in the customer minds. Moreover, by applying skilfully selected methods in difficult situations with customers will enable you to turn a potential problem into a chance for increasing their satisfaction.

## Customer loyalty and its maintenance - the magic of permanent relations

A permanent customer base is a dream of a team of every beauty salon. Work with returning customers can be more intentional, and remarketing is an easier and less costly task than winning new customers.

An individual approach is the key to customer loyalty. By ensuring tailor-made services to our customers, we invest in their satisfaction and desire to return to the salon when their further needs arise. To treat a customer in a unique way tailored to her needs we must have the knowledge about her. That is why it is so important to collect and analyse information on the existing customers.

Such an approach will allow to monitor satisfaction of customers, dynamically respond to their new needs and better adjust the offer to their expectations. Undoubtedly, it is also worth to maintain permanent contacts with customers via e-mail, text messages or social media. Through these channels we can remind customers of the salon’s offers, inform about novelties and propose tailor-made solutions.

## Summing-up: communication that attracts customers

What really counts in running a beauty salon are the hundreds of details. But we can see that effective, emphatic communication and customer service oriented to practical solutions count even more than a wide offer or attractive prices.

Customers of beauty salons come to such places to take care of themselves, to feel beautiful and exceptional. The task of a salon’s personnel is to cooperate with them in order to achieve this goal in a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. Professional approach in contacts with customers will cause that the costs of advertising will quickly start to fall and the number of opinions of satisfied customers will constantly grow!


Practical tips for communicating with customers and customer service in the beauty salon to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty.

How to conduct effective talks with customers? Communication and customer service in a beauty salon.


Beauty salons play a key role in the beauty industry, because they offer a range of care and beauty treatments for face and body. Let’s see how to open a beauty salon – step by step!

## 1. Market analysis and development of a salon concept

The first step will be to conduct a thorough market analysis and to create a concept of a salon.

### Research on competitors and identification of a niche

Every entrepreneur should start own business activity from research on competitors in its industry. Opening a beauty salon in a place where other salons are already operating may result in a decline in the projected profits due to the necessity of competing for customers.

An excellent way to derive high profits from running own salon may be to fill a market niche by offering specific services that meet the needs of a narrow group of customers, for example with the use of a particular device or cosmetics.

### Identification of services and products offered by a salon

Before starting a business activity in the beauty industry, one should specify which services and products will be available in the salon. Therefore, it is necessary to get acquainted with various offers of companies operating in the beauty industry and match them with its business idea.

### Creation of a consistent image of the salon

A beauty salon should have a consistent image because it has an impact on how the salon will be perceived by customers. The image of a beauty salon is shaped above all by its name and visual identification, including a logo and a colourway.

## 2. Development of a business plan

Although there is no necessity to develop a business plan, we recommend preparing it, because it helps to plan further steps connected with opening and running a business in the beauty industry. Having a business plan enables to obtain loans and funding for starting a business activity.

### Financial projections and profitability analysis

A business plan of a beauty salon should contain financial data concerning the activity, including financial projections and profitability analyses. On their basis it is possible to assess how much money is needed for establishing and running a company and determine the projected profits.

### Marketing strategy and promotion of a salon

Effective promotion is important in the beauty industry. Therefore, a business plan should also include a marketing strategy connected with advertising a salon. Such strategy may combine various methods, for example online or outdoor ads, organisation of promotion campaigns, creation of loyalty programmes.

### Plan for development and potential business scaling

Moreover, a business plan should include information on the company’s development, including extension of a scope of services, purchasing new equipment, opening further premises.

## 3. Selection of a location and negotiations on the conditions of lease

If you plan to open a beauty salon, you are also required to select a place for conducting your activity and to agree upon all related issues.

### Analysis of accessibility and attractiveness of a location

It is worth reviewing various offers of real properties and select them considering the future location and the area of commercial space required. The salon should be conveniently located and should provide a space necessary for conducting business activity.

### Negotiating a lease agreement and possible adaptations of premises

In case of leasing a real property for running a salon it is worth to negotiate the best possible lease conditions with the lessor. Remember that the premises may require an adaptation, which must first be agreed with the owner.

### Obtaining all the necessary permits

If you want to open a beauty salon, you must obtain the necessary permits, including a permit of the State Sanitary Inspector for conducting business activity in the specific premises.

## 4. Equipment of a salon and interior design

The beauty industry uses diverse types of equipment and cosmetics for treatments. Hence, it is necessary to ensure that a salon is properly furnished and arranged, so that it can be used by customers in a comfortable and safe way.

### Purchase of equipment, furniture and accessories

A beauty salon must have equipment, furniture and accessories, depending upon the types of treatment provided therein. It is worthwhile to ensure their high quality, because only then they will be ergonomic and will serve their users for a long time.

### Selection of aesthetics and decor consistent with the salon’s concept

The equipment of a beauty salon should be consistent with the previously created image of the company.

