3 Ways to Build your Brand from the Inside Out
You're sick of your team running a muck, making you feel like you're a prisoner in your own business. You just get things sorted and under control and then the next thing happens, a baby is due, she’s giving up her trade or off on her big OE … just moments after she qualifies!
This blog is all about how to Build a brand that is stronger than the team you employ! If you would like to - listen to the Podcast here.
As busy salon owners, we often find ourselves so focused on growing the team and keeping them happy that we forget to take the time to build the brand and culture inside our salon.
What we end up with is a team who dictate where and when things get done. And when your team rule the roost, you’re setting yourself up to fail.
We’ve all been there…
- Staff who turn up late - or worse still, not at all!
- Throwing tantrums at work and bringing their personal life into the salon
- Staff who leave as soon as you’ve trained them, taking your clients with them!
It’s a catch-22 situation - you want to work with and build your team, but you're scared if you invest too much in them, they will build up clients and leave you high and dry.
But if you don’t take the time to build them up, they’ll quickly get bored, not earn enough and leave anyway!
What’s the solution?
Whilst the goal is to build the the dream team for your salon, it’s important to remember that your team will come and go over time.
Building a culture and a brand experience that is stronger that any one individual inside your salon is the only long term solution. A culture that encompass’s your team and each individual, but maintains a strong emphasis on your business brand.
Remember, it’s your job as the salon owner to build the brand and the business - you can’t rely on your employees to do this for you. You need to create a culture that is stronger than the individuals in your team, and a brand that stands separate to the people inside it. Sure, the people make the brand and help bring it to life, but remember they don’t define it.
3 Ways to Build your Brand from the Inside Out
It’s all very well talking about building a strong brand for your salon and company culture, but how do you put this into practice?
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Consistent Client Experience
The biggest brands in the world create and run consistent system in their businesses. They build trust in the mind of the clients because your business becomes reliable. From the moment they first experience your brand and your salon, their experience needs to be second to none.
By building in specific touch-points and training your staff to maintain consistency of service, it’s less likely to matter who looks after the client, because they are guaranteed the same great experience time and time again regardless of who tends to them.
Start by thinking about your customer's journey from the moment they enter the salon. From answering the phone, to taking their coat and offering a coffee and biccie. Map out exactly how each client can expect to be treated, so that your staff can easily deliver, consistently.
Regular training of your staff on how to deliver those systems are key. If you make sure they use the same language when talking about your services and have a great system in place to work with clients, when the inevitable happens and staff leave or call in sick, their clients will still get the same great service delivery when another stylist or therapist takes over.
When your customer experience systems are in place and ready to go, then you can employ amazing people to run them for you!
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Visibility
You can’t sell a secret!
If you want to build your brand, you need to be visible and get yourself "out there" and social media is the right platform to deliver this for you. This is where your brand can really shine. Give them sneak peaks inside your salon on social media, introduce your team and let them get a bit personal so that your potential customers know that you’re a good fit before they make that booking.
People buy from people. Start telling stories and sharing and profiling your team to build that all important know-like-trust factor. Use social media and storytelling to get your salon really known for a specialism or flagship service. You can work with your team to develop this further and really make it work for your salon. It's not just about building up an individual, it's building and strengthening your brand.
If your brand is strong and you’re visible online then if one of your staff members drop off, your followers will hardly notice, giving you time to work closely to maintain relationships with any clients who are directly affected.
If you want more info and support around getting visible - then join me on our signature course Turn Likes Into Bookings where we delve deep into getting your salon visible.
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Keep in touch
Your brand should communicate with your clients more regularly than simply when they visit the stylist in your salon.
Take charge of bookings and maintain contact through an e-newsletter so that your brand stays top of their mind. You can let them know about new offers and services through social media and even run ads to your current followers and client list to remind them you're there when they need you.
Introduce a loyalty or membership program for current clients, encouraging them to stay even if their regular stylist decides to move on.
And remember, whilst it’s vital you build a brand stronger than each staff member, you want to also create an all-encompassing culture - encouraging each individual to feel part of the team and the brand as a whole.
If you create a culture that embraces a stylist's personal brand which works alongside and complements your salon brand, instead of being against it - then both you are your staff stand to gain.
Whatever you do, one thing is for sure - it’s up to you to get out from behind the chair and take the time to actually build your business. In the long run, it will be well worth the effort.
Need some help? Come join The Salon Owners Collective Mastermind Coaching … enrolling now - I help you do exactly this, get out from behind the chair and grow your business.
Recommended Books
The E-Myth by Michael Gerber
One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams by Ken Blanchard
PS: Need to learn more about how to conquer your Salon Social Media Marketing? Join me on the Turn Likes into Bookings Salon Social Media course. Enrolling Now!
About the author, Larissa
Business Coach & Marketing Strategist: After 20 years of salon business I worked in online marketing & technology development, Business Development Manager at Timely Salon Software and co-founded HAIRshare app for Stylist.
I love helping stylists & salons with marketing strategies, the latest technology and working smarter, not harder in salon business.
Salon Owners Collective is an online community with the mission of inspiring and empowering Salon Owners from around the globe to grow beyond owner operator. Turn your ideas into a reality, build successful businesses and live with clarity and purpose.