How to make your salon business stand out
By Scratch Staff | 21 November 2018 | Expert Advice, Feature, Salon & Spas
Tammy Koslowski, owner of Glasgow’s award-winning NAF! Salon, reveals how to make your beauty business stand out from the competition…
It goes without saying that the nail industry is huge. In any given town, you can bet that there will be multiple salons or mobile technicians, so how can you ensure that you stand out and get a good share of the clientele? My advice is to just be you – and harness that into building a brand.
When you run a business, it’s hard to decide whether to follow your gut or the norm.
There is a pre-disposed idea of a nail salon/service experience in the average person’s mind but it’s definitely OK to shake it up if you want to. Staying true to yourself in business will not only make you happier, but will differentiate you from your competitors.
Once you have the foundations in place and you can provide a comfortable, safe and welcoming client experience, then you can dress the rest up.
As RuPaul of RuPaul’s Drag Race says, ‘We’re all born naked and the rest is drag!’ – and it’s your ‘drag’ that clients buy into.
Actively branding yourself and your work is such a personal thing. It may sound scary, but if you have a name, a website and social media accounts then you’re half way there!
NAF! Salon is quirky and colourful and our marketing materials reflect that. Logos can just be the business name in a nice font. Try and give all your social media accounts the same name to make them easy to find. Our team is made up of typical millennials that are inspired by pop culture, the internet and music.
Our social media voice reflects the brand and we write captions like ‘Yes Mama Slay’ and reply to clients with ‘Hey gurl’ and ‘Love ya!’.
So basically, if you dream of painting your salon or studio black, decorating it with skulls and sticking on some Black Sabbath, then absolutely go for it. Call your business ‘Coffin Tips’, make sure your Instagram feed and social voice are both dark and brooding and name your services after song lyrics.
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but your vibe attracts your tribe.
I can bet, that through being active on social media, word of mouth and even getting a little bit of press will attract people to your business who will love it. You may even provide a safe space for people who don’t feel comfortable going to a regular salon to get their nails done.
Branding isn’t as intimidating as you might think.
You might be thinking, ‘I’ve done all this, my business is true to me’ – and that’s fantastic! Now shout about it. I challenge you to spend more time building your brand over the next few months.
Do simple things like making sure your trading name is consistent through your online platforms, adding even more personal touches to your workspace then posting pictures of you working in it on social media every now and again and letting your personality shine through your online ‘voice’ via captions and replies.
It’s not so scary now, huh?