### Ergonomics and comfort of work

A salon should be equipped in a way satisfying the conditions of ergonomics and be comfortable both to its employees and customers. Remember that a salon must meet the sanitary and hygienic requirements of the State Sanitary Inspectorate.

## 5. Employment of staff

A beautician may work alone in a beauty salon, but if you are planning to provide various kinds of treatment for a larger number of customers, it is worth to employ some staff.

### Recruitment and selection of appropriate candidates

It is necessary to prepare job offers and select appropriate candidates with proper skills and professional experience.

### Staff training and implementation of customer service procedures

The staff should be trained and become acquainted with the principles of customer service before the commencement of work.

## 6. Introduction of an offer of services and products

At this stage it is necessary to specify the details of the offer, i.e. the services provided and the products sold by the salon.

### Cooperating with suppliers and negotiating the terms and conditions

It is necessary to get acquainted with various offers of suppliers and negotiate the best conditions of cooperation with them to get advantageous prices of products and equipment.

### Determination of prices, promotions, and service packages

Afterwards, one should set the prices of services and products offered by the beauty salon. It will be a clever idea to create packages including various services.

### Establishment of a system of booking and customer service

Customer service in a beauty salon is especially important. A viable choice will be the use of a computer system that facilitates the processes of booking management and customer service.

## 7. Promoting a salon and winning customers

Advertising is a trade lever, so it is worthwhile to combine the opening of a new beauty salon with its promotion.

### Using social media and online marketing

Online marketing, including social media and positioning of websites, brings excellent effects of the promotion of a beauty salon. Hence, it is worth creating the salon’s website and promote it online.

### Creation of attractive promotions and special offers

Such offers may attract even more customers, so it is worthwhile to prepare them and regularly introduce new ones.

### Building relations with customers and customer loyalty

To win new customers and create their loyal group you should ensure high quality of customer service. To this end, dedicated computer systems and loyalty programmes may be used.

## 8. Performance monitoring and continuous improvement

Running a salon in the beauty industry also requires constant adaptation to constantly changing market conditions and customer expectations.

### Analysis of customer satisfaction and collecting opinions

It’s important to regularly monitor customer opinions, which enables to conduct customer satisfaction surveys and introduce changes to increase the satisfaction level. To this end, you can use anonymous questionnaires and online opinions.

### Deployment of improvements and innovations in the salon’s offer

To ensure constant competitiveness of your salon you should remember about deploying new improvements and innovations. For example, you should invest in new equipment and extend a portfolio of cosmetics.

### Planning long-term development of a salon

However, you should not forget about long-term development of a salon, taking into account constantly changing market trends, in order to expand its offer and reach new customers.

## Summary

Therefore, opening own beauty salon requires a number of steps to take. We hope that with this guide undertaking this challenge will be much easier!


A beginner's guide for entrepreneurs in the beauty industry, presenting step by step how to open a beauty salon, from the idea to the first clients.

How to open a beauty salon – step by step? Guide for start-ups in the beauty industry.


Do you want to increase the number of customers of your hair salon? Nowadays, you can use a number of advertising methods to do this. What to choose? Here are the best ways to promote the hair salon!

## Advertising a hair salon on the Internet

The Internet is now the cornerstone of advertising efforts in virtually every industry. This also applies to the beauty industry and hair salons. How to advertise a hair salon online?

Start by setting up a salon website or create a Facebook business card. Include information about your business, yourself, and list the services range and price list. Also add a photo gallery, information on opening days and hours, contact details.

You can also use a wide range of online advertising methods, for example:

- Social media marketing – represents advertising on social media like Facebook or Instagram. Create an account and regularly publish engaging posts, for example with photos and videos of the hairstyles you have done.
- Google Ads – advertising on Google, which offers a wide range of promotional opportunities, including by displaying ad boxes, advertising in Google Maps.
- Positioning – with this method you can promote your salon locally on a search engine. Its website address will then be displayed in a high, highly visible position in the search results.

## Outdoor advertising for the hair salon

The hair salons are stationary businesses, which is why outdoor advertising methods are ideal for them.

First of all, order a hair salon sign above the entrance. Billboards, light boxes and illuminated letters also work well.

Window decals will also be a good choice – advertisements on the glass catch the eye and additionally provide more discretion inside the salon.

You can also use other methods, such as stumbling blocks displayed in front of the salon.

## Loyalty and partner programmes in the hair salon

Effective advertising for the hair salon can also involve the introduction of loyalty programmes that reward regular customers.

It will also be a good idea to enter into partnerships with local businesses, for example with benefits in the form of customer discounts.

## Printed advertising for hair salons

Printed advertising will also work well in the hair salon.

You can order hair salon business cards, flyers, advertising brochures at a low price. Printers offering such materials can also prepare cards for loyalty programmes.

## High-quality service in the hair salon

We must also not forget that an excellent advertisement for the hair salon is quality service.

Satisfied customers will recommend the salon to others and give positive online reviews, which will translate into increased recognition, building a favourable industry image and attracting new visitors.

Effective advertising of the hair salon should therefore take place on various levels. This will ensure the best results!


