29th June 2023
Retail – it’s going through another seismic change. the landscape has altered and if hairdressers & barbers don’t react they might well lose out even more than they already have. What can be done you might ask?
There are lots of reasons retail has changed, some of them obvious, some of them not so:
1: Covid: The pandemic changed the way we shopped and most shoppers have not reverted back to their normal way of purchasing essential goods.
2: The financial crisis: As predicted, we find ourselves in the middle of a global financial maelstrom, every aspect of daily life has been affected.
3: The cost of living: It just keeps getting more and more expensive to live, inflation is at record heights, mortgages have soared, foodstuffs are constantly increasing in price.
4: Brand diversification, every brand now seems to have it’s own haircare line, most beauty product ranges now include hair in their portfolio. when Beyonce decides to launch a range of products you know the market is heading toward saturation.
5: Apathy: It’s true, I see it everywhere I go, hairdressers and barbers are more focussed on creating ‘insta friendly’ images than they are about talking product to their clients.
6: Stock levels: I kid you not, yesterday I walked past a very high end salon here in Edinburgh and in the windows there was what can only be described as a pitiful amount of products on the shelves.
7: Lack of education: Salons seem to not invest in training and education about product as much as they once did. I’m not just talking independent trainers like myself, but also product information sessions from their suppliers. I appreciate that most companies want their teams to train about colour, but retail shouldn’t be forgotten.
8: Social media: I’m baffled as to why messages about products and services are not shared on social platforms as much as they should be. There is just too much silly stuff these days, not only from salons, but also manufacturers. This dumbing down of social media is killing the potential marketing aspects it could and should be used for.
What then, is the solution to getting back on track with retail? What can be done?
1A: If we accept Covid caused a surge in online shopping and clients purchasing from different outlets, then the best option is to set up your own ‘reward rich’ e-commerce platform and shout about it across all your social platforms and talk about it face to face with clients sat in your salon chairs.
2A: Financial crisis or not, everyone is still purchasing hair care. Make sure you offer a broad spectrum of price ranges to suit all budgets. Having an affordable range his critical, mid market collections are a must, and as always, an aspirational brand is needed for those clients who want to use ‘the best’ they can afford.
3A: Reward clients purchases from your salon and e-commerce platforms. A good loyalty scheme is proven to generate repeat business.
4A: iI the market place is flooded with lots of different brands, mimic what supermarkets and chemists do, offer a wider range of products to satisfy every potential clients needs. Look at bespoke products that can be branded with your own logo, a personalised touch that will appeal to your loyal customers.
5A: Get creative with retail, tell stories on your socials, after all, without using the product you choose to style clients hair, it wouldn’t be ‘insta friendly’, so tell the story of how you achieve the looks you share and include the products.
6A: It’s a fact, the more product you have on your shelves, the more you will retail. Empty shelves are not inspiring, they don’t encourage browsing, so make your retail area look like you are serious about home haircare.
7A: Educate, educate and then educate some more. Get your suppliers tech team in to share all their vast knowledge. Call in an independent trainer to share proven methods of retailing. Set your team realistic targets that stretch them that little bit to achieve more.
8A: Use you social media platforms to showcase your hairdressing and barbering skills, but also to share how you achieved the results and what products you used. Social media is so much more than a photo of the back of someones head and the obligatory / useless #balayage hashtag.
If you are serious, or want to become serious about retail check out the amazing ‘Don’t Sell’ offer currently available here:
