Category: Best Practices

Beauty Industry Update Regarding PPP Loans

Posted on by Image Studios 360

IMAGE Studios Beauty Industry Updates

There’s a lot of news out there right now, and it can be overwhelming during these uncertain times. IMAGE Studios is sorting through the noise to help you understand what it means for you & your business.

More PPP funding expected: Apply to be first in line

The government is expected to pass a new stimulus package this week which includes an additional $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), providing more sole proprietors, independent contractors, self-employed, and small businesses with the opportunity to receive the forgivable loan. With a high demand for PPP funds, it is likely that the additional funds will be distributed quickly. Many applications are already lined up to receive the next round of funding, so it is recommended that you apply as soon as possible to get your application in line. It’s highly recommended that you apply through your bank, as people with accounts get preferential treatment during this process.

What is the PPP?

PPP loans are part of the COVID-19 government stimulus program (CARES Act) and are made to help sole proprietors, independent contractors, self-employed, and small businesses cover payroll and other business expenses like rent and utilities. The original funds were quickly exhausted, and more are expected to be distributed soon. This includes payroll for yourself, even if you have 0 employees. When used for qualifying expenses, you may be eligible for a 100% forgiveness grant, meaning you wouldn’t need to pay it back if you meet their criteria (find more info here).

Am I eligible for the PPP if I don’t have any employees?

Yes, you can still apply for the PPP. Even if you’re a sole proprietor, independent contractor, or self-employed, and have no employees, you can apply. Your own net earnings count as qualifying payroll costs, which you can find on your 2019 Form 1040-C.

How do I prove my payroll costs?

Depending on your type of business, you can use your 2019 Form 940/941, 1040-C, K-1, tax returns or W-2 statements (if you issue them).

What To Do Now

Step 1: Gather Your Info

Here’s our complete list of business info you’ll need when it’s time to file the PPP application. When you access the application below, you’ll be walked through how to submit it.

  • Payroll records: you will need payroll tax forms (i.e. Forms 940 and/or 941) from January 1, 2019, to the most current filing. Note: You will need to be able to identify any employees paid over $100K. Sole proprietor or independent contractor? Get your 2019 1040 Schedule C too.
  • Tax returns: for the last two years. If you haven’t been in business that long, all tax returns you have.
  • 1099-Misc (if applicable): If you have filed form 1099-Misc and are counting contractor compensation as part of your average payroll, you will need to provide this form.
  • Copies of driver licenses: for business owners with ownership stakes of 20% or more
  • Voided check: from the account where the loan will be deposited.
  • 6months of bank statements: from your business accounts for the most recent six months of business.
  • PPP Worksheet: Download and fill out the PPP worksheet here. Watch this video for a step-by-step on how to fill it out.

Step 2: File Now

Apply now directly with your bank. Don’t delay. Even though funds have run out for PPP, it’s expected more money will continue to open up so it’s important to get your application in now to secure your position in the queue. If you do not have a banking relationship that you prefer to use, we recommend Cross River Bank.

Our partner, GlossGenius, is working with SBA approved Cross River Bank and they are continuing to accept applications ahead of the anticipated funding (even if you’ve never banked with them before). While they can’t commit to providing loans until the government approves the additional funding, it’s best to apply now so you’re first in line. Watch this video if you want help walking through the application and this video that will show you how to fill out the spreadsheet that is part of the application.

Please note: As of April 20, Cross River is still reviewing and accepting PPP applications, however, the funds allocated by the government for the PPP have run out. If additional funding is authorized, it may be helpful to apply now and get in line.

APPLY NOW

Step 3: Help Others 

There’s a lot going on, but thankfully there’s a lot of help. If you know other business owners struggling, please send this page to anyone you think should be applying for PPP.

Overview of SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Relief Package for Image Pros

Posted on by Image Studios 360

Overview

The Small Business Association Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) is a program in response to natural disasters that has been expanded to include the COVID-19 pandemic. The EIDL program provides small businesses like yours with working capital loans that can help you pay expenses during the time of temporary loss of revenue you are experiencing right now. You can apply for an EIDL advance of up to $10,000, which is a grant and you do not have to repay. It’s important to understand that under the new guidelines for EIDL you can apply for $1,000 per employee, up to $10,000 max for the portion of this loan that is a grant and is not owed back. If you find this program is right for you, then we recommend completing this application as soon as possible.