Do you want to increase the number of customers of your hair salon? Nowadays, you can use a number of advertising methods to do this. What to choose? Here are the best ways to promote the hair salon!

Effective hair salon advertising – how to reach customers?


Beauty salons and other businesses operating in the beauty industry must comply with the sanitary requirements prescribed by law. What should be kept in mind when setting up the salon and during day-to-day work? Here are the key issues!

## What sanitary requirements must a beauty salon meet?

For a long time, sanitary requirements were defined by the provisions of the Regulation of the Minister of Health of 17 February 2004 on detailed sanitary requirements to be met by hairdressing, cosmetic, tattoo and biological renewal establishments.

However, it is now no longer binding and the main requirements are decided by local sanitary authorities. However, it is worth familiarising oneself with the provisions of the now obsolete regulation, as there is a lot of helpful information there.

New legislation in this area is also being developed and a draft can be found online.

In addition, other regulations apply to the operation of a beauty salon, including:

- Act of 5 December 2008 on the prevention and control of infections and infectious diseases in humans,
- Act of 4 October 2018 on cosmetic products,
- Act of 14 December 2012 on waste.

## Beauty salon – basic sanitary requirements

Supervision of beauty salons and other salons in the beauty industry is conducted by the State Sanitary Inspectorate. Ongoing and emergency supervision, on the other hand, comprises the tasks of the district sanitary-epidemiological stations, i.e. SES.

To run the beauty salon safely and legally, it is necessary to meet certain sanitary requirements.

When it comes to sanitary requirements, the beauty salon should meet the following conditions:

- The salon must be in a separate part of the building or premises or in a separate building,
- The entrance leading to the salon should be a separate part of the building, but may be shared by all users,
- There should be separate rooms in the salon: a service room, a waiting room or a separate area with a clothes rack, a social room, a hygiene and sanitation room,
- The salon should have hot and cold water and sewage systems, ventilation and heating,
- Walls at basins and sinks should be covered with a non-absorbent material to a minimum height of 1.6 m,
- When cosmetics that cause external body contamination are used in the salon, a bathroom with a shower should be set aside in the salon,
- The salon staff should observe personal hygiene, wear clean protective clothing and use personal protective equipment,
- Hygiene products such as disposable liners, clean towels for customers should be used,
- In the salon, tools and equipment must be kept in good hygienic and sanitary condition by being washed and disinfected, while reusable tools and those used in procedures causing a breach in the continuity of human tissue require sterilisation at the Cabinet Sterilisation Station,
- Every salon should have a first aid kit.

According to an institution like SES, the beauty salon must therefore meet a number of conditions in order to operate with an emphasis on hygiene and safety.

## Beauty salon furniture

As far as sanitary requirements are concerned, the beauty salon must be equipped with the right furniture, including furniture for treatments, waiting areas.

Salon furniture should be suitable for hygienic treatments and easy to clean and disinfect. This is particularly important for cosmetic chairs and cosmetic recliners. The most commonly used furniture is upholstered in eco-leather, which is easy to keep clean.

Other furnishings, including desks, wardrobes, bookcases, can be made of different materials, but should also be easy to clean, for example lacquered furniture boards, metal, glass will work well.

## Should a beauty salon be reported to the sanitary authorities?

Currently, it is no longer necessary to report the start of a beauty salon to the sanitary authorities.

This is only necessary in certain situations, for example, when changing the use of the premises, when deviating from technical conditions, when needing planning permission for the premises.

It is possible to consult the design of the salon with the sanitary and hygienic requirements with the sanitary authorities to ensure that it meets the requirements stipulated by this institution.

## Sanitary inspection of a beauty salon

Any salon can be inspected by the sanitary inspectorate, which will examine the sanitary conditions in the salon. This inspection may be announced or undertaken unannounced.

The inspection conducted by the sanitary inspectorate in the beauty salon includes an assessment of:

- Documentation related to the facility such as inspections of installations, waste reception,
- Medical certificates that there are no contraindications to work in the profession,
- Hygienic and sanitary conditions,
- The procedures implemented in the salon,
- The sterilisation book,
- Safety data sheets, attestations, certificates of products used in the salon.

When opening and running the beauty salon, it is therefore worth bearing in mind that it must meet certain sanitary requirements, which is crucial for the health and safety of employees and for the safety and satisfaction of customers.


Beauty salons and other businesses operating in the beauty industry must comply with the sanitary requirements prescribed by law. What should be kept in mind when setting up the salon and during day-to-day work? Here are the key issues!

Sanitary requirements for a beauty salon – what does the sanitary inspectorate require?


Do you want to open a beauty salon or other business in the beauty industry? A business plan will help you realise your wishes! We explain what this type of plan is, why you should have one and how to prepare it step by step.

## Business plan – what is it?

The plan for a business, a business plan, is a document that is created to describe the plans for the creation and development of a company.

Such a plan is also useful for a salon in the beauty industry, for example a beauty salon, a hair salon, a nail salon, an eyelash salon or a permanent make-up salon.

