By Andrew Finkelstein, The Beauty Resource www.thebeautyresource.com

Do you know what the single biggest reason is for you to brand your salon/spa—in one word—profit. Branding also gives you:

• A focus for everything else that you do.
• A competitive edge.
• Critical differentiation.
• A better connection with your clients.
• A focus to the business and the clarity that’s necessary to be a leader.
• Higher perceived value leading to added value for the company.

Many smaller salons/spa owners think that branding is for the big boys and girls. Well that’s simply not true. Sure your money may be limited, but what about your imagination? Since when did imagination cost anyone anything?

What follows are ten tips that you can use to help you and your people create your salon/spa’s brand. These tips won’t break the bank. Frankly, they’re designed to help you make a ton of money!

1. Focus: The clearer the focus, the higher the perceived value (exclusivity, quality and specialty). Focus your scarce resources on the greatest opportunities, be the leader. Lose your focus, lose your business. Don’t appeal to everyone.
2. Connect with your customer: Know them inside out.
3. Connect with your customer by using research: It’s key. Remember, customers really do not know what they want. This is where your imagination comes in.
4. Connect a positioning statement to determine your story: Listen to the words of your clients.
5. Create a mission statement: Use it as a rallying call.
6. Tell a good story: Train you team to tell good stories about your salon/spa (about how your brand was created). A story becomes the staging ground for a successful relationship and makes your salon/spa come alive in a client’s imagination.
7. Choose public relations over advertising: To build your brand it’s critical to support brand positioning.
8. Go deep: Connect everything—your marketing, your operations, your leadership, your management—it’s all part of one big system of attraction.
9. Choose your partners/vendors carefully: Make sure they share similar values to your salon/spa.
10. Build an aligned team of professionals: Pick good people who believe in your vision. Hiring folks who are not believers will make the brand building journey nearly impossible.

Remember, as an owner/manager, you serve your salon/spa best when you work with two feet planted firmly on the ground and your eyes focused on tomorrow. Find out where the marketplace/clients are going and then jump right in!

Reprinted with permission from The Beauty Resource www.thebeautyresource.com
 
About The Beauty Resource

Statistics show that for every successful Salon or Spa, there are five that are underproductive, hitting the skids or bankrupt. The Beauty Resource was created to transform the Beauty Business landscape by educating and equipping and supporting Salon & Spa owners and operators so they can achieve their full success potential.

The Beauty Resource provides Salon & Spa specific business expertise to Beauty Industry Professionals who want successful businesses. Our experts are committed to helping Salon & Spa owners and operators advance their profits, productivity and life-in fact, our business is all about life!  We provide all of the tools, knowledge and support that beauty businesses need to give life, abundantly. Knowledge is power - and we invite all success-minded Beauty Professionals to get clear on what they want, to plug into our power source and create businesses that are profitable, productive and enjoyable.