Salon Owners Collective

The System Mistake Keeping Salon Owners Trapped

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 01:26:06 +0000

Most salon owners believe they’re stuck because they don’t have enough systems.

But what if the real problem is that you’re trying to build them the wrong way?

Because here’s what usually happens…

You finally decide it’s time to “get organised.”

So you block out time.

You start writing procedures.

Maybe you even write a whole salon manual.
With pages and pages of processes.
Beautifully formatted.
Nicely organised.

Then you present it to your team like a big reveal.

“Ta-da… here are the systems!”

And then… nothing happens.

The manual sits there.

The team doesn’t follow it.

And you end up more frustrated than before.

Sound familiar?

If you’re nodding along, the problem isn’t your team.

And it isn’t your work ethic.

It’s the order you’re building systems in.

Why Most Salon Systems Fail

Most salon owners approach systems like a school project.

They spend 80% of their time writing the manual

and 20% of their time handing it to the team.

Then they spend the next year wondering why nobody follows it.

But systems don’t work like that.

Your team doesn’t adopt systems because they’re written nicely.

They adopt systems because they’ve used them, tested them, and helped shape them.

Which means the real work isn’t the document.

The real work is the adoption.

And that changes everything.

The 40–40–20 Rule for Building Salon Systems

Instead of building a giant operations manual upfront, the smarter way to build systems is what we call the 40–40–20 method.

This approach removes overwhelm and builds systems your team actually uses.

Step 1: The First 40% — Decide What to Systemise

Before writing anything, you need to decide what actually deserves a system.

Because not everything in your salon needs documentation.

The easiest way to identify what should become a system is by spotting what we call “fireballs.”

Fireballs are problems that get thrown at you constantly:

Team members asking the same question
Clients raising the same issue
Your accountant chasing the same information
Staff needing help with the same task

Every time someone throws a fireball at you, it becomes your problem.

And suddenly your day is spent juggling everyone else’s priorities.

Here’s the rule:

If the same problem hits you three times, it needs a system.

Not someday.

Now.

Because if it happened three times, it’s coming a fourth… a seventh… and a twenty-ninth time.

This is called the 1% system approach.

Instead of disappearing for a month to write procedures, you build systems as problems appear.

One bite at a time.

Step 2: The Second 40% — Test It in Real Life

Once you’ve drafted the system, you don’t lock it into a manual yet.

You test it.

This stage is what we call the messy middle.

You put the system into action with your team and start answering questions like:

Does this actually work?
Does the documentation match reality?
Are there steps missing?
Is it easy for the team to follow?

This phase can take one to six weeks, because adoption takes time.

You’ll need to:

Train your team
Answer questions
Adjust the process
Hold people accountable
Reinforce it repeatedly

One announcement in a team meeting isn’t enough.

Systems only become real when they become normal behaviour.

Step 3: The Final 20% — Lock It Into Your Playbook

Only once the system is working in real life do you document the final version.

This is when it goes into your Salon Playbook.

At this stage:

The steps are clear
The team already understands it
The system has been stress-tested

Now the documentation becomes useful because it reflects what actually works.

Instead of a theory… it becomes a playbook.

p.s. we offer this inside our exclusive My Salon CEO app… apply for Salon Mastery to get access.

Why Paper Manuals Don’t Work Anymore

Let’s be honest.

A printed manual in a plastic sleeve is not going to cut it anymore.

Your team lives on their phones.

They don’t want to read a 12-page document about opening procedures.

They want fast answers.

And in 2026, systems need to live somewhere dynamic – somewhere your team can interact with them.

Because when your team can easily access the system, they stop coming to you for every answer.

And that’s when your salon starts to scale.

How AI Is Changing Salon Systems

This is where modern systems get really powerful.

Instead of your team digging through documents, imagine they could simply ask a question.

“Hey… how do I handle this situation with a client?”

“What’s the process for rebooking?”

“How do we handle stock ordering?”

And instead of asking you…

They ask your system.

Inside many modern salon playbooks, AI tools are now being used as a conversation layer for systems.

Your team can talk to the system and get instant guidance on:

What to do
Why it matters
How to do it properly

Which means the knowledge is no longer trapped inside your head.

It lives inside the business.

The Real Reason Systems Create Freedom

Many salon owners think systems are about organisation.

But that’s not the real power.

Systems create freedom.

Because you cannot scale a business if you are the system.

If every question comes to you…

If every decision relies on you…

If every process lives in your brain…

Then your business can only grow as fast as your energy allows.

But when systems exist outside of you:

Your team becomes more confident
Decisions happen faster
Problems get solved without you
Your salon runs smoothly even when you’re not there

And that’s when you finally step into the CEO role.

Exactly where ambitious salon leaders want to be – building profitable, scalable businesses instead of putting out daily fires.

Your Next Step as a Salon CEO

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by systems right now, here’s the good news.

You don’t need to disappear for a month to write a manual.

You just need to start with one fireball.

Ask yourself:

What’s the one problem my team asks me about every single week?

That’s your first system.

Draft it.

Test it.

Improve it.

Lock it in.

Then repeat.

Because the salons that reach $1M and beyond allow the CEO to lead, not constantly react.

And that’s the shift that sets you free…

Want us to build yours for you? Click here to apply for Salon Mastery now 🚀

The post The System Mistake Keeping Salon Owners Trapped appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Create Systems in Your Salon Business To Increase Profit and CEO Freedom

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 22:55:00 +0000

You didn’t open your salon to become the person everyone depends on.

But somehow… that’s exactly what happened.

Your team asks you everything.

Clients expect you to fix everything.

And every day feels like a stream of little decisions flying at you.

“Can I take Saturday off?”
“How do we do this service?”
“Where’s the consultation form?”
“Is it okay if I…?”

It might seem small.

But when the same questions hit you over and over again, they slowly turn your business into something heavy.

Something that depends on you far more than it should.

And if you’re honest…

That’s not the freedom you imagined when you started your salon.

For ambitious salon owners, this is often the moment things start to feel overwhelming instead of exciting.

But the good news?

The solution isn’t working harder.

It’s building systems.

Why Most Salon Owners Feel Stuck

Most salon owners want structure.

They know systems would help.

So they sit down one day and decide:

“I need to create a procedures manual.”

Suddenly they’re writing document after document.

Policies.

Processes.

Training steps.

Before they know it…

They’ve created a 400-page manual.

It feels productive.

But here’s the problem.

The team doesn’t read it.

It ends up sitting in a folder.

Or a drawer.

Or buried in a Google Drive nobody opens.

Great intention.

Zero impact.

That’s the trap most owners fall into.

The Real Problem Isn’t Your Salon Team

When team members keep asking questions, it’s easy to think:

“They should already know this.”

But usually the issue isn’t capability.

It’s clarity.

Without a clear system, everyone ends up doing things differently.

One stylist consults one way.

Another does it differently.

Another has their own version entirely.

Now every client receives a slightly different experience.

And when that happens…

You don’t really have a brand.

You just have a group of individuals working under the same roof.

Consistency is what creates a brand.

And consistency only happens when the systems behind the scenes are clear.

The Power of Creating a One Source of Truth for Your Salon

One of the most powerful shifts a salon owner can make is creating what we call a “one source of truth.”

A single place where your systems live.

Where your team can go to find answers.

Instead of asking you every time.

Think about how many decisions you make repeatedly:

Time-off requests
Consultation processes
Client service standards
Team expectations

Without systems, you end up answering the same question again and again.

But with systems?

You decide once.

And roll it out.

This doesn’t just help your team.

It helps you become a more consistent leader.

Because instead of reacting emotionally in the moment, the system holds the standard.

The “Three Fireballs” Rule for your Salon

Not everything needs a system.

Trying to document everything is how you end up with that 400-page manual again.

A much better rule of thumb is simple:

If the same problem appears three times… it needs a system.

Maybe three team members ask the same question.

Maybe a client issue keeps repeating.

Maybe the same mistake happens again.

That’s your signal.

Create a system.

Solve it once.

Prevent it forever.

Why Salon Systems Create Freedom

When salon owners hear the word “systems,” they sometimes imagine restriction.

Structure.

Rules.

But the reality is the opposite.

Systems create freedom.

Because without them, your business becomes what many owners secretly feel is a ball and chain…

Every decision depends on you.
Every problem lands on your desk.
Every question interrupts your day.

But when systems exist, something powerful happens.

Your team knows what to do.

Your standards become clear.

And the business can operate even when you’re not there.

That’s the foundation of CEO freedom.

Don’t Systemise Everything at Once

One mistake we see often is salon owners trying to create every system in one go.

They block off a weekend and try to write everything down.

That’s overwhelming.

And unnecessary.

Instead, start small.

Use what we call the 1% rule.

Every time a recurring issue pops up…

Create a system for that one thing.

Over time, your business becomes calmer.

Less reactive.

More structured.

And far less dependent on you.

A Salon System Is Only Powerful If It’s Alive

Even when salon owners create systems, another challenge appears.

They stop using them.

Maybe they live in a folder.

Maybe they’re in a Google Drive.

Maybe they were shared once… and forgotten.

A system that nobody looks at is just documentation.

A system that the team uses daily becomes part of the culture.

That’s the difference.

For systems to truly work, they must be:

Accessible
Visible
Used regularly

When your team can instantly access the process, follow it, and be held accountable to it, the system becomes alive.

And that’s when it starts transforming the business.

The Truth About Goals vs Systems

Many salon owners set big goals.

More revenue.
More profit.
A bigger team.

But goals alone don’t create growth.

As James Clear says:

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

High performance doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens when the systems behind the business make success repeatable.

That’s what allows salons to scale.

To increase profit.

To build teams that perform.

And ultimately…

To give the CEO the freedom she started the business for.

Your First Step Toward Salon CEO Freedom

If this conversation feels familiar, you’re not alone.

Many salon owners reach a point where working harder stops working.

The next stage of growth requires something different –

Structure.

Clarity.

Systems that allow the business to run without constant input from you.

Because building a salon that scales isn’t about doing more.

It’s about designing a business that performs consistently.

That’s how salon owners move from being the busiest stylist in the room…

To becoming the CEO of a powerful, profitable business.

And that’s where real freedom begins.💛

If you’re reading this thinking, “that’s exactly what I’m looking for” – you’re in the right place.

That’s exactly what we do inside Salon Mastery.

We’ve helped over 647+ Salon CEOs worldwide go from overwhelm to freedom with our $1M salon growth plan.

👉 Click here to apply for Salon Mastery now.

You don’t need another year of winging it.
You need a salon system that can get you to $1M without working more hours. 👑✨

The post How to Create Systems in Your Salon Business To Increase Profit and CEO Freedom appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The 7 Queen Moves Every Salon Owner Must Make Before 2026 (If You Want to Still Be Standing in 2030)

Larissa Macleman — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:51:20 +0000

If your salon only works when you are there… we need to talk.

Let me guess.
You’re booked solid.
Your team is busy.
Revenue looks “fine”…
But you’re tired, a little resentful, and quietly wondering, “Is this really it?”

If you’re nodding your head as you read this, you’re not broken. You’re just running a business that hasn’t been designed for the future yet.

Stay with me. Because 2026 isn’t just another year. It’s a line in the sand.

I’ve been in this industry a long time. I opened my first salon in 1992 (yes, shoulder pads were involved). I’ve employed over 110 people. I’ve been the busiest stylist, the least paid, the most exhausted, and the one holding the whole thing together with grit and caffeine. God, I know those days well.

What I can tell you with absolute certainty is this:
The next five years will reward salon owners who prepare, not react.

The gap is widening.
Between the salons that lead… and the salons that survive.

There are 7 strategic Queen Moves that will future-proof your salon, your profit, and your sanity. We’re going to talk demand, pricing, clients, teams, systems, and yes… getting you out from behind the chair without burning the place down.

Let’s get into it.

Queen Move #1: Become the Salon Everyone Wants (Not the One Begging for Attention)

There are two types of salons heading into 2026:
The ones chasing clients… and the ones clients chase.

Your job now is to become the flower, not the bee.

Too many salons are invisible because they try to be everything to everyone. And when you stand for everything, you’re memorable to no one. Harsh? Maybe. True? Absolutely.

This starts with ruthless clarity:

Who are you as a brand?
What are you known for?
Who is your ideal client, really?
And does what you offer actually matter to her?

Inside Salon Mastery, one of the first things we do is define your hero service and signature message. Because when a woman has had a “meh” experience down the road (we’ve all been drowned at the basin once), she needs a reason to choose you.

Not cheaper.
Not faster.
Clearer.

Demand is built when your message is chewable, notable, and unmistakably yours.

Queen Move #2: Stop Sitting in the Middle (It’s Where Profit Goes to Die)

Here’s what we’re seeing loud and clear as we move toward 2030.

There will be two winning ends of the market:

Cheap, fast, functional
Or premium, experiential, five-star

The middle?
Crowded. Noisy. Messy. And getting squeezed hard.

As a small business, you cannot win the race to the bottom. Big chains will always do cheaper and faster than you. Your opportunity is at the top of the market.

Five-star clients don’t want discounts.
They want to be looked after.
They want an experience that gives them a break from their busy lives.

And here’s the kicker: your salon experience is often in the top five experiences of their year. Being cared for, led, and seen is powerful. Don’t underestimate that.

Less volume.
Higher standards.
More profit.

That’s the move.

Queen Move #3: Design a Signature Client Journey (Not Random Great Days)

If your client experience depends on which staff member they get, you don’t have a brand – you have a lucky dip.

Let me take you back for a second.

Years ago, we ran a high-risk adventure experience overseas. Medieval castles. Abseiling. Safety-critical systems. Every word, every step, every ritual was scripted. Why? Because when the system was tight, the human could shine.

Salons are no different.

You need:

One or two hallmark rituals
A repeatable client journey
80% system, 20% personal magic

When Kerry leaves and Jemima takes over, 80% of the experience should feel the same. That’s brand trust. That’s what scales.

Consistency builds confidence.
Confidence builds loyalty.
Loyalty builds revenue.

Queen Move #4: Build a 12-Month Future (Clients Leave When They Run Out of One)

Most consultations start with:
“What are we doing today?”

That question is quietly killing your retention.

Try this instead:
“Where do you want to be in 12 months?”

Now you’re not selling a haircut. You’re selling a transformation.

When a client can see herself a year from now – and you’re standing there with her in that future – you’ve just future-proofed that relationship.

This is where:

12-month plans
Maintenance programs
Packages and memberships

come into play.

And just to be clear:
A membership is a payment method, not the experience.

The experience is the plan.
The future.
The promise.

Predictable revenue doesn’t come from hope. It comes from design.

Queen Move #5: Lean and Luxe Beats Big and Messy (Every Time)

Let’s talk about teams.

The average stylist revenue in 2025?
$2,500 a week.

I nearly fell off my chair when I saw that. I was doing more than that in the early 90s. Performance has stalled, and adding more people is not the answer.

Big teams don’t equal big profit.
High-performing teams do.

The future is lean and luxe:

Smaller teams
Higher output
Better pay
Stronger margins

Our mission? Helping salon owners pay their team $100k+ a year. And yes, it’s possible. But only if you raise the standard, coach behaviours, track performance, and stop tolerating low performance culture.

Build one $7k stylist.
Then another.
The bar rises fast when someone shows it’s possible.

Queen Move #6: Step Out of the Chair (Or Admit You Want a Job, Not a Business)

This one stings a little.

If you’re still serving clients full-time, who is growing the business?

I once spoke to an owner with 15 staff and two kids who had one hour a week to work on the business.

One hour.

That’s not leadership time – that’s survival time.

You can love your clients or build a scalable business. Doing both indefinitely is a fantasy.

And if you are going to be on the floor?
You’d better be charging $850 an hour – because that’s the opportunity cost of not leading.

You are the bottleneck until you decide not to be.

Queen Move #7: Build a Team-Led Business (Not an Owner-Led One)

Clear roles create systems.
Systems create ownership.
Ownership creates leadership.

This is how you move from “everything comes to me” to “my team runs this”.

You don’t need a 100-page manual gathering dust in a drawer.

Please don’t do that. Instead:

Document the first 10 things you already do
Train them live
Reinforce what great looks like
Then write it down with your team

When systems live in people, not folders, culture sticks.

Let the systems run the salon.
Let the team run the systems.
You focus on growth.

Final Thoughts (And a Loving Nudge)

These 7 Queen Moves aren’t ideas.
They’re decisions.

2026 will reward salon owners who choose to lead, raise the bar, and step into real CEO thinking. Not later. Now.

If you’re reading this thinking, “I know I’m capable of more” – you’re right.

And if you want support implementing these moves, building high-performing teams, creating predictable profit, and finally stepping into your CEO role, that’s exactly what we do inside Salon Mastery.

If you’re ready, let’s see if we’re the right fit.

👉 Click here to book your strategy call.

You don’t need another year of winging it.
You need a plan. And a Queen-sized one. 👑✨

The post The 7 Queen Moves Every Salon Owner Must Make Before 2026 (If You Want to Still Be Standing in 2030) appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Sophie Built Two $1M Salons. Here’s How.

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 23:29:56 +0000

Sophie Built Two $1M Salons – How to Let Go Without Losing Control.

If you’ve ever tried to let go in your business, you’ll know it’s one of the hardest things to do.

You start with the dream: building a team so you can finally step back, work less behind the chair, and have a business that runs without you.

But then… reality is messy.

You hire a manager or think about hiring one and suddenly, you’re stuck between “I don’t want to micromanage” and “I can’t trust them to do it right.”

Sound familiar?

If you’ve ever found yourself saying things like:

“No one does it like I do.”
“I’ve tried giving people responsibility, but it always falls back on me.”
“I want a manager, but I’m not sure what that even looks like…

You’re not alone.

This is exactly where Sophie started and now she runs two $1Million salons and coaches other owners inside Salon Mastery on how to build teams and leadership that actually work.

But it didn’t happen overnight.

From Garage Salon to Two $1M Businesses

When Sophie joined Salon Mastery, she had just moved out of her small garage salon, doing everything herself, just like most owners start out.

She was talented, busy, and ready to grow… but she was also the bottleneck.

Like many owners, Sophie’s first instinct was to hire help and spread the load.

So she did, but instead of delegating leadership, she delegated tasks.

“I gave everyone little jobs, but I didn’t give anyone full control. I didn’t trust that anyone could do it the way I would.”

The result?

Everyone had “bits” of responsibility: ordering stock, managing the calendar, running team huddles… but no one owned the outcome.

Everything still circled back to Sophie.

The Turning Point: Systems, Standards, and Trust

It wasn’t until Sophie realised that her systems were the key to freedom that things started to shift.

She began documenting everything, how to close the salon, how to rebook clients, how to run huddles, how to handle stock.

She built a structure and trained her team to follow it.

And that’s when the culture started to change.

“Everyone in the team knew how I liked things done. New people would say, ‘This is how Sophie does it.’ I didn’t need to be there for it to run right.”

Her systems created consistency, and consistency built confidence.

She no longer had to supervise every detail, because the way things are done here became part of the culture.

Evolving Leadership: From Many Hands to One Leader

With strong systems in place, Sophie started developing leaders within her team.

She gave ownership to specific people:

Front of House: Managed stock, rosters, and leave.
Team Lead: Handled marketing, new treatments, pricing, and training.
Team Member 1: Took charge of huddles, targets, and one-on-ones.
Team Member 2: Took over data, wages, and team KPI reports.

But she still found herself in a leadership grey zone.

No one was the leader – just several “mini managers.”

That’s when Sophie realised what was missing: a Second Sophie.

Someone she could fully trust to lead, make decisions, and drive the business, so she could focus on growth.

Today, that structure has allowed her not just to grow one, but two $1Million salons, both running with strong culture, clear systems, and empowered leadership.

And now, as a coach inside Salon Mastery, Sophie helps other salon owners do exactly the same.

The Lessons Sophie Learned (So You Don’t Have To)

1. Delegation Isn’t Leadership

Handing out tasks doesn’t make you a leader.
Leadership is about handing over ownership, trusting someone to make decisions and drive outcomes.

2. Systems First, Freedom Later

If it’s not documented, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Your systems are what protect your standards when you’re not there.

3. Culture Is the Real Boss

When your team knows what “right” looks like, they’ll self-correct.
That’s when you’ve built a culture, not just a crew.

4. Clarity Creates Confidence

If five people are “kind of managing” something, no one’s leading.
Give one person clear authority and hold them accountable for the result.

5. Your Leadership Structure Has to Evolve

What worked when you were a $300k salon won’t work at $800k and definitely not at $1M.
Your business will only grow to the level your leadership structure can handle.

Final Thought: You Don’t Need to Clone Yourself. You Need to Multiply Yourself

Building a $1M salon isn’t about finding a magical manager who can do everything you do.

It’s about building the structure that allows someone else to step up and lead with confidence backed by systems, culture, and clarity.

That’s how Sophie built two thriving, high-performing salons.

And it’s how she now helps other salon owners finally step out of the chaos and into true CEO freedom.

Want to Build Your Own Second-in-Command?

If you’re ready to stop being the bottleneck in your business and start growing a team that runs with you, not just for you…

👉 Click here to Book a Salon Mastery Strategy Call

We’ll help you create your leadership structure, strengthen your systems, and set your salon up to scale to $1M without burning out.

The post Sophie Built Two $1M Salons. Here’s How. appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Why More Staff ≠ More Profit… And What Works Instead

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 05:46:35 +0000

Why More Staff Won’t Fix Your Salon’s Profit Problem

Salon Owners- have you ever thought, “If I just had more staff, everything would finally fall into place”?

I used to believe that too. Back when I had my own salon, I was convinced a bigger team was the golden ticket to more profit, more freedom, and less stress. Spoiler alert: I was wrong. More staff often just means more headaches – higher wages, more drama, more churn, and still not enough profit in your pocket.

And I know you’re feeling it right now. Finding great staff feels like searching for hen’s teeth. You’re short-staffed, struggling to hire, or managing a team that’s coasting instead of crushing it. Add to that the pressure of keeping wages fair (while keeping the lights on)… it’s no wonder so many salon owners are exhausted.

But here’s the thing: the salons that thrive in the next five years won’t be the ones with the biggest teams. They’ll be the ones with the savviest ones.

In this blog, I’m taking you through the Then, Now & Next of building salon teams. You’ll see what worked in the past (and why it’s breaking down), what’s happening right now, and what the smartest salon owners are doing to grow superstar teams that actually stick around, perform, and help you grow – without burning you out.

Then: When Bigger Meant Better

Let me take you back for a moment. Back in the day, building a salon team was all about numbers. The more staff you had, the more successful you looked.

A big team sounded impressive… but you could end up constantly putting out fires, managing churn, and dealing with the revolving door of recruitment.

Training back then? Well, it was basically “watch and learn.” That’s how I learned, peering through the mirror at another stylist and copying what I saw. And while that worked in the past, it doesn’t cut it anymore.

Big teams looked flashy, but for most owners it meant stress, inconsistency, and zero real profit.

Now: The Harsh Reality of Today

Fast forward to today and things have shifted – and not in our favour. Finding and keeping great people is harder than ever. The apprentice pipeline is drying up, and Gen Z? They’re not interested in “just a job.” They want purpose, growth, and flexibility.

And let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: wages. We’re losing people to other industries – mining, corporate admin jobs, even secretarial work – because they simply pay more. Imagine that: competing with secretary wages. It’s not right, and if we don’t create real career pathways, we’ll keep bleeding talent.

Sure, training opportunities have exploded. Micro-credentials, online learning, even VR – the tools are there. But the problem is, most salons are doing “random acts of training.” A mannequin here, a rep session there… without a clear pathway that keeps your team inspired, progressing, and performing.

That’s why so many salons are stuck with a dangerous gap: seniors who flatline at $6K a week and juniors who can’t get past $2K before giving up. And guess who ends up stuck in the middle, holding it all together? Yep, you – the owner.

Next: Lean, Luxe, and Future-Proof

So where do we go from here?

The future of salon success isn’t about bigger teams. It’s about better teams. Lean, highly skilled, and laser-focused. Every role has purpose, every team member knows exactly how their performance connects to results, and every career pathway is mapped out step by step.

I call this the Lean & Luxe Model:

Lean → a sharper, more efficient team, with clear systems and no wasted time or talent.
Luxe → delivering a premium experience for every client, at every stage.

This isn’t about discounting or “doing more with less.” It’s about doing smarter with less. Imagine being known in your city as the salon where staff earn $100K, where clients receive five-star experiences, and where every team member sees a future worth staying for. That’s what makes you the employer of choice.

And yes, it means flipping the old model on its head. Stop giving brand-new clients to your newest team members (no wonder two-thirds don’t come back!). Put your best people in charge of first impressions. Create visible, aspirational steps for your juniors to climb. And curate your client experience so nothing is left to chance.

Build and Buy: Your Dual Strategy

Here’s the practical side. As a salon CEO, you need to think in two lanes:

Build → Create your own pipeline. Invest in apprenticeships, earn-and-learn programs, and career ladders that unlock pay rises and responsibilities as your juniors progress. Don’t wait for great people to walk in – grow them.
Buy → Attract experienced talent by positioning your salon as the place to be. Showcase culture, training, flexibility, and clear growth pathways in your ads. High performers don’t want just a chair – they want a future.

When your team can actually see where they’re going, they stay longer, perform better, and lift your business higher.

From Surviving to Thriving

So here’s the bottom line:

➡️ Then we chased numbers and grew by adding more staff.
➡️ Now we’re struggling to hire and keep them.
➡️ Next we’ll win with fewer, better-trained, better-paid people who deliver Luxe experiences through Lean systems.

Your role as CEO is to design that pathway. Inspire your team, flip the old rules on their head, and build a business that grows without you grinding behind the chair.

And if reading this has you nodding your head, thinking, “Yes – this is what I need, but I don’t know where to start”… then let’s chat.

👉 Click the button below to book your (free) strategy call, and let’s see if Salon Mastery is the right fit to help you step into your CEO role and build your million-dollar salon.

The post Why More Staff ≠ More Profit… And What Works Instead appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

When Your Salon’s Top Performer Becomes the Problem

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:57:27 +0000

When Your Top Performer Becomes the Problem

You know the one… she smashes her targets, has the highest rebooking rate, brings in the biggest commissions, and now suddenly, she’s rolling her eyes in team meetings, ignoring the group chat, and kind of just… doing her own thing.

And while the rest of your team are quietly stewing, you’re stuck in the middle- afraid to say anything because if she leaves, you’re out $6K a week.

Sound familiar?

I’ve seen this time and time again, not just in my own Salon (yep, been there!) but with so many Salon Owners inside Salon Mastery. One day your rockstar stylist is your biggest asset, and the next? They’re unintentionally holding your entire culture hostage.

So what do you do when your best team member becomes the biggest problem? That’s exactly what we’re unpacking in this blog.

The Silent Power Struggle No One Talks About

Let me take you back to a conversation I had recently with a Salon Owner, let’s call her Harper. She was feeling totally stuck. Her stylist Emma, was a weapon behind the chair, the highest earner in the salon, adored by clients… but also completely running her own race.

Emma had stopped contributing in meetings, made snarky side comments, and her energy was dragging the rest of the team down. The tension was rising and Harper was avoiding the convo. Why? Because she was terrified Emma would leave.

If one person is holding your salon hostage, you don’t have a healthy business… you have a dependency.

And I don’t want that for you.

How to Lead Without Losing Them

Here’s where most owners go wrong: they either come down hard (and lose the team member), or bury their head in the sand and say nothing (and lose the whole team vibe).

Truth is? Most high performers don’t want to dominate- they just feel unrecognised, unseen, and disconnected. They’re carrying a big load and no one’s noticing. So that’s why they can start leading… without permission.

Instead of fighting the power, redirect it.
Give them a meaningful project: mentor a junior, lead a quarterly workshop, run a campaign under your brand umbrella.
Don’t pedestal them- just purpose them.

Use the Hamburger Method (No Pickles Required)

When it’s time to have a tricky convo, don’t shrink. Use the Hamburger Method.

🍔 Top Bun – Praise & Respect
Start with something real and positive they’ve done. Be specific. 🍖 The Meat – Honest Feedback
Drop the truth without emotion. Keep it kind, clear, and concise. 🍔 Bottom Bun – Belief & Growth
Finish with belief in their potential and a vision for where they can go next.

This method disarms defensiveness and invites growth. It’s not soft- it’s smart.

Culture Isn’t Built in Conflict… It’s Built in Consistency

Let’s be real. Culture doesn’t break overnight- it breaks in silence. And your team will always notice what you allow, what you reward, and what you redirect.

If someone is dominating the vibe and taking it sideways, it’s up to you to reset the tone.

We use tools like “Birds of a Different Feather” inside Salon Mastery to help teams get back on track. Because when your team is aligned, your leadership becomes light. And when you lead with consistency, your salon becomes unstoppable.

Ready to Stop Shrinking and Start Leading?

So if you’re hiding under the metaphorical blankets hoping things will fix themselves- this is your wake-up call.

Power struggles don’t need to be dramatic. They need direction.

Give your high performers purpose, redirect their power, and lead your culture back with intention and clarity.

Let’s chat and see if we’re a good fit. I help Salon Owners just like you step into confident CEO leadership and grow a salon with $1 million in revenue- without the burnout or drama.

Click here to chat book your free Strategy Call!

The post When Your Salon’s Top Performer Becomes the Problem appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Ditch Burnout & Build a Business That Runs Itself

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 22:32:39 +0000

“Preparing for the future isn’t just an option… it’s essential!”

Have you ever felt like selling your salon just to escape the stress? If so, you’re not alone. Running a salon can feel like an endless cycle of firefighting, decision fatigue, and exhaustion.

I remember when I was deep in the trenches, constantly putting out fires-last-minute cancellations, team dramas, stock issues-you name it, I dealt with it. It was exhausting. And at the end of the day, I was too drained to focus on actually growing my business.

The truth is, burnout happens when you’re working hard without direction. But there is a way to break free. In this blog, we’ll dive into why burnout happens, common mistakes Salon Owners make, and, most importantly, how to build a salon that fuels you instead of draining you.

The Salon Owner Burnout Cycle (And How to Break It)

Running a salon without systems is like running on a treadmill that never stops. You’re working hard, but you’re not moving forward. Here’s what that burnout cycle looks like:

The ‘Too Many Cans Open’ Syndrome – Trying to fix everything at once, leading to overwhelm and exhaustion.
The Growth Spiral Without Structure – More clients, more team members, more money-yet somehow, more stress.
Lack of Forward Momentum – Hard work should lead somewhere, but if you’re always putting out fires, you’re just stuck in survival mode.

The 80/20 Rule: The Key to Salon Success

The most successful salons aren’t the ones that work the hardest. They’re the ones that follow this simple rule:

Fully booked days with consistent revenue
Simple, repeatable systems for stock, marketing, and team management
A well-oiled recruitment and career pathway

Innovating services and brand strategy
Experimenting with new marketing trends
Attending business growth programs (Salon Mastery, anyone?)

3 Steps to Keep Your Salon Moving Forward

Step 1: Have a Clear, Structured Game Plan Stop throwing spaghetti at the wall! A structured 60-day action plan will give your salon momentum and stability.

Step 2: Systemise and Delegate Salon Owners shouldn’t do everything themselves. The most successful ones build simple, repeatable systems and train their team to take ownership.

Step 3: Keep 20% of Your Time for Growth & Inspiration The daily grind shouldn’t take over your entire schedule. Set aside time for vision, strategy, and innovation-your salon’s future depends on it.

Burnout isn’t inevitable-it’s a sign that your business needs structure and balance. The right systems, delegation strategies, and creative space will help you build a salon that fuels you instead of draining you.

💡 Need help putting this into action? Let’s chat. I work with Salon Owners every day to help them implement the right strategies to grow their business-without burnout. Click here to chat book a Strategy Call!

Just a quick recap:

Implement structured 60-day action plans to maintain focus and growth.
Develop simple, repeatable systems and train the team to take ownership.
Set aside 20% of your time for creative growth and innovation.

The post Ditch Burnout & Build a Business That Runs Itself appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Fast Track Your Salon Success

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 23:52:47 +0000

“Preparing for the future isn't just an option... it's essential!”

2025 offers an opportunity... a critical juncture where fast-tracking your success becomes not just advisable, but non-negotiable.

The industry has had a bumpy fer years but this year demands decisive action... you NEED to make a Queen move in 2025.

No more 'same shit, different day' because what got you here won't get you 'there'. The gap between Salon's that are THRIVING and those that are just surviving is about to get a whole lot wider.

Here’s why accelerating your growth and how you manage your Salon this year can set the tone for years to come.

This is You Need to Fast Track Your Success!

Get in the Fast Lane

Picture the anticipation before the holiday rush in December...

You meticulously plan, ensuring you and your team are ready. By the time festive season hits, you cruise through it!

That empowered confidence is how you should approach 2025.

Decide to accelerate, to elevate your business, and commit to staying ahead. Imagine the relief and satisfaction of having achieved key milestones by year’s end, feeling in control and ready to welcome 2026 with open arms.

This can only be achieved when you get in the Fast Track!

Leadership in Motion

Let's get clear on something... moving faster doesn’t mean added stress.

It actually reduces stress!

It means taking charge, leading from the front, and inspiring your team to follow your visionary stride.

When your team sees you acting decisively, they respond with respect and loyalty. In contrast, staying int he slow lane can leave you, and your business, behind, especially in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Avoiding the Slow Track Pitfalls

The consequences of stagnation are dire.

Inaction means being overtaken by competitors, technology advancing without you, and potentially losing valuable team members and clients alike.

The bitter truth is that nobody listens to an irrelevant voice.

Fast-tracking success isn't just about business growth... it's about maintaining relevance in an ever-accelerating world.

The key message... act now.

Define your vision, prepare your business to move swiftly, and prioritize actions that align with your goals.

If you’re ready to fast-track your success toward a lucrative and fulfilling future, reach out for a strategy call—a roadmap to guide you through the coming year with profitability and peace of mind.

If you're ready to learn more about how to Fast Track Your Salon Success, listen to the podcast by clicking HERE.

Just a quick recap:

2025 is unlike any other year
The gap between Salon's that are THRIVING and Surviving is about to get wider
You need to get on the Fast Track!

Salon Owners are you ready to become a $1 Million+ Salon WITHOUT working more hours… did I mention you can also reach $1 Million+ by working LESS hours?

I created The Salon Mastery Programme for Salon Owners, like you, to achieve Freedom AND Profits can WITHOUT stress and overwhelm.

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post Fast Track Your Salon Success appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Million Dollar Business Aren’t Always Profitable!

Larissa Macleman — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:49:31 +0000

“We’re bringing in $1M + in revenue but not making any profit!!”

If you’re bringing in $1M or more in revenue yearly but still aren’t profitable, that’s a massive problem! To your team, you look like you’re smashing it… they’re bringing in clients, rebooking, selling products…

But then when it comes to looking at your numbers, you’re in (or very close to) the red!