A beauty salon business plan can be prepared in-house to include all your goals, plans and strategies for opening and running your business.

It is also often required by external bodies, for example banks lending to start-ups, job centres and other institutions providing start-up funding.

## Why does your beauty salon need a business plan?

There are many benefits to preparing a business plan, so even if you want to open a one-person business and do not intend to employ staff, it is worth having one. Why?

### Beauty salon business plan – key benefits:

- You can make your plans for starting a business more realistic,
- You can find it easier to open a business,
- You can calculate how much money you need to set it up,
- You can see how much you can gain from your own business,
- You can plan the next steps involved in its development,
- You can learn about opportunities and threats to your business,
- You can reduce the risks associated with running your business,
- You can more easily obtain funding to open a business,
- You can create a competitive business in the beauty industry.

## How to prepare a beauty salon business plan?

If you are wondering how to write a business plan nail styling, hairdressing or beauty services are just a few examples of the services it can refer to. How to prepare such a document?

You can use templates and ready-made business plans available online to get an idea of what such a document should look like. However, do not copy it, but treat it only as inspiration.

If you don't know how to prepare a business plan for your hair salon, beauty salon or other business, you can turn to specialists in this field for help – you can find them on the Internet.

Preparing a business plan yourself, however, will be the best decision, as it allows you to put your plans on paper, analyse them and refine them so that they fully meet your objectives.

## Beauty salon business plan – step by step

Don't know where to start? Check out a sample business plan for a company in the beauty industry.

### Company description

In the first section, include basic information about the venture you want to develop. These are:

- Salon name,
- Salon headquarters,
- Type of company – sole trader, partnership,
- Brief description of salon services,
- Target group information,
- Business-related objectives.

### Organisational plan

In this section, specify where you intend to operate your salon and what days and hours you want it to be open.

Also create a list containing the companies from which you want to use their services, for example it could be cosmetics manufacturers, a marketing agency you entrust with advertising.

### Technical plan

List what equipment and products your salon needs to get off the ground, for example it could be furniture, mirrors, cosmetics, tools.

### Marketing plan

In this section, describe how you want to promote your company in order to reach as many customers as possible with your services and increase your profits. For example, you can advertise it through an online website, a social media presence, a discount scheme for regular customers.

### Financial plan

This is a very important element of a business plan that should describe:

- The way in which the business is financed, for example through credit, funding,
- The planned costs associated with opening a business,
- The price list for services in a beauty salon,
- The costs associated with the business,
- The projected revenue and income.

### Strengths and weaknesses analysis

Carry out a SWOT analysis of the beauty salon, identifying its:

- Strengths,
- Weaknesses,
- Opportunities,
- Threats.

## What to keep in mind when creating a beauty salon business plan

When preparing a business plan for the beauty salon or any other salon in the beauty industry, keep the following points in mind:

- Describe the plans concisely and logically,
- Set your goals realistically,
- Analyse the offers of competitors in the area,
- Consider the various obstacles that may arise in business,
- Try to back up your plans with calculations,
- Ask another person to check and evaluate your business plan.

Remember, the business plan does not have to be a multi-page document. Even a brief business plan outlining the overall strategy and main objectives of your company will be very helpful in getting your business off the ground!


Do you want to open a beauty salon or other business in the beauty industry? A business plan will help you realise your wishes! We explain what this type of plan is, why you should have one and how to prepare it step by step.

How to write a beauty salon business plan?


On what basis do customers choose a beauty salon? They take into account not only the types of treatments available there and their prices, but also online reviews. A salon with positive reviews is more likely to attract new customers than one with few recommendations. How to ensure the reputation of the beauty business? How to encourage customers to provide reviews?

## How to maintain a beauty salon's reputation?

Dissatisfied customers are more likely to share their opinions online compared to those who are satisfied with the quality of service. That's why it's important to ensure the satisfaction of your beauty salon's customers in the first place.

Ask yourself: what can I do to make the feedback on my salon's services positive?

High-quality service, a professional and individual approach, reliability or cleanliness in the salon – these are just some of the things that make up the customer experience. **Hence, it is worth ensuring that it has a solid basis for a high rating**.

## How to encourage customers to provide feedback?

Nowadays, reviews are most common on Facebook and the company's "Google My Business" card.

**The reviews received from the salon's customers are very important**, as they influence the decisions of others. They also provide useful feedback to the business owner and motivate development.

## What to do when there are few comments?

Use the following tips to get customers to give you feedback on your beauty salon:

- Ask for feedback immediately after the treatment has been performed,
- Print out the request for feedback and place it in the frame at reception,
- Send an email or text message asking for feedback,
- Offer a bonus, such as a discount on your next treatment or samples.

At the same time, it is worth making it easier for customers to write and motivate their opinion, for example by asking additional questions about the effects of the treatment, the key strengths of the offer. **The longer and more detailed the review, the greater its value**.

