The Art of Making Time for Yourself

Liz McKeon says, take a break!

Starting and running your own salon is all-consuming. Everything falls back on you, and, you are doing it for yourself – so there is no temptation to do too much.

An average working week for a salon owner is between 70 – 80 hours. As well as handling all aspects of the business, you must also know how to handle your time and how to maintain your entrepreneurial drive.

You, the entrepreneur, are the most important success factor in the business. It is vital that this success factor is maintained. An entrepreneur needs to know when to peak, when to rest and when to take it easy. It is impossible to go at full throttle all the time.

The truth is, making time for yourself is an art, and like every art, it requires practice. You may be worried that making time for yourself will affect your performance within the business. However, the reverse is true: when we take care of ourselves, we actually become much happier and more productive, so planning frequent breaks and regular downtime will actually bring more business to your door!

As the business owner you can choose your hours. Choose them to make the most of yourself.

Liz’s tips for time management

• Make a daily ‘to do’ list.
• Learn to say ‘NO’.
• Protect yourself by taking time off regularly.
• A healthy mind is a healthy body.
• Never handle documents more than once (no paper shuffling, deal with it and get it off the desk).
• Keep things simple.
• Do the things you hate first.
• Manage your stress levels.
• Delegate.
• To handle paperwork – TRAF: Toss, Refer, Act or File – only do one and only once!

Time for yourself

In order to make time for yourself consider the following. Write the answers down in your diary or workbook, so you can refer back to them:

• How would it be a gift to others to make time for yourself?
• What would it take to make time for yourself a priority?
• What activities make you feel happy and nurtured?
• What is keeping you from doing the things that energise and inspire you?
• How can you bring more of these simple treats into your day?
• Now take action. Commit to doing one activity from the list you created each day for the next month.

Smell the flowers

However pressurised your business, you need to take some out to unwind – to ‘smell the flowers’. Without it you will burn out: Put in plain terms, if you don’t take time to rest and rejuvenate, eventually you won’t have a salon to worry about! Add time to your diary – every day, every week, and every month – for yourself. Cut yourself free from the salon and the other demands on your life. Allow your batteries to recharge – and you will come back to your business better able to make it succeed.

Snowed Under

Liz McKeon on the art of delegating tasks

Delegation will help you manage your time and therefore reduce your stress. But it is often when we are most stressed that we delegate least. It is too easy to panic and cut yourself off from your colleagues,therapists and other staff members when you need their support most.

But delegation isn’t just about making your workload lighter by giving tasks to others,it is also about getting staff to take full responsibility for certain key functions. In order for a salon to grow and for therapists to find new areas of development, new staff must be employed to take over established functions,allowing others to develop different aspects of the business.

Step One:

Know when to delegate

• Delegation is fundamental to management, so look for opportunities to do it,for example:
• When you have too much work to do
• When you don’t have enough time to devote to all important salon tasks.
• When it is clear that certain staff members need to develop and when therapists have the skills needed to perform certain tasks.

Step Two:

Know what to delegate

• Delegate routine administrative tasks that take up too much of your time
• Delegate projects which it makes sense for one person to handle
• Delegate tasks for which an employee has a special aptitude or enthusiasm.

Step Three:

Know whom to delegate to

• Test your staff out with small tasks to help show you what they can do. For example, do they show good time management, keep a diary, make notes?
• Therapists who do effective work should not be overburdened
• Try to delegate tasks out among as many employees as possible.

Step Four:

Delegate interactively

• Think positive,it will not happen perfectly first time, your ability to delegate will improve with experience.
• Plan ahead. If there is no overall plan of what is going on,it will be hard to identify, schedule and evaluate the work you’ve asked others to do.
• Discuss the tasks and problems in depth with the person you are delegating to,and explain clearly what is expected of them.
• Set deadlines and schedule them into diaries. What has been agreed should be summarised and notes taken about what each employee is required to do.
• Support your therapists and employees. The degree of support you give will depend on the development of the person and your relationship with them.
• Monitor progress – deadlines and objectives may have to be altered as the situation changes.
• Review performance and reward achievement.
• Mastering the skill of delegation will mean that everyone benefits – it will help you manage your time and it will aid staff development,improving overall productivity.
• When you are under pressure,passing tasks on – to the right person – will save you time.
• Delegate interactively – get to know your team,listen to their worries and discover their strengths. Successfully passing responsibility down the line is key to salon growth.
• Delegate assertively. Your confidence will be transferred onto the person you’re delegating to.
• When you delegate,you remain ultimately responsible for the results of the work you have delegated.