Because when you’re not making enough profit, you must run a VERY tight ship. One too many sicknesses or cancellations could easily tip you into the red and cause you to operate at a loss! This is not only super stressful but also not how Salon CEOs should run their business.

When you’re making $1 Million in revenue but not making enough profit, you’re actually stopping yourself from paying YOU what you want and deserve.

You Don’t Know Your Numbers

Remember the Titanic… it’s fair to say, back in the day access to reliable steering and mapping technology was maybe more of an excuse than it is today… So being a captain of a ship and not having a map, and a compass is really getting rather close to negligence.. wouldn’t you say?

Without a clear understanding of how money flows through your business, it’s all too easy to end up with a cash-flow crunch, like wondering each payday, if you’ll have enough… or being underfunded for growth.

Many Salon owners overlook installing a thorough financial plan and avoid their numbers altogether because they feel intimidated or think, “I’m just not a math person.”

But growing without this financial insight is truly driving blind.

If you’ve been WINGING it and managed to get this far without understanding your numbers, imagine what’s possible when you do!

At $1M in revenue, a solid profit plan should be generating real profits because money doesn’t just fall into your lap. It needs to be intentionally prioritised. Money needs a plan otherwise it will just call into the cracks and crevices.. and you’ll be left standing wondering where it all went on pay day.

Understanding your numbers needs to become your new focus.

Money Mindset

I hear too many comments like:

“I only take what I need when I need it”
“Money is not important to me”
“I need to pay my team more before I get paid more… They work hard!”
Or you might not believe you need, want, or even deserve to prioritize profit… leading you to spend impulsively or overpay a team that may not actually be delivering!

When you don’t know your numbers, you not only risk over (or under) paying yourself and your team, but you also don’t know when it’s appropriate to give your team a pay rise!

I recently had an Owner who had the wrong numbers in their CEO Dash, neglected to pay attention after delegating the task but it gave her a false sense of reality. Turns out, after we corrected the numbers, she had super high wage costs… 62%!

Her team were smashing their targets and winning, but when we dug deeper we learnt that it was actually her wage that threw everything out of wack! Whilst getting paid a really high wage, she was worried that her business wasn’t profitable and was looking at ways to cut costs.

So, if you feel entitled to every dollar or believe you deserve a big payout without understanding the business profit vs what it can afford to pay its owner… You may find yourself in hot water!

Your mindset around money, whether it be you do or don’t deserve more money, is just as important as understanding the actual numbers. If you notice that your mindset around money is a roadblock to comfortably being profitable and you don’t have confidence around that, then some inner work is essential.

One way to know is if you have a physical reaction to managing or dealing with money. If money feels stressful it’s a good indication that you have some money mindset work to do

I’ve been there myself. Growing up, my single mother was on a teacher’s salary and my dad worked relentless hours in his own business. I was taught that money doesn’t grow on trees and one must work hard and long hours to make ends meet… It didn’t serve me well in the early days.

Over time, I’ve earned money, lost it, spent it, and learned to make it again… without spending it all. I learned to save, invest, and ultimately grow. So I know it’s a journey but one that must be taken!

Your Team Costs Are Too High!

If you’re not seeing profit at $1M+, your team wage costs might be part of the issue. Margins can quickly get out of control if salaries are high without the appropriate ‘on the floor’ performance.

There are 3 reasons your WAGES bill might be out of control:

Your team are not performing, they’re apathetic and not booked even after being there 6 months!
Your wage pay structure & performance pay aren’t optimised for BOTH parties to win
- You need to feel confident that when your team is earning commission your business is in profit..
Your pricing is out of wack and performance pay isn’t optimised for BOTH parties to win
- You might be robbing Jenny to pay Jemima!
- Maybe your balayage services aren’t profitable and they are robbing the profit from your haircuts?
- So no matter how busy your team are, you just can’t make more CASH… as your pricing or your team performance is negatively geared

A good business and financial model has a structure:

Ideally, team costs should be no more than 45%… like between 35-45%.
Without a solid financial model and a high-performing team, 2025 and beyond could bring new financial challenges.

When I realized this in my own business, it took me years to develop a profitable model that worked… where I could be PROFITABLE while feeling great that my team were also in a position that if they wanted to (because not everyone wants to) they could earn lots!

It took me 5 years to upgrade my team, and their performance and I designed the $100k Career Pathway™ fondly known as The DIGAPR method – which gives you the tools to:

Pay your people properly and build them a $100K Career!
Become a $100K Mentor and lead your people to perform whilst also being the leader they need you to be by installing the Talent Development Engine™
Install the $100K Client Program which is a progression plan that aligns with the growth journey of your team.

It’s about developing a high-performing team that can serve high-value clients and ensure your business thrives!

Million Dollar Business Aren’t Always Profitable… but that doesn’t mean you can’t become profitable now!

Even with $1 Million in revenue, it doesn’t mean you have to know how to do everything, it’s ok to be in a place of learning and growing.

You just need to start!

Just a quick recap:

Not all Salons are profitable
There are 3 reasons why you are not profitable
You need to start making a change now!

The post Million Dollar Business Aren’t Always Profitable! appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Enjoy a Stress-Free Holiday as a Salon Owner

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 23:41:18 +0000

“I need a fricken holiday… but I can’t leave my team!”

Holidays are supposed to be a time to relax and rejuvenate… yet for Salon Owners, they bring a whole lot of anxiety and stress.

And that’s before you even think about booking anything!

There’s an overwhelming fear that if you go on holiday, you’ll be returning to chaos: stylists have quit, clients have cancelled and complained… and the water pipes burst!

But that doesn’t happen if you prepare your team for you going on holiday. The main reason everything falls apart when you go on holiday is because you don’t have strong systems and processes in place and you don’t have a supportive culture.

And although it’s not something that will change overnight… you start preparing your team NOW for when you eventually go on holiday!

Preparation is key… which is why I created the MEDAL framework.

Here is: How to Enjoy a Stress-Free Holiday as a Salon Owner!

Meet Your Manager

Kick-off with a meeting.

Actually sit down and talk to your manager about you going on holiday! Define clear expectations and goals for their stewardship. Make a plan on how they’re going to WIN whilst you’re away.

BONUS: Encourage your manager and team to continue winning whilst you’re away by offering them a reward for when you come back (only if they’ve smashed their goals though!).

Explore What Could Go Wrong

Prepare for the worst!

Run through every possible scenario that has previously caused stress and discuss how they can be handled in your absence. This includes operational issues like sickness, late clients, and what to do if the water pipes burst!

Create a doc of emergency contacts of ‘who to call and when’ so they always know what to do.

This means you’ve covered your bases to ensure the team can address hiccups without you.

Decisions they CAN and CAN NOT Make

Outline a framework for making decisions.

It doesn’t matter if you’re going away for the day or six-weeks, your team will need to make decisions. Create a list of everything they can and can’t decide on and work though the problems (and solutions) with them. Let your manager take the lead, you’re just there to support and remind them of what systems you have in place.

Teach them the criteria you use for decision-making to ensure they can make confident choices aligned with your vision.

Remember, you both need to be prepared to live with the decisions they make. Have their back and let them know that you trust them!

Affirm Their Character and Leadership

Celebrate your team’s strengths.

Before you leave, boost their confidence! Let them know you have their back and that you trust they will support each other and continue to WIN.

Let Go!

Now get on that plane and GO!

You’ve done everything you can to prepare your manager and team… they will continue to be amazing.

Have confidence in your team and get ready to enjoy a spicy margarita… you deserve it!

MEDAL is key for going on holiday but they also play a big part in you becoming a Salon CEO. When you step into the Salon CEO role, you may not always be IN the Salon so your team need to be prepared to make decisions and know what to do.

Your Salon will THRIVE if your team can continue ‘business as usual’ without you. It’s time for you to enjoy some freedom!

Just a quick recap:

You need to implement the MEDAL framework
You will learn to trust and have confidence in your team… they’ve got this!
Becoming a Salon CEO means sometimes you won’t always be IN the Salon

Learn more about HOLIDAY EPISODE by listening to the podcast episode here.

You can also download your own copy of the MEDAL Framework by clicking here (I’ll send it to you in Messenger).

Salon Owners are you ready to become a $1 Million+ Salon WITHOUT working more hours… did I mention you can also reach $1 Million+ by working LESS hours?

I created The Salon Mastery Programme for Salon Owners, like you, to achieve Freedom AND Profits can WITHOUT stress and overwhelm.

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post How to Enjoy a Stress-Free Holiday as a Salon Owner appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The Secret to a Million Dollar Mindset

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 21:33:46 +0000

“What the heck am I doing”

I started my Salon at 20, 6 months after my apprenticeship… and I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I was just winging it. I was exhausted and wanted to keep pushing through, even though I wasn’t making any money!

I decided one day that I need to prioritise profit.

Because even though at the time, I already had a team of 20 and was renting out a little office space above the Salon… I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. So when I decided to prioritise profit, I realised I need to put in the work, not feel resentful about the work and learn how to work smarter.

I evaluated my spending habits, set goals for long term savings and cut out impulsive buying (who else is guilty of this?). Having money in the bank needed to become my new focus if I wanted to have a million dollar mindset.

This is The Secret to a Million Dollar Mindset.

Make a Decision

I’ve always said that profit is a choice… and it’s true! If you don’t choose profit, you’ll never make profit.

Profit needs to be the core goal of your business if you want to adopt a million dollar mindset. Trust me, this shift in your mind will be a game changer.

When you align your daily operations (and big rock projects) to the goal of profit, you’ll feel a shift in your Salon. You’ll begin prioritising systems and processes that directly contribute to profit.

Your goal of profit will guide you with what to do next and will motivate you to work smarter!

Money Doesn’t Need to be Traumatic

Money trauma… it’s a real thing!

I want you to reflect for a minute, because there are lots of things that can happen in our lives that contribute to this money trauma. Maybe your parents had really tight budgets growing up, you don’t like to spend money on anything, or on the flip side, you spend EVERYTHING!

All of these experiences whether it be scarcity, avoidance or impulsive spending, recognising these patterns and behaviour will help you break free from these constraints. You can’t have a million dollar mindset if you’re holding onto money trauma.

You need to address these traumas and adopt a positive financial outlook if you want to grow your Salon… a positive relationship with money will help you reach your goal of profit!

Salon CEOs are Data-Driven

You need to Know Your Numbers!

Your numbers will always tell you what to do, which is why you need to look at them… a lot (I promise, numbers aren’t that scary).

Salon CEOs make data-driven decisions. When you look at your numbers, you get a clear picture of your Salon’s performance and what you’re missing. When you track and measure everything, you will feel confident in making key business decisions.

Money has a Purpose

Money isn’t just so you can pay your bills and buy nice things… it has a real purpose.

You need to give money a clear purpose to change the way you manage and plan your finances. Set clear goals (both for you and your Salon #FreedomandProfit) and make a plan to ensure that your daily operations align with these goals. When money and profit has a purpose, you’re on track to achieving a million dollar mindset.

You Need to Master Selling

I know what you’re thinking… ‘Larissa, I don’t want to be too sales-y with my clients’.

But if you’re not selling to them, someone else will!

When you’re serving a client, you’re selling them your time to help them look and feel better. You need to educate your clients to make informed decisions about what treatments and products will help them reach their goals, whether it be beautiful blonde hair or clean skin.

Selling to clients is key to prioritising profit.

The Secret to a Million Dollar Mindset encompasses these 5 steps. When you adopt all 5, you will have laid the foundation for a $1 Million+ Salon. You are on your way to unlocking your Salon’s full potential, congratulations!

Just a quick recap:

Profit is a choice.
Knowing your numbers is key to making Salon CEO decisions.
When you have a Million Dollar Mindset… you will unlock your Salon’s full potential for success!

Learn more about Million Dollar Mindset: 5 Lessons You Need to Know by listening to the podcast episode here.

Salon Owners, are you ready to become a $1 Million+ Salon WITHOUT working more hours… did I mention you can also reach $1 Million+ by working LESS hours?

I created The Salon Mastery Program for Salon Owners, like you, to achieve Freedom AND Profits can WITHOUT stress and overwhelm.

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post The Secret to a Million Dollar Mindset appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The Right Time to Recruit… is NOW!

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 23:53:33 +0000

“I am suddenly feeling quite panicked”

I recently had a Salon Mastery owner reach out to me, worried that she wasn’t leaving her team with enough support whilst she goes on a 3 week Europe holiday.

But, what do you do?

Do you take the risk and recruit a Front of House (or any team member) before you really need it? Or wait until you’re ready but risk leaving your team unsupported?

For context, this Salon Owner already has a team of 9 (with a mix of seniors and apprentices), everyone is pretty full and she was planning on hiring a front of house NEXT year… but not right now.

It’s a dilemma that I’ve seen and experienced before. You’re facing sudden growth but lack the support to keep going, but you’re not sure if the growth will continue to justify an extra team member.

One thing I always say… you will always be the roadblock to your growth. Remember that!

The Right Time to Recruit… is NOW!

The Art of Prediction

When do you recognize growth? When it slaps you right in the face!

Salon growth is something that we all work and dream for, but sometimes after what feels like forever… growth comes rushing at us all at once and we don’t know what to do!

In a perfect world (bear with me), you would’ve recruited and replaced yourself 3 months ago!

3 months is the time it takes to recruit and train someone. It doesn’t matter if that person is replacing you (or a leaving team member), or if they’re a brand new addition… you’re going to need 3 months.

Which is why YOU need to learn how to predict and always be 3 months ahead. The thought of going 3 months without a stylist/therapist who doesn’t have a fully booked column is not ideal!

You need to predict the future and learn the 5 warning signs that a team member may leave. A career pathway will also help you predict growth… if your team are moving up, they need someone to support them (time to hire!).

It’s also key to understanding the trends of natural attrition. Remember, if you have 5 apprentices, only 1 would stay long term (2+ years). You need to master the art of prediction!

You can ALWAYS afford a new person…

If you can make your new hire a Income Generating Activity (IGA) role, then it should be. Even though it may seem daunting to take on another team member, you can always afford an IGA person.

You just need to make sure you can train and support her to increase sales by her wage in the first 12 weeks… this can also just mean retaining what you have. As long as you're not dropping the level as a retention metric, they will still be an IGA team member.

So if her wage is $1000, she just needs to make sure her sales don’t drop so then in the next 12 weeks, you can increase by $1000. Remember, the $100K column is about selling your TIME not HAIR.

Become a $100K Mentor

Your Salon’s growth is up to YOU… remember YOU are the roadblock!

Not your team, clients… economy. Success relies on you putting in the work and becoming a Mentor to your team. Which is why you need to step out of the operational role.

Get out of the weeds and recruit the Front of House. And, what are you going to do? Invest your TIME into making her (and your whole team) $100K Stylists!

The word of the year is #ELEVATE. So elevate your team so you can grow into a $1 Million+ Salon.

You are the roadblock to your Salons growth, so take a step back and look at the numbers. If you’re on the path the growth… RECRUIT, RECRUIT, RECRUIT! IGA will always be able to pay for themselves… as long as you mentor them to become $100K Stylists.

Just a quick recap:

You need to master the art of prediction
You will always be able to afford an IGA… they’re key to your Salon's ongoing success!
Becoming a $100K Mentor will #ELEVATE your Salons growth.

Learn more about When Is the Right Time to Hire a New Team Member? by listening to the podcast episode.

Salon Owners, are you ready to become a $1 Million+ Salon WITHOUT working more hours… did I mention you can also reach $1 Million+ by working LESS hours?

I created The Salon Mastery Program for Salon Owners, like you, to achieve Freedom AND Profits can WITHOUT stress and overwhelm.

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post The Right Time to Recruit… is NOW! appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

5 Insights Every Salon Owner Should Hear

Jo Burgess - Shortcuts Salon & Spa Software — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 02:36:09 +0000

“Imagine boosting your Salon’s income by 20%”

Wouldn’t that be a game changer… especially in a cost-of-living crisis?

Feels impossible right now though. Clients aren’t rebooking, those that do a drawing out the time between appointments… or they just cancel last minute… Clients just aren’t getting their hair or brows done like they used to!

But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. As Salon Owners we need to adapt to the changes in our client’s behaviour… otherwise you’ll be left behind.

Here are the 5 Insights Every Salon Owner Should Hear

Client Loyalty is on the Move…

Times have changed! 43% of women have visited a new Salon in the last 12 months (that’s where your clients are going). Client’s aren’t staying loyal to their stylist or therapist like they used to, especially clients under the age of 30.

This should be a wake-up call for Salons to step up their game and keep things fresh and exciting. If you want clients to keep coming back, you need to continually innovate and offer compelling reasons for them to stay loyal.

Think exclusive services, loyalty perks or even a killer customer experience that they can’t get anywhere else!

More than ‘Just a Haircut’

Clients are busy! Their experience at the Salon needs to be seamless and fit like a glove into their busy schedule.

About 50% of clients are sticking to the regular six-week visit cycle, but many are actually coming more often… every 3.8 weeks to be exact! This trend emphasises the growing demand for high quality and personalised Salon experiences.

Clients aren’t just looking for a beauty service; they’re seeking a therapeutic escape that fits into their personal schedules. You need to ensure your service menu and schedule can flexibly adapt for your clients to maintain competitive… and keep clients coming back!

Spur-of-the-Moment is the New Norm

Transient clients are the new norms, they want to book an appointment right before (or exactly) when they need it. Fewer clients are booking their next appointment when they’re at the Salon, 31% are booking 3 days in advance.

You need to be able to accommodate these last-min wonders without dropping the ball on quality… your Salon’s flexibility is key!

Live Life to the Fullest

Clients are becoming more ‘life-centric’, they don’t want to spend their day off sitting in the Salon.

Your Salon needs to fit into your clients’ lifestyles, not the other way around. You need to understand that your clients' time is precious… and sometimes that means working whilst they get a haircut. When you offer flexible scheduling and include amenities that allow for productive multi-tasking, your Salon becomes an attractive place for busy clients.

Try incorporating a quiet zone for clients looking to relax or a sharing your Wi-Fi to those who want to work during their appointment.

Reducing No-shows will Increase Revenue

Adding online bookings to your website will boost your Salon’s income by 20%... sounds good, right?

Making the switch to online booking isn’t just to keep up with tech trends, it will also make life easier for your clients and tapping into the way people prefer to do things these days; quick and easy from their phone.

Online bookings will also open the door for you to start taking deposits up front! Clients will not only be securing a spot in your busy column, you’re also reducing those frustrating no shows… by 65%.

Times have changed and Salon Owners need to adapt. By embracing the change and accommodating to the wants and needs of your clients, they will rebook again and again and grow to become loyal clients! Increasing your rebooking rate is key to your Salon’s success.

Just a quick recap:

Understand what has changed for clients
Learn how you can adapt and respond to the changes
Create a plan on how you will increase rebooking rates

Learn more about increasing rebooking rates by listening to the Salon Owners Collective Podcast episode - The Secret to Rebooking Clients with Shortcuts co-founder, Jo Burgess.

Shortcuts have crafted a whitepaper titled “3 Key Numbers That'll Skyrocket Your Revenue”. This isn't your average read—it's a game-changer, designed specifically for salon owners like you, ready to level up their game. Click HERE to download.

Salon Owners, are you ready to become a $1 Million+ Salon WITHOUT working more hours… did I mention you can also reach $1 Million+ by working LESS hours?

I created The Salon Mastery Program for Salon Owners, like you, to achieve Freedom AND Profits can WITHOUT stress and overwhelm.

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post 5 Insights Every Salon Owner Should Hear appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Create a Future For Your Team in Your Salon

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 04:47:21 +0000

“Everyone wants to work solo!”

We all know the feeling… you finally recruit a new stylist, spend time and money training her and then suddenly after 2 years she leaves to go solo taking everything you’ve taught her (and sometimes clients) with her!

Another stylist leaving to go solo isn’t the end of the world (although sometimes in the moment it can feel like that) but there are stylists who WANT to work in a team.

And yes, sometimes they leave and realise how hard it is to run a business so they come back… but what if there was something YOU can do to stop them from leaving in the first place?

It’s our responsibility as Salon Owners to motivate and inspire the next generation of stylists (and therapists).

But to do that, they need to see a future in not just the industry, but in your Salon too!

Here is How to Create a Future For Your Team in Your Salon.

Why is everyone going solo?

I know what you’re thinking, “Larissa, this next generation of stylists have too many demands, they’re going solo because they don’t want to work full time!”

The next generation of stylists and therapists don’t just want to get paid (Or work towards) $100k+. They want to feel a sense of purpose, have a work/life balance, make a difference in their clients lives, and… see a future for themselves.

Times have changed, 30 hours is the new 40 hours! Our team want to have a life outside of work whilst also feeling like they’re building their career. It is possible to have both… WE just need to adapt.

If you can offer your team (and future stylists and therapist) a job with purpose, value and a little flexibility, then you will attract and retain a Rockstar Team.

Pay Your People Properly and They Will Prosper

Paying your people properly is the first step in helping them feel motivated and valued. There are three ways every Salon should be paying their team;

1. Hourly Wage: Your team should be compensated for all the work they do, not just when they’re with clients. This builds a strong cohesive culture where the whole team is prepared to contribute to the Salon’s success. If you want your team to clean bowls and mop the floor… pay them!

2. Commission: When you add commission on top of your hourly wage, you’ve removed the pay ceiling! You’ve not motivated your team to perform their best with no limit on how much they could one day earn. Bonus: commission on top of wages will also help skyrocket your sales.

3. Bonuses: A lot of Salon’s use KPIs, but if you want your team to actually hit their KPIs… tie a bonus to them! Your team will be motivated to work smarter (not just harder).

If you’re wanting to motivate your team with their pay, avoid using Rent-a-Chair, Hybrid models or Commission only… listen to How to Beat the 2 Year Team Exit to learn why.

Build their Future

I have always said, your team will leave you when they run out of future.

And it’s true, when there’s no ‘next step’ for someone, they will look around and see which Salon can take them to the next step in their career.

You need to be talking to your team about their goals and create a roadmap to help achieve them… in YOUR Salon.

When you team member sees their personal goals align with your Salon, they’re more likely to stay and thrive.

And that is how you create a future for your team in their Salon! I hope that this has given you a few ideas. Remember your team need to feel valued in your Salon and see a future with you!

Just a quick recap:

We need to adapt, the best way to recruit and retain rockstars is to give them a purpose!
Paying your people properly will motivate them to stay AND work hard.
Build your team a future… you need to talk to them about their goals.

Learn more about How to Create a Future For Your Team in Your Salon by listening to the podcast episode here.

Salon Owners, are you ready to become a $1 Million+ Salon WITHOUT working more hours… did I mention you can also reach $1 Million+ by working LESS hours?

I created The Salon Mastery Program for Salon Owners, like you, to achieve Freedom AND Profits WITHOUT stress and overwhelm.

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post How to Create a Future For Your Team in Your Salon appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

5 Keys to Inclusive Salons

Jo Burgess - Shortcuts Salon & Spa Software — Thu, 23 May 2024 03:54:28 +0000

“It's about creating a space where everyone feels valued and respected”

Have you ever walked into a room and felt uncomfortable?

Maybe there’s lots of loud music, the chair fabric feels itchy, the writing on the flyer is too small for you to read or you don’t feel, as a unique person, represented…

Now, what if that room was your own Salon?

As Salon Owners, we pride ourselves on creating a warm and welcoming environment for our clients and teaM but we’ve forgotten one important part of comfort… inclusion.

Here are 5 Keys to Inclusive Salons

Understanding the Shift

As times have changed, so have our client's expectations of what makes a Salon truly welcoming. Whether you're a stylist or a salon owner, embracing inclusivity isn't just about staying trendy; it's about being on the right side of history.

Salons have always been a place for people to come and feel their best, but now more than ever, it’s about creating a space where everyone feels valued and respected.

Today's clients seek more than just great hair… they crave an environment where they feel respected and valued for who they are. By prioritising inclusivity, salons can not only broaden their clientele but also cultivate a sense of belonging that keeps clients coming back for more.

Celebrating Diversity

Diversity isn't just about what meets the eye, it’s about celebrating diversity in all its forms, whether it's understanding the needs of clients with disabilities or embracing the beauty of neurodivergence.

By embracing diversity, salons can tap into a rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives, creating an atmosphere that fosters creativity, empathy, and genuine connections with clients.

Creating Safe Spaces

Ever walked into a salon and felt an instant connection? That's the magic of a safe space - a place where you feel not just welcomed, but truly understood.

You need to make sure that every person who walks through your Salon’s doors feels like they belong here, no matter who they are of where they come from.

Creating a welcoming environment starts with the little things - the warm greetings, the thoughtful questions, and above all, the genuine listening.

You need to create an environment where clients and team members alike feel seen, heard, and valued. Because when you foster this sense of belonging, that's when the real magic happens.

Walk the Talk

Talk is cheap, action is gold. you need to walk the talk when it comes to inclusivity. Whether it's adopting gender-neutral pricing, offering accessible services, or standing up against discrimination, every decision counts.

It's about creating an environment where everyone feels not just accepted but celebrated.

Inclusivity isn’t just about saying the right things, you also need to do the right things.

Empowering Your Team

Behind every great Salon is a team of rockstars. Empowering your team isn't just smart business - it's essential for nurturing a culture of inclusivity.

By promoting open dialogue, embracing diverse perspectives, and championing each team member's unique strengths, you're not merely managing a salon - you're cultivating a tight-knit family.

And when your team feels like they are part of your family, they're not only more engaged and creative but also deeply committed to delivering outstanding service.

This is the secret sauce to success in the ever-evolving world of salons.

Inclusivity is a roadmap to success in the salon industry. By embracing diversity, creating safe spaces, and empowering your team, you're not just keeping up with the times—you're setting the standard for inclusivity in your community.

Just a quick recap:

Understand the shift in what clients feel is a comfortable Salon
Understand how your Salon can become more inclusive
Empower your team to embrace diversity

Learn more about building an inclusive Salon by listening to the Salon Owners Collective Podcast episode - Your Salon Wasn’t Comfortable… with Shortcuts co-founder, Jo Burgess.

Salon Owners, are you ready to become a $1 Million+ Salon WITHOUT working more hours… did I mention you can also reach $1 Million+ by working LESS hours?

I created The Salon Mastery Programme for Salon Owners, like you, to achieve Freedom AND Profits can WITHOUT stress and overwhelm.

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post 5 Keys to Inclusive Salons appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

From Rockstars to Bad Apples… When to Say Goodbye!

Larissa Macleman — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 04:07:15 +0000

“I feel like a prisoner in my Salon”

You know that feeling, when you have a rockstar team, and then suddenly… you don’t.

It only takes one bad apple to poison the whole crop.

I remember I had a stylist who was amazing at what she did, but every time she’d break up with her boyfriend, her work would plummet… this went on for 2 years!

And you begin to feel like a prisoner, that you can’t move without someone coming to you with a problem or someone is sulking.

But, you don’t need to be a prisoner anymore, you just need to make the decision to change and do things differently in your Salon.

Here is From Rockstars to Bad Apples… When to Say Goodbye!

What the frick happened?

Having a rockstar team member to all of sudden (almost out of nowhere) a bad apple… you’re left thinking, what the frick happened?

But, what if I told you there are 3 reasons rockstars turn into bad apples…

Life happens…

Her boyfriend is sick of picking her up at 8 pm on a Wednesday, and he wants her to watch him play rugby on Saturday, she was having drinks with her friends on the weekend and they’re all making $35 an hour compared to her $25… without commission.

There are all the life influences that you don’t always think about when you have a bad apple in your team. Sometimes it has nothing to do with you and your Salon.

2. Development Plateau

Your team's motivation will drop when they run out of future, with you and your Salon. Lack of future doesn’t have to relate directly to a promotion… how often do you give your team feedback or help them build their skills? Sometimes all a bad apple wants is, for you to help them develop their skills and become better stylists and therapists.

3. Changes in the Salon

“I was a junior, now I’m a senior… but wait a minute they’re now a master… what does that even mean”

Sometimes a ‘rule’ change is enough to leave a team member unsettled. You need to have systems in place for promotions and pay raises so that there is transparency across the whole team.

Show them the Mirror

I know it can be hard to believe when I say that sometimes a bad apple doesn’t realise that they’re ‘bad’ and causing problems in the team… but sometimes they really don’t!

Sometimes you need to bring awareness to their impact.

Have clear guidelines with your whole team.

What does your team expect from you?

Bad apples may just need a reminder of the expectations of the team and what that means.

If the ‘bad’ behaviour continues… coffee time! Invite her to coffee and talk to her about what you’ve observed. Remember you’re talking about her BEHAVIOUR not who she is as a PERSON.

You need to be clear and specific about her impact and what you would like to see from her… think of a hamburger. The buns are where you say something positive about her or her as a person and then the meat is where you tell her the truth about her behaviour.

The Follow Through

Communication needs to be at an all-time high after your coffee with a bad apple.

The 3 Times and Your Out is a framework I’ve always liked to follow (let’s step into the 1940s)...

You need to be MUM

After your coffee, check back in with her within 1 week (the earlier the better). It only needs to be a quick 5-15 minute chat to see how she’s doing and remind her of the impact and how you will support her.

You need to be DAD

It’s time to get a little tougher… goodbye Mum, it’s Dad’s turn. Have another chat with her, where you remind her “We’ve talked about this”. This is her last chance to turn things around.

It’s time to call the POLICE!

Is this goodbye? Seriously. It’s time for a more formal process. You may decide to talk to an employment lawyer to advise on the legal process of saying goodbye to a bad apple.

I know it can feel nerve-wracking saying goodbye to a bad apple, especially if they have been at your Salon for a while… but if it’s reached the stage where you need to call the ‘police’, I promise your Salon will be better off in the long run!

How do you feel? I hope this has put your mind at ease and you feel confident having those conversations with the bad apple in your team to help turn them back into a rockstar!

Just a quick recap:

Bad apples don’t just become bad apples… there’s always a deeper reason
Sometimes a bad apple just needs to made aware of the impact of their actions
3 times and it’s time to say goodbye!

Learn more about why your Rockstar turned into a bad apple by listening to our podcast episode.

Salon Owners, are you ready to become a $1 Million+ Salon WITHOUT working more hours… did I mention you can also reach $1 Million+ by working LESS hours?

I created The Salon Mastery Programme for Salon Owners, like you, to achieve Freedom AND Profits WITHOUT stress and overwhelm.

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post From Rockstars to Bad Apples… When to Say Goodbye! appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

When to Have THE Conversation With Your Team Member…

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 02:49:50 +0000

“I have a team member who has done 5 things wrong in the last 2 weeks… I might explode”

We’ve all been there before.

A team member keeps doing things wrong but you’re dreading that awkward conversation of “when you did XYZ, it’s not ok”.

And next thing you know, you have a three-page list of things they’ve done wrong and you’re starting to feel resentful.

But you don’t have to be… you just need to know why it’s happening and how to talk to them.

Here is When to Have THE Conversation With Your Team Member…

How did we get here?

We’re all human and sometimes we make mistakes, but when mistakes happen over and over again we get… resentment!

We don’t want this! I know, sometimes when things keep going wrong we have this long list, three or four pages of challenges or things this team member has done wrong. Throw that list away.

What’s keeping a list going to do? Resentment is going to keep building because you haven’t communicated with the team member (don’t worry, I’ve avoided this awkward conversation before too).

Instead, you’re going to take a step back…

“What am I doing to contribute to this situation… how have we even got here in the first place”

I know, sometimes when someone keeps doing something wrong, we see red. But sometimes, there are things YOU can do to help this team member become a star player.

Intent vs Impact

Team members don’t wake up in the morning and think…

“How can I make things really hard for everyone else?”

This is where intent comes into play. Because team members don’t intend to be negative, they always have positive intent behind their actions. It’s your job as the Salon Owner to make them aware of their impact (starting to see the difference).

Sometimes people mean well, but they don’t realise the negative impact their actions are having… which is why we need to communicate with our teams.

Have THE Conversation

They’ve now done the sixth thing wrong this fortnight but you’re still dreading the conversation. But it is time.

Remember that long list I told you to throw out? It’s because when we clump scenarios together, we’re no longer judging their actions but them as a person.

So you need to do two things…

In your team meetings, you need to establish expectations and cultural values. That way, everyone knows what’s expected of them and they can start managing themselves and checking in with each other if someone crosses that line.
When a team member does cross the line, you’re going to have an awareness conversation with them that same day. It doesn’t need to be scary…

“Hey Jane, just wanted to let you know that when you did X, the impact was X. I’m sharing this with you because I don’t know if you know that, but I also want you to grow and develop”

It doesn’t need to be that exact script but you get the idea.

Having this conversation means that you nip things in the bud before they snowball into a three-page list of issues. Your team will also trust that you have their growth and development in mind.

And there we go, now you know how to talk to your team if they cross the line… and it doesn’t need to be scary and awkward!

Just a quick recap:

Let go of resentment because it doesn’t do anyone any good
Understand intent vs impact
Have the conversation with them… straight away

Learn more about talking to your team and building trust by listening to our Salon Owners Collective Podcast episode - Does Your Team Actually Trust You? With Joel Bouzaid

Salon Owners are you ready to become a $1 Million+ Salon WITHOUT working more hours… did I mention you can also reach $1 Million+ by working LESS hours?

I created The Salon Mastery Programme for Salon Owners, like you, to achieve Freedom AND Profits can WITHOUT stress and overwhelm.

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post When to Have THE Conversation With Your Team Member… appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

3 Things Salon Owners Should Focus On in 2024

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 21:51:58 +0000

“My team keeps leaving to go solo!”

Opportunity always comes out of crisis - and we’ve been through a lot as an industry (and the world) over the past few years.

We’ve heard a lot about teams leaving to go solo, profits dropping and Salon Owners have hit their limit with pricing.

2024 is a new chapter and a new opportunity for us to grow our Salon and make a killing in the industry.

And although a new chapter brings new challenges, it doesn’t have to be challenging… look at it as a new opportunity for growth and success.

You just need to focus on the three things you CAN control…

Create a brand that attracts new talent

You’re not just building a Salon, you’re building a brand.

With the rise of the solo business owner, it’s easy to think that there is no one out there who wants to work in a team.

“Everyone is working solo”

Wrong. I know we weren’t going to say the dreaded C-word in 2024, but post-covid, people are pickier and more savvy with what they’re looking for in a job.

This is why the use of your brand will help both attract and retain your team.

Many factors go into creating a brand that people want to work for:

What opportunities are there to grow and develop new skills?
Is there any flexibility in schedules or work-life balance?
Are there programs in place to support employee well-being?

Promote your answers to these questions when recruiting. You also need to make sure you follow through with them so your team don’t feel misled and begin looking for new opportunities.

Solo salons aren’t the future for everyone and team-based teams definitely aren’t over, you just need to adapt your recruitment and retention to this new environment.