## Why is responding to reviews important?

Already have positive reviews from salon customers? Perhaps one of them gave a negative review? **Remember to respond to received ratings**.

The response to the feedback can not only thank you for giving it and invite you to visit the salon again, but also resolve any problems and counteract crises.

If the customer is not happy, apologise, admit your mistake and try to settle the matter amicably. This will build your professional image in the beauty industry.

## What not to do?

- **Don't delete unflattering comments** – respond to them and try to clarify the situation.
- **Don't respond to feedback under the influence of emotion** – think about the tone of the response before you send it.
- **Don't get into discussions** – answer comprehensively and to the point.


On what basis do customers choose a beauty salon? They take into account not only the types of treatments available there and their prices, but also online reviews. A salon with positive reviews is more likely to attract new customers than one with few recommendations. How to ensure the reputation of the beauty business? How to encourage customers to provide reviews?

Beauty salon reviews: how to take care of them and get ratings from customers?


Recent price increases in electricity, gas and many products have caused beauty salons to change their price lists. How to raise the prices of beauty services in a way that will not lose customers at the same time?

When is it necessary to raise prices in the beauty salon?
More and more companies are raising their prices. This also applies to companies in the beauty industry. Rising prices for utilities, rent, materials or labour costs have caused beauty salons to make their prices more realistic and match them to the current reality.

However, raising prices in the beauty salon may not only be related to rising costs. It is also worth remembering that **the quality of service** and the salon's offer is of great importance, allowing it to compete not on price, but also on variety and quality of service.

## By how much to raise prices for beauty salon services?

Proper pricing of the services provided in the beauty salon is very important for the future of the business. By how much to raise the prices of beauty services?

A number of factors need to be taken into account when raising service prices:

- The costs incurred in running the salon,
- The risk of future cost increases,
- The type of cosmetic services provided,
- The use of specialised equipment, tools,
- The development of own qualifications.

**The price should thus be as realistic as possible**, i.e. neither too low nor too high. It is worth bearing in mind that in the beauty industry, very often low prices compared to the competition raise suspicions about the quality of service!

## How to inform customers of a price increase?

In particular, it is a good idea **to notify customers of the increase in advance**. This will allow people to get used to the impending change and give them time to decide whether to use the service.

Information about the increase can be communicated to customers in a number of ways, for example by email or when calling to book a treatment.

With this in mind, the price list in a beauty salon should not change overnight, so that customers who are already booked in for treatments can continue to have them carried out at pre-agreed prices.

## What can be done to ensure that the price increase for beauty services is not felt so much?

How to raise prices in the beauty salon in a way that does not affect customers? It is worth applying a few tricks:

- **Offer treatments in a variety of variants** – by dividing them into multiple variants, you can keep services affordable and allow the customer to choose the procedure that suits their needs.
- **Introduce bundles into your offer** – buying a bundle allows you to reduce the cost of a single service, so customers may be more likely to choose to pay for several treatments upfront.
- **Level up the price list** – average the prices for different treatments, keeping them uniform. Then the new price list will be easier for customers to accept.


Recent price increases in electricity, gas and many products have caused beauty salons to change their price lists. How to raise the prices of beauty services in a way that will not lose customers at the same time?

How to raise prices in a beauty salon and not lose customers?


How much should a make-up job cost? What price should microdermabrasion be? Pricing services in the beauty industry can be very difficult. How to price cosmetic treatments so as to cover all costs and make a profit?

Very often, owners of small beauty and hair salons do not even know how much they earn per month. Sometimes the amount earned is so low that it barely covers all costs. Why? This is the result of a lack of comprehensive pricing of ongoing treatments.

If you are also in a similar situation,, **check out how to price your services so that they provide you with a regular and attractive income!**

Why is pricing of services so important?
Many salon owners in the beauty industry do not price their services and provide them at prices analogous to those seen in other salons. However, a lack of individual valuation is an easy way for a salon to not only fail to make money for itself, but even cause losses, which can lead to its bankruptcy.

Providing a price quote for beauty services, but also for hairdressing, make-up, manicure, aesthetic medicine or other beauty services, is therefore crucial. Why?

By pricing your services correctly, you can:

- Maintain your salon by covering all associated costs,
- Educate yourself to offer new services,
- Invest in your business by buying new equipment, tools or cosmetics,
- Create a financial cushion for a rainy day,
- Cover your personal expenses and save.

## How NOT to price services?

The pricing of beauty salon services only seems simple on the surface, which is why there are so many mistakes involved. What do you need to watch out for?

The main mistakes associated with the pricing of services are:

- Basing prices on competitors,
- Using rigid hourly rates,
- Using a fixed margin for all services.

The use of these pricing methods does not take into account the many factors involved in operating a salon, including the specific nature of the business, the cost of equipment, the seasonality of sales, changing customer behaviour, the salon's own knowledge and experience or the actions of competing companies in the industry.

As a result, the pricing of services does not match the real costs, effort and time expended, thereby reducing potential profits.

## How to price cosmetic treatments?

There is no ready-made recipe for making a price quote. However, there are a number of factors to consider to ensure that pricing your beauty salon services is beneficial to both you and your customers.

The prices of beauty services are influenced by many elements that are different for each salon. This is one of the reasons why pricing should be done individually and separately for each procedure in the price list. How to price cosmetic treatments?

### 1. Identify the costs of running a salon

The first step will be **to determine the costs**, that are incurred in connection with the activity.
The cost of providing services is influenced by:

- Business costs – rent, utilities, commuting, taxes, accounting, insurance and others,
- Costs of purchasing or leasing and depreciation of equipment,
- Costs of purchasing preparations, cosmetics,
- Employee costs – salaries and other payments to employees,
- Customer service costs – customer cards, service software or coffee,
- Training costs,
- Marketing costs.

### 2. Determine the cost per salon hour

Based on the above factors, **wthe cost per hour of salon work can be estimated**, which should then be multiplied by the time spent on the service and preparation for it.

### 3. Take into account your strengths

This category includes, but is not limited to, the location of the salon, its opening hours, its specialisation, its experience and reputation in the industry, specific skills and the services provided based on these.

The higher the competitive advantage, such as opening the salon to evening hours or providing services not available at other outlets, the higher the price you can set, as customers will be prepared to pay it.

### 4. Take independent factors into account

To make your calculation complete, don't forget to also take into account factors that are beyond your control, but have an impact on your costs or the attractiveness of your offer in the eyes of customers.

These factors include, first and foremost, **inflation**, i.e. rising prices that drive spending ever higher. The second important issue is **the competition, whose actions are worth monitoring** in order to constantly keep your offer at the highest possible level.

## Should raising prices be feared?

Absolutely not! Many salon owners, especially smaller salons and those operating in small towns, are concerned that an increase in service prices will result in a rapid exodus of customers to competitors. As a result, they do not update their price lists or leave the least profitable procedures on offer.

However, raising prices does not mean losing clientele at all. On the contrary, it may generate more interest in the offer. This is mainly due to the fact that **very low prices, especially in the beauty industry, are associated with lower quality services.**

Using realistic prices means that the salon can not only earn more, but is also **seen as more professional** and trustworthy. In addition, higher prices mean more money for further training, new equipment and cosmetics for the practice, which translates into even better service and customer satisfaction.

## How to present prices in the salon?

When prices for cosmetic services go up, it is worth ensuring that they are presented appropriately. How can this be done without discouraging customers from taking up the offer?

To emphasise the professionalism of the services provided, it is worth indicating in the price list which equipment and cosmetics are used.

The contrast method is also an interesting idea. It involves presenting two prices – a lower price and a higher price, for example for a premium service such as a show hair/nail styling, an additional treatment or an express service. This gives customers a choice and allows them to opt for a version of the service that is attractive to them – often the more expensive one.

## Summary

Realistic pricing of services in the beauty industry allows for a profitable and rewarding business. Therefore, when you are opening a salon or want to make changes to an existing business, reliable pricing is essential!


How much should a make-up job cost? What price should microdermabrasion be? Pricing services in the beauty industry can be very difficult. How to price cosmetic treatments so as to cover all costs and make a profit?

How to price beauty salon services?


You run your own beauty salon but have few customers visiting? Set your sights on effective marketing in the beauty industry! Find out which advertising methods are worth considering to get the best effect without incurring high costs.

## How to promote a beauty salon?

There are an estimated 100,000 beauty salons in Poland. Due to the high level of competition, but also due to the specific nature of the target group, advertising a company in the beauty industry, for example a beauty salon, hair, barber or manicure salon, requires the use of appropriately selected advertising methods.

How to attract customers to a beauty salon and make them use it again and again? Here are methods to help you build brand recognition and reach a wide audience.

## 1. Salon name

If you are just at the stage of setting up your own business, remember that the right name makes a big difference in terms of perception and recognition.

A good beauty salon name should be original and catchy, it should attract attention and evoke positive associations.

Keep in mind, however, that narrowing your business name down to just one service, such as nail styling, could prove to be a dead end when you expand your offering to include new services in the future. When you are planning for growth, opt for a more universal nomenclature.

## 2. Corporate identity

The corporate identity of the beauty salon is one of the very important elements in building a recognisable brand.

The main distinguishing element of your salon should be its logo. It is the one that will be presented on your signboard, business cards, flyers, website, so it must be immediately striking and express your values. Remember also to make it consistent with the planned style of the living room design.

## 3. Outdoor marketing + printed materials

Realise the potential of your salon's location. Attention-grabbing outdoor advertising can attract many customers and encourage them to come in.

Opt for a signboard, banner or illuminated letters that is visible from a distance but elegant. Take care of the display window arrangement and decorate the entrance to the salon with tasteful lighting and plant pots. You can also use other eye-catching elements, such as a stumbling block.

As part of your external marketing, also think about ordering personalised printed material - business cards, flyers, paper shopping bags.

