Dear Readers,
December is a beautiful time of year – a time for reflection, gathering with loved ones and feeling the magic in the air as the holidays draw near. There’s a cozy charm to December nights, with lights twinkling and a special warmth that only this season brings.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the great mentors I’ve had during my time in the industry. One of the most common pieces of advice: always put the customer first. Salon guests aren’t just looking for a good tan; they want a streamlined experience as they seek a getaway from the chaos and responsibilities of their lives.
One thing I’ve learned is that you can usually bolster guest experiences by fixing problems before they start. What does this mean? It’s simple: just put yourself in their shoes. Ask questions about what kind of tanning results they want – the more you know about their needs, the better you can advise them on the best way to reach those goals.
Part of delivering that “preemptive strike” in this upcoming season is creating a definition of success around your team. Success isn’t always about numbers; it’s about the little things you and your staff do every day to ensure that your business runs well.
The time a guest spends at your salon may be the small break that keeps them calm through the day. For many, that experience is priceless – and a wonderful experience will always be worth mentioning to others. Our world is saturated with advertisements, faux reviews and influencers touting products. People no longer trust ads the way they once did. They will, however, trust their best friend’s advice when it comes to choosing a tanning salon.
Cultivating and nurturing the experience you provide will give you the best possible advertising you can get: word of mouth. And in my opinion, that’s a true sign of success that can be surprisingly hard to measure.
How do you define “success?” Is it great reviews from customers? Increased sales? Providing a better guest experience? When you define your personal idea of success, it’s easier to create the roadmap to achieve it. This issue takes a deeper dive into strategies to help you achieve a higher level of success.
As our busy season starts to kick up, let’s become more cognizant of how to streamline our paths to success. If our industry continues to become better, more service-oriented and more streamlined, we will become businesses that our customers will celebrate at this wonderful time of the year. Happy Holidays!
Until next time,