Delegation is not an easy option,but it does make business more efficient and effective – it is essentially a more interactive way of working with a team of people,involving instruction,training and development. You’ll need to invest some time and effort to do it effectively, but the long-term benefits both to you and your salon will make it worth your while.

Feeling the effects

Liz McKeon tackles poor morale amongst a salon team

Poor morale undermines the commitment of employees,hurts the product and service they offer and can alienate the clients. It can arise for many reasons such as a difficult economic climate, a personality clash or poor management – all of which may result in a high stress environment and this is the last thing you want your clients to experience.

Poor morale can be so encompassing that,after a while, it is difficult to know how to find its source, and thus how to reverse it. What may start just as individual apathy can deteriorate into a generalised infectious problem that spreads throughout the entire salon or Spa.

In spite of the insidiousness of poor morale,the good news is, it is reversible! If your salon is suffering from poor morale and you are unsure why, start by asking your therapists. Assess the feelings and opinions of your team. Try to understand the resources people need to make their work and work environment more satisfying.

It is important to identify people’s expectations,their wages and benefits, how the internal communication system is working and whether your management style is effective.

Are you the centre of a morale problem?

Personal problems,work stresses,for example,will affect a team at all levels, including the manager. So, do you know how to get yourself back on track when your morale is the worst in your team? Don’t let paths of communication break down when you are feeling low.

Consider your options, such as:

1. If possible, explain your circumstances to another senior manager in order to build new understanding and make a fresh start.

2. Explain your morale problem to your team, but take a positive approach and tell them your plan for getting back on track, asking for their help.

3. Poor motivation often occurs as a result of a lack of salon structure or discipline. People need a framework so that they know where they are in the wider scheme of things. It provides them with a route for getting decisions made or making special requests.

4. Map out and publicise a clear salon structure. You need to structure a good balance between structure, flexibility and open communication in all aspects of running your business.

A salon’s most valuable resource

Managers can do so much to improve morale by getting to know the team, making yourself available when therapists need to talk or share a problem,valuing staff for their particular skills, passions and knowledge, and most importantly, helping your team members to develop their potential and supporting them in their ambitions.

Your staff are the salon’s most valuable resource. By creating an environment of open, constructive feedback, staff will feel inclined to co-operate with you as your drive your salon forward.

Tackling poor morale is not a once-in-a-lifetime activity; it needs to be sustained over a long period of time. Communicating in these ways will show that you are in charge of your salon,you care and value your team,and you are committed to providing a satisfying place to work.

Get your message across

Business expert Liz McKeon looks at communicating assertively in your business

Do you find that staff, clients and suppliers get the better of you at work,that you’re always the one who draws the short straw and ends up doing things that you would rather not do? Does this end up making you resentful or unhappy because you feel unable to confront the situation?

Excellent communication skills are the lifeblood of a successful salon or Spa. A good style of management, combined with a positive approach to communication,ensures that therapists and managers understand each other,are more effective, leading to greater productivity, a good working environment and most of all,happy clients.

Assertiveness is an approach to communication that honours your choices as well as those of the person you are communicating with. It is not about being aggressive and steamrollering your team into submission. Rather,it is about seeking and exchanging opinions, developing a full understanding of the issues,and negotiating a win-win situation.

Ask yourself these questions to determine your level of assertiveness:

• Do you feel‘put upon’or ignored in your exchanges with your staff?
• Are you unable to speak your mind and ask for what you want?
• Do you find it difficult to stand up for yourself during staff meetings?
• Are you grateful when a staff member seeks your opinion and takes it into account?

If you answer‘yes’to most of these questions,you may need to consider becoming more assertive.

Step One:

Recognise different communication styles

• Aggressive – where you win and everyone else loses.
• Passive – where you lose and everyone else wins.
• Passive / Aggressive – where you lose and do everything you can to make others lose too.
• Assertive – where everyone wins.

Step Two:

Condition others to take you seriously

• Always take responsibility for your communication. Use the‘I’word. ‘I would like…’,‘I don’t agree…’,‘I am uncomfortable with this…’
• Become aware of non-verbal communication signals,which can help you build rapport.
• If someone is talking over you,you can hold up your hand signalling ‘stop’ as you begin to speak. ‘I hear what you are saying,but I would like to put forward an alternative viewpoint…’

Step Three:

Use positive body language

• Stand tall,breathe deeply and look people in the eye when speaking.
• Instead of anticipating the negative outcome,expect something positive.
• Listen actively to the other party and try putting yourself in their shoes so that you have a better chance of seeking the solution that works for you both.
• Use open questions,allowing others to give you a full response rather than just‘yes’or‘no’.
• Don’t let people talk down to you when you’re sitting down. If they’re standing, stand up too.

Until you get used to being assertive, give yourself time and space to rehearse your responses. For example, you may find it hard to say ‘no’ to staff, so instead say ‘I’d like to think about this first. I’ll get back to you shortly’. An added bonus from learning assertive communication is your confidence levels will be dramatically boosted. Speaking positively and using positive body language will encourage others to take you seriously,allowing you to attend to the business of running a profitable salon.

Liz McKeon is a Business Consultant, Coach and Trainer, specialising in the beauty industry. For further information on upcoming seminars and programmes call 086 386 1243.

From stress to success

Business expert Liz McKeon looks at channelling your energies effectively.

Most people don’t mind stress, as long as it’s someone else’s and they don’t have to deal with it!

Of course you know that stress impacts on your work life, but what if you could turn that stress into success? What kind of life could you then lead and what sort of salon or Spa could you build? Let’s look at the common mistakes many people make when trying to deal with stress…

You think you can do it all alone

Salon owners and managers sometimes take on too much, thinking they can cope without additional support. Perhaps you think you are saving your salon money by covering
a number of responsibilities, but in reality you could be wasting money in missed opportunities and inefficiency. Often, under stress, the one thing we become incapable of doing well is delegating work appropriately.

Better communication and prioritising objectives are therefore essential. Identifying better resource management, prioritising the workload, anticipating pressure points, delegating and monitoring progress are all important in dealing with stress.

You don’t say ‘No’

Perhaps you are one of those managers who is capable of sustaining high levels of activity over a long period of time, and it has become expected that you always perform at that pitch. Your team are unlikely to be aware of the sacrifices being made. Worse again, there may be no reward for your sacrifice – in fact, you may even have additional work dumped on you! The solution is being assertive and saying ‘no’ when the pressure is too great.

You succumb to a ‘long hours culture’ at work

In some salons, stress creates status, where stress is interpreted as accomplishment. Many salon managers put in long hours in the hope that their hard work will be noticed and rewarded, but are secretly resentful that they have to do this. Better to be productive and happy than exhausted, stressed and sick of the salon and all that goes with it.

Watch your time management – make every moment effective by being truly focused and not dividing your energies by worrying. For fast acting relief, try slowing down.

You take it out on others

Stress is no respecter of boundaries. Stress from your role within the salon will eventually affect all other elements of your life too. Try not to transfer the work pressure to those who are not part of the problem, either in or out of the salon. Work on the causes of your work-related stress, and not the symptoms.

Steps to success

1. Recognising the symptoms and understanding the causes of workplace stress are vital in preventing it becoming an issue.

2. The changing nature of work makes stress more complex, varied and quite possibly more common. It is important to acknowledge that you are stressed and act upon that knowledge quickly – draw up a plan of action and follow it.

3. Remember that you have to work at reducing stress – it won’t happen by itself! The time you devote to managing stress will be repaid by increased efficiency and enjoyment of your time, both in the salon and at home.

4. Reward yourself for your accomplishments – go out of your way to acknowledge your everyday achievements. Give yourself some little reward for doing so well at work and for doing your best on all occasions: success in your salon demands self acknowledgement. Doing all of this will transform ‘stress to success’!

Liz McKeon is a Business Consultant, Coach and Trainer, specialising in the beauty industry. For further information on upcoming seminars and programmes call 086 386 1243.

This workshop was very informative and fun too! I have renewed energy and marketing is now in my grasp.

This workshop was brilliant, now marketing is not so scary. I had a great day – at no stage was it boring. Many thanks, Liz

This workshop was very enjoyable and interesting. It was a very productive and worthwhile day.

I enjoyed the day, it made me think about my marketing plans and motivated me!

2-3 years later, these employees have proved to be exactly as on the report, and continue to be assets within my business. Liz is always a pleasure to work with, always contactable, reliable and I would trust her judgement completely in the area of recruitment, allowing me to get on with other aspects of my business”

Join Ingage and me – Liz McKeon for this non-technical event in Dublin.
A few short talks will show how you can use the low-costs of the internet to market your business online and get more bookings!

• Websites. Do you have one? Do you need one?
• Un-Boggle Google – Search engines explained
• Use Email to keep in touch, build loyalty and get bookings.
• Facebook or Twitter… Do or don’t.
• Where does online marketing fit with the rest of your marketing mix.
• Marketing your salon during a recession.
  Guest Speaker: Liz McKeon

WHEN: 21st Sep 2009 at 10am
WHERE: Herbert Park Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin 2

Click here to register for this event >>

Website: http://www.ingage.be/auty

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One of the major sources of stress for managers today is the fact that jobs are no longer for life – job security is a thing of the past. Salons and spas expect employees to be more flexible, more accountable, to be more hardworking and committed. At the same time, employers offer increasingly limited (or no) assurances or expectations of employment security and career development opportunities.

Stress levels have increased due to various reasons, such as lost jobs, pay cuts, being at risk of losing jobs and
businesses diving into deeper debt. All these issues have one thing in common….increased stress!

It’s important to be able to distinguish between pressure and stress. Pressure is motivating, stimulating and energising. But when pressure exceeds our ability to cope, stress is produced. Continued high levels of stress can, at worst, result in illness, depression or even nervous breakdown. However, there are a number of signals that help you detect when your levels of stress are bordering on dangerous.

Take a good luck at your well-being. If you experience any number of stress symptoms such as, on-going irritability, suppressed anger, feeling unable to cope, insomnia, nausea on a frequent or constant basis, it is time to start looking for causes and to reassess your priorities. These symptoms are your body’s way of telling you that you have crossed the dividing line between healthy pressure and harmful stress.

Once you’ve admitted that you’re not coping with the current everyday pressures of work, the next step in the
process is to identify the sources of stress in your workplace / business. Once this is done, you can draw up a plan of action to minimise or eliminate the excess pressure.

Plan to deal with your own stress:
1. Understand what causes you stress, when you are likely to become stressed and how you can avoid these situations.
2. Take responsibility, it is you that is being affected and you that needs to resolve it, don’t be afraid, ashamed or uncertain to admit that stress is a problem, because the longer you deny it, the worse the effects of the downward cycle.
3. Identify the source of the stress, the solution is then to rationally consider how to take down the stress wall that
is encircling you, brick by brick.
4. Anticipate and plan for stressful periods.
5. Develop strategies for handling stress, consider reducing the cause of stress, or learning to accept it, if it can’t be removed.
6. Understand and use management techniques to prevent and reduce stress.
7. Relax! Easier said, than done….
8. Acknowledge stress in others.
9. Build a positive team environment.
It is possible to reduce stress for others by developing good communication systems, a supportive team approach, a blame-free environment and a clear sense of involvement and responsibility.

“In order that people may be happy
in their work, these three things are
needed:
They must be fit for it, they must not
do too much for it and they must
have a sense of success in it”
- John Ruskin, 1851

Liz McKeon is a Consultant, Business Coach and Trainer, specialising in the beauty industry. For further information telephone 086 386 1243 or visit www.lizmckeon.com

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With the current turbulence within the economy, salons and Spas need to look at how work is organised in a positive way to help pull through. Different times call for bold and brave thinking. Do you have the right team, working together to achieve your business goals?

The TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) concept is a very powerful one because when team members work together for the good of all, the good of the salon and its clients, everyone achieves more. Simply put, working together works!