## 4. Online marketing

Online marketing in the beauty industry offers a wide range of methods to reach customers. Before you start using them, invest in your own website, create your Facebook fanpage and set up a profile on Google My Business.

Below you will find ways to effectively promote your beauty salon online:

- Social media marketing – advertising on Facebook and Instagram is one of the most effective ways today to get a company wide reach in the beauty industry. Post regularly, engage fans, organise events and competitions, contribute to themed groups and nurture customer relationships. Also take advantage of paid advertising, which allows you to reach a precisely targeted audience. Don't forget to use your salon name hashtag!
- Google Ads – with this advertising system you can promote your salon locally on Google search using relevant keywords. You can also advertise it on the Google network, for example on portals and blogs.
- Content marketing – useful content published on the blog, sponsored articles, interviews build recognition and further support the positioning of the salon website.
- Video marketing – service presentations, tutorials, tips published on YouTube will also help you reach new audiences.
- Online appointment booking apps – these make it easier for customers to make appointments, while you can promote your salon using well-known and recognised booking sites.

## 5. Influencer marketing

With the power of influencers, you can reach a large customer base. Find people who are interested in your offer and present it to their audience. Remember to draw up a cooperation agreement!

## 6. Salon review

Look after your salon's reputation. High-quality services and professional service are the basis for gaining positive comments. Encourage customers to submit recommendations on the salon's online profiles. Respond to negative comments by trying to resolve matters amicably.

## Beauty salon promotion – what is worth remembering?

If you want to market your beauty salon effectively, keep the following tips in mind:

- Prepare a marketing plan outlining your objectives, resources and promotional methods.
- Target your message to a precise audience rather than to every possible audience.
- Opt for a high quality service that will keep customers coming back to the salon to use it again.
- Focus on building relationships with those customers who are already using your services, so they will recommend them to others.
- Continuous price discounts are not necessary to generate more interest in the offer. Reserve them for your regular customers as part of your loyalty programmes.

## Summary

Effective beauty salon marketing will help you build a large group of loyal customers to keep your business growing rapidly. By making use of targeted advertising methods, you can ensure that you are recognised and have a stable position in the industry, and your appointment book will always be full of appointments!


You run your own beauty salon but have few customers visiting? Set your sights on effective marketing in the beauty industry! Find out which advertising methods are worth considering to get the best effect without incurring high costs.

Marketing in the beauty industry. What to look out for in your salon's marketing efforts?


## Sensory marketing - sound, smell and customer experience

Sound, pervasive smell and visual stimuli have a great impact on brand value. In beauty salons, spas and other entities in the beauty industry, this is already an everyday occurrence. In an increasingly competitive market, where digitalisation is the arena, it is worthwhile to ensure innovative methods of retaining, or acquiring, customers. For the spa and cosmetics sector, sensory marketing is a particularly interesting solution.

## How does sensory marketing work?

How does sensory marketing work in the context of customers' senses? It reinforces the brand through channels theoretically not included in the advertising strategy: it is the integration of impressions on several levels. This way of influencing audiences was already pointed out in the mid-1970s. Philip Kotler - a scientist recognised as a kind of marketing vision guru.

Sensory stimuli make a brand - a place, a person, an activity - start to evoke associations, memories, images in the minds of customers. As a result, it has a clear positive impact on the process of differentiating the brand from the competition in the - how competitive! - market in the beauty industry. In other words: if sensory marketing is used in an interesting way, a beauty salon or an exclusive spa can effectively generate a positive feeling in the recipient and, as a result, stand out in the scale of the recipient's perception.

## Sensory marketing - methods and types

If one were to try to define sensory marketing, it could be considered a compilation of mechanisms affecting sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. If we go deeper, it is worthwhile - especially in the spa or cosmetology industry - to focus on two levels. It is sound and smell - key stimuli for positive brand recognition.

Marketing that utilises the potential of audio cannot be limited to the music that accompanies beauty salon customers. It must influence the atmosphere: build a sense of intimacy, create a sensual ambience - not coincidentally, the body produces more endorphins under the influence of the right rhythm. These “happy hormones” translate into a degree of satisfaction with the service provided - and it is this that is crucial for a possible return.

In contrast, the most commonly cited example of marketing based on olfactory stimuli happens to be a simple air freshener - particularly popular with franchise outlets. However, this is only a piece of the iceberg - it is worth noting, for example, that premium spa salons use not standard fragrances, but their own compositions so that customers identify it with one chosen brand.

## Examples of sensory marketing implementation

Aromamarketing, focusing on the fragrance composition results - as research conducted in the United States shows - in a wide range being implemented by beauty salons. AromaCorp, a brand specialising in fragrance strategies for beauty salons, provides - depending on their specialisation - variants ranging from fruit to oriental woods to combinations of different variants.

A true champion - though not in the spa industry - of such a mechanism is Singapore Airlines, which has commissioned the development of a fragrance line for aircraft on its long-haul routes. The result is the unique - and above all now famous - smell associated with this airline.

