Salons and barbershops have seen a unique downturn during the past year. The coronavirus pandemic has forced stylists into a quasi-hibernation while the pandemic races through our streets, and the hair on top of our heads becomes ever more unruly. Still, the closures as a result of Covid-19 have given salons a unique opportunity to create new and exciting spaces within their establishments.
Jumpstart your business in the New Year and beyond will take a bit of planning and vision for what lies ahead. Taking advantage of this downtime will set you up for future successes that may erase the deficit you may currently be running in rapid time if you’re able to make the most of it. Prepare now for the future you want to see for your business in order to create successes that you can build upon.
Shutdowns are opportunities to build.
The pandemic has made doing business far more difficult. Hair salon and spa locations require physical access to their customers in order to provide the services that clients have come to expect from their local hairstylist or spa attendant. The lack of free-flowing customers has given businesses in this industry the crucial time necessary to create new interior space or to bring in new equipment and integrate these solutions into the workflow seamlessly.
Renovation work can go off without a hitch during this time. Personal home improvements are a huge industry in the United States, doing over $400 billion in business every year, and this trend continues across the spectrum and into the retail market as well. Business owners love to take advantage of opportunities to upgrade their workspaces and create a new flow of energy for their employees and clients. A facelift like this may be just what your business needs in order to reopen with a vengeance in the New Year. As we inch closer to vaccinations that will help ease the economy back into gear, conducting some crucial upgrades across your business space can really help you capture a new and larger share of the market as everyone begins to compete for new business.
One fantastic place to start is with the windows. Salons benefit from a large, open feel. Allowing as much light in as possible with the installation of large windows is a great way to help your clients see their hair in the best light possible, literally. Combing through Kalamazoo window contractors is the best way to find an expert contractor with years of experience in the industry. Replacing your windows is a stylistic upgrade that will help you increase foot traffic into your salon, but the installation of new windows is also a shrewd financial calculation.
Old windows are one of the primary heat sinks in a building. As your windows age, the seal that keeps the cold air, rain, and snow out of your structure begins to deteriorate. This happens with the glass as well as the frame that it sits within. Replacing your windows is the best way to ensure that you aren’t spending precious capital to heat or cool the sidewalk in front of your salon as well as the interior space that your clients occupy. Windows can last as long as fifteen or twenty years, but they begin to show their age and wear as soon as they begin to fail. Keeping an eye on the state of these glazed features of your business is the best way to ensure that you replace or repair your windows before they become seriously defective and break, crack, or shatter altogether.
When conducting a new renovation project, it’s often a good idea to place your business’ belongings in storage. This way, you can ensure that no damage will come to the essential tools that you use in your work every day. From mirrors and chairs to the clippers, scissors, and products that you use to create a style for your clients, placing everything in storage is the best way to have renovations completed quickly and professionally without any losses in the process.
Also, by removing your belongings from the workspace, you give the contractors ample room to navigate the open area and conduct the upgrades without having to work around a series of hazards. Searching for ‘storage rooms near me’ is the best way to find a safe and climate-controlled storage facility that meets all your needs and comes in at an affordable price as well.
New Marketing Angles
The closures also give businesses the opportunity to create new marketing angles that will drive traffic upon reopening. Taking advantage of the latest trends in entertainment and content consumption is the best way to create a unique and novel buzz around your salon.
Millions of Americans are now using TikTok on a daily basis, so engaging with influencers to discuss your salon’s products and stylists is a great way to create hype around your specific location. Businesses still haven’t quite gotten the hang of this new entertainment platform, so becoming an early user is a great way to beat your competitors to the punch and grab the attention of your market as early as possible. These newer social media platforms also offer both a larger targeted audience and a cheaper entry into marketing campaigns over traditional media sources. Take advantage of the new advertising playing field in order to build success for your brand’s future.
Reopening to Provide Near-Essential Services
When it finally comes time to reopen, make sure that you get the word out that you’re offering a fantastic service in a totally new salon space. Your clients will be eager to come back for their ritual hair care, but they’ll also be interested in seeing the new space and you and your team as well. People are missing these creature comforts more than ever, and giving them something exciting to look forward to is the best way to drive new and continuing traffic to your business in order to create long term success.
