8th May 2025
Have you ever thought about YOUR BRAND CHOICES and what they mean to your business? Lots of salon owners start their careers with a brand and stick with it for ever, no matter what happens. There is a loyalty amongst the hairdressing world that is to be admired and to be concerned about in equal parts.
Admired because it shows a sense of trust and commitment to brands that perform exactly as expected, and also it demonstrates that relationships between businesses and their product suppliers can be invaluable.
Concerned because the loyalty is not reciprocal from some companies, and also because never changing means the opportunities for something new, energising and exciting for team and clients are missed.
Having worked for two of the world’s biggest companies, I remained loyal to the brands even after I had been made redundant from both of them – this happened after they were swallowed up by giant corporations. The products were fabulous, and my loyalty stayed for a long while.
And then, over time my eyes were opened to the big beautiful world of change. Different companies got in touch, either requesting training or sending products for review here on this website. WOW, what a lightbulb moment that was, the reality is that in today’s marketplace there isn’t really a product range that doesn’t deliver. Of course there are varying degrees of performance based on the ingredients and the price point, but, mostly, products do a good all round job.
So why should salons go through the process of changing from what they know? The key is the clients and what they expect from a visit to a salon. Consumers look for the unexpected, something that’s not run of the mill, a brand that offers performance with a point of difference. If a brand is available everywhere, it loses some of its je ne sais quoi – the quality that makes it feel extras special.
Change is good, it’s a powerful tool to be used to reignite passion in business owners, their clients and, most importantly, the team.
1: Retail products need to fit a company’s values and ethos, and if they are available everywhere, the kudos of stocking them is greatly reduced.
1A: There are products available that remain salon exclusive* that look and perform amazingly. Salons that want to be serious about retail need to analyse the brand(s) they carry and determine whether or not they are the right products to have, or whether it’s time to switch to ranges more compatible with the business brand identity.
- *Almost all products are available online, this is a fact of life that has to be accepted. The best way to combat this situation is to have your own e-commerce platform.
2: In-salon service products have to deliver incredible ‘salon exclusive’ results that encourage more frequent appointments being booked.
2A: Clients are more aware of specialised treatments, this means any offered in salons have to have a point of difference, fortunately there are lots of innovative in-salon service products that can help generate incremental revenue for salons. In-salons services are predicted to be one of the biggest growth opportunities for salons, and investing in ranges that work with the business profile can only help generate additional appointments.
3: Colour has to meet the demands of demanding clients who want long lasting colours with amazing condition and incredible shine.
3A: Colour is the biggest expenditure a salon has from a stock perspective. There are brands available that offer affordable colour ranges that perform as well as ranges that are overly priced. The reality is, if the numbering system is understood, and the variations in depths and tones are learnt, changing colour is not a difficult challenge, and the benefits are obvious…. a step away from being part of the masses, and a noticeable increase in the bottom line of the business.
It’s time to analyse YOUR BRAND CHOICES and make the decision to stick with what you know, or make the change that could generate excitement and the (critical) point of difference for your future success.
As always, I am happy to discuss brands that are available for you to look at.
#SalonExclusive #SalonPro #ProForPro