## What solutions are worth considering in addition?

Although sensory marketing mainly focuses on smell and hearing, for the beauty industry it is worth exploring other options.

**Touch marketing:**

- the question of the right texture, the softness of the materials conveyed to customers during treatments, which is worth emphasising, for example on social media, by bringing the two details closer together,
- shape - the perfect fit of an item to the hand can reinforce the recipient's satisfaction - this has been proven with Coca Cola designed to fit the average hand,
- temperature - a pre-warmed towel in the beauty salon will evoke a far better feeling than a cool towel just taken out of the cabinet.

**Taste marketing:**

- a body scrub made from brown sugar or a chocolate-scented foot cream will definitely stimulate the power of the sensory experience; however, the tastings that are often used are no less interesting - one American cosmetic clinic offers each guest a spoonful of selected acacia honey for its calming effect,
- a drink is not just about flavoured water - the cucumbers commonly associated with spas are sometimes an interesting product in Europe to enhance a beverage.

**Visual marketing:**

- appropriate colour projection - depending on the sunlight in the room, it is worth taking care to regulate the colours and make them neutral,
- chromotherapy - the play of colours, their automatic projection so as to influence the customer's mood, a mechanism successfully used, for example, in spas.

Solutions using sensory marketing are numerous. The limit here is the imagination of the owners of the spa, aesthetic medicine clinic or beauty salon. Only one thing is certain: where there are no stimuli, it is difficult to generate emotions - and these, if positive, provide a natural gateway to encourage the customer to return.


Sound, pervasive smell and visual stimuli have a great impact on brand value. In beauty salons, spas and other entities in the beauty industry, this is already an everyday occurrence.

Sensory marketing - how sound and smell in the salon affect your customers' satisfaction.


In the age of the ubiquitous internet, the website is one of the most essential elements in marketing beauty & spa salons. Social media profiles are characterized by chaotic information, which usually makes the website the primary static source of all information about prices, promotions, and contact details.

However, creating a visitor-friendly website requires more than just technical knowledge. Here are five simple elements that, when implemented on your website, will amplify the positive experience for your audience.

## A professional photo gallery of the salon's interior.

People buy with their eyes. We approach it much more confidently if something is pretty and has a pleasant association. This is no different in the service sector. According to studies, a pleasant atmosphere during treatments is one of the critical factors in satisfaction with a service. If you proudly post photos on your company's Instagram profile, don't forget your website. Let all future clients visualize themselves in your salon and feel the atmosphere inside. All with the help of professionally prepared photos.

## A detailed offer, including answers to frequently asked questions.

Don't stop at dry facts such as treatment names and prices in the offer you place on your website. In addition, include extra information that can answer potential questions. Such questions arise a lot in the minds of customers, such as:

- How long will the treatment be?
- How do I prepare for it?
- Will temporary incapacity for work be required?
- At what time of year is it best to perform the treatment?

Providing detailed information will prevent clients from asking basic questions, which can be uncomfortable for them in many cases.

## Information on promotions for website visitors.

You can include information about selected promotions and discounts alongside the news to encourage regular and new customers to visit your website frequently. This requires updating the website consistently but will bring the expected benefits over time. When customers visit the site to inquire about promotions, they will also look at the new items on offer.

## Automatic phone call when a phone number is touched.

The tools built into the web browser of most smartphones support the calling of a phone call when clicking on a phone number on a page. This is a very convenient solution for the visitor. All the visitor has to do is place the appropriate link in the page's content. This procedure requires some knowledge of website design.

All that is required is for the person or company responsible for maintaining your website to add the appropriate link to the page.

```html
<a href="tel:555444222">Call Estetify</a>
```

The code above is a ready-made link to your website. Put your own in place of the phone number. Make sure the phone number is a string (no spaces or dashes) and is preceded by `tel:`.
If you click on such a link, your smartphone will automatically call the specified phone number.

Effect: [Call Estetify!](tel:+48555444222)

## Start navigation and directions by clicking on the address.

If the visitor to the website has the Google Maps app installed on their phone, we can call it up directly from the website. All we need to do is, as in the previous point, place a specific link accordingly.

To do this, go to Google Maps. Leave the space "select starting point" blank and in the space "select destination point" enter your salon address and confirm. A link will appear in the address bar - copy it and insert it into the page:

```html
<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/xxx"
  >Navigate to: Księdza Leona Miszewskiego 13, Gdańsk</a
>
```

Complete the above code with the copied link and the content you want to be visible to the person viewing your page.

Click on the link below on your smartphone and see what the result looks like.

Effect: [Navigate to: Księdza Leona Miszewskiego 13, Gdańsk](https://www.google.com/maps/dir//Ksi%C4%99dza+Leona+Miszewskiego+13,+80-288+Gda%C5%84sk/@54.3817164,18.5955254,15z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x46fd749701a710db:0xe427f31bde54bd0e!2m2!1d18.6149082!2d54.3768812!3e0)


Here are five simple elements that, when implemented on your salon website, will promote a positive experience for visitors.

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