Clients aren’t spending less… they’re spending differently

We went through a lot in 2023 but there is a common misconception that all clients are spending less. Whilst this may be true for some, a lot of clients are just spending differently from what they used to.

You just need to know how to sell to the 2024 client.

Look at the habits and trends in consumer spending, there will always be economic fluctuations and anticipate these changes so you can adjust pricing ahead of time
Online shopping is a game changer so you NEED to build an online presence that is mobile-friendly… you may even choose to utilise e-commerce technology
AI is already here, so why not use it? Chatbots and virtual assistants help to enhance the customer experience

The key to a successful sales strategy is to review it. Sales strategies are not set and forget, and if something’s not working… change it!

You may even choose to think about your own spending habits. How have your spending habits changed? What tools or processes help you to make a purchase?

Just remember, that clients are still spending money in 2024, it just looks a little different to what we’re used to.

Diversify your offering!

With all the changes we’ve been through, it can feel like we’ve hit a limit with our pricing.

And sometimes, no matter what way you look at the numbers, it just doesn’t seem to work the way we want it to.

But we can diversify our services…

Look at new ways to bundle packages together (without stretching yourself or your team thin, of course) you may even choose to step into the remote world. I know that may seem crazy but many Salon Owners are offering remote services, whether it be consultations or training, remote services can be a low-cost way to diversify your services without hitting the limit on pricing.

You may also choose to look at a Virtual Assistant to help with administrative work. This can be a low-cost way to take some of the workload of you and your team so that you can focus on more of the ‘fun stuff’.

Yes, the industry is changing, but it will continue to change so we just have to get on board. We need to focus on this we can control in 2024 to help us grow our Salon.

Building a brand, client spending and your services need to be top of our minds if we want to smash our goals this year. I promise you, that although things are changing, it doesn’t make them challenging.

We just need to take a breath and make a plan!

Salon ownership can feel lonely, especially after the past three years. But you don’t need to push the boulder alone. I created The Salon Mastery Programme for Salon Owners, like you, can connect and share how they’re growing their business to achieve all of their freedom and profit dreams!

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post 3 Things Salon Owners Should Focus On in 2024 appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

5 Biggest Lessons from 2023

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 21:50:32 +0000

“Why aren’t my Instagram followers also customers?!”

2024 is quickly approaching, and whilst we look towards all kinds of new adventures and challenges, it’s important to reflect on 2023.

Reflecting not only helps us celebrate our wins, but we also take in all of our learnings from the year and apply them to the next.

For the last blog of the year, I thought it was only fitting we reflect on some of the conversations we’ve had this year on the Salon Owners Collective Podcast. We’ve done nearly 50 episodes. In 2023 - welcomed over 20 new guests onto the podcast and we’ve delved into some great topics.

Amongst all of the amazing conversations, there are 5 lessons that we learnt that really stand out from the rest… conversations that you guys really engaged with.

These are the 5 biggest lessons of 2023…

Leading the Next Generation

Your team wants to move up the ladder… but they leave before they finish their apprenticeship!

Does this make them the enemy? Constantly on the defensive waiting for shite to hit the fan!

Many Salon Owners fall victim to this mentality from time to time, believing it’s all the team’s fault. Because it’s easier to blame THEM when actually it’s OUR responsibility as Salon CEO to lead them toward success.

I know that’s not always easy when you have Gen Z in your team…

“Gen Z just don’t want to work!”

But that’s not entirely true - they just want to work differently. The world is changing, so we have to change with it.

Improve your communication with your team and keep it consistent
Adapt to the Gen Z way of working because if we don’t, we’ll get left behind
Have confidence in yourself to become a Salon CEO and leader for the next generation!

Know the signs an employee is about to leave…

Everything is going great, you feel like you’ve got things under control and then… an employee leaves!

It can feel like the biggest blindside, a betrayal sometimes because you’re left scrambling trying to figure out why they’re leaving and how the heck you’re going to replace them.

We really shouldn’t be shocked anymore when it happens because it’s estimated that Gen Z will have up to 18 different jobs in their lifetime.

Salon Owners always tell me the hardest part about losing a team member is that they didn’t see it coming… but they should’ve picked up on the 5 signs it was about to happen:

Increased sickness or spending more time away from work
They start to have an attitude that they don’t care anymore about the Salon or clients
They’re no longer achieving or hitting their targets
They have the ‘face’ where they’re disengaged
No longer communicating about their future at YOUR Salon

Learn these warning signs and you’ll have no more surprise exits in 2024!

Systems and processes will save your sanity!

When going through the lessons we learned in 2023, we talked a lot about systems and processes!

Incorporating the right systems and processes gives you the freedom that you saw on the horizon when you decided to open your own business.

Right now, you may feel like you can’t step away, if you took even an hour off, everything may fall apart - but it doesn’t have to be like that.

And I know, as creatives we’re not necessarily the best at structure but we NEED structure to be able to do the fun stuff too!

Incorporating systems and processes to help you understand the numbers and know what to do when things go wrong will save you sanity… trust me.

Turning Instagram followers into lifelong clients

A big part of social media is the number of followers you have, but what good is having a lot of followers if they’ve never actually stepped foot into your Salon?

You need to turn your followers into lifelong clients!

In today’s online-dominated world, 95% of people who visit your website are new clients.

You need to start dating your followers… it’s not as weird as it sounds.

Give them a teaser of what it’s like in your Salon, the team, the culture… everything
Show off your unique brand story
Create content that will attract your dream client

So sell yourself - give your potential clients some insight into you and your team - humans connect with humans.

Pay yourself… what you deserve!

It’s time to pay yourself what you deserve.

No more scrapping through, you’re working hard as a Salon CEO and it’s about time you started to pay yourself like one too…

This year we ran a whole incredible bootcamp on it.

Salon Owners tell me all the time that they're not paying themselves and their salon is not profitable. But if you want profit you have to force it.

Don’t sit around and wait for it to show up in your pocket because you won’t see it there. You need to learn the numbers to become profitable and pay yourself!

And that’s a wrap - 5 big lessons to reflect on to round off an incredible year. It’s been a great year for us at Salon Owners Collective.

Just a quick recap:

Leading the new generation of stylists and beauticians
5 warning signs your employee is about to quit
Importance of systems and process
Turning followers into clients
Learning how to work for profit AND pay yourself

Bring on new challenges, ideas and perspectives for 2024!

Salon ownership can feel lonely, especially after the past three years. But you don’t need to push the boulder alone. I created The Salon Mastery Programme for Salon Owners, like you, can connect and share how they’re growing their business to achieve all of their freedom and profit dreams!

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

The post 5 Biggest Lessons from 2023 appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

4 Revenue Building Tactics in 2024

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 23:31:50 +0000

“My clients are coming less often”

We’ve had this consistent conversation with over 100 salon owners that Salon Owners Collective looks after worldwide.

Clients are the ones who are pushing appointments out, not coming in for the same services they used to, they’re the ones not picking up products on the way out.

It’s easy for the team to blame the clients, right?

“They're trying to save money. Everybody's on a budget, we're in a recession, and I'm not making targets because my clients don't want to come as often”

and as a result, sales become a little stagnant… which is a challenge.

If we’ve been on a growth trajectory, maintaining that momentum can feel a little bit stressful because you don’t want a rock… or even a small stone to throw your growth off its course.

And yes, Covid for many of us has made the past three years feel like a big boulder in the middle of a narrow road that we can’t quite move completely over the way… which is why we look for a silver bullet… or four of them!

We've been on a journey, on a ride and it's easy to blame the economy

I totally get it but recessions are biased - not everyone is struggling
so I don't want us to focus on the things that we can't control.

We want to focus on the four revenue-building tactics we can control coming into 2024.

Breaking down the numbers

Sales are plateauing, profits have taken a dip, and sometimes growth is still slowly increasing but the numbers aren’t making sense.

Typically our mind immediately goes looking for a solution. .. like, I'm racking my brains.

The numbers tell us exactly what to do but… you can’t change what you don’t track.

If you don't know what was, how do you know if you’re creating change?

Is it going up or is it going down? You first need a baseline.

And I really want to encourage you that if that's you and you've dropped some of those balls or it's become boring... Because as hair and beauty owners, we don't see ourselves as NUMBERS PEOPLE

I know, data entry is boring as heck but how will we know our weak points, or what promotions to do or what to say to our team if we don’t really know what’s going on?

Knowledge is power.

When you start looking at the numbers, you’ll find your hero service!

It’s your service that:

is a high profit,
in high demand,
and is easy for you to serve.

When you start looking at your numbers, you’ll be able to find solutions to your problems… and start bringing in the revenue!

5 Meeting Rule... trust me it's not that many meetings!

When there’s a big boulder in the road, you need to go back to basics to move it out of the way.

It's easy to drop some of the balls - or basics - when things get stressful and I'm encouraging you to not let these five meetings drop out of your calendar to be deprioritized.

Morning Huddles - Morning huddles are one of the easiest fastest and most consistently reliable ways to lift income if you direct the focus towards, it's the huddle before the big game!

Team Meetings - I believe team meetings should be every single week and keep communication up. Performance is up when communication is up - consistency builds a brand.

Training Workshops - I never have time to train or coach my team one-on-one as much as I would like to so doing workshops and killing five birds with one stone is very useful in terms of high impact for your team and low delivery for you as an owner you're busy enough. This should include TIHWDIH, Sales strategies, how we consult & how we serve around here… - not just technical training

One-on-One - I think one-on-ones should be, could be, would be anywhere between weekly and monthly, depending on the competence and confidence of each team member.

Regular Leadership Team Meetings - No more hallway management. You need a really clear agenda, those things are the things that can fall off when things are sort of going south.

Consistent communication with your team helps keep them focused, they know what they need to do to book clients and meet targets.

Remember to breathe and have FUN

As an owner, we can easily feel like we're repeating the same shit on different days, but remember to keep things fun and light!

Yes, we need to keep the team focused on their targets with promotions but try to inject some fun into it… without throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Trust me, they’ll be more motivated and excited to come to work if there are elements of fun.

There is a fine line between fun & change but keep hold of the SIMPLE things that work... on repeat!

We're salespeople, and so is your team

The last thing on back to basics is sales!

You are a salesperson - I know you think you’re a creative or a service provider BUT

You’re not really selling hair or beautiful skin… you're selling the time of your team. So to keep on top of your appointment book, you need to keep on top of your team in training them on how to manage appointments or upsell services.

This will help keep them focused on the biggest thing… your Salon’s growth and revenue.

Sales doesn't have to be salesy and it shouldn't be salesy for sales' sake, we're not selling shoes. Remember the previous point of having fun… just remember that!

It's the 1% factor of combining the lead bullets of numbers, meetings, fun and sales that will create that one key silver bullet to move that boulder out of the way. When we’re putting all of these steps in motion, things will get easier. Clients will start coming in and our team will begin hitting their targets.

No more blaming the clients, step into building a winning culture in your salon - one where the client, your team, you and the Salon all win.

Start putting inputting that data, scheduling team meetings and planning upskilling workshops for the whole team. And why not, start adding a little fun to things now?

Don’t let the Covid boulder bring you down, you will beat the recession with these revenue-building tactics in 2024!

If you want to join this community, please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post 4 Revenue Building Tactics in 2024 appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Your Salon CAN Survive your Strongest Team Member Leaving

Larissa Macleman — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 20:55:16 +0000

I remember it like it was yesterday … one of my strongest team members pulled me aside and delivered those two gut-wrenching words.

I’m leaving.

And I felt like my whole world had been turned upside down - how could she just leave me like this?

To tell you the truth, I felt blindsided - and I couldn't see a way through the chaos I knew was heading straight for me.

So I did what any other 20-something would … I rang my boyfriend and cried to him. Hysterically.

I told him that my world had been turned upside down and he had the AUDACITY to give me a reasonable solution. He said, “well then turn it back up-right”.

And so that's what I did, and it's what I've been doing ever since by taking the situation into my own hands with what I like to call ‘the three P’s’ - because when you’re a business owner, it's not a matter of ‘if’ a team member leaves you, it’s a matter of when.

And when a team member leaves you, you’re going to want to be armed with perspective, processes and self-preservation…

This too shall pass

The first thing you need to do is pause, and take a deep breath because this too shall pass. Business is made up of seasons - and what I mean by that is simply - sometimes you grow, and sometimes you wilt, sometimes the leaves fall off and you start again.

As long as you stay rooted you will make it through the ebbs and flows - and weather the storm.

I know you’ve heard this before, but success is not a straight line - it's messy! And moments of change, or disruption might seem like the end of the world but they’re actually a really good opportunity to pause, reflect and take stock.

So, put that bottle of wine down - this is not the time to drown your sorrows - it’s FULL of opportunity. Opportunity to focus on preservation, retention, and the future of your business.

Specifically, the team in front of you who are ready to level up and take on new responsibilities. This is the time to develop those people who are with you for this season, and beyond.

TAKE OUR 2 MINUTE SALON CEO QUIZ!

The show must go on

The second thing to get you through an employee break-up is to remember that your business is your brand, and your brand should be stronger than any one human inside it.

Because there's no room for heroes in the hair and beauty industry

In fact, your business is vulnerable when it relies on individuals alone. Your BRAND must be the hero.

What builds a brand? Consistency. (Say it with me - consistency!) Services have to be consistent from one stylist to the next so that the expertise and the experience your clients get are attached to your brand instead of one individual. But how do we achieve this…?

Enter: Systems and processes.

That's right, strong systems and processes will create consistency in your business and support your brand so that when one person leaves, it doesn’t all fall apart.

What do I mean by systems and processes? I’m talking about recruitment, client management processes and change management & team communication- documented actions for when these inevitable, and unavoidable changes happen in your business.

It might sound boring, but this is what protects your brand strategy and ultimately, protects your business.

How? By making sure that the skill, the expertise, and the gold that individuals bring to your business stay long after they leave with clear and consistent, written delivery processes - not just individual humans delivering great services in their own silo.

Check yourself (before you wreck yourself)

Finally, how you manage yourself and your emotions throughout any significant change in your business is SO important.

Losing a team member is never easy, in fact its likely to be one of the most disrupting things to happen in your business - so it's no surprise that you’re feeling unsettled and believe me, you’re not alone.

However…

This is not the time wallow or catastrophise, this is your chance to step into change and step up like a bad-ass- Salon CEO.

It might get messy, in fact, it probably will and that’s okay - but it’s your job to lead your team through this transition and deal with the mess together.

And the first thing that needs to happen is a bit of self care - this is not the time to neglect things like sleep, nutrition and exercise. Staying on top of your self care will anchor you, and help you to pause the temptation for reaction.

And you know what I mean by that don’t you? Emotional reaction, letting your internal feelings about something drive the way you respond to it externally. We’re all guilty of it (god knows I am!).

But of course you and I know that's not usually the best way to resolve a situation.

100 year business

Something that helps me gain perspective in times like these is to consider that I'm building a 100 year business - a business that is bigger than just me and that will live on after you yourself have left.

This change of mindset really helps me put my emotions to the side, and get out of my own way - so I can focus on what needs to happen next.

But, knowing that gives you power, it gives you a chance to get in front of it and make plans so that when the inevitable does happen, you’re prepared, you don’t need to reach for the nearest bottle of Chardonnay (or Pinot Noir?) - you know what to do next.

So, take your opportunity to stay rooted (and find perspective!). Implement the systems and processes you need to futureproof your Salon and take time to reflect before you react, approaching the next challenge with the perspective and intention of a Salon CEO.

I know business ownership can feel like a lonely, isolated place. But you don’t have to do it alone. The Salon Mastery Programme is made up of Salon Owners just like you who are taking action in their business to achieve their ultimate dreams of freedom and profit.

If this sounds good to you then please reach out, I’d love to chat. Let's find out if maybe Salon Mastery is a good fit for you.

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post Your Salon CAN Survive your Strongest Team Member Leaving appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The Secret to Working Less Hours in the Salon (That Nobody Talks About)

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 25 May 2023 20:45:07 +0000

Nobody talks about how Salon Ownership can be lonely…

The Secret to Working Less Hours in the Salon (That Nobody Talks About)

…and the reality is that your business can feel like it’s your entire life. Without it, who would you be?

You spend more hours in the day in your business than you see your partner, family, or friends. And whilst this is never the intention, you feel it’s just what has to happen to ensure everything gets done; putting out the team fires, the admin jobs, rebooking clients, marketing, cleaning, the list goes on!

Who else is going to do it like you can?

Then you get home at the end of a busy day, you’re exhausted, the kids are wanting to spend time with you, you have to help them with their homework or take them to their swimming lesson… but you can’t switch off and stop thinking about the salon, and worse, you feel guilty for spending time away from your business.

The Salon is on your mind 24/7, and when you talk to your friends and family about it, you feel like nobody understands how much work, effort, time, and care goes into owning a business.

Have I hit the nail on the head?

But this isn’t what you want! You thought Salon Ownership would be different, a chance for you to be your own boss, where you call the shots and choose your own working hours. You dream of your Salon being able to run without you being there 24/7!

This is a feeling I know way too well and a vicious pattern I see all the time in Owners that I work with through my Salon Mastery Coaching Program. Every week I meet with Salon Owners who spend so much time working in their business, yet, things aren’t changing…which for them is frustrating and leads to further burnout & overwhelm.

I want to introduce one of my dear friends, Melinda Smith. Melinda is one of the Salon Owners that I work with in our Salon Mastery Coaching Program and has completely turned her business around from “being literally in the trenches” to thriving in her role as Salon CEO.

An inspiration to many...

10 years ago, Melinda’s husband lost his job. Melinda knew that she had to roll up her sleeves and do what she had to do to support her family. She felt like hair was the one thing she knew she could do well, so she took the leap to open her own Salon.

Melinda started her Salon “Ginger & Spice” with no clients, no team, and no experience in running a Hair Salon. Now, with a thriving team of 6 stylists, Melinda spends 99% of her time working ON the business, off the floor, & has never been happier. I couldn’t be more proud of her!

Keep reading to find out how the secret to working less hours in the Salon (that nobody talks about)...

Hitting Rock Bottom

There comes a point in every Salon CEO’s journey where we are so exhausted and overwhelmed, that the thought of giving up seems easier than carrying on.

I see so many Salon Owners at this point. You might have young kids, other ventures that are taking your time away, or you might just be so stuck in your business that you don’t know how to grow any further…. But I want you to realise that you aren’t alone.

I too experienced this many times. I think I considered selling my Salon at least 3 times before I actually did… most times out of pure frustration and exhaustion.

For many Salon Owners, joining Salon Mastery can be their last resort in an attempt to save themselves and their business from rock bottom.

This was Melinda.

I met Melinda almost 5 years ago when she entered a Salon Owners Collective Giveaway and we clicked straight away.

At the time, Melinda was working 40 hours + on the floor, and then another 20 hours on the management side of her business. Throw 2 young kids into the mix, plus running a household and her body physically gave up. Sound familiar?

Melinda ended up with multiple health issues that stemmed from overworking herself to the point where she couldn’t carry on and was crying out for help within her business.

I knew that given the strength and courage Melinda displayed in her business, and how she built her company on the basis of supporting her family, she truly deserved to reap all the benefits of her hard work #goodkarma

Often, we can be so busy doing all the things and saying YES to everything in order to get us closer to our goals & achievements, that actually we don’t realise what we are doing is doing the opposite…

All it takes is someone else that has been through your shoes, along with tried and tested strategies that are proven to work, to show you how you can have your cake and eat it too while steering you down the right path for her business.

Getting out of your comfort zone

If you're someone who secretly feels a little scared when you think about your Salon's numbers, then you're not alone. So many Salon Owners find it easier to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to looking at their salon's numbers and tracking their figures, as the thought of getting into the nitty gritty truth of their business's performance feels too intimidating to face.

Before joining Salon Mastery, Melinda was no different. The thought of spreadsheets, numbers, and even technology as a whole felt way out of Melinda's comfort zone. In fact, she often reminds me that the old her couldn't figure out how to log in to our weekly Zoom meetings!

But after learning and implementing our Salon Mastery "Do I Get A Pay Rise" Wage Progression Plan, Proven Profit Formula & KPI Strategy, Melinda is a changed woman... even her accountant commented on how she could teach other business owners a thing or two! The KPI Numbers system is an easy-to-follow, powerful tool for any Salon Owner who wants to motivate their team to increase sales, meet targets and increase their salon's profit... removing all the fear and uncertainty about your salon's numbers and profit.

This is the secret to working less hours in the Salon, that nobody talks about!

Who Run's the World? Girls!

The Salon CEO world can sometimes feel like an intimidating and lonely place. I see so many Salon Owners afraid to connect and rely on other owners, all in the fear that it will affect their own growth…when in fact, it will do the opposite!

Supporting others that are on the same journey as you, will actually make your business stronger and your growth will be able to be shared with others around you. You can learn from others, bounce ideas around, and learn industry tips and tricks from Salon Owners all over the world! How amazing is that?

For Melinda, that community support has been one of the most unexpected benefits she’s gained from joining Salon Mastery. One of the reasons that Melinda loves Salon Mastery Coaching calls is that she is attracted to the strong female support system that we have embedded.

Melinda has met lifelong friends and gained a support system that she didn’t expect to gain, which is a benefit of Salon Mastery that Melinda believes you can’t put a price on. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a support system of people that know exactly what you are going through?

Female support doesn’t just stop within Salon Mastery...

Melinda believes this flows through all throughout the teams and the Salons--which we think is pretty cool.

Since joining Salon Mastery, Melinda has doubled her weekly income, and her goal by the end of the year is to hit the $1 million dollar Salon mark, and I know that with our Salon Mastery Million Dollar Strategies, she will get there.

I work with Salon Owners who…

Have a team of 4-7 or more and are already smashing $7-8K a week... I help salon owners prepare and get to $19K - that's $1mill Salon
Are more than ready to step up to becoming a real CEO of your business (rather than riding the rollercoaster and feeling held hostage to your team…
Want to grow your team and a sustainable business that is not centered all around YOU.. so you can enjoy a little freedom along with your success
Are willing to be open & coachable, to put the right strategic systems in your business, and take massive action now!
In 60 days’ time from now, things can be completely different - you could be Is it building a $1m Hair Salon! A year from now, life & business could be better than you’d imagined.
Want to discover the secret to working less hours in the Salon (that nobody talks about)

If you want to have a chat, see If we’re a fit then click the "Chat with Me" button below!

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post The Secret to Working Less Hours in the Salon (That Nobody Talks About) appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Are You Prioritising Your Salon’s Profit?

Larissa Macleman — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 01:27:10 +0000

Are You Prioritising Your Salon’s Profit?

We want it all. The thriving business, the rockstar team, the growing sales, the loyal and 5-star clients, and a beautiful Salon space. Right?

More importantly, as the Salon CEO, we dream of having a life of more freedom & more profit, where we have something to show for all our hard work…

But when I meet Salon Owners and ask the question “is your Salon profitable?” more often than not, I hear the answer “I think so?”.

But what this tells me is that:

Either you are paying your team first or not paying yourself enough
Even WORSE, not paying yourself at all…
OR you are paying yourself a good wage, but your business isn’t profitable, and you are suffering as a result.

This becomes stressful because you’re living week to week, always worrying about the business bringing in money. But this isn’t sustainable! If you sit back and wait for the profit to come, it never will.

This is a mistake I don’t want you to make.

If you don’t prioritise your profit, there will never be enough left over, so you’ll always be chasing money…

You need to make intentional decisions that will make your business profitable; put yourself and your business first. Believe me, it is possible!

In this blog, I will share with you 3 game-changing steps to manage your Salon’s profit, that will ensure you…

Pay your bills & team on time without worrying about it each time it comes around
Get paid your worth so you can live the life you always wanted
Make enough to grow your Salon

It’s time you stop waiting for your business to make money, and instead, implement a proven strategy that will make your Salon profitable and successful once and for all.

Profit isn’t going to find you…

As a business owner, it’s easy to find yourself in a cycle of living week to week thinking that if you keep doing "all the things", profit will one day find you.

But this is a mistake, because if you aren’t prioritising or managing profit: there will never be enough. You’ll just be left with the scraps, the leftovers…

It’s easy to pay your team $35 an hour to ensure they stick around (even though they’re not even hitting their targets)…

Or feel profitable, because you’re paying yourself a high salary.

But if your BUSINESS isn’t profitable enough to grow, expand, or for you to step away and work ON the business…then you become the business.

If you stop working, there is no money.

The results you see in your business today are a representation of where your focus is. So you need to understand the choices you are making, be intentional about your focus, and need to plan to know where the money is going.

So, to be intentional about your profit-first focus, be careful to avoid these common mistakes:

Your team is making good money and you pay them well… but they aren’t hitting their targets! On top of that, you aren’t paying yourself even close to what they’re paid…

This means the focus is on your team, not on profit.

You are paying yourself a great salary or commission, but you’re struggling to grow your business or step away from the client work and work ON YOUR BUSINESS…

Then your focus is on your clients and you as a stylist, not as a true business owner.

If you shift your focus to profit, then you will be able to pay yourself well, your team will be paid well, they can grow, and you will always be able to pay your bills on time…

You won’t have a roadblock to continued growth!

My $20k Business Award

I remember when my Salon was in a stage of real growth. We grew from one salon to two and we went from 20 team members to 30 in a short time. We won the global Salon business award, three times over… and I had the opportunity to travel to London to accept the award.

But for me, living in New Zealand (down under), travelling to London would be a $20k trip…

And at the end of the financial year, when I looked at my profit, I was disappointed. I had all of these expectations as a Global Award Winning Salon…and I felt like I had failed…

But I soon came to realise: Hang on... I made the choice this year to spend $20k on the trip of a lifetime! So what I learned from this, was to reflect on my numbers and margins to include this important opportunity business cost.

I hadn’t factored this choice into my expectations.

Numbers are Powerful [Not Scary]

So you need to understand your numbers to sanity-check the choices you are constantly making. You have to learn how to consistently check them and read how your business is performing.

Within our Salon Mastery Program, I created a Salon CEO Dashboard that keeps track of all the choices we make as business owners. We track the financial side of your business, allowing you to ‘read’ what ‘the numbers’ are telling you.

But you have to be disciplined, do the work, and dive into the numbers…because your numbers will tell you exactly what to do next.

In the Hair & Beauty Industry, money and profit can be taboo topics. Often we’re scared of looking at the numbers, and finding out what’s happening under the hood…

…but if we look at and understand the numbers, then they will tell us exactly what to do.

Which, in the long-term, is a better outcome. Knowing your numbers puts you directly into the driver’s seat... I call it Powerful Profits, that’s you, in the power seat!

5 Money Buckets

‘Understanding the numbers’ means understanding the 5 “buckets” as I like to call them. The 5 buckets, under which, money coming into your business can fall.

The first bucket is our stock and inventory; Ranging from 13-20% of our sales, this needs to be managed tightly. This means ensuring those that are doing the weekly or monthly stock ordering have a clear budget…and stick to it.

Managing your usage and how much is wasted can be worth a few thousand dollars over 12 months. Who you choose as your supplier can also impact your profitability - so choose wisely.

The second bucket is wages; This is your biggest bucket. We want to ensure we don’t go over the 50% wage-to-income ratio - and I mean all your team, stylists, therapists, support staff, and FOH. It’s easy in this industry to creep over this benchmark…but honestly, as a salon business, you just can’t afford this level of wage bill!

Install a win: win system to ensure your team is operating effectively, easily hitting their targets, and earning a commission. You can do this without going over the 35-50% wage percentage mark, which would be hurting you and your business.

The third bucket is operations; The catch-all of everything, such as your marketing costs, your accounting, your office expenses, and Salon software. How much does it take to operate your business effectively? If this bucket is too full (ie you’re spending too much on operations), then you need to have a deep dive into your numbers and see where you can cut back if needed.

The fourth bucket is rent; We need this to be between 5-10% of your sales income. The only way to lower this as a percentage of your business is to get your income up.

The final bucket is profit; It needs to be prioritised first, because we need to shine a light on it just like we do with rent, operations, wages, and stock.

If there isn’t profit in your business, then one of your other 4 buckets is out of sync, so you need to find out what margin is over budget and then spend some time fixing this, to make a difference to your profit.

And if this keeps happening, then take a look at your pricing and team performance. This may need a review if you have some services or team members that aren’t profitable.

Even when you enjoy profitability in your business, I don’t want you to stop there. There are always going to be things that need updating, new team members, wages for you to pay yourself to take home to your family….

I want to work with you, to guide you in the right direction toward becoming a profitable Salon.

Discover how to avoid winging it (throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks) through a clear & proven 9-part business plan to achieve Salon Mastery.

If you want to have a chat, see If we’re a fit then click the "Chat with Me" button below!

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post Are You Prioritising Your Salon’s Profit? appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Regain the Freedom You Thought You’d Lost

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 21:19:07 +0000

How to regain the freedom you though you'd lost.

When I first opened my Salon, and also my coaching business for that matter, I remember this feeling of thinking “Ahhh yes, this is why I opened my own business!” I was experiencing this incredible feeling of freedom, autonomy and creativity all in one, that you just cannot get from working for someone else!

I could order and buy what I wanted, come and go as I pleased… If I wanted to take the afternoon off, I could!

But then, something changed…

My business started to become successful!

And, like most success, the success of my business was a double-edged sword. Our book was full, and the Salon was thriving. But, for me, this meant that freedom and autonomy were replaced by stress, pressure and demand. I started to wonder where my dream went… and question whether it as all even worth it!

What I soon realised was that as your business grows, you also need to grow. You need to behave differently, do things differently… be different. It is essential for you to grow into the different roles that your business requires of you throughout its different stages of growth.

Today I’m going to share with you what those roles are, what they will require of you, and most importantly, how to nail each one.

The Operator

The role that most Salon Owners start off as is The Operator.

When you’re an operator, you’re still involved in on-floor operations like serving clients and delivering a great client experience. And you love doing this!

As The Operator, you still really enjoy the on-floor aspect of Salon-life. You probably only have 1 or 2 team members so you are close with them, stick together with them, and still, interact with them on a daily basis.

This role feels comfortable.

For most new Salon Owners, their previous role was solely an Operator- so it’s something you’ll know and love, and feel comfortable doing.

However, as is the nature of the Salon Industry, it’s all about humans. We don’t sell products, we sell humans and time, so the people inside of your business become the most important commodity. And what will soon happen will be that as your Salon grows, so will your team, and soon enough you will find yourself knee-deep into the next role… The Manager.

The Manager

As a Manager, you will most likely have a team of 4-8 people. Your business has grown to a point where you are forced to start focusing on the humans inside of your business just as much as the clients.

This means that you actually have to learn how to properly manage people, something which you may have no experience in… yet!

All of a sudden there are people in your team who you won’t necessarily connect with as much as the first 1 or 2 people, and on top of that, team members who may not gel with each other!

The management of humans is sometimes something no one can really prepare you for… and it’s different for everyone!

This is why the Manager role is the most difficult.

You are wearing all of the hats at once and often feel like you’re stuck on the mouse wheel! I get it, I went through this phase in my business too.

It feels like there are just so many things to keep on top of… operations, client care, accounts, marketing, opening and closing the business, holidays, leave, hiring, firing…..

And to add insult to injury, this is the phase where I often start to see Salon Owners earning less! What used to work now starts to break and lots of Owners begin to take nothing home, even earning less than when they worked for someone else.

You work more hours than before you had the growth spurt but feel nothing in return...and start to feel yourself drowning in overwhelm.

This is the stage where you really have to dig deep. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it is possible to reach it! I have a few strategic tips which may help you before we investigate the CEO role…

Make the Move!

Don’t worry, you don’t have to stay in The Manager phase forever!

To get through the hardest phase, it often takes only 1 or 2 strategic moves in order to make a change happen.

That 1 thing is different for everyone, but most of the time people will know what it is, in the back of their heads. It could be hiring another income-generating team member, or even creating a management structure to get that extra support.

Do you know what your ‘thing’ is? I guarantee you do...

So what’s stopping you?

Fear. Fear is the #1 biggest thing that breaks business owners and halts progress. If you know what you need to do to make that strategic move, but you’re not doing it, then you need to address the fear that’s stopping you.

Maybe you’re scared to step back and pass on your clients, in case someone leaves and takes those clients with them…whatever your fear may be, it’s only getting in the way of your business picking up the momentum that it needs to get you off that mouse wheel!

I would suggest you go and listen to my podcast all about fear, it will help you step towards making that 1 big move.

If you want to regain that freedom to do what you want, when you want, how you want, and not be chained by the ankles, you need to make that move and step into a life of real freedom and profit.

A great exercise to help with this is to write it down.

Write down:

What is that big move you need to make
What is the fear that’s stopping you?

There’s something magical about writing it down on paper, and I guarantee you this will help your progress.

Stick at it, be brave and then you can finally move on to being the CEO.

The CEO

Once you’ve moved through the hardest role of being The Manager, you can finally begin to feel that freedom and autonomy that you felt at the beginning again.

As the CEO, you will most likely have 8, 9, or more people in your business. What worked when you were the manager also start to break work. Studies have shown that one person can only manage a team of up to 7 people effectively.

If you are attempting to manage your large team all by yourself, that’s when you begin to tap out and lines of communication start to break down.

Instead, you have grown your team to the point where it becomes necessary to hire someone else to become the manager. Your role is to lead that manager. If people are experiencing pain, you feel stressed out and frustrated towards particular people… that is a clear indicator that you haven’t evolved into your new role.

Your role now is to step away from the busyness of being busy...

...of all the daily operations… and start to think monthly and annually… not just from week to week. It’s time to create space to think strategically.

This in itself is hard.

Hopping off the wheel almost feels like a ‘come down’ after a big night out. It feels weird not to be ‘in demand’. Not longer be needed to put out fires and emergencies. But this is the goal, right? To have the freedom to work on the things you love, when you want, how you want and most importantly: start to drive the business forward and focus on what is coming next! You can't do that until you have created the space.

When you do this, you will start to feel more fulfilled in your role, and the passion and drive will kick you into a new momentum and everyone else in your team will benefit from this newfound momentum - this is the ultimate goal, right?

No matter which of these 3 main stages you are at in your business, it’s important to remember that there is always room for more growth and progress.

It can be so easy to feel like you’re stuck on the mouse wheel and going through the motions, but all it takes is a little self-awareness grit, and determination to get you where you want to go.

You can do this!

Need some help nailing these 3 key Salon Owner roles?

I'd love to hear from you! Reach out to me in messenger and we can continue the convo!

Chat with me!

The post How to Regain the Freedom You Thought You’d Lost appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The Secret to a Stress-Free Christmas in the Salon

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 21:13:12 +0000

How to prepare for a Stress-Free Christmas in the Salon...

Every year, I see Salon Owners make the same mistake of just ‘accepting their Christmas fate’.

You dread Christmas so much that you put off preparing for it, and then as we know, it ALWAYS sneaks up on you faster than you expect!