Click here to apply online.

Below is a video that outlines the process of applying for an EIDL loan on SBA’s website.

 

SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Overview for Salon Professionals

Posted on by Image Studios 360

PPP Overview

Overview

The Small Business Association Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP program provides 100% federally guaranteed loans to small businesses, independent contractors and sole proprietors who maintain their payroll during this emergency. Importantly, these loans may be forgiven if borrowers maintain their payrolls during the crisis or restore their payrolls afterward.

This information is very important to our IMAGE Pros because as a sole proprietor or self-employed individual you can use these funds to continue to pay yourself during this crisis. To apply be sure to follow the steps outlined below. It’s important to apply as soon as possible if you think this program may be right for you because funds are limited.

Program Highlights

  • No collateral or personal guarantees required
  • No fees
  • No need to make loan payments for the first six months
  • All small businesses including sole proprietors and the self-employed are eligible
  • The loan has a maturity date of 2 years and an interest rate of 1%
  • The loan covers expenses dating back to February 15, to June 30, 2020
  • The loan can be forgiven

How much can I borrow?

The law says that your maximum loan amount is 2.5 times your average monthly “Payroll Costs” for 2019. If your business did not exist before June 30, 2019, your bank will look at your costs in January and February 2020. Payroll costs under the PPP program include:

For a sole proprietor or self-employed person: your monthly draw (take home profit), wages, commissions, income, or net earnings from self-employment, (capped at $100,000 annually).

For example, if your average monthly payroll is $7,000, you would multiply that by 2.5X, and your total loan amount would be $17,500 that you can use towards payroll, rent, and utilities for your business.

Remember: No more than 25% of your PPP loan may be used for rent or utilities; if you use more than 25% for non-payroll expenses it will affect the amount of loan forgiveness that you are eligible for after June 30, 2020.

Your “employment benefit costs” including costs for paid-vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave allowance for separation or dismissal; payments required for the provisions of group health care benefits including insurance premiums; and payment of any retirement benefit

State and local taxes assessed on compensation Not covered under “Payroll Costs” are:

  • Payments made to independent contractors
  • Payroll taxes, railroad retirement taxes and income taxes

How can I apply?

  1. Download and complete the form found here.
  2. Work with your bank or lender to submit the form.
  3. If you do not have a local banking relationship you can fill out an application through Boefly here. Boefly will help you find a bank.

FAQ

What does the SBA PPP stand for? The Small Business Association Paycheck Protection Program.

Who is eligible? A small business with fewer than 500 employees, an individual who operates as a sole proprietor or independent contractor or an individual who is self- employed who regularly carries on any trade or business is eligible to apply. Sole proprietorships will need to submit schedules from their tax return filed (or to be filed) showing income and expenses from the sole proprietorship. Self-employed individuals will need to submit payroll tax filings reported to the Internal Revenue Service.

Will the PPP loan be forgiven? A borrower is eligible for loan forgiveness equal to the amount the borrower spent on the following items during the 8-week period beginning on the date of the origination of the loan: Payroll costs (using the same definition of payroll costs used to determine loan eligibility), Interest on the mortgage obligation incurred in the ordinary course of business, Rent on a leasing agreement, Payments on utilities (electricity, gas, water, transportation, telephone, or internet) For borrowers with tipped employees, additional wages paid to those employees. The loan forgiveness cannot exceed the principal. Also, because this program is intended to replace “Payroll,” only 25% of the forgiven amount may be business expenses not related to Payroll Costs.

How could the forgiveness be reduced? The amount of loan forgiveness calculated above is reduced if there is a reduction in the number of employees or a reduction of greater than 25% in “Payroll Costs” paid during the 8-week period after you receive the loan.

What can I use the PPP funds for? Payroll Costs, business related rent and lease payments, business related utilities, Interest on any other business-related debt obligations that were incurred before the covered period.

Can I use the PPP funds to pay myself? Yes. For Sole Proprietors, Independent Contractors, and Self-Employed Individuals you can use the loan to pay yourself your typical draw or salary.

Can I use the PPP funds to pay my studio rent? Yes. The funds are available to pay yourself AND pay your rent. That’s why the amount is 2.5 times your pay. Part to you, part to overhead like rent.

When can I apply? Lenders may begin processing loan applications as soon as April 3, 2020. The Paycheck Protection Program will be available through June 30, 2020.