Teams are complex machines and it’s not surprising that they malfunction occasionally or need re-alignment or teambuilding. For your salon team to work effectively, you need agreement on exactly what sort of team you are: what are you salon goals, what is each therapist’s role, who needs to work closely with whom?

Sometimes it’s as simple as learning more about the people you work with, and sometimes it’s more complicated. But the bottom line is, it’s almost impossible to have a financially successful salon without a happy team working together – in other words, it’s less ‘me’ and more ‘we’!

Here are some positive aspects of teamwork:

Goal orientated
The highest priority for team members is achieving the team’s goals. Does every member of your team know and
understand your salon’s financial and business goals? To function effectively, members of a team must be flexible, trust one another, and support every member of the group in its progress towards achieving a successful salon.

Collaboration
Collaboration is a big benefit when team members pull well together. They want the team to shine and be successful: they willingly invest themselves in the team effort.

Communication
When therapists, receptionists and managers have all learned to support and trust one another, they share what
they know freely and communication becomes another benefit. The way people communicate with one another – both in words and nonverbal clues – reflects how they feel about working with one another, but it also builds the team’s effectiveness. Excellent communication is conducive to staff working productively without misunderstandings.

Better decisions
Decisions and solutions are made with everyone generating more options. Group decisions are usually better than
what even the brightest person could come up with alone. The entire team learns to pitch in for the highest good
of the salon.

Quality
There is more concern for achieving quality and accuracy, because therapists feel they are an important and vital part of a team effort. They want the team and your salon to look as good as possible. In addition, because team members work collaboratively, they ensure that each member gets what she wants from the team to turn out the best possible treatments and service.

Do you want your clients leaving feeling happy and satisfied, looking forward to returning and happy to recommend your salon to their friends? Then make sure your team are working effectively. Today, more than ever, it is vital for the success and survival of your salon that all employees work well in a team
environment.

“Coming together is a beginning,
Keeping together is progress,
Working together is success”
- Henry Ford

Liz McKeon is a Business Coach and trainer, specialising in the Beauty Industry. For more information telephone 086 386 1243 or visit www.lizmckeon.com.

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Do you want a client who has a genuine complaint to become a long-term lifetime client, or the ruination of your business and your career? Even in the best run salons and spas accidents happen, treatments go wrong. Do you have your team trained and the systems in place to effectively deal with that dreaded genuine complaint? Every salon has to deal with situations in which things go wrong from a client’s point of view. How you respond, when this happens, is the difference between having a nasty court case looming over you for the next couple of years and your reputation damaged or retaining that client for life, adding to the bottom line of your business.

Complaints must be handled courteously, sympathetically and swiftly. Make sure that your salon has an established procedure for dealing with client complaints and that it is known to all your staff: receptionists, therapists, juniors, part-timers… everybody who is in contact with your precious clients.

Notify your insurance provider, by phone immediately. Document the incident in writing for your provider,  which will be sent to the insurance company, who will then send you claims forms for completion.

In the meantime the following tactics may help you to deal with complaining customers:

1. Empathy
Understand that before you contact  the complaining client, you can’t ‘win’. Complaints are really just degrees of losing. Put yourself in the client’s shoes, so that you can get a better understanding of their perspective. Reassure them that you care, understand and are listening to them, by allowing them to explain their situation.

2. Respect
Staying calm sends a message that you have respect for them, and it can be difficult to do this when an angry client is yelling at you. Remember their anger is not about you, they are upset about their situation and are taking it out on you.

3. Apologise
Offering an apology, regardless of how you feel or what you can do about the situation, will alleviate some of the stress the client is feeling.

4. Take responsibility
If the mistake has been made by a member of your staff, take full responsibility and assist the client so that their problem is solved.

5. Settlement
The hard part is the settlement of the complaint and you will have to do some work here. Since you are going to lose something, the degree of loss is up to you. Most likely you will end up giving away product, treatments, full refunds or whatever it takes. You and your client have lost regardless, but you owe it to yourself and your salon to salvage some type of relationship. Try to agree on an equitable solution, where hopefully you will still retain that client for life, thus adding to the bottom line in your business and most importantly, saving your salon’s reputation.

The choice is yours – equip your staff with the right procedures necessary to handle upset clients, arriving at positive solutions with satisfied clients who are happy to return because of the way their problem was handled, or wait for the dreaded claim against your salon to arrive in the post.

Liz McKeon is a Business Coach and trainer, specialising in the Beauty Industry. For more information telephone 086 386 1243 or visit www.lizmckeon.com.

The choice is yours.

Even in the best run salons and spas, accidents happen, treatments go wrong.

Do you have your team trained and the systems in place to effectively deal with that dreaded genuine complaint?  If in doubt, join me and learn how to positively manage any complaint, keeping you and your business out of court!

Venue: IBPA Beauty Show, RDS Simmonscourt
Date: Sunday 5th April 2009 11.45 – 12.15.

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As the salon owner or manager, staff meetings are a crucial part of your management role.

To find out if you are managing meetings effectively, and providing strong, structured leadership, answer the following questions:

1. When do you call a meeting?

a) First thing in the morning, with everyone expected to attend.

b) When key issues will be best sorted out face to face with all the relevant people in attendance.

c) It’s usually an ad-hoc, last minute affair.

2. How do you handle difficult situations that arise in meetings?

a) I shout loudest.

b) I try to maintain balance and control.

c) I’m more your ‘passive aggressive’ type.

3. How would you approach a meeting with people from a different culture?

a) It’s my way or the highway.

b) I’d do some research beforehand to find out some basic guidelines.

c) I tend to muddle through and keep smiling.

4. How assertive are you?

a) Very, but I think I verge on aggressive at times.

b) Relatively so, I think it’s the best way to help others.

c) Not very – anything for a quiet life.

5. Are you a decisive person?

a) Yes, but I can be a bit hasty.

b) Yes, but I take my time.  I try to think through all the options first.

c) I’m not sure.

6.  How well do your brainstorming sessions work?

a) They generate lots of ideas, but nothing that sticks.

b) Well, the key is to harness the creativity of your team.

c) They’re just not my thing.  I prefer more structure.

a = 1, b = 2, c = 3, Now add up your scores.

6 -8: You don’t lack strength or authority – or the ability to get results – but your manner and strong-arm tactics could be preventing you from getting the right result.  Through tact, negotiation, and diplomacy you could bring out the best in your team members.  Remember the point of a meeting is to interact with others, not just to present your opinion.

9 – 15: You seem to have got it just right, providing leadership from the centre, listening and responding well to the demands of managing a meeting.  Don’t be afraid to put down the management manual once in a while and exercise you own creativity as well as facilitating others.

15 – 18: Therapists are a problem aren’t they?  Let your good nature be an asset rather than a burden, by building up your backbone and flexing those key skills that got you the job in the first place.

Handled well, regular team meetings can help get to the bottom of tricky situations, agree actions and build team morale. It is vital that all team members are clear about the purpose of the meeting.  An agenda should set out what needs to be accomplished between the start and the end of the meeting.

Be clear about what you want to achieve, begin on time and keep a tight rein on proceedings:

• Make sure staff keep to the agenda, one point at a time.
• Once a subject has been exhausted, move on.
• Don’t let one person dominate the conversation.
• Watch out for positive body language that shows people are attentive, engaged and want to have their say.
• Don’t get sidetracked – make sure there is only one discussion at a time.
• Summarise and restate agreed action points clearly.  Wrap up by thanking everyone for their contribution.

Take charge of your salon’s staff meetings, manage positively and come up with the results that continue to improve both your leadership skills and your business.

Liz McKeon, is a Business Coach and Trainer, specialising in all aspects of Business Development within the Industry.

For further details, check out www.lizmckeon.com

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This is a time to be prudent with your marketing and advertising spend.  If you are investing in expensive advertising, then make sure that every enquiry generated is converted to a booking.

Know your brochure

Everyone who works on reception must have a very good understanding of all salon services, what is involved in each treatment and what products are used.  Being able to answer any enquiry immediately and accurately instils confidence and creates the image of well-trained, experienced professionals.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression – knowing treatment procedures, prices, special offers and promotions off by heart can prove to be a great advantage when speaking to a new enquirer.

Walk-ins

All the same rules apply just as well for walk-in enquiries. In many ways this scenario is easier, as you can take advantage of all printed material such as posters, flyers and price lists. Demonstrate the products used in the salon and offer a tour of the facility.

