Collective Effervescence

I’ll admit it, I have been known occasionally to have a propensity for pretentiousness, but 99.9% of the time it is meant with the best possible intentions. And so we come to ‘Collective Effervescence’…. and anyone reading this post who has never stumbled across this phrase will no doubt be thinking what the ****, but bear with me and hopefully it will make sense and resonate with any salon struggling to successfully recommend in salon treatments, services and retail.

What does ‘Collective Effervescence’ mean?

Here’s what Google says:

• Source: Originated from Emile Durkheim’s studies on social dynamics and religion, acting as “glue” for community solidarity.
• Feeling: Described as a “buzz” or a sensation of being “swept away” and connected to something greater than oneself.

Examples:

• Concerts, religious services, sporting events, protests, or festivals like Holi.
• Benefits: Acts as a “biological reset” by lowering stress and boosting joy, while reinforcing social bonds and group identity.

This phenomenon can occur in both large-scale, high-energy scenarios (like a packed stadium) and smaller, quieter shared moments. It is often described as a “sacred” feeling, where the collective action gives life a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. 

So what on earth has that got to do with selling a bottle of shampoo or recommending an in-salon treatment?

The salon environment is one of those ‘sacred places’ where a community comes together for the better of everyone. Clients love the experience of being sat with their ‘expert’  whilst watching and listening to everything that is going on all around the salon. It’s all about being part of something extra special and it’s an incredibly powerful place to be. Hairdressers, barbers, apprentices, front of house teams, they are all part of the clients visit and each and every individual has a part to play, from the hello as they enter to a simple smile and acknowledgement from everyone, through to the back bar and on to the service and goodbye moment.

Now add those experiential moments to the promoting of services and the recommendation of products and the ‘Collective Effervescence’ takes hold and the client embraces each aspect.

In essence what that means is group involvement in the process of recommending everything. When a stylist discusses a specific treatment for their client, the team, wherever possible should add their thoughts and comments to the conversation, that could be as simple as the stylist in the next chair adding some aspect to the dialogue about their experiences with the product, or it could be the apprentice extolling the virtues of what’s been used at the backbar and their own thoughts about what the outcome of the treatment service will be.

It could be a team effort where everyone is focussed in on one aspect of the salon retail product ranges and mentioning them ‘collectively’ to their clients, and by doing so, creating a vibe that is consistent across the salon floor, something the clients can pick up on be a part of.

Likewise, the front of house team can be part of the recommending process offering additional products and service that complement what the stylist has already discussed for home use.

In summary, whilst ‘Collective Effervescence’ is a serious sociological concept, it can be simplified to become something that helps salons achieve greater sales of services and retail because to take it down to as basic a level as possible, it’s about generating excitement that becomes contagious.

I did say I sometimes have a propensity for pretentiousness, I make no apologies for it!

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