Whether you have children in school or not, there’s a sense of freshness in the air as the school year approaches. It’s time for teachers and students to hit the books and learn, but it’s also a great time to generate new ideas at your salon by getting back to basics.
The basics of running a salon include offering highly desirable services, keeping up with the latest industry trends and delivering results to your guests. When summer ends and vacations are over, business often picks up. This month, I want to look at ways you can take what you already know and put a new spin on it!
Read Up
When was the last time you read a business book, took a course, or spent time learning about industry trends? Many owners invest time into learning when they first start their business and taper off over time. Learning equals growth, and growth is what’s needed to take your business to the next level! This goes for your employees, too. The training they receive should continue throughout their employment with you. Plus, a refresher course or webinar can reignite interest in a service or product, improving the employee’s engagement and sales performance.
Play the Memory Game
Spend some time thinking about your past successes, and investigate … why did that promotion work? What got you really motivated last year? Who helped you see things differently?
Take those memories and look for ways to spruce them up a bit. That successful promotion – bring it back with a fresh twist. The motivational experience you had – try something similar, yet different to reinvigorate yourself. You have the ability to see things from a different perspective. All it takes is a willingness to learn from the past without repeating it.
Let Competition Inspire You
Keep up with what your competitors are offering, and take note of what works, as well as what doesn’t. I’m not suggesting you copy their tactics; far from it. What I’m proposing is that you learn from their successes as well their mistakes. Have you ever heard the phrase “friendly competition?” Use your competitors’ concepts as fuel to create new ideas. Direct your competitive energy toward making your business better and offering what the local clientele wants.
The best ideas are born when we allow ourselves to be open to them! Sometimes, a tactic you’ve tried in the past simply needs to be refined to produce incredible results. Learning from industry leaders, business books, the past, and your competition can assist you with taking basic ideas and turning them into great ones! ν
The best ideas are born when we allow ourselves to be open to them!