Then, you blink and it’s November 30th & you feel COMPLETELY unprepared for what’s around the corner. You take a look at the books & it’s SCARY in there:

Clients are booked back-to-back & squished up
You know there’ll be lunch breaks missed, and overworked team members

You're worried, but it's too late to do anything now.

So you just accept your fate that it’s going to be another ‘dreaded’ December & feel there’s nothing you can do about it.

In this article, I’m going to share with you the 1 mistake you need to avoid if you want to enjoy a stress-free Christmas in the Salon (and actually get ahead!) without overworking and dreading this time of year…(trust me it’s possible!).

Let’s dive in.

For most other people, Christmas is a happy time to spend with family & get festive. But in our industry, it can often feel like we're the only ones working ourselves to the bone!

And the people who suffer the most are actually your family, the ones that you love the most because you’re overcommitted.

You're grumpy:

You run out of the conversation because you’ve talked all day, 12 hours straight—you've got no conversation or patience left for them.
You buy presents last minute, not really thinking them through, and do a last-minute dash for Christmas food.
By the time Christmas day rolls around, you feel completely EXHAUSTED.
You end up taking a nap on Christmas Day—feeling sad that you’re too exhausted to spend quality time with your family, but unable to overcome the pure exhaustion that’s accumulated from the crazy month you’ve had.

And every year, you swear you'll never do it again.

But each year, for some reason, you do it again— allow yourself to put off Christmas prep til it’s too late.

Did you know: this is a HUGE mistake?

You will only end up spending the whole of December miserable—again—And, it feels so unfair right?!

As a result, you dread December in your Salon more than anything, and your team feels the same:

Stress rises, people get tired & ratty
You cram more clients into those last 3 weeks, hoping to make more

The silver lining, you hope, is that the more clients that you do, the more money you SHOULD make.

But have you noticed that the average spend of your client actually drops when you & your team are too busy to give them a 10/10 full attention service?!

We don't upsell, we don't upgrade.

Do you know why?

We don't have the brain space. We don't have the appt space! We can't cope with it. Right?!

But as a result, we let ourselves down—and we let our clients down.

It’s actually better to serve fewer people--as tough as that sounds--and invest the extra time in supporting your clients to spend more.

As well as not spending just for ‘spending’s sake’—but actually so they get a 10/10 experience, and walk away glowing, feeling their best.

If YOU want to make this December DIFFERENT - a stress-free Christmas in the Salon - you need to get ahead NOW!

Don't bury your head in the sand.

Instead, make time to get your ‘Salon Owner’ responsibilities sorted before the cray-cray kicks in—you know, all those things that you know you have to get prepared that’ll likely get forgotten about when you’re hectic on the floor with clients:

Optimizing your rosters, bookings, and opening hours to maximize sales & team efficiency
Getting your orders done so you don’t have any last-minute ‘out of stock’ panics— leaving money to walk out the door
Creating a plan to increase ave client spend so your team can work smarter not harder

Get this done NOW so as December creeps closer, you can give yourself permission to focus on the now and just be present in the Christmas period with your team & clients.

Do this to have a STRESS-FREE Christmas in the Salon. Work smarter, not harder this Xmas—less exhaustion & more exhilaration!

Because this year, it doesn't have to be miserable it can be a stress-free Christmas in the Salon.

You can actually enjoy the buzz... If you’re prepared.

No more reaching Christmas day feeling exhausted & having to take a nap! Now’s the time to STOP putting off December prep for “JUST one more day”—you need to break the cycle!

And you can head into the New Year feeling energized & motivated, without feelings of exhaustion & defeat.

If you want to learn HOW you can do this, then you need our 12 easy steps for a Stress-Free Christmas. The 12 steps live in a free, online Christmas Survival HUB where you can learn HOW to make THIS December different.

If you’d like to get free access before it’s too late, simply click the link here! I know you are going to love it…!

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post The Secret to a Stress-Free Christmas in the Salon appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The 3 Crucial Elements of a Client Attracting Social Media Plan

Braeley Davies — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 22:36:22 +0000

Do you find it tricky to create a client attracting social media plan?

You know you have to do it, but you often don’t have the time, nor the energy to really put effort into it and prioritise it.

As a result, you can end up posting the bare minimum just to keep things ‘ticking along’. Hair transformation photo after hair transformation photo, before and afters of your team’s latest blonde transformation… you know the one!

After all, it’s just taking one more thing off your busy list.

...And honestly, kudos to you for getting it done when you can! But the problem with doing this all the time is that: You end up posting the same thing as everyone else. Every Salon does a full head of highlights, and every Salon has great before and afters. So what sets you apart?

And you might think it’s the great work you do, and that’s definitely part of it, but there’s more to social media than posting about how good your clients look!

Social Media in today’s climate is so overpopulated, so you need to find a simple way to set your salon apart from the rest: a Client Attracting Social Media Plan.

Here’s a hint: creating a client-attracting social media plan is more simple than you think.

I want to share with you 3 game-changing strategies that every salon owner should be using when posting on social media if you want to set yourself apart online, and, most importantly, grow your client base through social media.

These are the 3 things that, once incorporated into your posting strategy, are going to set your social feed apart from the rest.

The ‘Know’ Factor

The purpose of the ‘know’ factor is to ensure:

Your social media has as MANY people knowing about your brand as possible
Your social media has as many people, knowing as MUCH about your brand, as possible.

In order for people to KNOW about your brand, the first step is to reach more people. Like, if your posts are consistently only reaching 100 or 200 people, you’re speaking to the same people over and over. It’s time to start growing your reach!

So, you might be wondering, “what is reach?” Put simply, reach is eyeballs. The more eyeballs on your brand, the more potential new clients your brand is exposed to.

Reach = Eyeballs
Eyeballs = Followers
Followers = Clients

If your reach number isn’t growing, then your follower count will most likely not be growing. And if your follower count isn’t growing, it means your social media growth may have gone stagnant and the influx of new clients will have stopped.

Strategies to Skyrocket Your Reach

Facebook & Instagram Strategies:

Host giveaways on your social media pages, this could be as simple as “tag a friend in the post to win” or “comment on your favourite X”.
Memes (people tag their friends)
Engagement posts (more commenters means more eyeballs)
Team sharing photos
Tag your clients in your posts & stories
Stories: tag other brands

And once you’re getting more eyeballs on your brand, you’ll want to ensure your brand, your values, your mission, and your ideal client (who you serve) are clear from the get-go on your social media pages.

This is the second part of the ‘know’ factor: having as many people know as MUCH about your brand as possible.

This is where you want to share what makes you, YOU, and what sets you apart from all the other salons out there.

Ideas to share ‘who you are’:

Instagram
Your Instagram Bio is one of the most underutilised tools ever! Make sure your bio includes your location to reach clients in your area, your hero service, what sets you apart, and who you serve (your ideal client).
Facebook
You NEED to have a pinned post at the top of your Facebook Page and remember to be intentional about what you choose. I recommend pinning your new client offer, or something you want more people to see (remember to keep it fun and exciting though… not your cancellation policy!) Then make sure you have a branded cover photo & profile picture too, showing the humans in your business rather than using stock images…

The ‘Like’ Factor

The like factor is all about allowing your followers to form a connection with your brand (and your team members) online!

People follow brands, but they do business with people. Your potential client will spend 1, 2, or even 3 hours with your team member in Salon, so the client wants to know whether they will connect with your team. So you need to let potential clients get an inside look into your brand… and give your followers the opportunity to actually LIKE you as humans beyond a computer or phone screen!

If your reach rate is a good judge of your KNOW score, then engagement rates are a good way to judge your LIKE score… so while growing your reach count online is important, engagement is equally as important.

Did you know, that when someone comes across your brand for the first time, it takes on average 7-11 interactions with your brand before they decide to do business with you?

The time between them first discovering your brand is one of the most vital parts of what we call the ‘Client Buying Journey’. This is the stage where your social media content will either convert them into a client or not…

Once they “know” you, they will only learn to like, and trust you, once they engage with your content.

It’s like dating. You wouldn’t meet someone in a bar, walk up to them and ask them to go home with you straight away, would you? No, you’d introduce yourself, engage in conversation, warm up to each other, and get to know one another, chatting back and forth…

The exact same applies to your client attracting social media plan!

So, I want to share some simple ways to increase your score with the LIKE factor…

Strategies to Increase Your ‘Like’ Factor:

Share your humans! Who are the PEOPLE in your business, and what are their personalities like?
Show behind-the-scenes in your salon--what do you get up to that clients might not necessarily see when they come in for an appointment? It’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like your social media needs to look perfect… but actually, perfection is overrated.

The good part is, ALL of this stuff is happening in your salon already! You have a salon full of humans, beliefs, systems, clients, techniques, and values that are uniquely YOURS already. And that’s the only thing that’s going to set you apart, so it’s time to start showing it…

Because what happens when 80% of your feed is before and after photos? It’s focusing on the trust factor but forgets about the know factor and like factors.

Any efforts put into getting clients to TRUST your brand (by showing them your amazing work) will be lost if you haven’t gotten them to KNOW and LIKE you first.

It’s a two-way thing...

Remember, engagement online is NOT a one-way street. If someone were to walk past you in real life and say “hi” or ask you a question, would you ignore them? Probably not, right?

So the same applies online! A two-way, engaging experience that someone had with your brand is much more likely to entice them to become a client, rather than a one-way comment that was overlooked or ignored.

To make this happen, I’d ensure you or someone in your salon has 30 mins set aside each day to respond to comments and messages.

Ok, so the last thing you need to incorporate into your posting strategy is posts that increase the ‘trust’ factor…

The ‘Trust’ Factor

In order to build trust online, it’s all about showing and validating your technical skills.

I’d especially work at building trust in one, specific niche. Even if you do ALL the things in your salon, it’s essential to focus on one HERO service. Then really hone in on that as your ‘core’ service… especially when it comes to marketing!

In order to successfully niche down (and thus attract your ideal client), you want the client to choose YOU over all the other salons out there. Like, that’s the goal right? You want your ideal client to know that you are the best in the biz, at what you do (i.e. your hero service).

So how do you let them know this? Well, the answer is to be clear on what you offer and how it matches the client’s desires.

At the end of the day, people want to trust your expertise and know you can look after them!

If you're having trouble knowing what your Hero Service should be, then think of it this way:

There are 3 things your hero service needs to be:

Easy to teach your team
Something more people can do without years of training
Your Ideal Client wants and needs it

And once you have picked your hero service, show it OFF! That is how you’re going to build trust in YOUR area of expertise.

There are many ways to show your techniques or clients' transformations that go beyond just “backs of heads”... ensure you are showing happy, smiling faces and pictures of your ideal clients.

I’d also ensure you share lots of Client testimonials for your hero service, as this is social proof that other people have received and loved the service you have provided.

And remember that engagement also builds trust (especially from existing clients), as it’s another form of social proof. So encouraging existing clients to interact with your social media is always a good idea.

Once these three cornerstones are covered on your social media feed, you’ll be on your way to nailing you client attracting social media plan.

And to avoid the feeling that you’re just treading water with your social media, trying to stay afloat… I would recommend you block out time in your calendar once a month, or even once a week, and try to get ahead with it.

Make yourself a plan, batch, and schedule ahead of time, so that it’s one less thing to worry about day-to-day.

Inside of the Salon Mastery Program, we provide you with a done-for-you client attracting social media plan, which includes post ideas to increase the know, like, and trust factors… along with what days to post what content.

On top of that, we’ll give you a completed outline for your annual marketing plan, plus send you done-for-you social media caption and image templates.

So if you’d like to get in on the action, then click the ‘Apply Now’ button below and we’ll go from there.

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post The 3 Crucial Elements of a Client Attracting Social Media Plan appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Building a $1M Hair Salon with Michelle Marsh

Larissa Macleman — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 22:25:04 +0000

Fate can be a funny thing, right?

You’re dreaming of building your own $1M Hair Salon, and the next you’ve made it happen! All of a sudden there becomes a whole new set of responsibilities. Some, expected (like hiring, firing, marketing, you know… ‘all the things'). Others, perhaps, you weren’t so prepared for, (the team dramas, covid, recessions, industry staff shortages, struggles to maintain a healthy work/life balance…OH MY!)

No matter how profitable your business is, or how far you move up the success ladder, there are always a new set of challenges around the corner. And it changes with each stage of growth. Why? Because...

Growth breaks things!

If you’ve experienced this, then you’re not alone. Each new stage of business brings new challenges, you barely master things and it all changes. I see this happening, again and again, every time I meet a new Salon owner when they join me in my Salon Mastery Program. We’re all on the same journey, same, same but different!

I want to introduce you to one such amazing Salon Mastery Member, Michelle Marsh, who I first met on a trip to London in the 2000's when we both received a Global Salon Business Award. We’ve both grown, changed, and experienced the highs and lows of the Salon industry to the absolute fullest since then.

Not only does she have a vibrant team of 13 is she is absolutely #killingit (hello $1M Hair Salon) within our Salon Mastery Program, but she has also now almost doubled her weekly sales figures, in just less than 12 months!

Sounds like a dream!

Through business highs and lows, Michelle has nailed the secret to staying motivated when the going gets tough, as well as continuing to motivate and grow a rockstar team so their own careers are flourishing all whilst growing the salon sales week by week without her personally having to invest more time serving clients on the floor.

Let me set the scene for you; Michelle owns Surreal Hair & Beauty Salon in Christchurch, New Zealand. Over 10 years ago, Christchurch was hit by a devastating 5.9 magnitude earthquake that caused many businesses to have to totally reinvent themselves and start over. This was no different for Michelle, but that didn’t stop her from pursuing the big plans she had in place. An incredible journey to building a $1M Hair Salon.

Wake Up, Be a Badass & Repeat…

Michelle is the definition of a boss lady.

As soon as you meet her, you get a taste of Michelle’s no-nonsense (but super kind-hearted) approach to Salon growth. She is always putting her business, team, and Salon as her first priority. Before coming on board our Salon Mastery Program, Michelle was honest with herself. She knew her Salon was operating at about 80% but didn’t know how to move the needle to get it to a place where it could thrive and continue to grow…

Sometimes, as business owners, we are too invested and too close to our business to see the changes that need to be made. It’s like, we’re in our own goldfish bowl, we often can’t see things from the outside! This is exactly how Michelle felt. She felt like she had achieved so much throughout her 23 years of Salon ownership, and knew that if she wanted more, she was going to need some help to get her there.

Hunger for Success

When Michelle and I first met 17 years ago, at that Salon awards evening in London. Instantly, I knew her Salon Ownership journey would be one to watch... and so you can imagine my joy when 17 years later, our paths crossed again.

I will admit, that I have been keeping an eye on what she's been up to over these past years, and Michelle shared with me that she has followed my journey, too. Michelle's work ethic and hunger for success are stronger today than ever (but I'm not surprised!)

Now, with decades of business ownership under her belt, and a vibrant team of 13, Michelle has joined my Salon Mastery Program where she is continuing to grow ... dramatically.

Her team at Surreal Hair is lucky to work with a boss who is supportive of each of their careers, and by implementing The Salon Mastery Career RoadmapTM, Emerging Talent Smashing Sales StrategiesTM. Her team are certainly reaping the benefits! (did we mention nearly doubling her 'All salon Sales'? One of the rewards her team can earn as a part of Michelle's team is a branded BMW Mini... BRB while I apply for a job!

End Goal in Sight…

This boss lady has continued to impress us (and herself! #killingit ). Michelle’s Salon used to bring in an average of $13k a week, and has now almost doubled to $21k a week! Not only is she now a $1M Salon but her salon has grow by $400K. It really does go to show that anything is possible!

I know when I owned my own Salon, there was always something I was striving for, a specific ‘end goal’ I had in mind that would motivate me to achieve my next step. This is what inspired me to keep going!

What is your end goal? I recommend everyone have one. Is it building a $1M Hair Salon?

For Michelle, it’s to live happily in her own dream home, (which she has just finished building) have travelled around the globe, and live a life where everything is ticked off her bucket list.

This is what pushes Michelle each and every day to drive salon sales and grow her team's success. It’s the little things that she envisions for her future, that push her to achieve more. Do you have a vision of what your perfect future looks like too?

My Secret to Success

Actually, I want to let you in on a little secret. It is the number one thing that I believe is the key to success, it is the key to both mine & Michelle's...

Can you guess what it is?

Invest more time working ON your business and less time working IN your business. Make the time with your team a priority over time working on clients. Work with them to double their sales and thus double their income (and the salon doubles its revenue too)!

Pass on all your years of experience and knowledge, and support them to reach their targets, and their goals... ensure new up-and-coming talent become income generating quickly. (You don't have the time (or luxury) to have them behind the broom for years on end watching you) it's just not like that anymore.

Inspire the next generation…They are your ' tomorrow's business' ! And then enjoy in the fruit of their success. That’s it, that’s the secret right there!

I asked Michelle for some final words of wisdom, she wants you to know:

“If nothing changes, nothing changes.”

After taking that step and asking for help, Michelle has never looked back. The support of the Salon Mastery group and the advice she has received...

“has given [her] the clarity [she] needs to get her business under control”.

There’s always that sense of fear that comes with asking for help. Even if you know you need it, often you have to put your ego aside in order to take that first step. And then there are always worries about time investment or monetary investment. It can be a scary thing to take that risk!

We look forward to seeing the amazing results that Michelle continues to see from her success and work ethic!

I work with Salon Owners who…

Have a team of 4-7 or more and are already smashing $7-8K a week... I help salon owners prepare and get to $19K - that's $1mill Salon
Are more than ready to step up to becoming a real CEO of your business (rather than riding the rollercoaster and feeling held hostage to your team…
Want to grow your team and a sustainable business that is not centred all around YOU.. so you can enjoy a little freedom along with your success
Are willing to be open & coachable, to put the right strategic systems in your business, and take massive action now!
In 60 days’ time from now, things can be completely different - you could be Is it building a $1m Hair Salon! A year from now, life & business could be better than you’d imagined.

If you want to have a chat, see If we’re a fit then click the "Chat with Me" button below!

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post Building a $1M Hair Salon with Michelle Marsh appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Avoiding Team Explosions

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:22:44 +0000

Sometimes it feels like you can’t catch a break with your team! You are constantly putting out fire after fire, and you are exhausted by the emotional rollercoaster that is managing humans. Well, I get you, and you are not alone.

I was recently talking to three of my favorite Salon Owners that I work with, who had all been through what you might call, ‘team explosions’!

I call them that because let’s face it, that’s what they feel like...

The first owner had her top senior stylist (who had been working at her Salon for 3 years) come up to her one day and share, out of the blue, that she was considering handing in her notice. She was too overwhelmed and burnt out after all the disruption of Covid and decided that she needed to live a different lifestyle… in the outback of Australia!, She wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The second owner had spent the lead up till Christmas covering her ENTIRE team whilst they were sick (with Covid, of course). She was the last man standing in her Salon… and she was exhausted, as I’m sure you can imagine!

Finally, the third owner was in the middle of a daily huddle with her team, leading change in new ways to serve the clients better and more effectively, when she was verbally attacked by her team for her new ideas. “How dare she suggest such radical change and expect her team to try new things”? She, of course, felt alone, frustrated, and like her team was working against her.

Have you ever experienced anything similar? This is something that I experienced many times over in my early Salon Owning years and it can leave you feeling unappreciated and vulnerable; like you are giving everything to your team and getting nothing in return.

It can make us resentful and will eventually lead us to our business-owner-breaking point.

But, eventually, I figured out some pretty fool-proof ways of navigating these team explosions… and for the most part of my Salon Owning years, things ran like a well-oiled machine. Now, I want to share with you the strategies I utilised to prevent this from happening.

Let’s dive into why these team explosions may be happening, and how to breathe life and love into your Salon’s Culture, without stepping into overwhelm yourself.

“My team hates change”

When you bring up new strategies or new ways of “doing things around here”, it can feel like your team is against you. Like when you suggest a switch in product brand, a change in opening hours, or new consultation strategies, they don’t want to hear it. It feels like an uphill battle… and you are right at the bottom of it.

But, in actual fact… while it may feel like everyone is against you, they really aren’t.

Remember, our team is human too, and most of the time when they explode or don’t act the way you expect them to, they are simply projecting their own worries and fears onto you.

This can feel like they are mad at you, but in reality, it’s totally normal for your team to reject change straight away. Something new is an adjustment for everyone. They need to consider the impact it has upon them. You have to give them time to come to terms with new things and how they will impact them. Remember you took a while to decide and plan the new strategy…give them a chance to catch up with your thinking process.

**Give them the why!**

Ensure you have given them the ‘why’ for what you’re implementing and how you see it impacting the business, the clients, and of course, the team as a whole. Then allow them space for it to soak in, think it through, and then get them involved in the process of change. Remember, they aren’t the Salon Owner, you are. You can’t always expect them to see it from your perspective, or to think about the problem and change as a Salon CEO would.

For those who find change more difficult, and maybe express it in a public way (eg: in your morning huddle! 🙄), take the time to work with them in private, to explore the change process out of the public domain. You’ll have an easier time leading your people through the change process step by step. Plus, you’ll enjoy the rewards of change as a team, more seamlessly.

“My team just don’t care enough”

As a Salon Owner, we are often empathetic people, it’s why we got into this industry in the first place. We care deeply about our business, our team, and our clients. We love our Salon, so we throw everything into our team, and along with this, their emotions. However, this can actually come back to bite us, especially when we are faced with a team explosion.

I’m not saying I want you to change how much you care and love your Salon or your team, but I want you to think about being more mindful in these situations; stepping back and viewing the situation more objectively first and removing your personal attachment & emotion from the explosion that is unfolding in front of you.

Sometimes, having a team is like raising a child, right?

You can give love, guidance & growth to your child, but you can’t expect them to always return the same understanding & feeling back towards you. The same applies to your team and your salon growth strategies.

Kids (aka some team members) often don’t know how to manage their emotions like you might want and hope. It may just mean they don’t have the skills to manage their own emotions. It may very well, not be about you or mean that they don’t care. Like the stylist who wanted to move to the outback - the expression of an idea for life change need not be set in stone at that moment.

But what you can do, is provide a safe space for them to come and let you know how they are feeling (even if it’s disguised as an emotional explosion). A team member being able to come to you and be open and sharing gives you an opportunity to be proactive with them to find an effective solution for all parties.

Opening your communication lines, and managing their growth and subsequent “tantrums” will help you build trust with even the most difficult team member.

“The perfect team does exist…right?”

When you opened your Salon doors and started hiring employees, if you were like me, I'm sure you had the picture of the perfect team in mind. A team of the “perfect employees” who are not only incredible at their work but are hard-working, technically great, and produce great results. Together, you envisioned that you’d create an amazing culture in your Salon.

I used to strive to have the perfect team, but I realised that it was near impossible to have a full crew of perfect people on board all of the time.

During my 20 years of Salon Ownership, I had so many amazing team members that worked for me, (one even ended up being my bridesmaid!). I had a Rockstar team that supported me through and through.

In saying this, I learned that I could realistically only keep 80% of the people happy 80% of the time. If I could achieve that, I was doing a great job. And it was up to me to build, and then rely on my systems and business processes to support the remaining 20% shortfall.

Systems and processes will set you free from operational drama, client complaints, and team explosions, and will help hold your business up to a high standard even if team members let us down.

Your team are human after all and ‘life happens’, so if you are prepared for when things do happen by having tools and systems in place to keep your business productive, clients happy, and your team loving their work, then you are doing a great job already.

Progress over perfection always!

If you are struggling with team explosions and need help with a leadership plan or implementing growth frameworks within your Salon to avoid team explosions, then I would love to hear from you.

I work with Owners who…

Have a team of 4-7 or more and are already smashing $7-8K a week... I help salon owners prepare and get to $19K - that's $1mill Salon
Are more than ready to step up into becoming a real CEO of your business (rather than riding the rollercoaster and feeling held hostage to your team…
Want to grow your team and a sustainable business that is not centered all-around YOU.. so you can enjoy a little freedom along with your success
Are willing to be open & coachable, to put the right strategic systems in your business, and take massive action now!

In 60 days’ time from now, things can be completely different. A year from now, life & business could be better than you’d imagined.

If you want to have a chat, see If we’re a fit then click the "Chat with Me" button below!

That's a wrap, I hope this was valuable - look forward to working with you more in 2022.

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post Avoiding Team Explosions appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Make 2022 Your Best Salon Year Yet

Larissa Macleman — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 09:00:02 +0000

2022 is here and I am sure you are ready to put 2021 in the past and embrace the fresh start of a new year (I know I am!).

I remember when I was in your shoes, running my own salon business back in 2010. I was planning ahead for my salon’s 2020 vision – which at the time was 10 years away! I pictured flying cars, maybe even intergalactic travel…

Oh, how differently did these last couple of years turn out?!

We could never have predicted the last few years we have all had. With the ongoing disruption of Covid-19, lockdowns, vaccinations, and your Salon opening and closing, it’s been hard to think, let alone plan anything too far ahead.

I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re coming out of 2021 feeling overwhelmed and defeated, especially as Covid continues to lurk in the background. But if you don’t plan and create goals to support your salon dreams, you could be missing out on some incredible opportunities that will change your life.

We have the power to move forward with intent, by actioning what we’ve learned and design our year ahead…and the rest of our lives!

Let’s use the fresh start that 2022 is giving us, and run with it. Be the person that actually decides to go for it.

Are you ready to join me to level up and master your Salon AND your life in 2022?

First, you’ll need to download the 2022 Salon Annual Planner that accompanies this Blog. I’ve created the planner so you can get clear on your vision for the year ahead and kickstart your 2022 with a bang! – It’s free & will help you get the most out this year: Click here to download your copy.

Let’s get started! Here are the five steps you need to take, in order to level up in 2022…

#1 You have to look back to move forward

Many of us take action without planning ahead – I know this because I used to be one of these people! But over time I’ve learned that this often results in added stress and overwhelm… because we’re unprepared for the changes growth can bring.

As Benjamin Franklin once said: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

It is important to pause and take the time to get clear and plan ahead for success so you know exactly what to do next. It’s all a part of the dream-achieving process. By planning ahead, you become proactive and foresee potential issues or roadblocks that may come your way, and therefore are able to either avoid them… or face them confidently.

So how do we start planning ahead for 2022? The first step might actually surprise you… it’s actually to look back.

Turn your focus to HOW you’ve dealt with all the things that have been going on in 2021 (and probably 2020 as well) – the good and the not-so-good. You must look back with intent, to discover how far you’ve come and realise the lessons you’ve learned. This will give you the confidence to take your salon into bigger and different places than you’ve ever imagined before.

Activity: Fill in the boxes on your Salon Annual Planner to reflect on the past year (Page 3).

#2 What got you ‘here’ won’t get you ‘there’

When planning ahead for your salon, it can be easy to fall into habits and actions which are comfortable and known to you.

Yes, maybe these have been successful in the past, but that doesn’t guarantee your success in the future. It’s time to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.

Why? One of the biggest mistakes Salon Owners make is trying to use the same strategies that have worked in the past, to get them where they want to go in the future. Things are different from how they were 6 months, 2 years, 5 years ago… so you must treat them as such…especially in the climate we now live in.

As your business grows, you should be focussing on different things at different times and implementing strategies that will help you to grow and take your Salon to the next level.

It’s as simple as knowing where you’re at in your business, and where you want to be.

Think about the size of your salon in terms of your team, clients, income, and how long you’ve been in business. This will help you determine your next steps and how to achieve them.

Don’t worry about your neighbouring salon or what the one with the aesthetically pleasing social media is doing – what matters is knowing where you are on your own business journey and working on the right things at the right time.

If you’re unsure if you’re focusing on the wrong things right now, ask yourself…

Am I feeling overwhelmed?

Has the momentum of my salon’s growth stopped?

Have I hit a growth ceiling and am unable to move past a certain stage?

Does it feel like I’m taking two steps forward and one step backward?

If you answered yes to any of these, then yes, you could be focusing on the wrong things.

In my Salon Annual Planner, I’ve made you a simple chart so you can track the growth and scale of your business, making it easy to see exactly where you’re at and what you should be working on in 2022.

Activity: Tick the Box in your Salon Annual Planner that most applies to your current stage of business (Page 4).

#3 Get Shite Done in 2022 – Ditch the Overwhelm

I love planning out my future because it reminds me that I am in control of writing my own storybook.

As we know, time is crucial when it comes to getting things done. In order to fully step into your role as CEO, you need to get off the floor. You can’t grow your business while serving clients 40-50 hours a week. Time needs to be created for you to work on your business, otherwise, nothing will change.

If you’re serving your clients, who is running your business?

Don’t worry if you aren’t there yet, this can be a gradual process. But you have to dedicate time to act as your salon’s CEO.

If this feels like a huge leap from where you are now, that’s okay. Remember you have to be true to where you are in your journey and start from there.

If 2022 is going to be different, you need to be different.

Here are four things to think about to ensure you don’t get overwhelmed but stay focused on leveling up your business…

Create a plan
Work smarter, not harder
Do things that work and let go of what doesn’t
Create space and time for creativity

Activity: Fill in the box on your Salon Annual Planner with your 6 Big Rocks of 2022 (Page 6). Now break that down into the actions you need to complete

#4 Become the Salon CEO

It’s time to decide that 2022 will be different. Are you ready to make the decision to become the Salon CEO you have always wanted to be?

As your business grows and moves through the different stages, you get better at your job as a CEO, and your priorities shift.

It is possible to balance your business life with your personal life, it’s just a matter of learning how.

For me, I’ve decided that I am dedicating this year to helping 25 Salon Owners (like yourself) step into their roles as the Salon CEO. I do this because I know that it is one of the most important transitions they’ll make in taking their business from just surviving with overwhelm, to thriving with clarity!

The first step is deciding that you’re going to go for it in 2022. You have to make a conscious decision that you will not settle for anything less than growth, evolution, and success.

Simplify your role by leaving behind the mindsets of a stylist, therapist, or manager, and really get clear on what it means to be the CEO of your salon.

Ask yourself these two questions…

What did you get into business for?
Why are you here?

It is easy to lose sight of what we’re working towards. So get clear on your vision and master your inner CEO. Here are my top three non-negotiables that will help you step into this role…

Your Income: Set a clear goal of what you will earn and don’t compromise on it. You deserve to be paid for what you’re putting into your business.

Your Hours: Set your boundaries so that you can achieve your goals AND enjoy your life. Replace burnout and overwhelm with rest and recuperation – two things vital for success!

Your Leave: For you to be away, you have to have systems in place so your business can continue to run smoothly while you’re gone. Commit to taking leave to ensure these systems are efficient, and to enjoy the life you’ve worked hard for.

Activity: Fill out below your non-negotiables for 2022 in your Salon Annual Planner (Page 7).

#5 Make it Happen & Get Some Help

If you’re anything like me, you’ll need accountability and guidance to achieve your goals, dreams, and desires.

I share my key steps to achieving accountability in the Salon Annual Planner, to help simplify the process and provide actionable strategies to help you achieve your goals.

Make yourself accountable by setting reminders EVERYWHERE! Ditch the 1/4ly planning, and replace them with a check-in every 2 months to keep on top of your goals and your progress.

Share your goals with your team and the important people in your life. It takes a village to raise a business, so make sure everyone knows what you’ve committed to so they can support you along the way.

Business is lonely enough, so get some help from others who are at different stages of the journey: way ahead, a few steps ahead, and those that are right there with you!

Activity: Write in the boxes on your Salon Annual Planner what you will do to make it happen (Page 8).

This is YOUR year to level up. Become the CEO you know is inside of you. It’s time to really kick off 2022 and absolutely smash the year ahead.

And if you’re ready to get some help with putting these plans into place, then let’s chat.

I’m looking to work with 3 Salon Owners who want to Level Up their Salon Business in 2022… I’m talking about Salon Owners who want to actually be the ones who ‘go for it’ in 2022, and not just have another year of ‘average’.

If you’re interested in finding out more, just click here, and we can chat.

The post How to Make 2022 Your Best Salon Year Yet appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

5 Steps to Become a Million Dollar Business

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 23:24:16 +0000

Being a Salon Owner is not always sunshine and rainbows… the reality of running a salon is tough, and success doesn’t happen overnight. As a Salon Owner, you probably have dreams of building a Rockstar Team, achieving a life of freedom and profit, and having strong relationships with clients.

I know, from experience, that this is all possible, but the HOW isn’t always clear.

remember so many moments, early on in my Salon Ownership, where things wouldn’t go right. A team member would leave, clients wouldn’t rebook, retail sales were dwindling, I really could go on! It was tough and defeating wondering if that successful moment would ever arrive.

For me, success meant becoming a Million Dollar Salon. This was my goal… something tangible upon which I could actually measure my Salon’s achievements. Making this happen, however, during that time, was another story…

Skip forward a few years, and I had achieved my goal. Finally, when I looked at the Salon’s monthly results, they were numbers that would actually add up to a Million Dollar Year. I remember it like it was yesterday!

I was relieved and surprised, but not surprised at the same time… because I always knew it was possible.

Now, I want the same for you. Knowing how to achieve my goal of a Million Dollar Salon from the beginning, would have saved me a lot of heartache along the way- and now it’s your turn to achieve that (hopefully without the added heartache!). I have 5 key strategies that I believe will help you achieve the dream of true success, just as I did.

Let’s take a look…

#1 Attract Ideal Clients:

Now, I know the goal with Salon Marketing is to promote your salon so you can get bookings flooding in… so, therefore, we aim to market ourselves everywhere and to everyone. BUT I believe niching down is much more effective in the long run. Focus on targeting your ideal client. This is someone who raves about your business and is incredibly loyal. That type of client every salon needs to be a success. Ideal clients are like friend groups. When it comes to my friends, I’m much more of a quality over quantity person. I’d rather have fewer friends who care about me than a whole bunch of meaningless connections; the ones who care are going to support my growth. And, so, guess what? The same applies when it comes to your salon!

Instead of trying to connect with a larger clientele, focus on fewer. This means you will have more energy and time to invest in those special clients which will make the relationship even stronger. As a salon owner, you want strong relationships with clients as that’s what will not only keep them rebooking, but will also entice them to share their amazing experiences with others.

When it comes to your Salon’s Marketing, ensure it has a strong and clear message that’s targeted towards your Ideal Client. You should be speaking ‘to her’, all the time, every time.

#2 Be The Expert

The second thing you’ll need to nail if YOU want to be a million-dollar salon is being the expert. Now that you’ve niched down and attracted your ideal client, you want them to choose YOU over all the other salons out there. Not just because there were no other Salons left to go to, but because you were the known expert in your area of specialty. The goal is for your ideal client to know that you are the best in the biz, at what you do (whatever that may be).

So how do you let them know this? Well, the answer is to be clear on what you offer and how it matches the client’s desires. Talk them through this to reassure them that they are in the right hands.