Points of difference

What makes you different to your competitors?

What is your salon or spa’s unique selling point?

Is it convenient free parking?

Maybe it is the exclusive skincare brand used, or it could be that you start every facial with a complimentary skin analysis.

Are your services available seven days a week?

Do you have monthly special offers?

Whatever it is, make sure that it is mentioned so that the person enquiring will choose your salon rather than just selecting the cheapest alternative.

Be enthusiastic

Being enthusiastic is a vital ingredient to capturing a person’s attention. Be eager to help and keen to explain more than simply answering basic questions immediately gives the person enquiring a positive first impression of customer service, professionalism and friendliness.  It also allows the receptionist the opportunity to add more information into the conversation because the caller is more inclined to be interested – for example, a good receptionist will be able to explain all about your pricing structures, special offers, how experienced your staff are, the awards you salon and staff have won and what the most popular treatments are.

Probe for their specific needs

Clients come to the salon for lots of different reasons.  Some just want time out, others want to treat a specific skin concern, yet others just want to look and feel great.  By asking why they are requesting a specific service and listening carefully to their answer an experienced receptionist or therapist can respond to the client’s specific needs.

Reception training for therapists

Don’t assume or take it for granted that everyone who answers your phone will know how to convert enquiries into sales – they won’t know unless they are trained.  Salon owners spend hard earned euros on various forms of advertising.  However, this advertising is only as effective as the ability of the therapists working in the reception role to convert enquiries into bookings.

As a simple test, try counting the number of incoming calls to your salon.  Then compare this figure with the number of bookings you took in the same week.  It might just be the difference that will make you decide to undertake some reception training!

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Times are changing and there is much talk about the credit crunch and the economic downturn – however, everything goes in cycles and so will the economy.  Economic downturns are short lived. There has always been money to be made in downturns, so instead of looking out for answers, look inwards:  look at your business and how you manage and drive it.

Nothing is missing, it’s all just changing.  Changing times have prompted salon/spa owners and managers to explore the structures within their business, and more importantly how they will secure new business in the future.

Many businesses go into siege mentally when the economy tightens.  They cut back on marketing and advertising, and generally batten down.  Yet, history shows, companies that maintain (or increase) their marketing during such times are more likely to win a healthier share of the market and come out with even healthier profits.

This is not a time to be unwise with your marketing spend, instead it is a time for aggressively using ‘creative’ marketing to accelerate your acquisition of clients.

Do you want to introduce new clients to your business?

Do you want to enhance the relationship you have with your existing clients?

Do you want to increase your ‘word-of-mouth’ business?

If the answer is ‘yes’ to these three questions, then start a referral marketing campaign today:  all the clients you require for your salon are probably already known to your existing clients!

Chances are you already get new clients by word-of-mouth, but it is probably coming to you randomly and sporadically.  Excellent salons and spas with a REFERRAL SYSTEM will multiply the outcome, and the business will reap the benefits of growth, at little or no extra cost.

• A Referral System has to be exactly that……a SYSTEM.  Systemise the process, and measure, and have consequence….keep it going.
• Make it EASY for your therapists and receptionists to ASK for referrals, as initially asking for referrals is difficult for most people: they feel awkward, uncomfortable, even fear rejection.  So, have a ‘prop’, such as a script, to take the pressure off.
• Make it EASY for the clients to give referrals and the leads will flow.  For example, give every client a few business cards for her purse, then she always has your contact details to hand to pass to friends or work colleagues.
• Make sure all your staff know what to do with incoming referrals, treat them like pure gold, never lose a potential new client, or the goodwill of an existing one.
• Acknowledge and thank the clients that send you new business.

Learn to ‘market on a shoestring’, but keep marketing.  Take action now, be rigorous and smart – optimise your marketing to take advantage of the opportunities that the current climate presents.

Liz McKeon is a Business Coach & Trainer, specialising in the Beauty Industry.

For further information check out www.lizmckeon.com or call 00353 86 386 1243

Click on the image for the PDF version of this article.

The downturn in the economy is a worrisome subject for salon and spa owners, with a big concern of keeping sales up when customers cut back on spending.

Follow these 7 steps to recession-proof your business:

Step 1:

Focus on your balance sheet.

Make sure you are managing your cash flow very well.  This needs to be done all the time, but it’s even more critical in a recessionary environment, because there’s just that much less cash floating around.

Step 2:

Diversify and launch:

Believe it or not, economic downturns have a benefit for business.  It gives you an opportunity to step back, rethink and review all sectors of your operation.  Consider launching a new product or service.  Use the time to diversify, so you don’t have too many eggs in one basket.

Step 3:

Look at your credit and debt:

Look at increasing your line of credit – in the event you need to use it.  Negotiating with a bank from a position of power and good financial resources now is a lot easier to do than trying to negotiate in a deeper recessionary environment.

Step 4:

Review your salon’s discretionary spending items:

Although small businesses tend not to overspend, recession survivors still manage to cut back on discretionary items, such as travel, operational costs, staff outings.  Take whatever steps you can to reduce your debt – the less you have to pay out in an economic downturn, the less painful it will be.

Step 5:

Review your customers:

Start reviewing how a recession will impact on your customers.  Search out for alternatives.  Somebody is always making money, even in a recession, so if you can find out where those pockets are and if you have services you can provide to them, maybe you can expand those services.

Step 6:

Improve customer service:

Now is definitely the time to take your salon’s client care to a new level.  Get in touch and stay in touch with your active clients.  Take nothing for granted.  Make sure your pricing is competitive, your service exceptional and your attitude reflects how much you value their business.

Revisit dormant clients and see what you can do to bring them back to your salon.  Sometimes it takes as little as just asking; other times it can take some imagination and insight.  Resurrecting past clients can still be easier and less expensive than finding than finding new business.  Ask your clients for referrals, they will be happy to recommend your salon, if you have a high level of customer service.

Step 7:

Keep up marketing:

Regardless of economic downturns, your salon/spa cannot afford to stop marketing.  If marketed properly, new products are always certain revenue generators.  Determine what sets your business apart from the competition and market it like crazy.  Marketing doesn’t have to cost a lot – for example, attend networking events, spruce up your website, start a monthly email newsletter – be creative.

Remember your long-term picture. All business is cyclical; it is of little value to your salon/spa to leave a recession unable to capitalize on the return of better times.

‘Can you Recession-Proof your Salon Half Day Seminar’

Join inspirational Beauty Business Expert, Liz McKeon, for an up close and personal exploration of what it takes to develop and grow your business in any climate.

Seminar dates:

Monday 17^th November, Dublin            Monday 24^th November, Dublin

Monday 1^st December, Dublin            Monday 8^th December, Cork

Eur 50.00 per person,  Time: 10am – 1pm

Dublin Venue, The Residence Club, 41 St Stephens Green

Cork Venue, The Imperial Hotel

To book your place, call 086 386 1243

www.lizmckeon.com

Experienced therapist with over 10 years work experience in destination spa, salon and product training looking to stay in the beauty industry,  but seeking new challenge to incorporate experience and salary to reflect quality of CV.

ACTION TAKEN:

One half day coaching session exploring options available in preferred location.  Updated CV.  Carried out practice interview.  Worked out required package.  Narrowed options down to five businesses and sent new CV, requesting meeting/interview.

OUTCOME:

Three companies responded.  Within four weeks, client secured preferred position with most desired company and secured the required payment package.

New 6 room salon in busy town. Management having difficulty generating new clients.

BRIEF:

To increase clientele and have salon operating at 70% capacity.

ACTION TAKEN:
*Investigated the ’sales process’ and ‘client service journey’, ensuring that every client had the best experience possible.

*Made sure the salon pricing was competitive and the service exceptional.

*Made the most of the website, not just in design terms, but impletmented an effective on-line, low-cost internet marketing campaign, with newsletter sign-up, call to action banners, google pay per click campaign and search engine optimisation.

*Set up a referral system for clients – trained staff to ask for referrals, tracked and systemised the process and have a reward scheme in place for clients recommending salon.

*Enrolled salon manager in local networking group.

OUTCOME:

1. Satisfied clients who are happy to both return to the salon and to recommend therapists

2. Appointment colums filled to 80% on a weekly basis

3. Salon in profit