Is this a loan or a grant? This is a loan. The loan could be be fully forgiven if the funds are used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. Loan payments will also be deferred for six months. No collateral or personal guarantees are required. Neither the government nor lenders will charge small businesses any fees. This loan has a maturity of 2 years and an interest rate of 1%.

Who makes this loan? This loan is available through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. We suggest that if you have a bank you normally work with, then you apply with your local bank. If you do not have a bank, then you can apply through a company that will match you up with a bank such as Boefly.

Will I automatically get the loan? No. There will be an approval process, which will be based on your credit score and ability to repay the loan. How will anyone know how I used the money? The rules on this have not been written yet. You should anticipate that at some point in the future the SBA will ask you to show them how you used the money.

Can I still get the PPP loan if I am receiving unemployment benefits? This is a tricky question. While you should not be prohibited from getting PPP if you are also getting unemployment payments, this may negatively impact your ability to get loan forgiveness under the PPP because this forgiveness depends on your continuing your payroll during the crisis. If you are not paying yourself and, instead, are collecting unemployment, then you cannot claim those payments toward your forgiveness amount.

Will this loan hurt my credit? Any loan that you take will impact your credit and especially so if you do not pay the loan back. On the other side, this loan has generous repayment terms, a relatively low interest rate and repayment may be deferred for a year.

Do I apply as a sole proprietor or a business? If you have an EIN number (Employer Identification Number), you will use that number to apply as a small business. An EIN number is a nine-digit number assigned by the IRS. You would have received this number if you created a separate business entity for your studio. If you do not have an EIN number, you will apply as a sole proprietor and use your social security number.

If my credit isn’t good, should I still apply? Yes. The SBA has said that they will be flexible with these loans. Additionally, there are no fees to apply, so there’s no harm in applying.

Raising Prices Calculator

Posted on by Image Studios 360

The spreadsheet below is an active document that you can edit yourself. If you make a mistake or want to start over just refresh this webpage. NOTE: All cells shaded in red in columns B, C & D are cells that you input with your own information – everything else will automatically calculate for you.

To get started, input the name of your service in column B, as well as the current price that you charge in column c. Under “Avg # Services/Mo” in column D you will input the number of these services you do on average each month. The row below it is to input your anticipated additional # of services you will be doing in the future. If you do not see yourself increase the # of this service in the future just leave it the same as your current monthly # of services.

The differences that are displayed under “Monthly Revenue” & “Yearly Revenue” tell you what kind of additional money you would earn as a result of the price increase you put in. Play around with this handy spreadsheet to see what kind of money you could be making by increasing the price of some of your more popular services. You’ll be surprised at how small increases in just a few of your services will equate to thousands of dollars of additional income at the end of the year.

To download an Excel Spreadsheet with these formulas CLICK HERE.

Be sure to visit our other blog post titled “10 Steps to Raising Prices” that gives you helpful resources and best practices, as well as a sample letter for clients indicating your upcoming price increases.

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Instagram 101

Posted on by Image Studios 360

Instagram offers a great social platform, particularly for hair stylists, to showcase their work to their followers. Here are a few tips on how to use Instagram

Follow, and be followed. Before you can start making an impression you’re going to need followers. Spend some time following as many people as you can (especially people who fit your demographic), and a lot of users typically “follow back” those who follow them. It’s the circle of reciprocity on Instagram. Be patient though, it takes a few months to build a solid network of followers, but once you do you will be glad you did.

Take it slow. Nothing is worse than following a stylist that decides to post 25 photos in 5 minutes. You may be excited and want the world to know, but keep it limited and share only your best photos. It enriches your followers experience and benefits you. If you’d like to combine photos, apps like Diptic and Fuzel can create a collage. You can export them straight to Instagram to make photos even more attractive by telling people a story.

Pump the stock brakes. No one wants to see that stock photo you took a screen shot of on your iPhone, pretending it’s your own. They’ll quickly unfollow you if you ever post photos that are stock images. Just don’t do it. Ever.


Choose your hashtags wisely. Please, please, PLEASE! Understand that hashtags are not bullet points to your photo or post, but are ways to search what’s trending online. Use hashtags as keywords to what your photo is about, and have 2-3 hashtags that you use as your own, and use them every time you post a photo. For more info on how hashtags works, see our blog post on it.

Involve your followers. Brands such as Red Bull and Audi have mastered creating communities on Instagram using hashtags and Instagram contests that get users to interact with their products and brand by connecting to their lifestyle and emotions. You could give away a gift card to clients who post photos of their new cut or color. Make sure your clients use one of your hashtags so you can track it, too.

Comment back. It’s important to interact with people in Instagram. It’s a network largely based on the emotions that a photo provides, and that emotions includes conversation (in the form of comments) made regarding your photos. Try to make communication a two way street and people will be excited not just to follow you, but to interact with you. Most importantly, look for comments that may show interest in booking an appointment with you. There is gold hidden in Instagram comments!

A lot of salon professionals who are new to Instagram (or social media in general) are a sometimes gun-shy when it comes to posting photos of their work. All I will say on that is this:

Take pride in how far you’ve come, have faith in how far you can go.

Don’t underestimate your abilities. Your clients love you for a reason.

Salon Expense Calculator

Posted on by Image Studios 360

To help you understand what you expenses are we’ve created this nifty expense calculator. Just enter your actual expenses to see what your daily, weekly and monthly break even is.

Salon Client Intake Form Templates

Posted on by Image Studios 360

Part of running your salon will include keeping track of your clients and where they came from. Understanding where your new clients come from will help you know how to focus your time and energy in attracting new clients to your salon. Having an intake form will help you gather some of the information, as well as their birthday, email address, their beauty goals, and who referred them. Be sure to take advantage of having their birthday information. For example, you could:

In addition, this intake form we’ve created also has a cancellation policy section at the end of it. This states that your time and schedule is dedicated to them, and any cancellations under 24 hours would incur a $25 charge (FYI you can adjust your fee however you like). It also collects credit card information that authorizes you to charge their card in the event of a no-show or cancellation. The act of reading and filling out this form will most likely reduce or eliminate almost any no-shows or cancellations under 24 hours. Sometimes having clients read over something like this helps reinforce your policy as well, and if they actually fail to show up, you’ll be able to charge $25 to cover your time. Remember, your time as a service professional means that you only make money when you are working! When appointments fail to show up, you may have 1-2 hours of down time that you must kill while at your studio, and you’ve forfeited hundreds of dollars in lost income.

Feel free to edit your intake form as you see fit. The one you see here has been used by our professionals with great success.

Click here to download “Intake Form 1” generic PDF that you can print and use without any changes.

Click here to download “Intake Form 2” Word Doc so you can customize your form before printing.

10 Tips for Raising Prices

Posted on by Image Studios 360

While the need to raise prices is usually good news for your growing salon, it’s not always music to your client’s ears, especially for those clients who have been with you for years (maybe even from the beginning of your career as a salon professional). We interviewed several industry professionals to see what best practices they’ve employed when raising prices successfully and compiled these top 10 steps. We also have a template letter you can display or mail to your clients to help get you started.

1. Be Honest. Don’t try to hide it. Explain to your clients upfront that you’re raising your prices. Be sure to tell them that you’re moving with the industry and increasing your level of expertise, which has improved dramatically since they first started coming to you. You should still try to offer some form of bulk discount so they can save more by purchasing several gift certificates at a discount. This not only gives them a discount up front, it also generates cash for you up front.

2. Thank Your Clients. The first thing you should do when you increase prices is to say thank you to clients. You should sincerely express your appreciation for the risk they took on you when they first came to you, and then be transparent with them about why you need to raise prices. Make sure they understand why you’re asking for more money and why your product(s) and services are worth more now than when they started coming to you. It doesn’t always work, but most clients tend to be understanding.

3. Explain Your Costs. Sometimes you just need to raise your prices. How many years has it been since your last price increase? Explain to your clients why you are raising your prices and how you are using the additional funds they will be paying each visit. If your own expenses are going up, then explain to your clients why that is happening. If you are spending more money on your products and services, then explain to your clients how the additional features will benefit them.

4. Add Features. When you add a value feature to your services, it gives you a reason to increase your prices with your clients. Early clients will understand that they joined you at the beginning stages of your career and that with your improvement and growing skill set, your prices may change.

5. Give a Lower-Priced Option. Let clients focus on value by giving them a second, lesser-priced option to their service. Then there’s a decision to be made, which focuses on the value that your service sets rather than the price increase. This is especially helpful if the lower plan is a little less expensive than what the client currently pays. For example, if you typically do a 5-minute scalp massage with every shampoo, you could offer it without the massage for a few dollars less than your current price.

6. Over-Deliver. First, be sure you can demonstrate that the value you provide is increasing more than the price. This way, clients know that they’re still getting a good deal. As a rule of thumb, over-deliver and really impress your clients for at least 100 days before communicating a price increase. Simple ways to do this would be to add new features to your studio: new furniture, mood lighting, soft drinks, snacks, wine, etc.

7. Add More Value. It’s important to add more value to sweeten the deal. Your services should always be improving, but it’s simply counterintuitive for somebody to pay more for the same thing they got for less before. Justify the price increase by adding features or providing some other type of added value. Some ways to add value include can include eyebrow waxing, eyelash tinting, scalp massages, shoulder massages, makeup touchup, etc.

8. Explain, But Don’t Apologize. As your salon grows, your products and services should be worth more. Briefly explain how the higher price is going to allow you to better serve them. Then move on. If you’ve proven your worth, then they won’t walk away.

9. Inform Your Customers Ahead of Time. Give clients a heads up about price increases at least a few appointments prior to it taking effect. Make sure your price increase notice is posted on your mirror around 2-3 months before the change takes place. There is nothing worse than a surprise price increase!

10. Send a Letter. To help communicate your price increases it may be useful to send a formal letter to your clients as a personal communication regarding the change. The letter should be carefully written so they understand what is changing as well as what they will get out of it. You could even hand them the letter as they are leaving your salon and explain to them that you have something for them regarding upcoming price changes and how it will affect them. And remember, smile and be positive when communicating price increases.

Even if you don’t need to increase prices, Norm Brodsky’s classic piece, “The Case for Higher Prices,” presents plenty of reasons to do so, such as maintaining your brand image. “By not raising prices on a regular basis,” he asserts, “…You’re gradually undermining the perceived value of your products and services. Like it or not, there’s a natural tendency to link quality and price. We’re not saying you always have to charge as much as the most expensive stylists out there, but if the gap between your prices and theirs gets too large, customers will start to regard you as the cheap alternative in the market.


BELOW IS A SAMPLE LETTER REGARDING A PRICE INCREASE:

To my wonderful clients:

I would like to take a moment to thank you for your loyalty to me as your hair stylist, beauty consultant, and friend. Some of you have been with me since the beginning of my career in this industry, but regardless of how long we’ve know each other we have all made lasting memories together at my salon.

As always, I am committed to constantly improving my skills and abilities as your hair stylist to ensure you are getting the best service, the best style, and the greatest experience possible at every appointment with me. And on top of that, I promise to always make you look beautiful J

In every industry prices rise year after year, and I do my best to operate my salon as efficiently as possible without compromising your experience with me. In addition, my skills as a hair stylist are being constantly improved with ongoing education to keep me at the top of my game so you get the very best service possible. As a result, some of my prices will be going up starting January 1, 2014. The following services will slightly increase as follows:

  • Women’s Cuts : 40+
  • Men’s Cuts: 27
  • All Over Color: 115+
  • Partial Weave: 75
  • Color Correction: 125+
  • All other services will remain the same price as before

To show my appreciation for your loyalty I am allowing my existing clients to purchase gift certificates 10% off until January 1, 2014. This will allow you to lock in an even lower rate on my services than you pay now if you choose to do so. To purchase these gift certificates, please call or text me at 801-555-5555 and I will be happy to help you.

Thank you!

Jane Doe
Owner, Studio 101 @ Image Studios

 

To download a Word Doc of this letter template, click here.

Image Studios 4-Week Online Marketing Plan

Posted on by Image Studios 360

Online marketing can make your head spin. There are countless options, experts, trends and changes. That’s why we created this 4-week marketing plan with easy-to-use steps so you can start marketing your salon online (or step up your current efforts). By following one clear-cut action per day, you’re online marketing efforts will see huge results.

We’ve created a PDF of the 4-Week Online Marketing Plan that you can print off and use to keep your efforts on track. Download here.

Below is a breakdown of the plan:

Week 1

Monday: Create a Facebook Fan Page. This should take about 30 minutes to get everything setup. Upload lots of photos, info about your services, and most importantly, a way for people to reach you. If you have one already, post something!

Tuesday: Create your Google Places page. Put your business on the map for free with Google Places (places.google.com). Easily add photos, bio, hours, coupons, etc. This will also allow clients to leave Google reviews about your salon. Be sure to list your studio # in the address!

Wednesday: Survey Your Clients. Put together an online survey to find out what your clients think about your products, your service, and whatever else you’re curious about. Sometimes the biggest ideas will come from your clients! Use free sites like Wufoo.com to create surveys in minutes.

Thursday: Yelp Me Out! Create a Yelp account if you don’t already have one (takes about 10 min), add photos of you and your salon, and as many before & after pics as possible. Also write a detailed bio about you and your services. This will help people know exactly what you do just from viewing your profile.

Friday: Get Listed. Spend a few minutes online today making sure your business is listed on every website possible. Sites you want to be on include: Google+, Google Places, Yelp, CitySearch, YellowPages, KSL Local, Angie’s List, Foursquare, etc.

Saturday/Sunday: Create a Salon Menu. Your clients may know what services they like, but do they know everything you offer? A printed salon menu also looks professional and speaks volumes to your ability to market your business. And don’t forget to frame it!

Week 2

Monday: Create a YouTube Page. This should take about 15 minutes to get everything setup. Upload any videos you may have already, and start thinking of videos you can begin making in the future. Download the “Capture” app to easily create videos from your smartphone.

Tuesday: Re-post a review. Take a screen shot of a recent positive review on Yelp or Google and post to your FB/Insta/Pinterest pages. Remember, its not bragging when you’re good at what you do! If you have a really stellar review, also print it off and tape to the corner of your mirror for all to see.

Wednesday: Gather Emails. It will be very boring and tedious, but spend an hour today collecting all of your clients email addresses. This may require some creative thinking on your part if you don’t gather that info, but it is also acceptable to simply text or call them for it as well. Besides, they’ll receive better deals anyway.

Thursday: #Hashtagcrisis. Take some time today and decide on your hashtags, and use them religiously! Many people fail to use consistent hashtags, only to lessen the effect of their posts and photos online. To co-brand with Image Studios, be sure to use: #imagestudios & #lovewhereyouwork

Friday: Send an email. Use one of our pre-designed MailChimp header graphics to send an email to your clients. Schedule the email to send 30 minutes after you are done just in case you decide to change something after it is all said and done.

Saturday/Sunday: Write a Book. Just kidding! You’ve already written it if you’ve been taking photos of your work! For a truly stunning marketing piece in your studio, use iPhoto or artisianstate.com to print an actual picture book for clients to thumb through. It will also help them decide on what style they want.

Week 3

Monday: Schedule Ahead. Choose the holidays you want to market special offers to your clients, and set reminders 4 weeks prior to each one to start planning on what you will do. Some offers can be one-day only, others can be 2-3 weeks before. Plan your entire holiday marketing plan for the year…today!

Tuesday: Tell Your Story. Again. Its probably been a while since you have posted something on FB about your salon and what services you offer. A lot of times clients may only know a narrow scope of things you do. Post your bio on your page – it will serve as a reminder to all your clients (and potential ones) about your business.

Wednesday: Show the Benefits. Post a picture and explanation of a product or service you offer and describe the benefits. To help you think of this, ask yourself “What problem does this service solve for my clients?” Remember, people buy results, not products. What results do your clients see after a visit to your salon?

Thursday: Review your “About Me” info. Make sure all of your info online is updated and accurate on all 3rd party websites. Do you have an updated website, email, or phone number? Do you have a new service you offer? Do you have a service you need to take offline? Do you have an ongoing offer you want listed?

Friday: TXTMEPLZ. More and more clients prefer to text, but is the number listed for you online a cell phone? If so, be sure to indicate that they can text or call you (in that order) and you’ll see a guaranteed spike in text messages as clients message you instead of call. Don’t forget to update all your listings online.

Saturday/Sunday: Got Feedback? Now that you are handing out your “Thank You” notes asking clients for info on their experience, you should now have quite a bit of these. Hang these around your salon, create a “Wall of Fame” where you post them, and even scan them and post on FB, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.

Week 4

Monday: Ask a Question. Post a question on FB to engage clients and attract new ones. Questions could range from “What do you think the hottest hair color is right now?” or “What did you think of Michelle Obama’s dress last night at the awards ceremony” to get people engaged.

Tuesday: Schedule Future Posts. FB allows you to schedule posts up to a year in advance. Spend some time gathering photos, articles, interesting style blogs, etc., and schedule 2-3 posts each week for the next 3 months. Then set a reminder to do this every 3 months so you stay on top of it.

Wednesday: Schedule Future Emails. You just finished your FB schedule, now schedule a few emails. It is recommended to send 1 email a month with updates and special offers to your client base. Schedule 3 months of emails today, and get creative with any of our pre- designed email headers.

Thursday: Happy Birthday. Spend a few minutes going over your client records and see who has a birthday coming up in the next month. You can send each one of them a handwritten card or one of the Image Studios birthday cards, and be sure to include something for them such as the birthday special offer certificate from Image Studios.

Friday: We Miss Your Face. Getting inactive clients back into your chair is 4X cheaper than aquiring a new one. Go through your client records today and mail each of them a “We Miss Your Face” mailer. Be sure to handwrite a little note on a sticky-note and put on it to add a personal touch.

Saturday/Sunday: Record a Video. No one wants to watch a blatent self-serving video – they’re boring, and people won’t engage. Instead, think of creative ways to show off your personality, sense of humor, a thought you have, or even an interview of a client. Post to FB, Insta, and YouTube when done.

How to List Your Salon on Yelp

Posted on by Image Studios 360

3 STEPS TO GET LISTED ON YELP

1. CREATE YOUR BUSINESS PAGE
Go to http://www.yelp.com/writeareview/newbiz and add your business info. Be sure to list as much info as possible to create a complete profile the first time.

If you are on a Mac you can unclick the “Leave Review” box and proceed.

If you are on a PC you will have to leave a review when you do this. Your name will be attached to the review so I wouldn’t leave a review per se, but I would leave a short snippet of what you’d like to say to your clients.

“Welcome to my salon, I am a hair stylist that specializes in __________ and promise that you’ll love every moment at my salon from the minute you walk in until you leave with your new look. Call me today to schedule an appointment” (change it up though or else all 100 of you at Image Studios will have the same introJ)

2. CLAIM YOUR BUSINESS PAGE 48 HOURS LATER – DON’T FORGET!
Yelp will have your business listing live within 48 hours. So you need to remember to go BACK to Yelp.com and search for your business listing. Under the business info is a link that says “Work Here? Unlock This Business Page”. From there it will walk you through these steps:

  • Step 1: Confirm/Setup a business account.
  • Step 2: Confirm your connection to the business.
  • Step 3: Access your Yelp Business Account

3. FILL OUT YOUR BUSINESS INFORMATION
The first and most crucial step after you’ve unlocked your page is adding all the information customers might want to know about your business. It’s not just about keeping customers informed; the more information you put in, the more you’ll appear in searches. It’s easy to edit your info – just hit the “Business Information” link on the left-hand side of the Business Owners page, then click “Edit” next to any information you want to change or add.

Listing Your Salon on Google

Posted on by Image Studios 360

5 Easy Steps to List Your Salon on Google Places

1. CREATE AN ACCOUNT: If you don’t have a Google account or Gmail account then go here to sign up: https://www.google.com/accounts/newaccount. If you do have a Google account then skip this step.

2. CREATE A GOOGLE PLACES REQUEST: Once you have created a Gmail account for your business, go to http://www.google.com/places, and click on “Add new business”. You will be directed to another page and asked for the phone number of your business. This is only to check if Google Maps has already some information about your company. You will be able to edit any existing information found.

3. ENTER THE INFORMATION OF YOUR COMPANY: You will be directed to another page to enter information of your business such as address, phone number, email address, description, category, hours of operation, payment options, photos, videos, and additional details. Click on “Submit”.

4. VERIFICATION: PIN Verification is required. You can either receive the PIN via phone or mail. It’s easier to do it over the phone, because it takes less than five minutes. Via mail, it takes one to three weeks. Please note that you should be ready to answer the phone. They will call you to the number that you provided.

5. LIST YOUR BUSINESS: Now you just need to enter the PIN and your listing will appear on Google Places.

Google Places will allow you to add information about promotions, coupons, photos, videos, and more. Encourage your clients to leave reviews and post their own photos of your salon when they are there. It would also be beneficial to have them upload photos of their hair (you take the pic with their phone) and they can upload them from their phone to your business listing.

The Devil is in the Details…

Posted on by Image Studios 360

By Peggy Aagard, Hair Stylist Extraordinaire at Studio 101 Image Studios SLC.

In a market where hairdressers are a dime a dozen, (and let’s be honest they are pretty good too) why is it that we have stuttered collectively as an industry here in the Salt Lake area, and for the most part, not charging what we are worth?

There are some really simple things that we can do as individuals to create and increase our value as stylists and professionals collectively in our market.

There is a small percentage of stylists that are living the life that we all want. And you know what life that is; working less, full books, more vacations, financial freedom, and perfectly behaved children. The perfectly behaved children part is an entirely different blog, but I can share with you some tips and ideas to help you think about the overall guest experience, and how everything we do impacts our value.

Startling fact alert!
85% of the weight our guest puts on their visit with us is about the overall experience and shockingly only about 15% is about the service we perform. Seriously. I know, I had to take a moment after discovering that myself. So what are they evaluating us on? In a word, EVERYTHING. Want to charge 100.00 for a haircut? Then you must consider every detail of the following list.

Remember, the devils in the details and our guests are seeing it all.

Peggy’s Pay attention to details (and make what you deserve) list

  • Our appearance
  • Attitude
  • Continuing education
  • Greeting upon entrance
  • Conversation topics during service
  • Confidence
  • Smell
  • Cleanliness
  • Clutter
  • Reading materials
  • Beverages offered
  • Music playing
  • Energy and flow of your space
  • Quality of service (15% guys)
  • Did I mention cleanliness?

Our guests are making a lot of these evaluations instantly and often subconsciously within moments of being in our presence . The great news is if you work at Image Studios you are already in control of everything I’ve listed above and can start increasing your value and Working toward that life we all want! If you aren’t already a part of the Image Studios team, there is still great news for you. We still have studios or chairs available at some of our locations!

Seriously. We do, and you should really consider joining the family. We’d love to see you.

The Best Marketer

Posted on by Image Studios 360

I am always hearing a lot about where to spend your marketing time and money in the salon. Well, the best marketing tool you have is already sitting in your chair – your guest.

Word-of-mouth is still the best way to get new clients, and making sure to keep your existing ones is the best way to spend your time, energy, and even money. The service experience must be the most important thing you act on every day.

The average haircut is probably around 45 minutes, so here is what I recommend you do with that time:

Connect.

Any new experience must start with a positive, emotional connection. When we enter any new business, we are doing a split-second assessment of whether it’s a place we’re going to be welcome, comfortable, safe, and happy when we leave.

Making sure to greet every client with a hello or even a smile, even if they are there to see someone else, is essential. Make sure to greet your own client as soon as possible and inform them when you are going to be ready for them.

Make sure to use their name as often as you can – it makes them feel good and makes it easier for you remember it later.

Consult.

The consultation is where you’re going to lay down the plan for the service. It’s the key to success.

First, speaking to them face-to-face, and not through the mirror, is important.

Ask open-ended questions about hair history, maintenance, and desired result.

USE PICTURES! Research shows that the most effective advertising contains pictures of people. PEOPLE magazine is the most successful magazine ever launched because it’s called PEOPLE and it contains pictures of people and stories of people inside. Save yourself a lot of time and heartache by using GOOGLE to find a picture that best represents the desired end result.

Create.

Everyone’s favorite part of his or her hair experience is the shampoo. Make sure it’s a good one. If you charge $50 for a haircut, make sure it’s a $50 shampoo experience.

Learn to read body language. Does she want to talk? Does she want to read her magazine? The worst thing you can do is have a conversation with everyone around you except her.

As you are finishing the hair, teach her how to do it at home. Explain how the products work. I will even hand the product to the client and teach them how to do at least one section of their hair on their own.

Commit.

This is where we really make sure they come back to us.

At the end of the service, thank them, hug them, shake their hand, whatever feels natural to you.

Recommend the products necessary to recreate the look at home. With the right products, they will love their hair even more and remember you the next time they need an appointment.

Lastly, book them for next time. Close the sale by setting up another appointment. I never ask, I simply say, “Let’s get you booked for your next appointment.” Easy-peasy.

If you’re looking for new clients, let them know you need their help in building your clientele. People want to be part of your success – gives them something to brag about. Make sure they talk about you when they’re gone. Make sure they love you and you won’t need to spend a dime on advertising.

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