At the end of the day, people want:

To trust your skills and expertise
Know you can look after THEM

If you can show people that they can both trust you and that you can look after them, then it should be easy for them to decide if you are the right salon for them.

#3 Hero Service

Now that your client knows who you are and you know who she is, choose that special service specifically for HER… this is your hero service.

You should have 1 Hero Service that is going to make the client trust and LOVE you even more! If you’re having trouble knowing what your Hero Service should be, then think of it this way: Your Hero Service should take everything that your Ideal Client wants and needs, and then make it come true for her in one service, leaving her assured that you can provide the results she loves, each and every time she visits you. Because your Hero Service is designed specifically around your Ideal client, you can feel confident that it’s going to attract more of this type of client… the one you know and love.

Here are 3 things a hero or signature service needs to be

Easy to teach your team
More people doing it without years of training
Your Ideal Client wants and needs it

So, what will you pick as your signature service?

#4 Follow The Ideal Employee Pathway

It’s time to attend to your team. Your team are the ones who may be looking after your clients, so you need to choose them wisely. The question is… how do you create the ideal team for your Salon?

When you can’t find qualified staff, grow your own! Yes, I’m talking about training them yourself.
Get clear on WHO you want in your team. Don’t make them all the same as you, differences will challenge you and be good for the growth of your business.
Employ those that you can train from some sort of basic grounding. Don’t employ people who you have to train how to be a basic human, but ones who are capable of reaching your standards!
Employ in advance. Advertising and inductions take time so always consider this when looking to grow your team. Often Salon Owners are hiring too late, you should be hiring before the pain of “we need another team member asap!” kicks in

My last strategy to become a $1 million salon is to have a progression plan for every team member. A super clear pathway from the beginning to the end so your team knows where they are going.

You want your team to have your Salon at the center of their future. So, be a step ahead of them and lay things out so they have a clear vision for the future with your salon, rather than having doubt in their minds. Take care of your team and show them you consider their futures!

Creating this environment will make them eager to upskill and progress; it will give them the career clarity that they won’t get at the salon down the road. After all, if you want to build a rockstar team, you have to pave the way for them to shine.

So, now I want you to take these 5 strategies and NAIL them before trying anything else in your Salon.

Hold tight… if you need something new and exciting to work on, then rearrange the furniture in your house, don’t take it out on your Salon (I know we are all guilty of this).

When you get to the million-dollar mark, then I give you permission to go and do whatever else you like.

Let’s keep the convo going…

Come & chat with me in messenger… I’d love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post 5 Steps to Become a Million Dollar Business appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Ultimate Strategies to Being a Great Team Leader

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 00:11:44 +0000

The beauty industry is forever evolving, so there’s no running away from the fact that your Salon must evolve with it, in order to achieve success.

This means there will be changes within your team, constantly!

Now I know from experience that playing it safe and doing things the same way on repeat can be easy - but this just can’t happen if you really want to take your Salon to that next level.

So how do you manage changes within your team? Well, here are two quick strategies to implement when leading a forever evolving team!

#1 ‘Why’ not ‘How’

When handing over new tasks to your team, it can be super easy to tell them how to do it and send them on their way.

Like, what else could they possibly need? In reality, doing this will actually rob your team of something pretty important - the BIGGER picture!

Instead of just explaining ‘how’ to do something, it's so important as a leader to also teach the ‘why’.

WHY do they need to do this task a certain way? WHY does it add to the salon's growth?

If they can understand this, it will allow for 2 things to happen:

A. They feel a sense of purpose

If you explain the ‘why’ when assigning a team member their task, it makes it more than just another 'to-do'. It proves that the task actually holds significance to the Salon’s success.

So instead of just being a ‘cog in the machine’, the team member is shown that they are valued enough to be trusted with important contributions to the salon.

B. It invites the opportunity for tweaks to be made

Let's face it... as leaders, we aren't perfect! We are human, and naturally, miss things every now and again.

If you explain ‘why’ a task is done a certain way, or 'why' you have a process in place, it allows the opportunity for your team member to recognise anything which could potentially improve the process.

Perhaps their input could make the task more effective in achieving the overall goal. More brains are better than 1, so remember to always welcome contributions from your team.

#2 ‘Ask’ don't ‘Tell’

Along with growth, will come roll changes within your team. Again, it’s easier to just try and make someone do something without opening the door for feedback. But as a leader, this is actually the last thing you want to do.

Putting your team in a box and expecting them to master whatever role you give them just isn’t realistic. Instead, ask your team for their thoughts.

Is it something they see themselves doing? Does the new role fit their skills? Is the change even necessary?

Utilising this approach will bring about these 3 results within your team:

A. They feel that they are valued and not just someone who comes under authority

B. Their time is treated preciously

C. Their opinion matters to you and is taken into consideration

At the end of the day, we want to be the best leaders we can be for the benefit of our team, right?

If you can achieve this, then your Salon will grow into the success you desire! There is a quote that I love, it says that: “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is a process, and working together is a success.”

Basically, your team is everything... and without them, you won’t be able to achieve the bigger goals that you have for your Salon. So if you take care of them and value them, you will be well on your way to building a true rockstar team.

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post Ultimate Strategies to Being a Great Team Leader appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Surviving Christmas: My Advice

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 22:25:10 +0000

So the other day, I met one of my good Salon Owner friends for coffee.

It was 2pm, and she announced that she just had to eat something because she hadn't eaten anything all morning. And she said to me, "I'm living the Salon Madhouse life again."

And you know what, I remember those days really, really well. And so we discussed this craziness over our Christmas lunch, with a wine, (of course).

We started talking about, what are some of the things we can do to survive the Christmas madness? Because I remember each year around this time, I'd be thinking to myself:

“This is the last year I'm going to be on the floor and work this hard.”

And I'd be thinking: “never again”... like there must have been a good five years where I swore that this was it. This was that last year, I was doing Christmas, and I was 100% coming off the floor.

And you've got to remember, year by year, I was less and less on the floor.

But even being less on the floor, I still felt the stress and the strain of the crazy season, you know...there are two or three weeks in the lead up to Christmas where:

Every man and his dog wants to come and have their hair & beauty services done

... and fair enough to them! But I remember going to my mum's house for Christmas Day, and I would be having a wee nap on the couch. You know, I was so exhausted by the Christmas craziness. And it was completely anti-social.

It shouldn't be like that, right?

So I learned the hard way to finally take some care of myself. And in fact, by the time I was not on the floor, I really made sure that I was there to support the girls. And make sure that it wasn't quite as crazy for them.

So anyway, I wanted to share with you some things to do to make sure that your silly season is not super silly...

Look after yourself

To do that, I think you've got to start with: being prepared.

Because I know those days where you arrive for your first clients at nine and you might arrive at half-past eight if you're the organised type like me, or you might be a last-minute dash type.

But you know that you're not leaving those four walls until eight or nine o'clock at night. So you've got to be organised and be prepared. So I think, do the sanity check.

Be prepared... with Snacks!

Take a water bottle or make sure you've got a box of muesli bars, or nuts and raisins to snack on.

So make sure you've got a bag full of those, bring your lunch, something to eat around dinner time because I know that we often do the mad dash two bites of food in between the clients, a quick look on Facebook and off we go again.

Be prepared. And you know, we would have a culture in the Salon also where we would highlight some of the crazy periods of the day.

And we would get the support staff to go and do a lunch run or dinner run or water run or something just to make sure that we don't have hangry hairdressers.

Walk out of the Salon

So maybe instead of walking out to the backroom, taking two bites and looking at Facebook, actually walk out of the business, whether you just do a once around the block, walk down the street, look at some shoes or something…

Just get out of the building and get some different scenery and remember who you are and what you are and that you're not just in this cave called 'Salon madhouse'.

So when you can, walk out of the business… because I know you sometimes hear stories of hair and hairstylists and beauty therapists going to the loo and having a bit of a long sit down just to take a break out of the madness.

Don't do all the hours

I know it's tempting to work lots of 12 hour days. There's a time and a place for the 12 hour day- totally did them myself and so did my team. Even when I stopped doing it.

But you know too many of those is a recipe for burnout. So stretch them out as much as you can.

What we used to do- is in those last three weeks before Christmas, work seven days a week... but don’t work the crazy hours, and instead, make sure that there were gaps and we could spread the time out across those 7 days.

So sure, you might be working over a seven day period… but you can do anything for a short time, right, you wouldn’t work like that all year round.

But for a two or three week period, you can stick it out and do some extra hours. We used to increase hours from, you know, typical 37, 39 or 40 hour weeks to 45... or if they're really keen 47 hours. And for a short time? That's fine!

Spread it out

If you spread it over seven days, then you can finish at three one day, or you can have a sleep in one morning and start at two and work till eight, we've got that flexibility with the hours that we can open for our clients to have a little bit of a varying roster.

So, really what I’m saying is: don't work all the hours if you don't need to and make sure you create some white space in your life.

Look after those feet!

I think also look after your feet... because we're on our feet all day. And I know we like to often turn up in beautiful high heels. But I can remember being seven months pregnant and being on my high, high heels.

Because I loved them. They were actually super comfortable.

But looking back, I don’t know how I did it! And I loved it at the time. But I did have a lot of the girls who had two pairs of shoes. So you would start off on your high heels... then you go to your flats, your nice dressy flats, back to your high heels, and keep switching.

Now you could just wear your flats all day.

But there's something refreshing about taking off a hot pair of shoes...

And putting on a nice, cool pair that are a different shape and gives some variation to your feet. So make sure you look after your feet.

Alright, so that’s looking after you. Because if you're crazy, your team is going to be crazy. If you're feeling stressed, you're going to be the hangry Owner. So you need to look after yourself first... so that you can look after your team. So...

How do we look after our team over the crazy-silly period and stop hangry hairdressers?!

Looking After Our Team

So how do we look after our team over the crazy silly period and stop hangry hairdressers?!

I think first is kind of obvious, but ultra-important- and that’s to simply take care of them.

The kinds of things that I did, was organising a pizza on an especially busy late night that would turn up at around 6 pm (maybe nothing too smelly), also raisins, nuts and bliss balls (some chocolates maybe)… the whole lot. Because again, they're slow-release, so great for lasting energy.

Next up I’d ensure you always have a good supply of water out the back. Just making those little things right, making sure that a support person can go and get lunch for someone who's had a particularly crazy mental day, just a little bit of caretaking for the people.

Bringing on Extra Support

We were lucky being a slightly larger team, we could have a little posse of support girls. They were just after school girls, and we would have several of them. Sometimes they were girls from the training course at the tertiary education and they would come to us for work experience. And when we had two or three or four of them, they could work it between themselves, that we always had ‘somebody’ and if it was really crazy, we could have two.

And because I wouldn’t want to have too many jobs or that I had to think about, I would leave it to them to problem solve. I would say to them, "if you need to have Wednesday off, go and talk to the posse... as long as somebody is available on Wednesday, you tell me with plenty of notice and I know who to roster, go and talk to them."

That way it’s not my problem to have to ring around and ask them all who can come on Wednesday.

If your day is Wednesday, you can't have the day off on Wednesday unless you find someone to replace you.

When you’ve found someone to replace you come and tell me - "I would like to have Wednesday the fifth off, please. I've already organised for Jane to come and replace me. And is that okay?" Well, my job is done.

Get some extra help and get the after school girls or girls doing full-time training and come and do work experience.

Morning Huddles

Another way you can look after your team is to double down on your morning meetings- we call them a ten to nine meeting. They are the morning huddles, and we would make sure that we really narrow down on those through the Christmas period.

And we’d take extra care because we had the shifting roster- so we’d ensure that we took notes and we had a strong communication.

That way, people that were coming in and starting at 11, or starting at two knew what was going on, knew who was away today, or what client was going to be running late, what stock was out. So up the communications, start those with the 10 to 9 morning huddles, especially in that Christmas time, even if you've got less stuff in the morning, and more are coming in the afternoon, those are super, super important.

These are the kinds of things that can really help and support your team so they don't get stressed out. And crazy, in the crazy season.

Increase your stock

It sounds so obvious. But sometimes we forget that actually, we're going to have a massive boost in sales. We need to be prepared, we don't want to be running out of things, we don't want to have products that we can't sell, after we do the work to tell them what they need… and then you go to the shelf and there’s nothing there.

Or you go to mix your beautiful design or colour combination, and you realise that half the ingredients are missing...

That just adds to the stress!

The great thing is if you overstock in December, you can use the leftovers in January and you can counterbalance your budget spend in January. So think ahead and increase your stock.

It's the little things

At the end of the day… it's the little things that are going to get you through this Christmas.

Say thank you to your team, and thank them when they’re walking out of the door at the end of the day.

Get specific about what they did really well over that period.

After a while, I realised that Christmas Eve was just a dud day for us, we used to get really booked up typically with blow waves and styling. And, you know, people would try and squeeze things in. But what I discovered is that most of the time people cancelled, they were too crazy themselves, they were cooking, they were shopping, they were travelling, they were baking, they didn't have time to come and have their hair and beauty services done and they would cancel.

And so after a while, I realised that I'm actually best to close. And that actually gave the team a break, it gave me a break, cut down the chance of me having a big fat sleep on Christmas Day. So close on Christmas Eve.

And look, if you're working extra hours before Christmas, then take it upon yourself- if you can afford it- to close in between Christmas and New Year. So I think, if you can, just close and give everybody a break.

Take a Break

All right, and my last tip is to have a break and have a glass of wine. Don't have a glass of wine until the end of the day though, like don't start pouring the wine for the girls until eight o'clock and the salon’s closed. But every now and then it is nice just to stop and have a wine if that's your thing.

Serve some dessert if wine isn't your thing and just come together and have a rest before you take off for the day and give yourself also a little bit of a break. Create some white space for yourself.

So good luck this Christmas... let's make it your best one yet!

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post Surviving Christmas: My Advice appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Become a Go-To Expert

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 22:00:09 +0000

Is it best to specialise in one area of beauty or beauty therapy as a whole?

This is a question I get asked a lot. Whether it’s about hair or beauty, so many Owners that I know often feel torn between what I call ‘niching down’, or instead trying to appeal to more people.

And I know how you feel! You often feel like you don’t want to narrow down your options… because that seems counter-intuitive, right?!

But then again, you see so many other Salons & Spas out there targeting a super-specific audience, and you wonder whether you should start doing the same…

I actually have a super strong opinion on this… it’s one that I really believe in whole-heartedly.

My Opinion...

My short answer is YES, you need to specialise in something.

Have a focus point and reason for ‘being’ beyond just doing beauty or just doing hair...

I actually believe in this so much, that it’s something I teach within my paid program. I help owners work out their area of expertise, so that they can:

Focus on what they deliver
Send a clear message to the marketplace that they are expert in xyz
This is so important, because if you think about the journey of a client when she is looking for a new hair or beauty service provider... they google, they social stalk, they ask their friends.

But how do they make their final choice? It’s not like there is any shortage of salons to choose from… so there needs to be a defining factor.

And that factor needs to be that YOU are the expert in your area of specialization… that way, your potential new clients will know straight away whether your Salon is what they’re looking for, or not.

To make YOU the obvious choice, you need to tell the world why they should come to you... because you STAND for something!

And I know the common fear… that you don’t want to narrow yourself down and limit the amount of clients you could bring into your business.

But showing yourself as the expert in YOUR area of expertise is actually going to have the opposite effect…

Because when you try to appeal to EVERYONE, you end up appealing to no-one!

If you aren’t sure what your area of expertise should be… you need to have your ideal client in mind. Talk directly to her! She is ‘The One’, so think about what she needs, wants & desires.

Instead of talking to ‘everyone’, you should be talking to her… ‘The One’!

Talk to ‘The One’

The One is your ideal client, the person who raves about your business and is unflinchingly loyal. This is the person who, if you could have even 50 more clients like them, you’d be well on your way to hitting your biggest goals.

The way you fill your salon with these people is by niching down, which means getting crystal clear on who your ideal client is, what challenges they face and how you can uniquely solve their problem.

But beyond solving their specific problem, you also need to know how to articulate the problem you solve for them.

How does your ideal client talk about their problems and challenges, and what is it they say they want?

Niche down your message and mirror it back to them in their own language, and you’ll find that your clients look to you like their salon soulmate.

Be The Expert

Now that you’ve niched down and narrowed in on your ideal client, it’s time to show them who’s the expert.

But first, you need to make sure you’re the expert they need and want. If you’re not clear on the expert you need to be for your ideal client, head back to step one and return to the drawing board.

For example, does your client want you to be an extensions expert or the queen bee of balayage?

Again, trying to be everything to everyone doesn’t help you gain traction, you have to double down on who you’re talking to and take a stand on what you’re talking to them about.

At the end of the day, the biggest competition isn’t the salon down the street; it’s the pace in which people scroll through their social media feeds.

Position yourself as the expert on the thing your ideal client needs and wants from you (of course, these two things should be aligned), and you’ll command a level of attention that stops the scroll.

At the end of the day, people want to:

Trust your skills and expertise
Know you can look after THEM

The cool thing is that this lets THEM decide if you are right for them. It changes your marketing strategy to clients wanting to come to you… rather than you trying to convince people to come to you.

And that’s WHY you SHOULD specialise.

Let's keep the convo going...

Come & chat with me in messenger... I'd love to get to know more about you & your Salon.

Chat with me

The post How to Become a Go-To Expert appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Attract a Rockstar Team

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 23:58:07 +0000

You need a strong team in order to grow your business. Your team can be the strength or the weakness of your salon. So finding and hiring the right people is paramount to your success - right?

I reckon I've employed more than 110 people in my time as a salon owner. When I sold my business, I had 30 awesome women in my employment. That means I've had more than 80 people leave my employment - I've learned a thing or two and not always the easy way!

In order for you to attract and employ a ROCKSTAR team, first, you must successfully advertise and attract enough attention to let the right potential staff members know that you have a position.

So, let's break it down with these 3 steps to create attention-grabbing ads that attract Rockstar staff

How to attract your ideal employee:

First, they must know that you exist, and you are looking for THEM to join your awesome team. You also want them to take action and apply for the position you have available not just scroll on past and carry on with their life - too many good people get away from us.

First, you must get really clear on the skills and qualities of your Ideal Employee. Sounds obvious maybe, but... answer these questions before you start.

Are they Qualified, in training or a beginner? Do they need to have years of experience?

What about client care qualities & skills? Technical Skills and ability?

Even there attitude toward life - Do you need a Team Player or a someone self-driven and happy to work unsupervised? Are they self-assured or mouldable as you train them?

What are their personal interests? Do you want someone who is similar or different from the rest of your team?

When you are clear on WHO you want in your business you can construct an ad that speaks directly to your ideal employee.

The goal here is to give your Ideal Employee the "Ooh, that sounds like me - this is just the place I'm looking for" type of experience!!!

Choose a Scroll-Stopping Image

The chances are, your ideal employee is scrolling through Facebook and job ad sites... How will you GRAB her attention long enough to actually read your ad?

Remember to think from THEIR point of view. They are not interested in you (...yet) and are not likely to be interested in an image of your beautiful yet empty salon!! THINK ABOUT IT - It's not about YOU at this point. What do they care about and what will stop them scrolling and further read your ad? A scroll stopping image that THEY are interested in.

I have some real examples for you to see in the How to attract a Rockstar Team Guide - 3 steps to creating attention-grabbing ads

Get inside their head: Test out some different image for your ads and see what gets the most reactions.

What's in it for me?

You know, sometimes staff let us down and are freaking hard work!!! I totally get it! But are you guilty of writing ads that are all about you and what you want from your next employee? I've done it in the past and I'm sure you have too - but let's think about this for a moment!

Let's hop into the head of someone looking for a new job. They feel unhappy where they are - check! They are looking to enjoy their life and workplace, get paid a bit more, enjoy the people they work with and maybe expand their career. Most of all somewhere that suits the way they look after their clients. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU... YET! (phew)

When you hop into the head of your potential employee while they are job hunting... at that very moment, it's all about THEM! They are looking for something that meets their needs. They are thinking "what's in it for me?"

Sure, we want to attract people who suit our brand and culture, but...

Save that for later, at this point in the process just focus on getting them to pay attention to your ad. It's like dating, it's not all about you on the first date!
It's 2020, we're hiring Millenials, they want to work somewhere that is going to grow and nurture their needs. Once you get to the interview stage you can both decide if you're the right match for each other. For now, FORGET writing demanding ads making sure THEY KNOW YOU MEAN BUSINESS and that they better shape up right about now!... Because as a result, you attract no one, let alone the right one!

In the How to attract a Rockstar Team Guide - 3 steps to creating attention-grabbing ads, I've used some real life ads from salons like yours and re-written them to speak to your ideal employee and meet them where they are at. You can articulate your business, culture, needs and wants while equally speaking directly to them and getting the "Oooh, that sounds just like me" type of experience.

Transform your ads to attract to your ideal Staff member in the Free Salon Guide

Then go do a Sanity check on your ads: How many time does your salon ads talk about you and your salon? How much is about them?

Promote like it's 2020

It's 2020! Stop putting your ads in the newspaper or job websites and hoping!... let's get social!

You know your next potential employee is already on Facebook, Instagram and maybe Snapchat. So go to them and get your business in front of their eyes! (rather than waiting for them to find you)

Facebook is so very clever and you can harness its power to get more potential employee eyes on your business and ads.

Important tip:

You can create Facebook ads, speaking directly to your next potential employee (and not your salon client audience). Target those ads toward hair or beauty employees!! Priceless!

How:

Who does your ideal employee follow? Target your Employee Facebook and Instagram ads toward followers of industry pages like Tabatha Coffey (for example) or industry events like hair or beauty Expos or Magazines - You know their followers work in the industry.

Use your location targeting to narrow your search for therapists or stylist who are in your physical location (unless you're targeting those overseas people who are looking to move - a legitimate option). Once they click on your scroll-stopping ad, send them to your application form. This should live on your website on a separate page. You can also send people to your Facebook business page messenger app - boom - you're immediately in a personal conversation with a potential employee. More on that next...

Make it easy to do business with you

Those that work with me in my online course or coaching will laugh at this one because I say it often. We can underestimate how easy it is to make it hard to do business with us in today's online world!

The fastest way to help someone lose interest in you or your business is to make it hard to connect with you!!! In a digital, social and online world, don't put too many clicks between you and your next team member.

Create a very easy and clear path to get in touch with you and apply for or ask about your position. Once they see and read your ad, what do you want them to do next? How will they apply to you?

The more streamlined you can make the application process, the better - simple and clear instruction is best. State clearly the steps you want them to take to apply and communicate with you. The less clicks the better.

Be ready for amazing people to come into your life. Make it easy.

Create a web page dedicated to potential employees with your application form. Ideally, you'll leave it there all year round to catch awesome people when they are looking.
Direct your ads (Facebook, Insta or Seek) directly to that dedicated page.
Link to your application form on the page so they can download it, or fill in the online form, then send it in with their CV.

Not only is using an application form professional, it allows you to screen applicants prior to offering an interview - you want to know if they are a good match before investing the time in the interview.

Create a Facebook ad that uses messenger and connects you to your potential employee, instantly! There is more on how to action this in the How to attract a Rockstar Team Guide - 3 steps to creating attention grabbing ads - Grab salon guide now!

)They WILL stalk you!!

You know those considering applying for a role are going to stalk you online. So I suggest you make it easy for them to do so. The more they get to know, like and trust your business the more likely they are at making contact.

Add all the links they need to research you so they don't have to go searching.

Add your website & social page addresses (if you're using an online job website)
Add ALL your Social Pages addresses on your website application form page
Add some great photos of you, your business and your team - let them get to know you.

I've created a Checklist for you to use to help you in the process of attracting a rockstar team and it's free!

The post How to Attract a Rockstar Team appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Run Your Salon like a True CEO

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 15 Mar 2020 22:35:37 +0000

Ambition can be overwhelming. As Business Owners, we tend to have big dreams… with an even bigger to-do list that can often seem to be getting in the way of those dreams.

That’s where Freedom comes in. When I talk about Freedom, many people think I'm talking about the kind of Freedom that finds you sitting on the beach all day every day with a cocktail in hand.

And while that type of Freedom is part of it- it’s the other kind of Freedom that I’m talking about here.

You know, like Freedom of time, space and mind to actually focus on the things that are going to move the needle in your business. The things that will truly make an impact and move you forward and make things work more smoothly.

Freedom to invest in your team so everyone is happier, and to invest in yourself as the CEO of your business.

Because when you do that, you can finally begin to see what true Freedom & Profit looks like… and then the tropical beach holidays will come.

Then you’ll actually have the time to take a rest and spend time on your ‘other life’... things like picking your kids up from school, going to the gym and investing in your health or simply creating some white space in your life.

What I really want, is for you to be able to walk away from your business- whether it’s for 1 hour, 4 days or even 4 weeks - and trust that everything is as it should be.

And how you can do this, is through systems and processes. I truly believe that systems and Processes will set you free…

Systems & Processes Will Set You Free

The name might sound a tad boring or technical, but I can tell you that the result is anything but those 2 things.

Systems & processes provide so many important ingredients that you need in order to achieve true Freedom & Profit.

You’ll have the consistency to ensure your business’s client service processes are delivered the same every time. Systems & processes will ensure everything is done on time, as it should be, and things are not forgotten.

I believe in relying on systems and processes rather than memory- because that’s when we start getting overwhelmed! Make each decision only once and write it down, that way you aren’t relied on to remember everything all the time. I don't want you to have to be at the centre of your business for consistency to be carried through.

Avoid decision fatigue. Other people can do things in your business as good as you (sometimes better, let’s face it)... you just need to allow them!

Set up a system, and the process will allow you to trust it will get done how it should be done.

This will increase the trust between you and your team, and between your team members. You’ll begin to trust that your team knows how to do things, or have the resources to find out the answer without you giving it to them. Then the process itself will develop trust from your team toward YOU that you’re caring for them as you should. It means you can be more reliable for your team.

There is nothing worse than waiting on someone to get back to you before you can move forward, so systems & processes allow your team members to make their own decisions within the safe boundaries… and then get on with the job. It sets everyone free!

Your team will no longer need you to respond to every little thing. This is how you’ll be able to walk away from your business for 1 hour, 4 days or 4 weeks and trusting everything will run smoothly.

So with that being said… I hope I’ve convinced you that systems and processes are indeed what will deliver you more freedom... on a silver platter.

I want to walk you through the list of things that you can systemise and of course that you shouldn't be doing any more. Some processes and systems - repetitive tasks - to outsource and delegate to remove you from the daily operations and create more #whitespace for what is yet to come as you grow your business.

Because you can have it all but you can’t do it all.

Social Media Content

Social media marketing isn’t a ‘one and done’ it’s something that needs to be done over and over again and consistently. But that doesn’t mean it should be you doing it every time, nor should it be you creating a new social media marketing plan each week.

You need to create a system for how you want your Social posts, which includes:

-> What type of post

-> What Social Platform

-> How often to post

-> What filter/colour scheme/style/lighting

-> Planning ‘lives’, posts & stories (when to do each)

-> What Content should be repurposed- you can find a separate blog on this here

-> How it should be done

You’ll want a systematic plan- step by step, day by day- and a little space for inspired pop-up content also.

Create the plan, write it out exactly how you want it and then delegate it. Give full authority to someone so they are fully in charge of it- ensure they know this system like the back of their hand. Make it so that they’re so all over the task… that eventually they know more about it than you do!

Work with them to perfect it (don’t dump and run), refine the process, do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. When the team member is ready, and feels confident, they can fully ‘own’ this job.

Step into your role as CEO and manage the PROCESS - don’t ‘do the do’! Have the team member report back to you on how things are going each week- just a high level overview and results… less of the details.

If you need help with your social planning or strategy - I have something for you to give you a head start . I’ll take you through our marketing quiz and give you some of the tools you can start to use to build out your plan. You can click here to take the quiz in messenger.

Stationary, Towels and Other Nat-Bites

These activities are the kinds of things I do not want to see on your CEO to-do list! Like… that just isn’t a good, efficient use of your time.

Your job is to create the system so that other people can be in charge of these more day to day tasks. When it comes to doing things like ordering stock, set up a set order list so that someone else can do the job. Have all the details at the ready - so someone can order it and get it delivered- you should only hear about this monthly as the bill comes in. Once the system is created, ensure you check on regularly.

If you’ve set up your budgets and stock levels then you can never get caught up in these things again, and the double bonus is that you’ll not run out of STUFF, you’ll be a step ahead of these ‘regular’ things.

Opportunity Cost

Now let’s take a second to think about what it’s costing you to spend time ordering the business cards.

Let’s start with your hourly rate. What does it cost the business when YOU spend time on activities, like day to day tasks!

For example, You can charge $150 an hour serving clients- but if you spend an hour with your team you can teach them how to charge $150 an hour each - and you have 4 in your team - now your hourly rate is worth $600 an hour ( 4 x $150).

Would you pay someone $600 an hour to order business cards … I think N.O.!

… So why are you doing it?

Also, what’s the opportunity cost? What activity are you NOT doing when you choose to put ‘business card ordering’ on your to-do-list?

What more important things are you sacrificing?

It could be investing time in your team - teaching them how to be that $150 per hour stylist.

Or it could be employing someone new, starting a marketing campaign that will bring in new clients, introducing an internal campaign that will motivate your team to do more, be more.

I want you to be doing what ONLY you can do! The true job of a CEO… At $600 an hour! If you’ could pay someone else $20 to do it - then DO THAT!

Time to Start!

-> Activity

Now, I want you to note down the top 5 things you get asked on the regular or have to deal with regularly with your team.

I’m talking about anything from the big things like: Can I have a day off / can I finish early / I’m sick, I can’t come in today …

To the little things like: can i do my friend’s hair after work / can I get my hair done - I’ve had a cancellation / What should I do, I’ve got nothing to do. Or when you find them out the back.. Already doing nothing!

Then you need to decide what the definitive answer is to each common issue or question. Decide what you really want in each situation, the answer that you won’t change your mind about.

Then, write it down.

Now you need to teach it to your team. And I mean really emphasizing it so that they know it well - not a ‘once and done’, that never works. Your ‘this is how we do it here’ is not a once and done, it’s a living, breathing document.

Be prepared: You will need to follow these rules yourself, and stick to them. Lead by example and show people how you want things to be done- the right way.

Now the trick will be getting used to NOT being needed. We all want to be wanted and sometimes need to be needed… but remember there are wayyy more important things for you to work on and that’s the area of your business that really needs you.

And you’ll need to remember to point people back to ‘this is how we do it here’ and not answer all the questions yourself- this is the only way to get them used to not relying on you anymore. Create a team that’s self-sufficient! That’s really the goal.

-> Activity

Next up, I want you to note down the top 5 things your clients ask, complain about, or get frustrated with. Maybe it’s something you’ve noted that are tension points for them (or your team).

For example, it could be: complaints, redos, refunds, cancellation list, appointment request queries, price questions... you get the jist.

Now go through the process again:

Decide what your definitive answer is
Write it down
Teach & drill into your team
Follow the rules yourself
Point your team toward the system

And just like that, you have some great systems & processes set up so that you can get on with your CEO role with more success & efficiency, and your team can do the same.

BIG Rocks

Let’s talk about some of the BIG rocks. I’m talking about the things that are so important BUT sometimes throw a spanner in the works when you’re’ not expecting them.

Like the hiring and firing process - it’s not an everyday occurrence but it can happen at any moment. The thing is, this often catches us before we’re prepared and we have to REACT instead of managing them with clam and grace (because we are PREPARED in advance).

Which would you rather be doing? Most times this is the nature of employing people, they can leave with little notice...

So, I want you to be prepared IN ADVANCE and have your BIG ROCKS ready - as a step by step system for you or your team to follow.

This way, you can get a step ahead- be in less overwhelm.

If you’re not present in your salon, like you actually are in Fiji, on a beach- there should be a system in place so when the sh!te hits the fan there is less interruption to your current plans and activities.

You need ‘business in a box’ thinking - be ready for shite to hit the fan - so it doesn’t!

I want you to have your ‘step-by-step’ ready to go, in a folder (or some sort of HOME) when you need it so you can reach in and get it, and get sh!te DONE with a super quick turnaround.

Otherwise by the time you think about your situation.. Like in the employment example, do you need any job role changes you need… do you need a new person at all?, Can you push someone else forward into a new role, can you get someone else to work more hours… a week goes by.

Then by the time you get an ad, where you’ll put it, what you write, and then get it up and live, a week or 2 can go by super easily.

Then you need to think about interviews, live testing on models to see their work and then you’re onto induction into your business - this is a BIG PROJECT and it takes time!

...so what about if you have all that planned in advance?!

Ready to go, waiting for you, in a box with tasks and action lists of what to do, where to find things and everything DONE and ready to go.

Because you could be home with a new baby and someone resigns.

I was on my honeymoon and I had a resignation… I shouldn’t have answered that call! I was about to board a boat to a remote island in Tahiti and boom- caught out when I was least prepared.

But luckily, I had a team who knew exactly what to do!

-> Where to find the SYSTEM

-> What to tell clients

-> What to do with clients

-> Who to move up in their role

-> Who to advertise for

Essentially, we were ready & prepared for it and I was able to go off and enjoy my honeymoon.

OK, so now you know my secrets to more Freedom in your life for 2020. I want to know: what systems & processed do you have in place in your Salon or Spa- and what ones are you going to add after reading this blog?!

Come and let me know in the Salon Owners Collective Free Facebook group- head there by clicking the button below. I’ll see you over there!

Join Our Facebook Group

We are always hanging out in our free Facebook Group: The Salon Owners Collective Group. I’ll see you there!

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The post How to Run Your Salon like a True CEO appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Forget ‘Likes’, Build Connections

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 02:51:34 +0000

‘Likes’ aren’t everything.

I know you’ve probably heard this before, but has it really sunk in yet?

Even in the world of Social Media Marketing, where it really does feel as though ‘likes’ do mean quiiiite a lot... I promise you, they aren’t as important as you think. You know why?

Instead of aiming to get as many ‘likes’ as possible on our Social Posts, we should really be aiming to create connections.

It feels like somewhere along the way, we have forgotten the word ‘Social’ in Social Media. ‘Social’ means interacting with others, forming connections, relationships and even friendships. You know... like, being social.

We’ve become so obsessed with ‘likes’ that Instagram has actually recently considered taking away the option for others to see how many ‘likes’ a photo has gotten, in the hopes that the focus will be less on ‘likes’.

It’s just like when people say- “would you rather have 20 average friends... or 5 really good friends?”

The answer is 5 good friends, right?

Well, the same applies to Social Media.

So how can we aim to build connections instead of ‘likes’? I have put together a few tips for you.

Tip #1- Use Video

I’m sure if you’ve ever stalked The Salon Owners Collective and The Salon Marketing Collective Facebook pages, then you would’ve seen at least a few videos of me. That’s because the best way to form connections with people online is through video.

With any business, people want to see people. They want to be able to put faces to names, get to know, like and trust you and get a glimpse inside this business who they’re considering spending their money with. Instead of a wall of ‘backs of heads’- they want to see you and your clients who might be just like them.

And the best way to truly let them inside your business, and let them get to know the personalities of you and your stylists, is by video.

People want to be entertained- and after all, a picture paints a thousand words! So instead of sitting there, typing your Product Pick of the Month for Facebook, or writing about your amazing stylist ‘Amy’ in an Instagram post... take a video! She could chat about her favourite product right now, and show your audience what it can do on their hair. Take your video on Instagram Stories and chat to stylists around the Salon, asking them what they’re doing. Even go live!

I recently chatted with Kim Barrett for the Salon Owner’s Collective Podcast. Kim’s business Your Social Voice sets out to help business owners do what they do best, and take the pressure away when it comes to marketing. We chatted about the importance and effectiveness of video content, and Kim made an analogy that I loved.

He said that you should think of your newsfeed as the town square, and your Salon as one of the storefronts . So how are you going to bring attention to your storefront? The answer: with video. It’s the best way to interact with people and draw them into your business. Make the most of what modern advertising has to offer!

You don’t need to have a professional film crew, just a phone with a camera and a little attention to detail.

Tip #2- Remember why you’re doing this

The second most key factor to creating connections online is remembering why you’re doing this.

Think before you push send! Why are you posting that? Don’t just do it for the sake of ticking a ‘done box’... you need to have a purpose.

And remember the difference between ‘marketing’ and ‘advertising’.

Marketing is making your business visible... you can’t sell a secret! Getting your name out there, and telling people who you are, what you do and why you do it. It’s in marketing that you should be aiming to form connections.

I like to call it the ‘know’, ‘like’, and ‘trust’ factors. Essentially, people have to trust you to want to do business with you. And before they can trust you, they have to like you. And, you guessed it.... before they can like you, they have to know you, who you are and what you do… and most importantly.. Know what YOU can do for THEM.

This three-step process is the ultimate aim of Social Media Marketing.

Advertising, on the other hand, has a more direct and straight-forward outcome. Advertising is all about direct responses, and encouraging people to take action (usually buying your offer) based on what they see..

Making this distinction between marketing and advertising is important because identifying which one you are doing, and why, is important.

Marketing is the best way to warm up cold (people who don’t know you yet) potential Clients online. Cold Clients are those who don’t know your brand, they don’t have any reason to want to invest in your brand. They haven’t had a glimpse inside and they could easily ignore your storefront in the town square if you don’t grab their attention. So you need to warm them up! Tell them who you are, what you do, let them get to know you. No need to be too ‘in your face’ and try to blast them with sales... you need to warm them up first with engaging content.

Advertising, on the other hand, is the best way to convert hot potential customers online into real life paying customers. Once you have warmed them up and begun to form that relationship with them, that’s when you can begin really advertising to them to take action and ‘book with you’.

So, I repeat, think before you push post! Don’t just ‘market’ or ‘advertise’ for the sake of it... know why you’re doing this and remember that intention in every Social Post that you do.

Tip #3- Who are you talking to?

When you’re thinking of your potential customers as cold, warm or hot, you must keep in mind what type of person you actually want to attract into your business.

Who are these people? Who are you marketing to? Who do you want to form these relationships with?

Every business should have an ideal client.

If you have an ideal client, you should know everything about her/him. What’s their name, how old are they, what job do they do, what do they do in their spare time, who are their friends... and perhaps most importantly: what problems do they face?

Lots of brands don’t spend enough time thinking about the problems their audience faces. But when it comes down to it, being a ‘pain killer’ is much more effective than being a ‘vitamin’.

What I mean by this, people want their existing problems fixed way more than they want their potential problems prevented.

So, you should always have in mind a targeted ideal client, and you should always be trying to solve their problems. Get in their heads… like, in front of the mirror at home. What are they thinking, going through.. And what would you want to see if you were them?

This is the person you are wanting to build a relationship with... so you should probably get to know them... well!

And once you know who that person is, incorporate that into who you’re making your brand out to be. What can you offer them that’s different to everything else that might solve their problems, too? What space are you carving out in the market? Why are you the best for what they need? Why should they choose YOU over someone else?
Remember you can’t be everything to everyone.

Meet them at their level, and start building the relationship from there.

If you haven’t realised yet... Social Media has pretty much taken over the world! So it’s time you started taking it seriously. Social media deserves way more time and thought than just squished in between clients and cancellations.

If you don’t have time, make time! Or find someone that does have the time. More and more Salons are hiring in house Social Media coordinators, as the importance of Social Media marketing becomes more and more obvious. This is something I would really recommend, and as long as you find the right person that ‘gets’ your brand, you’ll never look back!

And if you need more help with your Social Media Marketing, I know my team at SalonBot would love to hear from you. Just click here to find out more about what we do.

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Meet Megan: Award Winner, SalonBot Lover

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 02:45:28 +0000

Megan Panozzo’s Salon journey has taken her to unbelievable heights. Megan spent a year being mentored by and travelling around Australia with Kobi Bokshish, joining him as a national educator for the international Brand Matrix. The whole time, Megan had one end goal in mind. So when she won South Australia’s Hairdresser of the Year 2019, it was incredible news—but unsurprising to the many of us who knew how hard she had worked for the years leading up to it. Recently, I was lucky enough to get the chance to sit down with Megan. Her giddiness over her recent win was unmissable, and there was a fundamental aspect to which she attributed much of her and her Salon’s Success: Setting an intention, getting mentorship, coaching & smart marketing...

Anyone who knows Megan, knows her as the definition of the word ‘colourful.’ From her hair, her personality, to her Salon itself—colour fills her life in a way that truly sets her Brand apart from the rest. Her Salon, In Awe Salon, is located in Adelaide, South Australia. Her Salon is boutique, with 3 professional Stylists and her. But Megan’s dreams for both herself, and her Salon, have always been big.

She believes that her Salon has a strong point of difference in both their Brand and the way they run things in-house. Megan explained to me that she and her team have recently implemented the Freedom & Profit thorough and detailed consultation process for each of their clients. This process includes asking the client an 8 step flow of in-depth questions so that the stylist learns as much about the client’s hair as possible. Not only this, but the information can then be stored in their database for future visits, starting an evolving plan for the client which ensures an exceptional journey for the client and great client retention for the team.

Whilst these consultations are great for the stylist’s knowledge, each stylist also adds a little extra personalised touch to the customer service experience unique to each individual team member at In Awe. Megan loves the way that these consultations allow the client to feel special and as though their needs and desires are really being listened to, and implemented.

Megan believes that one of the strongest differentiating factors for her Brand is the intimacy and personalisation of the whole Brand experience. She has many special touches that she attributes to including SalonBot as part of her lead generation (a gathering of potential clients) that she can market to any time she needs an injection of new clients. It makes her stand out from other salons in her area.

Speaking about the incredible customer experience that SalonBot provides, Megan points out that “it can be totally personalised, but the automation cuts down the workload… it’s so incredible to have a database of people who I have access to and who I know are going to open the message I send.” Megan jokes that it’s not like emails, where people leave hundreds in their inbox unopened. “No one ever leaves a Facebook Message unopened!” she says, and I couldn’t agree more.

As we talk more about the idea of Facebook Marketing and Automated Messenger Bots, Megan and I chat about the misconceptions that surround them. There’s this tendency to think that bots are inhumane in their automation when really, the opposite is true! SalonBot can be as personal and personable as you want or need it to be depending on your brand story. In fact, for Megan and her team, one of their top priorities is to ensure that they interact with clients online as people, not just names on a screen. Megan assures that SalonBot in fact gives you that opportunity to reach potential clients on a personal level, like never before.

During her year-long mentorship with Kobi Bokshish, one of the most important things for Megan was that she was able to be away from her Team and her Salon, without being worried that everything was going to fall apart in her absence. One of the biggest helping-hands throughout this journey was the ability to have SalonBot to communicate with her clients. Megan says— “it’s a brilliant way to communicate with clients without having to be sitting at your computer constantly!” Not only does it help reach current clients, but is also an amazing way to attract and retain new clients.

“It allows me to have a steady stream of new clients...we have a client list that’s growing on a regular basis,” Megan tells me, excited by the growth SalonBot has afforded her. “One of my clients said the other day, ‘I loved the messenger bot! I’ve never seen that before.” She says that she loves using SalonBot to send out a message to all of her subscribers letting them know the available appointments for a week— something which she could never do before.

Given her colourful brand and even more colourful personality, one of Megan’s main focuses is that her Salon stands out from the others. Luckily, she has SalonBot, which she believes helps her to “stand out from the crowd and have a unique experience to draw people in.”

If SalonBot is something that you might be interested in too, and you want to find out more about it, CLICK HERE and we’ll send you a message in Messenger to tell you all about it.

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Why Does No One See My Posts?! EVER!

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 02:41:11 +0000

Coming up with content isn't easy, ever. And it's much worse when you spend hours doing it and all you hear are crickets once you post. Ugh, talk about not worth it, right?! …

Not quite. The Facebook Algorithm is actually is trying to work in your favour... if you treat it right and know how to tickle its fancy.

There are a trillion reasons under the sun as to why clients aren't seeing your Facebook Posts. However, the main reason is that you haven't quite worked out how to be seen.

And don’t go thinking that putting money into a post is going to help either.

I often see people blaming the Facebook Algorithm for a drop in reach and engagement and for the most part, that is likely true. But it's not because the Facebook Algorithm has changed. Its because for some reason, the Algorithm has decided that your content is not content that's going to keep people on the Facebook platform for longer.

Essentially, that's what the Facebook Algorithm does. It takes all the data it has about a user, from both their Facebook activity and pixel data, and tries to create the best possible newsfeed experience for them. If people are spending more time on Facebook, they can be served more ads, and Facebook will make more money.

The update in January, around privileging "meaningful interactions" - was kind of just ramping up what the Algorithm was always designed to do. We talked recently on the Salon Owners Collective Podcast all about this.

So, if you've seen a decent drop in likes, comments, and eyeballs, it's probably one of the following:

1) Someone else in your niche, who you share a lot of followers with, is killing it right now and so Facebook is choosing to show their exciting content instead.

2) You haven't been posting regularly, or you've started posting too much. A good sweet spot for both Facebook and Instagram is once a day. If you post less than three times a week, it'll flag you page as inactive and cut your reach. More than twice a day, it'll flag you as spammy and cut your reach. - UNLESS you have off the charts engagement. Then you can basically do whatever you want (like a celeb or social iconic page).

3) You've started using keywords the algorithm doesn't like, or you use too much repetition. Facebook hates duplication - nothing slaughters reach like copying and pasting the same call to action and the bottom of a post. Calls to action such as "like/share/comment on this post" will also cause your reach to plummet. Also, hashtags on Facebook ruin reach; and they'll only lift it on Instagram IF you are using high-quality relevant ones. Try not to share the same content on all your social media platforms, and if you do:

Don't post it on the same day
Remove all hashtags if you are sharing it from Instagram to facebook
Change the caption slightly for the viewer's sake

4) You're posting stuff your audience doesn't like/connect with and Facebook/Instagram can see that your engagement is down, so it reduces your reach. You'll be able to see in your 'insights' section if things have been on a steady downward turn.

5) You've participated in "like for like" thread. There is nothing more damaging to your page's standing than feeding it a whole lot of loopy data. It sees an influx of totally disconnected people suddenly liking your page/content, it assumes its spam and loses its ability to optimise and cuts your reach. If you do a like for like, ensure its with people in your industry who are actively engaging with similar content.

How you'd turn things around would really depend on why the algorithm has decided not to show your content as much. But as a general rule - the best way to get back in the game is to just produce really great content. Easier said than done right...

A few tips on that front:

Facebook makes your post more visible if it believes its a popular post. An easy way to take advantage of that is replying to every comment you get. Each comment, including yours, makes your post more popular. Keep up engagement up by liking and reply to every comment (in a timely manner), this also gives your potential clients a great way to feel special. Don’t forget to share the post to your personal page and relevant groups.
Talk like a person, not like a billboard or infomercial. Think about the pages you love to hear from and interact with. I'd bet dollars to doughnuts their tone is more conversational and less "ad" like.
Ask good questions. Not just questions that are a clear cry for engagement. Ask real interesting questions relating to people in your industry - Because your audience are real people.
If you are selling or promoting a product, ask yourself: what makes you buy in a store? How do you like to be spoken to by salespeople? What sort of stories or hooks make you immediately click? and then use that! Think of it as a dinner party - if you just say “BUY MY STUFF” or go on and on about how great YOU ARE, or your product is... people will slowly back away. Engage with them, talk about your "why", tell a good story that casually mentions the product.

So, how well you're starting conversations? If the Facebook Algorithm is LOVING your content, chances are your audience will too. Remember that Facebook is trying to keep people engaged and online for longer, so what can you do with your posts to help them do that? - Start from there.

If you are wanting to learn how to harness the power of Facebook Marketing, come and join our Modern Marketing for Salon Owners Facebook Group. We offer support, tips and you get to hang out with Business Owners just like yourself!

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The post Why Does No One See My Posts?! EVER! appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

SalonBot: Lady & The Hair Success

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 02:37:51 +0000

Hairdressing is one industry that Prue Tonkinson doesn’t see slowing down anytime soon, so to make sure that she can be ahead of the game and she ensures her clients are getting the service they need, 24/7 - With the help of SalonBot she takes us through it all. Meet our featured client, Pure Tonkinson from Lady and The Hair.

With over 17 years experience in the Australian Hair Industry, going from a garage Salon to opening up her own bricks and mortar location, and dreaming of her second, Prue is doing it all!

Located in Melbourne Australia, Prue has created a spacious colour salon with an edgy feel that boasts a talented team of 12 professional stylists who back up their talent with a service focus that keep their clients coming back. Prue is proud of the team environment they’ve created.

“We are professional but we love to dance and laugh about, we make everyone feel comfortable and I feel like that is a main part of our success”.

With a client focused approach, Prue listens to what her clients are wanting and shares how social media has had a large impact on her business. When asked about the reasons behind her actionable marketing steps that she took to get her growth within the last year, Prue points strongly to Facebook and Messenger and says;

“SalonBot within the last few months and has been amazing, I felt like Facebook ads dropped off a bit when they changed everything so it was a bit harder to reach the right people. Having the messenger bot really helps because it ACTUALLY works and you know you are targeting and reaching all the right people.”

One important step along the way to her success has been implementing the right systems to support the growth and client focus in the salon. SalonBot has played a part in enhancing that success with Lady and the Hair finally able to offer clients 24/7 customer service through Facebook Messenger. It is very user friendly and easy to navigate.

Outside of marketing, Prue believes a lot of her salon growth has come from implementing fortnightly reviews within her team. She likes to make sure everyone is on the same page and states that “Everyone can voice how they are feeling, share their successes or discuss things they want to change, it’s a open and safe time for staff to share opinions”.

When asked how Prue sees Salonbot helping Lady and the Hair achieve its objectives, she states;

“It keeps us SO busy, no doubt about it! When I was in America and Larissa suggested I sign up and she would look after my Messenger Marketing with SalonBot for me, by the time I got back my salon was SO busy. I was like OMG, what is going on here. I was wondering why we were so busy and I realised it was because of the SalonBot and I think the brilliant thing about it now is not a lot of people are doing it. So the fact that we are makes it so different and we stand out.”

Prior to using SalonBot Prue explains that her communication with clients was successful but now it has improved dramatically because “they now send us a message and they can get a reply instantly with all the actionable steps they need, we don’t need to send them booking links or cost prices, they can find it all in our SalonBot.”

At this point you are probably wondering why you need SalonBot, and here is Prue's message for you:

“I tell EVERYONE to use it! I keep asking all my hairdressing friends that have businesses, if they have it yet, and when they so no, I tell them to hurry up and get it!”

If you want to find out more about salon bot, CLICK HERE and we’ll send you a message in Messenger to tell you all about it.

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The post SalonBot: Lady & The Hair Success appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Harness and Leverage the Power of Messenger Marketing

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 02:33:37 +0000

The salon owners I work with talk to me about it often, I see it pop up more and more in Facebook groups that I’m a part of, and I'm experiencing the surge in my inbox.

I’m talking about messenger marketing.

Salon owners are spending more time on their phones, and it’s starting to creep into times outside of work hours, into the evenings and spilling over into our personal Messenger inboxes.

Forget the wave of social media marketing; we have officially hit what is about to become the tsunami of using messenger and bots.

As more of your current and potential clientele look to engage with you directly through the platforms where you work to connect with them, you need to be available instantaneously.

Now before your head rolls, let me pump the brakes on your paranoia.

Just because you need to be available ‘round the clock' for your customers doesn’t mean you actually have to be connected 24/7 or throw all hopes of having a work/life balance out the window.

I’m here to tell you that you can successfully grow your business amidst our instant response culture, and you can do it without picking up your phone or putting down your glass of evening vino.

It’s simply a matter of knowing how to leverage the capabilities of modern messenger.

In a recent episode of the podcast, I discussed the new Facebook algorithm shifts and how the biggest keys to maintaining success on the platform are relevance, engagement and meeting your clients where they are, which is not primarily the Facebook feed, but in Messenger.

Today I want to talk about the three steps you need to take to nail messenger marketing and not get left behind in the constant change of social media.

Want to listen to the episode on Powerful Messenger Marketing instead? Click here to give it a listen.

1) Elevate Your Brand Experience

Your brand experience occurs well before your client takes a seat in your chair. It happens digitally, socially, and anytime they come into contact with your brand, including word-of-mouth conversations with your current clientele.

And not only does your brand experience come into play before you’ve had a chance to make a personal impression on your potential customer, but they also need an average of 7 to 11 interactions with your brand before they’re even conscious or aware enough to consider purchasing from you,

Thus, I think it should go without saying that it’s critical you both protect and work to elevate your brand experience as much as possible to secure those scrollers and web surfers as your next booking.

So, in the context of Messenger, we can look at this tool like a personal concierge.

Rather than receiving a message from a potential client on a Sunday and not looking at it ’til Tuesday when your salon’s doors are back open, Messenger provides you with the ability to directly cater to your client straight away without you actually needing to be glued to your phone during your time off enjoying your life.

It’s a win-win. Your client gets an instant connection and engagement with you, which immediately boosts your brand’s experience and trustworthiness, and you get to continue growing your business while maintaining healthy boundaries.

2) Engage in Conversations

Now that we’ve established an instant connection with the clients reaching out to us and discovered how that elevates our brand experience, then comes the piece of engagement.

It’s one thing to manage requests and questions that are coming into your Messenger inbox, but when you have the ability to go harness that potential power of connection that exists with your audience for yourself and reach out to engage…well, we’ve never been able to maximize our time and resources the way Messenger provides us.

For example, I want you to think about the ads or offers you’re already running. Did you know we have the option to drive our audience straight from the post to engage inside Messenger?

By turning our potential clients toward a more personal experience while staying on the Facebook platform, we have a tremendous opportunity to create a great impression (aka elevate that brand experience) and move our potential client through that 7 to 11 touchpoint process and into purchasing that much quicker.

Also, you can even have your audience pay for their service right in Messenger. Talk about top-notch service; you didn’t make your client have to do any work other than a couple of clicks!

One of my favourite ways that salon owners can use Messenger to engage and spark conversations with their audience is through competitions and giveaways that put new services and products in the spotlight as well as cast your net wider to get new faces in front of your brand.

For example, I had a friend run a competition that got great organic reach with 200+ entries and responses, which was to tag a friend, so, in total, she exposed her brand to an additional 200 people.

However, Facebook didn’t allow her to copy/paste responses to all those who commented and entered, so she had to respond personally to each one of those people. (Can you imagine having to do that for 400+ people?!)

While she committed to it and saw an incredible payoff from her efforts, Facebook now gives us the ability to personally respond to all those entrants at once in the form of a bot, which flips your entries, responses, and engagement into guided and personal conversations with potential clients in your audience.

All this to say, you don’t need to wait for interested buyers to come to you, you can reach out to them (and not have to do it on a complete 1:1 basis like my friend did).

3) Utilize Bots

Finally, here’s the piece that makes Messenger so powerful: SalonBots

Bots are tools that help you take the first two steps in this process and automate them by guiding your potential client through a pre-planned conversation that answers the most typical questions they ask.

By using a bot, you’re able to create that “wow” atmosphere you aim for when someone walks through your doors and translate it to their online experience.

In addition to giving you the ability to be instantaneous and provide an A+ experience through links to your booking page or service menu, photos, and videos for a beautifully branded experience, bots are what will allow you to maintain your sanity with not being on your phone 24/7.

Through helping my clients set up SalonBot for their salon, I’ve found that my clients cut an average of 50 percent from their current workload.

Now if the word “bot” freaks you out, don’t. Bots are a tool that paves the way for a personalized conversation that leads to real-life conversions; they're not a replacement for people.

If the pre-planned responses you set up for your bot deviate, SalonBot will send you a notification to jump in and tend to the conversation in real-time.

Some of my clients have opted to be right up front with their audience by introducing their bot as a bot. However, others like to jump in when needed and trust that their knowledge of their client base can help guide most conversations in a way that’s thoughtful and valuable.

If you want to learn more about how to get started with Messenger automation and set up a bot, be sure to join my FREE Facebook group: Modern Messenger for Salon Owners.

Inside you’ll get access to me and the community, resources to help you create your first automations, plus access to my Messenger Marketing Masterclass.

Click here to join the free Modern Messenger for Salon Owners group.

Remember, our biggest competition isn’t the salon next door, it’s distraction, time and busy lives.

By staying up to date with the latest social capabilities at our fingertips and providing an intentional, top-notch experience for our clients by meeting them right where they are, we can ensure that our salon rides the wave to further success and not drown in the demand for more of our time and instant accessibility.

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The post How to Harness and Leverage the Power of Messenger Marketing appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Create Months of Content in an Hour

Larissa Macleman — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 01:21:58 +0000

“I know I need to do Social Media... but I just don’t have time!”

This is one of the most common challenges faced by the Salon Owners that I work with. So often, Salon Owners ask me how to make the time for Social Media, and that it feels so daunting to post regularly!

Luckily, this doesn’t have to be the case. I have put together some actionable tips and tricks so that coming up with content for Social Media can be simple, and not take up too much time at all.

The answer is simple: batch, batch, batch!

Create Several Months of Content in an Hour

Batching content for your Social Media is an efficient and time-saving way to make sure you’re posting regularly, without having to sit down every day and think of what to post.

It’s about time we started prioritising Social Media... it’s pretty much taking over the world! So we need to start taking it seriously. Dedicating an allocated amount of time to planning and batching all content for your Socials is the best way to have a stress-free, content-full approach to posting. Instead of squeezing the task of Social Media between all of your other tasks, it is important to make time to do this one thing at a time— free of distractions.

And batching content is easier than you think. An hour’s worth of dedicated time to batching content can leave you with months and months’ worth of Social Media Content! It’s all about utilising crucial opportunities you have to create content. Opportunities like a great hair transformation, a beautiful colour, an interesting style, and even industry events can provide you with great, batch-able content!

One Way to Produce Great Content

Hosting and attending Salon events is a great way to produce lots of great, usable content whilst also educating yourself, and your team on the Industry.

Recently, on the Salon Owners Collective Podcast, I sat down with Kate Reid, the Global Colour Director for Kevin Murphy’s Colour Me range. Kate is passionate about education and events within the Salon Industry and had some really interesting insights to share about why you should be, too.

Whether you are hosting an event that is open to the public, to launch your new Colour Range, or it is a Salon-only Training event, taking photos and videos that take people behind the scenes is an amazing way to create content for your Social Media... without the effort of sitting down to record a video, with a camera set up and lighting!

So much goes on inside our Salons and our Industry that clients would love to know about, we just have to let them in! I have compiled a list of the 3 types of content that you can easily produce and batch for the coming months.

Casual How-To Videos

Videos that give clients some insider tips and tricks are a great way to not only appear more personable but also provide some ‘free’ value for your current and potential clients. Giving your expert knowledge lets people online know that you are an expert and that you have the knowledge and experience to give their hair the treatment they’re looking for.

Hosting Salon events is a fantastic way to produce these kinds of videos in particular. From one event, you could have an amazing look that you’re super proud of. You can then make a video, with this look, where you show clients how to achieve the beach waves or the long-lasting colour from the look that you know they’re looking for.

Breaking down the multiple steps involved in creating a look can result in multiple videos' worth of content. These are the things that we, as stylists, take for granted... but that clients would love to know.

When we wash hair, we can tell them what products we’re using, how to protect hair from heat, or how to keep the longevity and maintain their colour at home. These insider tips are so valuable to our clients and we don’t even know it! If we really stopped and thought through each of the steps we take on a client’s hair to achieve that perfect look, we could instantly create better content.

Before & After Photos

Transformation photos are nothing new for the Salon Industry, I know. But I think there is a way to get these photos right... an opportunity that a lot of Salons are missing.

Whether it’s a singular ‘after’ photo, or a before & after photo, so many Salon’s Social feeds are becoming more and more filled with the backs of people’s heads. I often talk about creating scroll-stopping content... and let me tell you: backs of heads are not scroll-stopping. Whilst those pictures are great to show your skills, they just don’t cut it anymore when everyone’s doing the same thing!⠀

You need to post content that will stop people from scrolling past. A great way to do this is to post photos of happy, smiling faces, where their eyes are looking into the camera. Before and after photos can easily include someone’s smiling face, and the content will automatically become more appealing and personable... scroll stopping!

And you don’t need expensive cameras to create these great images. You can create great lighting with a $100 ring light, or even better, beautiful natural lighting!

When you take a photo of a client and post it, they feel special, they share with their friends, and your work becomes more exposed. It’s a win-win!

All you need is 5 minutes at the end of an appointment to get that quick photo.

A glimpse inside the Salon

I do believe that in all of our Marketing, we should be thinking about our clients—our ideal client— and making it about them, not us.

But that doesn’t mean that we can’t allow people to get to know us and give them a glimpse inside the Salon. Just make sure you’re thinking about what your ideal client would want to see!

Most people love being able to see inside your business, getting to know the people and the personalities behind the chair. Instead of posting photos of your beautifully tidy, but empty Salon... post a real photo of the hustle and bustle that goes on inside your Salon every day!

It’s just like a restaurant. If there is an empty restaurant on one side, and then a busy, buzzing restaurant next door, which one are you most likely to walk in to?

Posting photos of your buzzing Salon is not only more appealing to potential clients, but it’s also social proof that others love your Salon, so they should too.

Or even better, go live on your Instagram Story and walk around the Salon asking stylists questions, showing how the magic happens! These can then even be re-used later for an actual post.

All in all, posting on Social Media doesn’t have to feel stressful or scary. It can be easy if you make it that way! Just make sure you allow yourself time to dedicate to batching that content so that the task doesn’t loom over you. Schedule your posts ahead of time, and remember these 3 types of content that your clients want to see!

If you’re looking for more help with Social Media Marketing, the Salon Marketing Collective helps Salon and Spa Owners, like yourself, every day with growing engagement, and gaining a following online. Through the use of our product SalonBot, we help Salons turn ‘likes’ into real life bookings, and create a steady flow of new clients coming through the door.

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How to Make Social Media 10 Times Faster

Braeley Davies — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 20:56:55 +0000

Social Media: it’s just another thing on your long, long list of things to do, right?

It’s so busy and fast-paced on social pages, but there’s absolutely nothing fast about the time it takes you, as a business owner, to actually market on Social Media.

...Or is there?

Don’t get me wrong, I know how you feel. It’s like there are so many things that you know you should be doing when it comes to marketing your business online, but no time to actually do those things… or even think about doing them!

For something which is meant to be “insta-ntaneous”... Social Media can feel anything but that.

I’ve seen this struggle faced by so many Salon Owners, that I've decided it’s time to offer up some hard & fast solutions once and for all, so you never have to feel stuck again, and so that Social Media can stop taking over more of your life than it needs to…

Here’s how to make Social Media 10 times faster.

My Secret

The answer is actually pretty simple. 1 word: repurpose.

‘Repurposing’ just means that you are using your already-existing social posts that you’ve worked so hard on, and reusing or recycling them to create more great posts, without all the effort!

Because why waste something that’s so damn good?

The idea is all about making less work for you, whilst still allowing you to produce a continuous stream of great Salon-marketing content for your current, and potential clients online.

This means less time spent sitting at your laptop or phone and more time spent on other important things, like managing your team or making more sales.

I mean, after all, you probably didn’t get into this industry to become a marketer, so time spent doing something that you aren’t in love with can often feel like time wasted.

Really, we both know that it isn’t time wasted, but why spend way longer on it than you need to?

And remember: If you are repurposing the right way, then your repurposed Salon-marketing material won’t feel repetitive to your audience; instead it should feel fresh and exciting every time. Plus… almost all social content can be repurposed in some way or another, so never overlook an opportunity to repurpose a stellar piece of content.

Great! Now let’s dive into how you can start repurposing your marketing material for your Salon or Spa today.

Client Images

Let’s begin with something every Salon Owner is probably all-too-familiar with… Client Images.

Photos of clients who’ve visited you have become the standard for any Salon or Spa’s Social Media. Everyone is doing it… but are they doing it well?

Here at the Salon Owners Collective and SalonBot, I’m sure you’ve heard us say before that the days where ‘back of head’ photos actually worked on Socials are now OVER!

That’s because everyone is doing it and at this point, it’s become wayyyy over-done. And why be the same as everyone else, anyway?

So the first basic to cover with Client Images is to ensure you’re capturing heaps of smiling faces that people online won’t scroll past, and can relate to.

Then we can get into repurposing. Client images are not a ‘one and done’... they can be used time and time again… if you know how.

Here are a few ideas on all the different ways you can use client images:

Storytelling Post About that Client for Facebook

The first way that you should use your client image, is a post all about that client’s experience with you. We call this a ‘storytelling’ caption, where you tell a story about who that client is, what she came in wanting, what she got, and how happy she was with the result!

Remember to use ‘you’ language, not ‘we’ language (talk directly to followers online and not about yourself). We have a separate blog on storytelling captions that I highly suggest you check out

-> Repost storytelling post to Instagram feed

Storytelling Post About that Stylist for Facebook

Use the same image and content from the above post, but reframe it to tell people a little bit more about the stylist who did this lovely client’s hair.

Remember to do this in a way that is still using ‘you’ language, just making it about what your salon can do for them, the client. For example:

-> Repost storytelling post to Instagram feed

Promotion for Facebook

Another great way to repurpose that same client image is to use it for a promotional post. Note: this is where it’s especially important to use a smiling photo of someone’s face, rather than the back of their head!

Whether you’re promoting a package, a service, vouchers… the list goes on, reuse a relevant client image in this promotion! This is what we do for Salons over at SalonBot… feel free to check us out!

Videos

I know a lot of Salon and Spa Owners feel nervous when it comes to putting themselves out there and showing their faces on Social Media. The fear of being seen and judged online is real, but you shouldn’t let that stop you.

As a business owner, showing up on Social Media needs to be done if you’re serious about marketing your business online. After all, humans buy from humans, and since you’re the head human of your business, it’s important that people know and recognise your face.

Plus, videos are the future. There is no single better way to form a connection with your followers online than story-telling video content.

And the more you do it, the less nervous you’ll feel about it, and you’ll reap the rewards! Here are a few ideas when it comes to creating and repurposing video material for your Salon or Spa:

Tutorial Video for Facebook

Record short tutorial videos of you and your team in Salon showing people how to do various things- styling, up-dos, washing techniques… the whole lot! Even just a video of you or your team talking about some top hair-care tips!

-> Repost video to Instagram feed and stories

-> Upload the video to a dedicated page on your website

Post Snapshots of Video onto Facebook

Post teaser photos of the video onto Facebook accompanied by an enticing caption, make people feel like they NEED to watch this video. Then give them a link to send them over to your website to watch the full video. Underneath the video on your site should be a button to book in… make it easy to do business with you!

-> Repost snapshots to Instagram feed and stories too

Split Videos into Parts for Facebook

This is one of my top tips when it comes to repurposing video content, and something we do regularly here at the Salon Owners Collective! If your video has multiple parts that are useful on their own (eg. how to round-brush and how to tong, or several different hair-care tips that could be made into a multi-part series), then split up the video and BOOM- you have more Salon-marketing material!

-> Repost to Instagram feed and stories

-> Upload as separate videos on your website, too

Written Content

When it comes to thinking of what to actually write in Social Media captions, I know a lot of Salon Owners struggle. When your brain is so fogged up with a million other things going on… trying to write an enticing, story-telling caption for your social page can feel like the last thing you want to be doing.

But there are plenty of ways you can shortcut and avoid this, but somehow also come out of it with double the amount of content.

Here’s a hint: blogs!

Blogs are such an awesome and effective way to provide your audience with another way to get to know, like and trust you and your brand... let them feel even more connected and in the loop with you. It’s this feeling that will drive them to become a long-returning client and tell all their friends about you!

There’s something super special about writing a blog that you know your audience will love. If you’re just starting out, you can even ask your followers online what they’d love to read or know about. That way, you know you’re hitting the jackpot.

And don’t feel any pressure to be an expertly-crafted wordsmith. If people were looking to read the work of a literary genius, they probably wouldn’t be looking for it on a Salon’s blog! Just be you… they already probably love you!

Here are some tips for ways you can shortcut your Social Media posting using blog content.

A 5 Second Facebook Post

Blogs can be split up into separate parts so easily, to make a whole bunch more awesome Salon-marketing content for your social pages. Separate your blog into paragraphs and BOOM- you have 5 different Facebook posts in 5 seconds! Just split the blog into standalone posts, accompanied by an awesome eye-catching image.

And ta-da! Numerous new amazing pieces of content.

-> Don’t forget to repost to your Insta feed!

Easy Video Making

Don’t let this awesome piece of writing go to waste. Not everyone in your online audience will be a ‘reader’, but you can’t possibly let them miss out on what you’ve written! So you use the blog as a script for you and your team to make several different short videos.

As I mentioned in the ‘Videos’ section above, you’ll want to make sure you get as many short videos out of the blog as you can. People are much more likely to watch short, sharp interesting videos rather than long ones that drag on a bit… plus more marketing material for you! It’s a win-win.

-> Repost videos to Instagram stories & feed

-> Upload videos to your new website ‘videos’ section

Create Quote Images for Facebook

Pull out some interesting, eye-catching one-liner quotes from the blog and use them to create ‘quote images’. We do these here at the Salon Owners Collective, so I’ll attach an image below of what this looks like.

It might be just the perfect tidbit to spark interest enough to get people to read the full blog, just don’t forget to include a LINK to the blog in the post!

-> Repost to Instagram stories & feed

Client Feedback

Do you regularly stalk your Facebook & google reviews? Well… you should! Not only is it great for your business to read both positive and constructive reviews, but it is also an awesome opportunity for more content. That’s right, reviews = MARKETING MATERIAL!

I’m talking about positive reviews, BTW. These are the best kind of review to share with the world as they provide social proof that others love your Salon, and give potential new clients an added incentive to visit you. Here’s how you can use reviews as Social marketing material...

Review Caption Post with Hair Image for Facebook

Use a positive review in a caption and accompany it with a beautiful hair image that’ll provide further proof of how awesome you are! Provide some context in the caption in your own words, and link the review to the image somehow. Don’t forget to provide a booking link for those who love what they see!

-> Repost to Instagram feed

Testimonial Page for your Website

Testimonial pages on your www. are great ways to further contribute to that ‘social proof’. If a potential client is browsing your website and visits that page, they will be able to see how much awesome feedback you’ve got, and it’ll really help them grow to know, like and trust you.

Testimonial Images for Facebook

Another thing we love to do here at SOC, which you should also do, are testimonial images. Something else for those people who may not read captions, testimonial images are a more scroll-stopping way of showing your positive reviews on Social Media.

Here’s what I mean…

-> Don’t forget to repost to your Insta stories & feed!

My Top Tips

If you’re reposting the exact same post (identical image & caption) from Facebook to Insta (or vice versa) then keep the two at least 2 weeks apart, just to avoid the possibility of seeming repetitive
Don’t be afraid to reuse the exact same post on the same platform… just keep it 1-2 months apart, depending on how much you’re posting. You don’t want to see the same posts too close together, but if you’re posting every day like we recommend, then this shouldn’t be an issue.
Schedule your posts ahead of time on FB- and allocate yourself time to sit down and do this… especially in a busy period like Christmas.
You can now schedule on Instagram too! It's the same as scheduling Facebook posts- you do them both through Facebook's Creator Studio along the top bar of your Facebook Business Page. You can also plan your posts, images and captions ahead of time... and make your grid look pretty! The app we use to do this is called ‘Plann’- it’s awesome!
Check out the blog we have on Batching Content all in one go.

There you have it! Seriously, if it isn’t clear by now, then I’ll say it one last time: repurpose, repurpose, repurpose! It’s the only way to stay on top of Social Media whilst wearing all the hats of CEO, Marketer, Stylist/Therapist, Mum, Friend… the list goes on!

I hope these tips helped you and gave you easy ideas about ways you can shortcut your Salon Marketing so you have more time to spend on other important things. Feel free to reach out to myself or any member of the Salon Owners Collective team if you have any questions about this!

Chat with us

We are always hanging out in our free Facebook Group: The Salon Owners Collective Group. I’ll see you there!

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The post How to Make Social Media 10 Times Faster appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

5 Steps to Becoming a Salon CEO

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 22:34:36 +0000

Are you more than ready to step up into becoming a real CEO of your business?

Maybe you’ve had a year of feeling stuck, or like nothing that you try is really working.

It’s closing in on the end of the year now, and this year you’ve felt overwhelmed with all the things. But what if you could make 2020 a breakthrough year… rather than just having another year of 'average'?

Has this last year has been full of too many cans open, too many things on the bubble and nothing actually getting done?

It all feels too ‘big’... and at this point, everything is on hold until you have the time to give it the attention it needs.

But then by the time you start, your results will be 3 months away…

Something needs to change! It’s time to start doing less, achieving more and moving faster.

The magic is in the doing… so it’s time to get started.

Have you Lost Sight of your Dreams?

You’ve lost sight of my dreams and your ‘WHY’. You’re frustrated with your team- they just don’t get it- and you’re busting a gut while they’re on a cruise mode.

You can’t seem to find a breakpoint to step up to the next level. Your growth has plateaued, and you keep getting caught up in all the fireballs that your team throw at you the moment you walk in the door.

You struggle to balance managing your team and keeping your clients happy, they all want YOU, they don’t want your team. Meanwhile, you often feel your team don’t trust you... no matter how hard you try to please them.

It’s like, you’ve gotten yourself to the point where you’re ready to really step it up

You’re ready to start really being the CEO of your business, but you’re not exactly sure what the next steps are. Well, little did you probably know, that this actually happens to almost every Salon Owner who wants to make the transition from Owner/Operator, to Salon CEO and actually step into GROWING their business to something to be proud of.

A business that serves you, that is profitable, has meaning and treats people well so they reach their own dreams

You most likely got into the hair and beauty industry because you loved serving clients, but now you’ve found your true calling more as a Business Owner, and less as an Operator, Stylist or Therapist.

This is AWESOME.

But…this can also often mean that you feel like you’re #wingingit and just ‘hoping for the best’, rather than really following a plan or structure to grow your business.

I know you're sick of quick-fixes that don’t seem to really help... for any period of time!

I’ve tried those myself, and they never work.

Luckily, that’s what I’m here to help you with today. I’m going to share with you the essential 5 steps to really stepping into the role of CEO, that you were born to be… and actually, move the needle forward.

I want you to be strategically prepared for a BREAKTHROUGH YEAR in 2020!

You ready… with me? Let’s dive in.

Step #1- Roles, Responsibilities& Attributes of a Salon CEO

First things first, you need to get off the floor… stop serving clients and step fully into your role as CEO. Ok, don’t freak out on me- you don’t have to come 100% off the floor… well not just yet anyway!

But, truly. If you’re full time on the floor, and just can’t commit to properly taking the leap… this is your sign. You’ve probably thought about doing it before… but didn’t think it was actually achievable. Like, your clients need you... right?

You simply can’t be working in your business, whilst also working on your business to the best of your ability.

If you’re squeezing business growth activities between clients, in 15-minute gaps, 10 pm at night… this is no way to live!

To make a change.. you need to make a change

So, what SHOULD you be working on? Here are the top 4 CEO activities to focus on:

Create space for growth & income-generating activities

Make sure that you’re allowing yourself the time & space to be working on our business. Manage your time like a #boss and make sure that your time is spent on Income Generating Activities. This is the stuff that’s really going to move the needle in your business. After all- you don’t just want your business to survive... you want it to thrive!

Work on leadership skills

First thing’s first: make sure you have a vision, and make sure that vision is unmistakably clear to your team. You should all be working on the vision together- so you want to make sure everyone’s got it right. You’ll also want to invest time in your leadership abilities, and being the BEST boss possible! A team is only as strong as its leader, after all! And your team needs for you to be their CEO and to work on leading the business to succeed & grow. This means taking that leap away from serving clients, and focusing on them. If your team is not performing like you wish they would… then it’s time to look in the mirror

Being a CEO means self-mastery

You can’t master your business, your team, your LIFE, if you haven’t mastered yourself. You need to be a living and breathing example of what you want your business to look like. Make sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row before you even think about doing anything else. I know you’re not perfect- no one is- but it’s all about giving things a go to the best of your ability. Make 2020 a year where you keep the things that work, and ditch the things that don’t!

Think about what you are inputting into your CEO SELF- is it serving you?

Choose to spend your time on the things that really make a difference. Self-improvement is a continuous journey that we are all on, all the time! So try to only fill your life with positive influences. If you’re feeling in a slump- eating too much junk food and watching too much Netflix- take this as a sign to make a change for 2020. Fill your life with things that move you forward, not make you feel stuck.

And I know that this change and transition might not be a fast process. If you’re a Salon Owner who’s still fully on the floor, you need time to implement systems, structures and employ & grow new team members to ensure that your team will continue to thrive as you step up into a leadership role.

Once you have thought through your role as the salon CEO... Then here are the other 4 things to think about to get you started in the right direction

Step #2- A Powerful Financial Framework will Double Your Profit

Ok, this is a really important one.

You simply cannot have a breakthrough year without focussing on the numbers.

And I don’t mean just sales numbers (although these should be included). I mean, as the CEO of your business, you need to know your numbers like a BOSS.

Let me ask you this…

Do you know what your business needs to look like to be successful? Have you defined this?

So then, do you know what you need to do to actually get profit from your profit?

Because it’s important you remember: profit is a must, not a luxury.

You should be consulting your business oracle regularly to know what to do ,when to do it and be ahead of your business like a good CEO should.

You need a framework, a foundation from which to work - one where you know what it needs to look like:

How many you need in your team to be profitable- because you’re not profitable by default… there is a tipping point. Which levers to pull to make sure you’re spending in the right places. When you need to expand, when you’ll run out of chairs, and when you’ll need to employ new people. What promotion to do, what to sell more of, what to sell less off.

ALL of this needs to come from your numbers. I know as hair and beauty experts, we are not born to love numbers, BUT they can be your best friend and tell you exactly what to do. That’s why I call it your Oracle!

Once you have a framework to read, then you can confidently step into making the right decision about your business and take away all the guesswork, all the emotionally driven decisions, stop #wingingit and start really moving forward towards your goal.

And yes, you can have Freedom & Profit and grow & scale your business without working more. That’s what scale means, growing without having to work more- you want to grow with equal amounts of input.

Step #3- Be the “Best Boss” & Build a Rockstar Team

You have chosen a team-based business to work in. So you need to have a thriving team to grow. And when I say a thriving team, I don’t just mean a team that shows up on time and gets the work done. I mean a team that loves coming to work, smashes their goals and are invested in growing the business with you. And for your team to thrive in this way, you need to have a culture that your team want to be in, stay in, and grow in.. for the long term.

Here are my top 4 tips on building and growing a thriving team in 2020:

Have a system to attract, hire and fire the right people

It’s a fact: great employees work for great bosses. So it’s your job to lead your team to success. I know that the biggest block for Salon Owners is having the wrong people in their teams. If you have someone in your business who’s blocking your growth, chances are their name popped into your head as soon as this sentence begun. Think… if someone comes to mind, then they are the wrong person for you! I want you to have a systematic approach to hiring (and sometimes firing) the right people so that this doesn’t happen. You’re in a business dominated by humans, so this type of thing is something you’ll always have to deal with it. So now’s the time to really nail your approach.

2. Great communication strategies to lead, nurture and manage your team

I’m going to say it… there’s no such thing as communicating too much (within reason)! You need to create an implement great communication strategy for your team, so that you can be an amazing boss for them, and so that they actually want to be great employees for you! The best team members want that constant, good communication form their boss- they want to know where the business is going, what you expect from them and what projects are on the bubble. It can be easy to blame your team when it feels like they’re constantly bombarding you, but it’s actually your responsibility as CEO to make sure that they are well-enough equipped to succeed… even when you’re not present. With your team constantly asking you questions, needing you to help them with various things, and generally depending on you… it’s pretty impossible for you to then swap hats and try to switch into CEO & growth mode. You need a system to manage all of this, so that the team still thrives in your absence.

3. Realise your team’s full potential with the right rewards

I want you to ensure your team are paid in a way that moves them TOWARD improvement…instead of punishing them when they don’t perform.

What if your reward system actually encouraged them to perform… do good work because they felt rewarded by it, motivated to perform for their clients… and not because you nag them to make target! Imagine they KNEW what to do, and how to achieve it, rather than you just throwing them out there on the floor .. "go forth and make target, please." This is how you’ll build a team that smashes their goals.. Because they know EXACTLY what goals to reach and how to reach it… #clarity

4. Train your team- so they stay

I have had so many Salon Owners come to me with the worry that they are going to train a team member, only for that team member to leave. I think that this is the wrong approach to have. The question you should really be asking is: what if you don’t train them, and they stay? That’s why it’s so important to invest in good, consistent team training. And I don’t just mean technical training (this is important too!), but I'm also talking about performance training- teaching them sales tactics, customer service techniques, what to say, what not to say, what to do in this scenario… are you following? The best way to incentivise staff to turn up to training and take it seriously is simple: pay them! Take away any reasons people may have to not show up.

Speaking of staying and training… let’s talk sales.

#4 Smash Your Salon Sales with Confidence

Let’s face it: money makes the world go around.

If you don’t’ earn money you can’t pay the rent

You can’t buy the products

You can’t pay your team and you can’t open and service your clients

Like, in reality, you must be good at sales or your business just won’t thrive.

I’ve worked with nearly 300 salons now and I’ve had an observation that I can’t ignore… I want to share with you. Those salons that have a high AVE$ also have a high retention rate.

Do you know what that tells me?

That those that give the client what she wants and needs- not just what she is booked in for- are the salons that are keeping their clients the happiest! Clients would not return if they were not happy, would they?

I want you to prioritise smashing your salon sales in the new year, with confidence, because sales is just an exchange of value.

You give me this hair, this skin… and I'll give you this thing called cash. It’s a value exchange.

The thing is, is that we over complicate it and make money this weird thing, and it stops us from delivering real true VALUE to our clients. At the end of the day, people want great hair, great skin and they choose to invest their cash into this. So you need to show them that this is what you can do for them.

So your role then, as CEO is to lead your team to add amazing value, not focus on the money or if the client can or can’t afford it. This, of course, will lead your team to more naturally smash their sales goals and actually achieve their targets and get paid what they are worth.

If you want to pay your team more, and make them feel appreciated… then you can!

But not until they deliver. And don’t worry, I know there may be team members who are begging you or putting pressure on you to pay them more… but you simply can’t until they deliver more value and a better experience to the client.

So there is one more thing you need to get into place to have a breakthrough year in 2020.

Now, in my Freedom & Profit framework I usually step into talking about Marketing… like how to bring in a steady stream of new clients. But before you bring in new clients you have to be able to lead your team, and know how to manage the money because if you’re making a loss or you’re not profitable, bringing in more new clients is just craziness.

So we have to get these steps right first… then we can turn our focus to new client attraction.

Step #5- Get Help

So there is one more thing you need to get into place to step into the role of Salon CEO in 2020.

And that is: Don’t go at it alone!

Like... business is lonely enough, right?!

Getting help speeds up the learning process and fast-tracks knowledge. Not to mention, it minimises mistakes because you get the benefit of those who have made mistakes and can now teach you the right way or the best way... or at a minimum, how to avoid the pitfalls.

It’s really a shortcut from someone who’s been there and done that. Personally, I believe in having a balance from outside of the industry and within

This way you get fresh ideas and specific ways to work things for your specific needs in the industry… because let’s face it, we’re pretty unique.

You need 3 types of support network in your world:

Someone that is way ahead of where you are and where you want to be… someone who has been where you’re going
Someone who’s just a few steps ahead of you… who is doing what you want to be doing
Someone who’s right there in it with you. You want a good community of Owners at the same level as you, doing what you’re doing... your peers

It's simple: you simply do not know what you do not know. Be part of something that will show you what’s even possible. If you look at all the people in history or people who are killing it in business today.. they are not going it alone and struggling with battles alone. No... they have advisors, coaches, mentors, community and learning.

So you’re no different. If you want to have a breakthrough year, then this is a must for you. The next question is:

How will you choose who will help you in 2020?

I’ve had some GREAT coaches and I’ve done some great programs… but I’ve had some fails too. So here are my quick-fire tips for choosing where you’ll get support from next year and how to make the most of it:

Choose someone you know, like and trust

Get to know them and what they stand for. What you’re paying for is their version of success, their pathway and their WAY of thinking and doing things. Often there is more than one way of doing things… so what you’re doing by choosing ONE company, one person, or one way of doing things is committing to that ONE way.. and following to completion. For example, if you try to follow too many guides it will confuse you and you’ll step into overwhelm and not actually move forward. So choose someone you resonate with (as a person), agree with their values and style. And remember… a sprinkle of gut instinct goes a long way.

Learn lots about them then dive in 100% committed and do the work!
Make time to show up, do the work and follow-through
Trust the process.. be coach-open and coachable

You should now have the building blocks you’ll need to step into the role of CEO and make 2020 your breakthrough year.

I hope this blog has ready helped you start to become the CEO you know is inside of you. I would now advise you to go out and find some help, get a head start into the year and smash it!

Ok... so that’s what I have to say about that!

Oh, and by the way: I'm about to launch a new masterclass series all about how to master your Inner CEO and live a life of freedom and profit. I’d love for you to join me, it’s free and launching really soon…make sure you sign up, by clicking here.

My new Podclass Series...

LAUNCHING IN JAN- my exciting new Podclass series! Sign up- it's free

Sign me up!

The post 5 Steps to Becoming a Salon CEO appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The Most Essential Step to Being a CEO

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 20:44:39 +0000

Do you ever have those periods of time where you feel completely unmotivated?

You know there are things you need to do, but you don’t feel excited by these things, and you don’t really know why you’re even doing them.

This happened to me not too long ago. I was sleeping in late, watching Netflix in bed, and was completely unenthused by the prospect of getting up and working on my business.

I started to make every excuse under the sun: “it’s cold,” “I'm tired”... I'm sure every business owner has found themselves doing this at one point or another.

And what’s worse, is that I knew this wasn’t a great place to be in... but I couldn’t figure out how to get myself out of the rut, or why I was even in this rut in the first place!

I still loved my team, loved the owners I was working with and loved my life, but something just wasn’t right.

….and then it hit me!

The 1 thing so many Salon Owners are missing... let me tell you more about it.

What’s Missing?

I realised that what had happened was: I had crushed my previous goals and wanted to push ahead more, but got stuck because I hadn’t identified what that next step actually was for my business.

Instead, I was busy being ‘busy’ and I’d lost sight of where it was all going, why I was doing this and what it was all even for.

And without the “where” “why” and “what,” there was no way I was possibly going to be able to achieve the “how.”

Do you ever feel this way?

Like, you have periods where you’re absolutely #killingit in business… you get up early feeling motivated to work on your business because you’re so pumped for what’s to come.

Your business is moving forward at a rapid pace because you’ve identified what ‘moving forward’ actually means for you and you know what the destination is.

But then you have these down periods, like I had. Nothing is clear, nothing is happening in your business and you feel stuck.

See the common denominator here?

It’s the clarity of knowing where you’re going and what you need to do to get there.

When you have this clarity, you have focus and drive. You have a purpose and you feel energised and excited to tick off your to-do list at pace!

This type of clarity is the key factor in bringing about growth in your business. It’ll seriously set you free and allow you to fully get into that CEO mindset.

But growth comes with its own challenges...

The Thing About Growth…

Growth breaks things. Have you ever experienced this in your business?

You’ve just hit a massive period of growth, and things are flying along nicely. Finally you can see your dream start to unfold… then suddenly, things start to go wrong! Everyone is too busy to do anything, life gets messy and what worked before now starts to fail…

And that means you’re likely to be once again pulled out of CEO mode and into Manager mode or even back to being a stylist. Your attention gets diverted because you’ve got to put on your Mrs. Fix It hat and mop up other people’s errors.

Let me tell you: it doesn’t have to be like this!

The reason why growth breaks things, is because what once worked- when your team was smaller and your Salon was quieter- is now no longer going to work.

You’ve grown, and that means that what got you to this point probably won’t get you any further… and that’s OK!

What you need to do is be prepared for this before it happens and plan ahead.

It may feel like your team is falling short, but it’s actually your responsibility as CEO to be ahead of this growth and have a plan in place for when things may start to break.

And if this is your first salon or business, then you probably won’t be able to recognize what’s coming ahead of time. It’s OK to get it wrong the first time, but make sure that you remember the lessons learnt for next time, and plan ahead to avoid them.

I know, easier said than done...

You are not Your Business

You’re probably wondering… “If I'm knee-deep in shite, how am I meant to even think about planning ahead or gaining clarity on what’s next?!”

Maybe you can’t figure out what’s going wrong or why this is happening. I get it. You probably aren’t connecting the breaking to the fact that you’ve been growing and that it’s always going to happen if you’re unprepared!

In this circumstance, I recommend you take a step back and regroup. As business owners, I think we can become so immersed and intertwined with our business that we lose our sense of perspective. Remember that you and not your business and that it’s important to remove yourself from the fish-bowl and look at things objectively.

What you need is time to think. And I don’t just mean taking a 5-minute walk… I mean completely removing yourself from your business for a decent period of time (a holiday is great!)

Giving yourself time to think will allow you to leap over those obstacles you thought were invincible and really get past those mental blocks in your head… trust me, it really works.

Again, you won’t always get it right first time off! I used to find myself in a tough spot quite often actually. I would watch too much TV, drink a little too much wine, blurt things out to my team in frustration, snap at my kids, and think everything was going wrong and that I was a terrible business owner.

But now I'm able to separate myself from my business and recognise the process of growing and breaking, and so I'm able to plan ahead for it. Now, I want to help you do the same and save you, your team and your families from a whole lot of unnecessary pain!

Make a Plan

After I mentioned my roadblocks to my team and we sorted through them, we were then able to formulate a strategic plan for what’s coming next. We met and planned out our focus for the next quarter and even started planning for 2020.

And guess what… things are already starting to happen!

Because we first gained clarity, and then made a plan, we were able to then take action and really gain momentum.

I’m now getting up early again, and going to the gym at 5:30am. I then arrive home at my desk with a clear plan for that day and actually feel excited to crack into the day of work.

That’s because I have these clear goals in my head for what’s next and a clear plan of how to get there.

My team are now more motivated too, because we’ve all got something to really strive for. Plus they feel completely in the loop, and like they’re really contributed to the business.

And this is exactly what I help Salon Owners do. Without a plan, people just float around in the wind, achieving success, only by luck rather than clear, planned actions.

What’s a lot more powerful than luck, is intent. It’s so important to stay ON POINT and CLEAR. From a quarterly plan, you’ll have a 30-day plan…then a weekly plan, and a daily action list!

We also set a weekly intention & review the week that has been.

This clarity can then be leveraged into:

-> The team you need- who to employ

-> The projects you need to work on

-> What your clients need and want from you

-> Systems you need to put into place

-> What you need your team to be working on

-> The boundaries you set with yourself and your team

-> Tackling specific outcomes and targets

-> The ability to SAY NO to everything that will NOT lead you toward that goal

Master your Inner CEO

If you need help in your business, and getting clear on what you really want, then I’ve got something super exciting for you…

Maybe you’ve reached your goals and need to set some new ones, or maybe you desperately need the type of strategic framework that I've talked about above.

In 2020, I will be launching The Salon Mastery Program.

Do you feel like you're done with working long hours, like you're ready to focus on growing your business and sick of quick-fixes that don’t seem to really help?

If you have the grit, determination, or the skill to make your salon a booming success, but need some support to fully step into being a true Salon CEO? Then the Salon Mastery program is absolutely essential for you.

Salon Mastery is RIGHT you if..

- You're a Salon Owner who's looking to make a huge leap forward in 2020

- You have a team of 4-7+ and are already smashing $6-7K a week... or more

- You're more than ready to step up into becoming a real CEO of your business (rather than just having another year of 'average')

Be the first to know...

To be the first to know about the latest Salon Mastery updates…

Just click the button!

Yes please!

The post The Most Essential Step to Being a CEO appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Structure: Don’t Resist it, Insist on it!

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 22:16:04 +0000

You are a Salon Owner.

You are a creative entrepreneur.

What does that mean?

Well, it tends to mean that you value freedom and autonomy and that the very thought of structure & discipline rubs you the wrong way.

I know that when I owned my Salon, and even now still in my Coaching business, the thought of being ‘structured’ and ‘disciplined’ seems counter-intuitive to me.

I started my own business so that I could do things whenever and however I wanted to.

Little did I know, however, that it would, in fact, be the very nature of structure and discipline that would set me free.

Here’s why…

Stop the Fireballs

How successful are you when it comes to dodging the fireballs your team throws at you, the minute you walk through the Salon doors?

And when I say fireballs, I’m talking about the millions of questions, like “can I do this”, “should __ be doing this”, “is it ok if I take this day off”.

I get it… you begin to feel attacked! Like you need to be dodging these fireballs, left right and centre!

But the reality is, you shouldn’t be dodging them at all. You need to be supporting them. But this doesn’t mean answering a million questions as soon as you walk in the Salon doors… heck no!

It means having systems & structure set in place so that your team don’t have to bombard you with these fireballs. Your team don’t necessarily realise that you feel attacked when you walk in the door.

Also, consider this: you may not realise how it feels for them to have to depend on someone else just to do the most basic things! Give them the gift of autonomy and allow them to get on with their day, safe in the ‘knowing’ that they can.

So, to make it easier for both parties, it is essential to have structures & systems written down and easily accessible.

No More ‘can I have a cookie?’

Whether you have kids of your own, have friends or family with young kids, or were a kid once (hint: that’s all of us 😉), I know you can relate to the idea of a child asking if it’s OK if they have a cookie, or 2, or maybe just 1 more… you get the gist, right?!

Continually relying on someone else to grant you permission to do something not only makes the person asking permission feel infantile, but the granter of permission feel heavily depended on.

Now, this may be OK when it actually is a child asking for a cookie. But when it’s a team full of adults working in your Salon, noone wants to feel like a child, nor like a parent.

The right way to support them as a boss is to make sure there is a set answer for the question that they’re asking and that they know where to find it.

And if there isn’t a rule, make one so that you don’t have to answer the same question twice... ever again!

If you want your team to behave like adults (I know a few Salon Owners who have struggled with this!) then you need to teach them the way and let them know that there are rules, so that they don’t feel as though they can push them.

You May Need An Ego Check

Now, you may need to perform a small ego-check when ensuring your team becomes less dependent on you.

I’ve been there. The need to be needed can become addicting, and you may miss it when your team becomes less and less dependant on you. But this isn’t something to feel sad about- it’s something to celebrate!

As your team becomes more and more independent from you, it means that your business is moving forward.

This will allow you to have more free space to work on your business rather than in it, which is going to allow you to move forward even more!

It’s a win-win.

Don’t Ask Me, Tell Me

What’s super powerful is when your “how we do things here” systems become so embedded that your staff become self-sufficient.

For example, the bigger your team gets, the more people you have asking for days off. It’s just the way it is. But this shouldn’t stop you from wanting to grow your team!

You need to create a system so that your staff can come to you and tell you whether they can have the day off… not the other way round!

In my Salon, we had a system where my team would roster themselves off. I found that when they would come to me asking for a day off 2 months away, it would get added to my long list of things to do, the pressure and stress would then build for me… it just wasn’t the most efficient way of doing things.

So I laid out some systems whereby they could decide themselves whether they could have the day off. The system included the minimum number of stylists that had to be on that day of the week, if it was less than 6 weeks away my staff weren’t allowed to move any clients, but if it was more than 6 weeks away they could move 1 or 2 clients max. Plus a few other things to check off on the “do I qualify?” list.

If they had checked that they had complied with all of these steps and noted down their absence on that day, they could come to me and tell me they were having the day off.

I repeat: they would tell me, they wouldn’t ask!

It was one less thing on my list and on their's, too.

Systems You Need to Have

Over 20 years of owning my own Salon, and now owning my Coaching Business, I have developed a series of systems, structures & disciplines that have helped me immensely along the way.

Now I want to share them with you!

Automate:

Reminders
- I LIVE off of my Calendar! Like, as a business owners and a mum I need these Calendar reminders in my life to keep my schedule in check!
Social Media Posting
- Schedule your Facebook posts ahead of time so that you don’t have to worry about it each day! I have a whole separate blog on this
The Potential Client Journey
- When a client comes in, whether that’s through social media, word of mouth, or just online, they are what we call a 'cold' client- they don't know, like or trust your business yet. There is a certain journey that they need to go on if you want to actually get them through the Salon doors. This is something we automate for you over at SalonBot. Check out this blog to read more about the Client Journey
Bookings
- Booking systems, replies to clients, customer support and more front of house activities are all things that can be delegated (to a human) or automated with software. Automation can be done through Facebook messenger… something that we specialise in over at SalonBot

Plan Yourself:

Calendar
- As I said above, I live off my Calendar. I think it’s so essential to keep track of you days, including your appointments and what’s happening in your family life too. There’s nothing worse than that unshakable feeling that you’ve forgotten something! So make sure it never happens
Google Drive
- Keep track of all your important documents, including the online versions of your systems & structures in your Google Drive! Obviously these need to be printed off around the Salon too, but make sure you have copies of everything in your drive and that they’re easily accessible where ever you are at any time you need them. This means organising them into folders and saving the super important ones to your bookmarks!

Onboarding new people:

Consistency
- One of the best ways to ensure your team are all consistently great, and following the same way of doing this (remember consistency builds a brand), is by ensuring that your onboarding process for all new team members is consistent across the board. That means the same onboarding process for someone who’s been in the industry 3 years, or 20 years. After all, they are new to your business, and you have a specific way of doing things. So they need to know it as much as anybody
Progress check ins
- Keep on top of new employees with daily, weekly, and monthly check ins (this is what I'd recommend) . This allows you to track their progress and give them something to reflect on, too

Team Management:

Team Huddles
- Daily. Gather your team around in the morning, set intentions for the day, challenge each other, maybe catch someone being awesome from the previous day
Team Meetings
- Weekly. It is important to get your whole team together as often as possible. This encourages accountability across the whole team and allows everyone to chat face-to-face. Plus you can get across the messages you want directly to your team without any Chinese whispers.
1:1
- Monthly at a minimum. It’s super vital to check in on each team member individually. This allows you personal contact with them, which will help build rapport, and also set goals and expectations in a more 1:1 environment

Structure & Discipline Allows you to Grow

Once I realised that systems, structures and discipline were paramount in my business if I wanted it to grow, I knew I had to start making a change. This level of structure and discipline allowed me to be away from my business but in control and work only 15 hours a week in and on my salon business, and raise babies, and start another business! That was madness… but that’s a whole other story.

These same systems now allow me to work from home, they allowed me to be away from business but feel in control and know that things are still progressing without having to be part of every touchpoint.

Having these structures in place actually protects me from stepping into overwhelm and stress, it gives me the space to think about growth and makes me get ahead of any new problems and fix them once and forever.

As the end of the day, people play better when they have boundaries and rules. Your team should know that it’s OK to make mistakes, because if you’re scared to make decisions because you might be wrong... then you won’t make decisions for yourself or be independent.

You just have to let your team know that you trust them, they should trust themselves!

Are you thinking about 2020 yet!?

Now is the time to start getting your business plan sorted for 2020, and I want to help... I want to invite you to join my Full Immersion Coaching Program. Let's chat!

Chat with me!

The post Structure: Don’t Resist it, Insist on it! appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The Ultimate Guide to Turn Likes into Bookings

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 22:46:42 +0000

I have a question for you:

Have you got a budget for marketing...and do you spend it all?

I get it. When you're busy running your Salon, marketing can feel like just another thing on the list. There are so many other things you need to do that seem way more urgent… marketing just keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the list (mostly, I'd guess, because you lack clarity on exactly what you should be doing, why, or its outcome… am I right?)

Reality check: As long as you're running your business, you're in the business of marketing. Time to get serious about your game plan!

I believe you should always be investing in marketing and have a budget for it. But it seems that as an industry, we aren’t budgeting for marketing. I want to get to the bottom of why this is and help people to realise why they need to be investing in marketing.

Why aren’t we doing what we should be doing?

I believe that the number 1 reason we don’t budget for marketing is that we don't have the right mindset around it being a journey… we want quick fixes. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been there. You need new clients, and you need them now! But I'm telling you, there’s a much stronger strategy that you can put in place that will benefit you much more in the long run.

This ‘quick fix’ attitude is the wrong mindset to have. This mindset means you’ll always be trapped in a state of emergency... this is what constantly looking for ‘instant fixes’ will do.

To get out of that trap you have to pause, and take a step back.

Get out of the trap!

Understand that business is a long term game and so is your marketing. If you only ever envisage a week ahead in your Salon’s life… it just wouldn’t progress! So why do we do it when it comes to marketing?

If you have a few gaps, this week… and your team are out the back on their bums… guess what, you’ll have a few gaps next week and the week after too. STOP!

You need to invest in the future.

Your book today is as a result of activities 6 or 12 weeks ago! So the same applies here. You need to be putting money back into growth activities for the ‘tomorrow’ of your business… and stop worrying about yesterday’s problems... you can’t change yesterday.

As business owners, we often invest in team training... that’s nice. But what about generating new clients to put into the chairs of those now beautifully skilled team members? What’s the point of improving skills, if there is no one to serve?

Consider marketing a business expense, just like wages, stock and all the other ‘essentials’ that keep your business open each day.

Where to start …?

I want you to start taking a ‘testing and evolving’ mindset.

Like, who said you should get anything right the first time? With most things in life you start as a beginner. You have to practice... that's how you become a pro!

Just like when you were training, through trial and error, to become a hairdresser or therapist, you need a period of trial and error in marketing… something that you were probably never trained in.

Too often people try something once and then give up, like posting a promotional post and getting no clients booked in, or putting an offer together and getting the ‘wrong clients’. You can’t tell me “facebook marketing doesn’t work” on this basis… Maybe it’s not facebook, and maybe you have an opportunity to learn.

These things take time, practice, and the journey is different for everyone.

The only thing worse than that is if you try something, it doesn’t work, and you keep doing the same thing over and over, and say ‘tick’ I'm doing my marketing!

Marketing, especially at the beginning isn’t just a box you can tick.

Have you ever done either (or both) of these things? Just think about it for a moment.. we’re all guilty of doing probably both of these at some point, right?

It’s a dating game!

Marketing is like dating... we are trying to ATTRACT people into our business.

It's not often the first guy or girl you date is the one you marry… in most cases, we test a few out, date around a bit until we learn who we want to marry. And while you're looking for Mr or Mrs Right, you might have a few short term relationships or flings (which is fine too!)

It’s exactly the same with marketing.

You have a few flings… an ‘in the now’ strategy while you work on your long term strategy. Have both going at the same time. You need clients today- short term, quick win offers and promotions to get bums in seats- but you also need to be thinking days, weeks and even months down the track. A lot of Salon Owners nail the short-term but forget about their long-term.. their Mr. Right!

You have to try a whole bunch of things and learn what works and what doesn’t... refine your skills and give yourself some time to get ‘good’.

Take the approach of ‘let’s see if this works, we’ll double down on what works and ditch what's not working.’ But, most of all... KEEP GOING!

You can’t find the magic unless you’re prepared to invest some time and money into working this out- there is no ONE solution or tactic that just ‘works’ (or we’d all have 1 million followers and multi-million dollar businesses!)

Your business can survive on killer offers (short term wins) while you work a real (long term) strategy. Attracting your ideal client into your salon and filling your team with great quality clients, week in, week out…

Let’s talk about turning your likes into bookings in your salon.

My 5 step strategy

Most Salon Owners I see are skipping 3 of the 5 steps in a full, well-rounded marketing strategy.

I want to make sure you know all 5 of the steps!

It's like a car...

Most owners have seats and a radio in their car (or have a website and social pages), and most have an engine (or have a promotional offer)...

And on the surface, that seems like it’s all you need… right?

But can the driver drive? Does it actually turn on when you turn the key? Does the engine work? Does it make the wheels spin? Do you have a map on where you’re going? Do you have keys, are the spark plugs working?…

Now, sometimes, we see a car and see the engine and think we’re ready, so we add some jet fuel (or make facebook ads and boost posts)...

But where are we driving? Who are we reaching, do they know us, like us, trust us, do we have an offer that people actually want to buy? Are we going for the one night stand or wanting a long term quality client who will stay with us for the long haul?

What I’m saying is, we may be doing the things we think we need to be doing, but if we don’t actually have any idea of what we’re doing… it’s all going to fall apart! We need to have all of the moving parts nailed down and in place before we even think about adding that jet fuel.

Ok, so what are the things we should be doing and implementing? This is where my 5 step strategy comes in…

-> Step #1: The Attraction Formula

Your ‘attraction formula’ means all the parts of your business which are going to attract your ideal client.

While you need to figure out who your ideal client actually is…. how old are they, are they male or female, do they have children… what their demographics are.

What’s even more important are her psychographics. What problems does she face, what does she struggle with, need help with, love, hate… how does SHE THINK… all of it!

My tip is to get in front of the mirror with her in the morning. Not literally… just picture yourself looking back into the reflection of this person, what are you seeing, thinking, feeling.

Once you’ve figured out who your ideal client it, you need to figure out your expertise so that they match what she’s looking for. What do you love, as a business, what do you do that’s different from others, what are you the best at? Why will she choose YOU over anyone else?

Now look at your messaging, your branding, your story… does it all match what she is looking for?

-> Step #2: Nailing your content

In order for you to build a following, you need a great content plan. Your content should be entirely driven by what your ideal client wants to see… not what your team wants to post!

Organic reach has dropped, so we really need to be putting effort into making sure our content (what we post) is something that our audience is going to engage with.

Again… don’t just do one post and ‘tick’ the box done (and yes, you should aim to post every day… but quality over quantity still applies). There’s no point in posting a before and after photo with no caption or a ‘back of head’ photo with the caption ‘blonde balayage’. Like, in reality… who’s going to engage with that?

Social media posting with no thought who you're speaking to is not the answer to building a following. So it doesn’t feel like a great burden to cross each day, I recommend you plan your content in advance, get a great content planner and plan out what you’re going to post each day, change up the types of posts that you’re posting and stay consistent.

-> Step #3: The know-like-trust formula

Now that you have your ideal client and engaging content nailed, it’s time to start the ‘dating process’.

But don’t get ahead of yourself? We aren’t taking them home with us just yet…

So many Salon Owners skip this vital step.

We are moving the relationship from ‘following us’ and leading them towards a date. And after all, we aren't looking for a one night stand- we’re looking for Mr. Right! Your potential clients need to get to know you a bit more.

And a social page is not a reliable way to do this, it’s a bit like a busy bar... it’s noisy in there, and harder to get to know you. The algorithm is constantly changing and so is your ability to reach new clients. It’s hard to make sure those who follow you are seeing your content.

Let me introduce you to the know-like-trust formula.

Our goal is to get them off the page (out of the bar) and into a place that we can get to know you, like you (and your team) and trust you… to form that long term relationship

The best way to do this is through facebook messenger ‘chat’.

Once there, you have the ability to chat to them, nurture the relationship and talk to them all at once through a tool called SalonBot.

Just like when you’re getting to know a potential love interest, it too takes time for clients to follow you and get to know you; actually between 7-11 times to interact with your brand before they will be ready to think about doing business with you.

Being consistent with both posting on your socials and nurturing them inside of messenger so that when they’re ready to do business with you you’ll be top of mind for them, not just lost at the bottom of their newsfeed.

The best thing? You don’t have to be glued to your phone or laptop… SalonBot is automated so that you have the ability to enjoy freedom & profit, while your potential clients are satisfied, too… automate and delegate is the best way, I say!

-> Step #4: Get em’ in your chair

There are 2 types of offer to really get clients into the chair. One is the ‘killer offer’. This is the read hard and fast offer that works straight away and gets bums in seats.

You’ll stop staff sitting out the back… but you can’t grow a business on that alone. You’d go broke!

The killer offer tends to attract more short-term clients- they hop onto the next deal. Don’t get me wrong, killer offers have their place and they are effective.

Too often I see Salon Owners relying solely on these killer offers, and wonder why they are slowly going broke.

Your long term strategy means you don’t have to rely on killer offers all the time. A long term strategy keeps in touch with their audience over time, so when the quality client wants/needs what you have, they choose YOU.

This is when we use the second type of offer. This is your signature offer. Something that’s tried and tested, it does well in Salon - you know it’s something your ideal client loves.

It doesn’t even have to be a deal, just a package or a high-end offer that will make the new client JUMP. She already knows she wants to come to your Salon.

This needs to be well thought out. We need to be presenting it to people at the right time- not too early and not leaving it too late- we need to make it super easy to do business with us.

-> Step #5- Delight and Retain

Now you have them in Salon, I’m leaving it up to you to delight them.

But, I will say one thing. Recently, one of our Salon Owners asked a question in our Salon Owners Collective Facebook Group: ⠀

“how do you get clients to rebook? I have had so many clients come just once and then not return!”⠀

One word: EXPERIENCE⠀

Clients will come once for a haircut. They may like the haircut, but even the best haircut or colour in the world won’t compel someone to rebook like an EXPERIENCE will.⠀

Make them feel special, listen to them and ensure that THEY know that you care. ⠀

Everything that comes with a great experience is linked to the interaction you have with your client, not the cost of the service.⠀

A few simple (yes, and automated) reminder strategies put in place to remind people to come back will do wonders to ensure those that don’t book, come back to visit your business…simple yet effective! THAT’s all it takes to make them come back!⠀

Ok, so I want you to think to yourself… what part of this 5 steps strategy am I doing already?

Are they tied in together? Do they FLOW, so one client can flow easily from one stage to the next…

What parts have you nailed and what do you need to work on?

What I have talked about in this blog is the ‘Turn Likes into Bookings’ strategy that I have developed over years of managing salon social media and digital strategies.

It was my very first course when I launched the Salon Owners Collective, and now that I have coupled that with SalonBot, this is the exact strategy we help owners implement using messenger marketing.

We implement this for you in business: building a following, client-attracting content, building a list, nurturing during the know-like-trust period, a killer offer or just the right offer at just the right time.

If you’d like to find out more about what SalonBot can do for you...

Chat with me, or you can head straight to our website!

Chat with me!

The post The Ultimate Guide to Turn Likes into Bookings appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Storytelling: The Real Heart of Salon Marketing

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 23:51:02 +0000

Storytelling: it’s the real heart of all successful marketing, and it’s a must for Salon owners who want to attract new clients into their salon

So… what’s stopping us? We are hairdressers or therapists… we are not trained wordsmiths and often don’t have perfect grammar all of the time! And maybe you’re wondering what we really mean by ‘storytelling’ anyway…

I get it, storytelling is like a bridge in marketing that you just can’t seem to cross, well, not consistently anyway.

But, don’t worry. I’m here today to tell you what storytelling is, that it is by all means 100% achievable for you and your brand, and that it is in fact the best way to market your business, both online and off.

After all, we don’t only want to attract people into our business, we also want to convert them into real life, paying clients -and I promise you, storytelling is the best way to do that.

So if you’d like to hear my best advice when it comes to utilising storytelling to market your business, then keep reading!

What is your story?

Every brand has its own individual and specific core values and beliefs. This lies at the heart of your brand and what makes it unique from those that are similar. If you take a moment to sit down and really hammer out what your beliefs are and how they make you different, then you will have a great start to knowing what your story is.

Speaking your truth as a brand and being open and honest about who you are is the best selling point you can possibly have. What makes you you, and how are you different from the rest?

So, narrow down your core brand values and beliefs and start thinking about how you implement that in your Salon or Spa every day. There’s no point in having those values if you aren’t vocal and/or exemplary of them. And this all comes back to knowing your ‘why’.

It’s easy, when you feel lost and frustrated with your progress, to forget your ‘why’. Don’t let this happen!!⠀Stop and ask yourself- “why am I doing this?” “Why did I start this?” “Why do I want to achieve my goals?”⠀

If you can’t remember your ‘why,’ trust me, it’s there, you may just need to dig a little deeper! Remembering your ‘why’ will help you know WHAT you want to achieve and HOW you’re going to get there - it’s all connected! ⠀

So remember your ‘why’ and allow your ‘why’ to motivate you to be vocal about your brand’s story (aka “brand story”). This also helps with consistency in your messaging and allows you to have something you can always come back to. Clarity=consistency, so get that clarity and stay consistent!

Why do I need to be storytelling?

Many salon owners think that storytelling creates unnecessary wordiness or ‘fluff’, but this really isn’t the case. Storytelling allows you to give people an insight into your business and what you’re all about.

It doesn’t have to be a long-winded work of fiction, it can merely be a short anecdote about something that really represents your brand, and tells people what you can do for them. Incorporating that aspect of storytelling into your online marketing provides your potential clients with the opportunity to really resonate with a specific message or value that your brand is all about.

One of the most important words when it comes to social media marketing is: engagement. And what better way to engage people than with a story?

I recently chatted to Monica Shepard for the Salon Owners Collective Podcast. Monica is a Copywriter, so her wisdom when it comes to storytelling is super valuable. When talking about why we should all be implementing storytelling in our digital and social media strategies, she asked the listeners to compare storytelling to the last great fiction book they read. She said that in that book, there were most likely characters that were super relatable, themes that resonated with the audience and probably a journey that the book took the on which made them wanting to know more and more.

Well, you guessed it! The exact same goes for storytelling in marketing. We connect with certain aspects of the story, there are those real human touch points which resonate with us, and we want to know more!

How can I become good at storytelling?

We are hairdresser or therapists… we are not trained wordsmiths and often don’t have perfect grammar all of the time!

Don’t worry, storytelling isn’t about crafting an expertly written work of fiction. It’s as simple as writing about the things that happen every day. Storytelling is completely different for everyone, and that’s the beauty of it! It’s all about telling your story and how that fits in with your ideal client.

And things online or on the socials are pretty much the same as in real life! You storytell IRL every day, joking with your friends, or getting into a great convo with a client! That’s the kind of thing you need to fuel you when you’re trying to write something for your social media!

Essentially, you need to focus on 2 key things:

What is your story (we’ve already covered this!)
How does your story serve your clients?

How does your story serve your clients?

Equally as important as your story, if not more, is how your story serves your clients. Your own story and your ideal client are so interlinked, it’s sort of like the chicken and the egg - you’re never really sure which came first. Your ideal client encapsulates everything that your brand is about, and vice versa! If you’d like to read more about why you need to have an ideal client and identifying who that ideal client is, click here to read my blog ‘Forget Likes, Build Connections’... it’s all about this.

But, essentially, when people are looking for a new Salon or Spa, they want to know what you can do for them. No potential client wants to read a story that’s all ‘we, we, we… me, me, me.” As a brand, you need to relate your story back to your clients. Less ‘we’ and more ‘you’... talk directly to them and the things they care about!

Work out how your story intersects with your client’s story. I like to think about it as if I’m meeting them in their mirror in the morning.. What are they thinking about at that moment in the morning… They know what they need, you just need to convince them of what they should want… and why that should be you!

Salons often get it wrong when they only talk about the goods and services that they offer. After all, everyone offers goods and services! You need to tell people what makes who different from others who offer the same thing. Sometimes it’s that intangible thing that people are looking for, but they just don’t know it yet. Think: how does your service make people feel? What do people thank you for?

When I chatted with Monica about this for the Podcast, she made a great statement: “people aren’t just looking for something to buy, they’re looking for something to believe in!”

How can I come up with a good story?

You may think that you don’t really have anything to say… I get it. But, trust me, stories are everywhere. When you’re working in an industry that is so full of humans both inside of and behind the chair, the stories that you need to be sharing really write themselves… it’s just about seeing that. If you’d tell it to someone (a team member, a client or friend at home) then it’s newsworthy for your brand’s socials, in a blog post, video or a LIVE broadcast.

Just think, what have we done today in Salon that really aligns with our core values? What was a great, fun story today that really reflects positively on our brand? It could even be something as simple as: When have we made someone look and feel amazing today… and how did we do that?

People are naturally drawn to positivity, so don’t be afraid to share the love! Write something about a loyal client who the whole team adores and post a photo of them feeling their most confident after you’ve done their hair! Or shout out a team member who has gone above and beyond for someone. Simply sharing the LOVE is often the easiest way to create engagement!

And I know that when you’re trying to market your business on social media it can be easy to fall into the ‘sales-pitch’ way of doing things. But sometimes a great story which causes amazing engagement can be the best way to sell your business without even knowing it: because remember that “people aren’t just looking for something to buy, they’re looking for something to believe in!”

It’s pretty hard to ignore the positive effects storytelling can have on your marketing, both online and off. And while it may sometimes feel daunting, I hope that the tips I've shared in this blog will give you the push you need to kick-start your storytelling journey now!

And when you write from the heart, you’ll never get writer's block. So just write what you know, what you believe in, what you are already talking about… and most importantly: what you can do for your clients, and trust me, the rest will come naturally!

As I like to say- done is better than perfect, because if you wait until it’s perfect then it’ll never be done!

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You Are The Most Important Person

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 21 Jul 2019 22:44:19 +0000

It’s undeniable: as the owner of your Salon, you are the most important person in the business.

Now, I don’t mean this in a conceited way! We all love our teams and would absolutely be nowhere without them. But, when it comes down to it, you are the Queen or King of your business!

In an Empire, everyone rallies around to protect the Queen or King. Why? Because they are the most important person! And so are you when it comes to your business, so you need to start acting like it!

And no, I'm not saying you need to walk around like Billy Big Boots, with your nose in the air like you’re better than everyone! You just need to realise that you’re different to the others in your business... it’s a fact.

And because you are the Queen or King of your business, you need to start giving yourself the full protection that a monarch would get. This is your business, and you make all the big decisions... so if your life isn’t in check, then everything else will start to crumble!

So I want to share with you my top tips when it comes to protecting yourself as a Salon Owner, and tell you why this is so important!

Protecting Myself From What?

You might be asking— What exactly am I protecting myself from?

Because you are an entrepreneur you are different because you are in leadership, you are different and because the buck stops with you… you are different. You have a different role from everyone else in the business, this makes you different.

In your wider world, there will be people around you who won’t understand you. They won’t understand your needs, wants, desires and motives. Why you would work 60 hours a week, just so you don’t have to work 40 hours a week for someone else! The way you see the world is simply different from theirs’! And because of this, there may be people in your life that want to bring you down. Either to protect you from failure or hurt or because it shows up their own inadequacies. When you understand this, you can protect yourself from those around you.

As the business owner you are the Queen/King, the CEO, you are like a high performance athlete! Just like an athlete there are certain things you have to do to keep your position in the race, practices you have to uphold and routines that other people just don’t have to do.

If you want to hold your title, gain success as the CEO , then you need to make sure you’re fully protected from distraction, disruption and those around you who want different things from you. You have the right protection around you. Here’s what I would recommend...

Fill Your Cup First

To make sure you’re fully protected, you need to fill your own cup first. This is an analogy, of course, for prioritising yourself.

And, don’t be mistaken, this doesn’t mean being ‘selfish’!

When you’re a business owner who’s trying to grow a business, it becomes increasingly hard to make space for yourself. I’ve seen so many business owners sacrifice their own sleep, lunch breaks, days off, just so that they can do that extra bit of work they think needs doing.

Prioritising yourself means you can not only be the best person you can be for yourself, but you can also be the best person for your family and ‘boss’ for your team. When you prioritise yourself, you can show up for other people.

Because, I'm sorry to break it to you, if you’re tired, hungry, overwhelmed and/or stressed all the time... there’s no way you’re going to be able to successfully look after your team, your family or your business!

That’s why you need to look after yourself first. Sleep well, eat well, go to the gym, make time when you don’t have time… Fill your cup first, and as often as possible.

No Distractions!

There’s more power in what you say no to, than what you say yes to... A big part of protecting yourself is protecting yourself from distractions!

Trust me, I’m a recovering “say yes to everything” kinda gal! As a creative entrepreneur, it’s so tempting to take on new and exciting opportunities when they come your way, whatever they may be, and when you’re in the zone, there are sooo maaaany! But in reality, you need to be saying no to more things than you’re saying yes to.

And it’s not about squashing your creativity, it’s just about being smart, and making smart decisions.

Too many shiny objects will distract you from where you are going and take you on all sorts of crazy rides to all sorts of places… but not the one that you really want, and need to get to!

I don’t only mean this in a work sense. In your everyday life, you need to be decisive about who you’re spending time with and whether they are really affecting your life in a positive way, or are taking you further away from your goals and life objectives.

Be assertive in your decisions about what you do, what you say yes and no to, and who you’re spending time with. Warning… every time you make a decision, you will be tested on your resilience surrounding that decision, so you need to make sure you stay strong with it and don’t back down... no matter how shiny the object. Don’t let those tests distract you if you truly want success (from the mouth of a recovering Shiny Object-o-holic)

You Need a 'Someone'

As much as I cherish independence, I truly believe that this journey can’t be done alone. You need a ‘someone’ who balances you out, or someone who motivates you, maybe someone who pushes you hard, or someone who simply supports you no matter what.

No matter whom that person is: a buddy, husband, wife, life partner, business coach, employee, friend... you need that someone tucked by your side who can help you along the way and bring you back down to earth when you need it. That someone special comes in all forms for different people! And if you don’t think you have one... look a little harder, it may not be obvious at first!

In my Salon, I had a Kerri, and now in my Coaching business, I have a Nic and then a Suzy. All of these people helped me stay in my zone of ‘genius’ and helped me to channel my creative inspiration into real life achievable goals and processes. They have saved me from the weeds at the most important times and have made things happen that for me were often just a thought!

And, most importantly, don’t forget to be kind to yourself. Being a business owner and wearing multiple hats is hard, let alone juggling that with a family or an attempt at a social life. Give yourself credit where credit is due, find the mini-wins and make sure that you’re looking after #1.

Get rid of the guilt that can often surround caring for and prioritising yourself. It’s not selfish or conceited, it’s essential. If you’d like to chat more to me about this topic, come over and join the Salon Owners Collective Facebook Group. I’d love to hear from you!

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My 5 Steps to Increasing Profit

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 23 Jun 2019 23:41:47 +0000

One huge barrier that gets in the way of Salon Owner success is profit.

Not enough Salons are making a profit, not enough Salon Owners know how to make a profit!

When I started my Salon at only 20 years old, I was exactly the same. When I came out of training, my goal was to make $30K a year. I didn’t know what profit looked like, or that it was even possible to make any more than that!

But for so long, my annual profit was $20K. I knew I wanted to gain profit... but the truth was, I just didn’t know how!

After years of seeing that same number turn up annually, I finally had a realisation: profit is a choice! Those years of minimal profit really gave me the push that I needed to decide for myself that I was going to focus on making a profit, and implement some actionable steps toward gaining profit.

I felt as though I owed it to my team, who worked so hard for me and wanted the Salon to succeed (so they had a job to come back to tomorrow). I owed it to my loyal clientele, who kept coming back to my Salon and also wanted the best for us. I owed it to my family, who had made sacrifices for me and had invested time and money for me to pursue my dream.

But, most importantly, I owed it to myself. I had worked way too hard and come way too far for my Salon not to be as profitable as I knew it could be.

So, I made the change—and never looked back.

Now, I want to share with you the 5 key steps that I took to make profit a priority so that my business would become profitable.

1. Know Your Numbers

To make the choice to make profit a priority, daily, you have to know your numbers. No more hiding away from the daunting tasks!

Burying your head in the sand is going to get you nowhere.

I know what it feels like to feel nervous, or even scared to look at your numbers. But trust me, you only feel that way because you don’t know them!!

So, the first step that I took was to look at my numbers daily, and really start to read and understand the story they are telling you... get to know them.

You owe it to yourself and to your business to have the knowledge you need to make your business profitable- and this is a key step.

If you don’t know why something isn’t working then you don’t know how to make it work.

It’s essential to know where you’re at any given moment so that you know if there is a challenge ahead of you, and you can make the change you need to make to aid, or even avoid that challenge.

Knowing what loss looks like, and what profit looks like, will give you the clarity you need to move your business forward. You don’t have to do it alone though. Don’t be afraid to get an accountant or a coach to help you out with the money side of things. Numbers can be bewildering to the best of us, and no one expects you to be a hairdresser or therapist aaaand an accountant!

Getting a professional to help you with your finances can be so beneficial. My accountant pretty much saved my life! (but I’ve equally had one head me in the wrong direction) So make sure you don’t just sit back and turn a blind eye to what your accountant is doing. Be involved so that you can understand what’s going on behind the scenes...ask the important questions!

2. Have a Purpose for Your Money

You’re ten years old. Every night you count the coins in your Piggy bank...10 dollars, 11 dollars, 12 dollars. Only a few more weeks of pocket money until you can afford that new Barbie Doll you’ve been saving up for FOREVER!

Sound familiar? When we were younger, our money always had a purpose and a destination. So what happened?

The more money you got... the purpose started disappearing. Don’t let this happen!

We all need to learn a lesson from our ten year old selves. Having a goal for your money ensures that you have set priorities, and implement those when you are making decisions with your money.

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the term when money is “burning a hole in your pocket.” Well, I think that sometimes it can feel like our money is burning a hole in our bank accounts! Especially if money is something we aren’t used to having, we begin over-spending... just because we can!

This is why we need a purpose for our money, so that overspending and unnecessary spending isn’t a problem!

There can be a stigma around people that have money. Terms like ‘filthy rich’ critique people with money and assert prejudice upon a certain group of people.

But... newsflash!

If you’re someone who wants to be profitable, then listening into these prejudices will only hinder your progress. Rise above it and fully step up and into your decision to be wealthy. If you’re having money blocks… then I suggest you listen to my podcast with my good friend Jessica Giles... she will sort you out.

3. Making Budgeting Easy

One essential step in making profit is having the ability to budget your money. Part of this is having some discipline around budgeting. Don’t feel intimidated by the word ‘discipline’ though, don’t let it make you feel like it’s hard work. ...because it can be easy if you let it be!

Having the discipline to budget is simply having the strength to say ‘no’. When I had my Salon, I had one team member, who was absolutely lovely, but she always came to me with new things that we needed for the Salon. She was only trying to help, but in the end, I always felt the pressure she laid on me to spend every little cent I had… I had to learn to start saying ‘no’ if I wanted to prioritise profit.

I had a destination for my money, and so I knew that some of those things this team member was proposing to me, were not at the top of my priority list at that time.

I decided that I didn’t like the term “I can’t afford that,” because what we can afford is a choice. I still stick by this today, and when my kids ask for something, I instead say something like “I’m sorry, that’s not at the top of my list right now.”

And saying ‘no’ isn’t a bad thing. Your team wants you to be disciplined, they want to know that you’re putting profit first and making smart choices with your money!

Your team wants to feel secure in the business as much as you do.

4. Put Profit First

If you want to make profit a priority in your Salon and in your Life, you need to make sure that you’re paying yourself market prices.

You need to decide for yourself what you want to earn, then work your business plan, your budget and spending choices around that amount.

Putting profit first when making business and strategic decisions inside and outside of your business will ensure that you are making choices based on your priorities.

Set your income goal and stick to it—don’t change it if things go awry, just make sure you set a realistic goal and adjust your decision making to suit that goal.

This means that whether you’re working as the CEO or on the floor, you need to ensure that profit is being put first. If you’re wondering how to do this- you may need to ask yourself: what is profit for you?

5. What is Profit for You?

I often talk about the idea of ‘wearing multiple hats’ as a Salon Owner.

And this couldn’t be more important when it comes to making a profit. I see Salon Owners working overtime, unpaid, to make sure their business can make ends meet.

But, despite what you may think, this is not what makes you, or your business profitable.

Whether you’re working as an income generating employee and servicing clients, leading your employees and being a manager, or being a CEO and working behind the scenes— you’ll want to ensure your business is first paying yourself market rates for that role, as if you were an employee. Then start to work toward profit over and above that employee role… and as the CEO.

So those are the 5 steps that I implemented in my Salon to become profitable. And, let me tell you... it worked!

After practising these 5 steps and making profit a priority every day, I began to see that annual profit grow more and more, and my small $30K goal was blown right out of the park many times over!

If you’ve been wanting to gain more profit from your business, but wasn’t sure how, I hope these 5 simple steps gave you some clarity around what you can do to reach your goal and that that goal is achievable.

Profit starts today! Today is the day to start implementing these steps.

I want to know, what’s your biggest barrier when it comes to profit? Come and join me over in the Salon Owners Collective Facebook Group and tell me all about it.

Want to know more about achieving Freedom & Profit in your life?

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Get the Guide

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Attracting and Retaining a Team in 2020

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 20 May 2019 00:21:00 +0000

With Game of Thrones, Instagram and the Avengers all vying for our attention, it can be tough. It’s becoming more and more difficult to find great people to join our team. Those that have a passion, like we did when we started. Sometimes they just don’t seem to care or are totally distracted—am I right?

Recently, I chatted with Alan Austin-Smith for the Salon Owner’s Collective Podcast. Alan is a Salon Owner turned author and motivational speaker, whose company ‘The Fantastic Hairdresser’ is all about why being GOOD simply isn’t enough anymore- you need to be fantastic. We chatted at length on this topic… go have a listen when you have a moment.

Times have Changed!

The Salon Industry is ever-changing—that’s a given. It can be hard to wrap your head around, especially when everything is so different to when you first started. There is such a difference between being a good hairdresser, and a fantastic hairdresser and that difference does not lie in your ability pair of scissors or tinting brush. It lies in, what Alan calls, the other 50%—your customer service skills, people skills, business skills, the list goes on!

There is also a massive challenge in attracting and retaining staff. In our amazing industry it used to feel like you were lucky, and so very thankful to get a job in any Salon.

Now, new stylists are spoilt for choice, they don’t need to or won’t stick around. It can feel as though they aren’t even interested in the first place!

Instead of blaming it on them and their unreliability, flakiness, or downright rudeness, you eventually have to stop and ask yourself— “what could I be doing better?”

Let’s face it- times are changing (or have already changed)! And naturally, so is the industry.

While it’s easy enough to forget this, or set it aside and pretend it isn’t, this is not going to step you forward in your business. Instead, we have to start thinking differently if we want to have better luck attracting and retaining a team moving into 2020.

Attracting Your Team

Salon and Customer Experience is now equally as vital as actually cutting someone’s hair or performing a facial service. Clients will come once for a haircut. They may like the haircut, but even the best haircut or colour in the world won’t compel someone to rebook like an experience will.

Just as we changed the way we value customer experience, we now need to change the way we recruit, train and retain new staff. And although there are so many changes happening in the industry, some things never change.

There is a stigma around hair and beauty jobs, that it’s not a good job or doesn’t earn good money. I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase— “just a hairdresser?” It is still not a profession that most parents and teachers exactly jump for joy about, but there’s really no good reason why. We all know that hairdressing is a great job and can, in fact, earn really good money.

So we have to stop and look at what we could be doing to help change the reputation that the Salon Industry has. Just like we sell ourselves to clients, we have to start selling ourselves to potential employees, and the general public, whose opinion affects that of our potential employees.

‘If we’re not on the pitch, we’re not even competing’ is the phrase Alan used in our chat. And I think this is so true. If we’re not competing with the likes of the corporate world, universities, or other interesting roles then we don’t even have a chance of recruiting the masses of young people that we need in this industry. The first step to successfully attracting new staff is actually starting to sell the industry enough so that more people want to work in it.

You Can’t sell a Secret

Does your Salon’s website have a recruitment page on it?

How can you expect to attract staff, if you aren’t putting yourself out there as a Salon who wants to attract and employ people?

Having a recruitment page, and having a good recruitment page, is fundamental to attracting a team into 2020. You not only want to make it known that you’re actively looking for new staff, but you also want to sell your Salon to these potential new staff as you would with a client.

Just a note, a good recruitment page will make it all about the potential team member, not you. You’ll want to talk to the reader and use a lot of “you” language, not “me” or “we” language. You will want to:

1) Attract your Ideal Employee. Get really clear on the skills and qualities of the Ideal Employee. Sounds obvious maybe, but… you don’t want just anyone.

2) Use WIIFM (what’s in it for me) language. Make sure “It's all about meeeee” (the new employee, that is) and that what you offer is aligned with what she/he is looking for.

3) Make it easy! The fastest way to help someone lose interest in you or your business is to make it hard to do business with you! In a digital, social and online world, don't put too many clicks between you and your next team member OR make it too hard to connect in a way that we just don’t do anymore. Create a very easy and clear path to get in touch with you and apply for that position

And be creative! Promote it like it’s 2020 (not 1999). Capturing the attention of young people online and on socials can be tough with so much noise and distraction. So be different and creative, and take action!

A New Opportunity

Students coming through the Salon on work experience are a golden opportunity to get on the pitch and start competing for young recruits. Most Salon Owners that I know will utilise students on work experience to do the odd jobs that no one else wants to do—sweeping the floors, cleaning the basins... you know what I’m talking about.

There is often an “I had to do it, and so will you!” sort of attitude when it comes to putting young recruits through the hard yards. But what most don’t realise, or think about, is that we should be using this work experience as our chance to prove what an amazing industry, and specifically Salon, we are, and why they should want to come back and work for us.

Work experience is a PR opportunity. It’s a chance to really have a positive effect on a young person and make them fall in love with the industry, just like we did.

Making sure these students have an amazing time working with you will increase your chances tenfold of having them back in your Salon in the future—and why wouldn’t you want that? It will also mean that they’ll go home to their parents and teachers overjoyed at the amazing time they had in your Salon. Extra bonus for you AND the industry!

Retaining Your Team

You know that there is a passion burning inside of you for this industry, or there was at least, and you desperately want your team to be passionate and be engaged, but you don’t know why they aren’t!

The answer is simple: You need to engage them.

You need to get on that pitch and start competing for your team’s attention and engagement. If a Salon Owners asked— “where’s the passion?” my response would be, “Why do you want them to be passionate?

Lots of people would say that they want their staff to be passionate about their jobs so that they’re more engaged.

However, this is the wrong way round. They need to first be engaged in passionate things, passionate activity before they can be passionate. And guess what? It’s our job to engage them…. Passionately!

It’s Just Like Dating

I often talk about the dating process when I talk about SalonBot and digital and social Marketing. But it’s no different here… You have to give love to get love, you can’t demand it. And we would only fall in love with someone who is engaging us; giving us love and attention.

This kind of love is the same as the passion that we want from our staff. You want your team to be passionate and fall in love with your Salon and the Industry, so what are you doing to make them fall in love? Remember, you can’t demand it! You need to engage them, let them find the reason to love you with all their might!

Team Engagement Activity

A great way to start is getting your Team engaged and interested in the Industry. Alan had a great idea that he did in his salon. A great activity that he used to do with his team to spark their engagement. He called it “Icon Thursdays”, where once a month he would assign each member of his Team an Iconic Hair Stylist, and they’d have one month to find out as much as they could about this Icon. Once that month was over, they would meet again, and would all bring along 4 images from this Iconic Stylist’s repertoire— 3 that they loved and 1 that they didn’t like. The team would then all debate on why they liked certain images and not others.

This sort of activity is such a great way to spark your team’s engagement. Not only is it helping them learn about the industry, but it’s giving them something to say about it, and allowing them to form opinions. This is where the passion is born! If they’re not passionate, then all it is, is a job, and they’re going to go where the wages are the best.

At the end of the day, it is up to you to attract and retain your team. And this can only be done successfully by first engaging them. I know that it can be tough at times, but I hope that these tips helped give you the fuel you need to attract and retain a Rockstar Team in 2020. Remember that times are changing and that that’s ok. Sometimes it can be easy to forget to have fun. But don’t let that happen! Think creatively, and don’t just settle for the norm.

I would love to hear any tips that you may have for attracting and retaining your team. What fun and creative things do you do, to spark that engagement and passion within your Staff?

Join me in the Salon Owners Collective group and share your top tips!

The post Attracting and Retaining a Team in 2020 appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Sustainability: It’s Actually Simple

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 00:09:11 +0000

Do you ever wish you could do more to be sustainable- but it feels way too difficult? You’re not sure what to do, or how to do it.

We live in a throwaway society. Whether it’s the Salon Industry or a Building Site, every day massive amounts of waste gets thrown away and contributes to ongoing issues for our Planet.

Sometimes it’s hard to get your head around this whole sustainability thing. But it doesn’t have to be.

In this episode, I’m talking to Amanda, the founder PaperNotFoil- a company who makes sustainable, biodegradable and reusable hair ‘foils’ out of recycled waste. We discuss the collective responsibility that we all have to do our part in helping the planet.

Amanda explains how making small changes within your business can make a big difference, and how it can be fun, too! It can be super easy to turn a blind eye to the waste you are producing when you feel like you have no other options

Today, we will not only chat about the options we all, in fact, do have, but also why it doesn’t need to be a big deal. It’s all about simplicity, fun, getting involved and doing our part to help out.

In this episode you’ll hear:

How to reduce waste
Tips to reduce, reuse, recycle
Cost-efficient ways to reduce toxins in your life
Different things you can do to make your Salon more sustainable
Why sustainability is fun and easy
Ways to get involved
Reasons why being sustainable can be good for your business

Recommended Links

CLICK HERE to check out Inc. Magazine’s 10 Powerful Habits That Will Help You Become the Best Version of Yourself

CLICK HERE for the PaperNotFoils Website and HERE for the UK version

CLICK HERE for PaperNotFoil on Instagram

CLICK HERE to check out PaperNotFoil on Facebook

CLICK HERE to join the Salon Owners Collective Facebook Group

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Balancing Business Life and #Mumlife Like a Boss

Larissa Macleman — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 00:42:46 +0000

Inevitably there comes a time in each of our lives where we realise that we simply cannot do it all... I remember the day I realised I was in fact not SuperWoman! For so long, my business was my priority and focus, 'doing it all' was just the way it was.

All my energy went into making my business a success and that’s what made me happy. I was a businesswoman, that's how I saw myself.

But as my life progressed, so did my priorities. Before I knew it I found myself in a new role with new priorities... #Mumlife. I realised I needed my next success to be the emotional well being and opportunities for success for my children.

I pride myself on putting my everything into anything I pursue. I do nothing by halves. But it soon dawned on me, however, that being both a businesswoman and a Mum brought challenges that I could have never anticipated.

I realised that I was carrying a certain sense of guilt—either that I should be spending more time with my children, when I was at the salon, or that I should be spending more time on my business, when I was at home and my team were working. It never seemed to end, it would keep me up at night.

I was trying to do it all, trying to be Superwoman and not realising that this was not sustainable.

One of my podcast listeners, a salon owner asked me recently how I juggle #Mumlife and Business life while still getting the best of both worlds. A fair question I felt. This didn’t always come easy. Nailing the juggling act of responsibilities took many 'sanity checks', time and practice. I have learned some valuable lessons over the last 12 years of #mumlife that I would love to pass on.

So, here are my top tips for juggling #Mumlife and Business life.

1) Something’s got to give!

Be kind to your self... Stop trying to do it all. If you are struggling with adjusting to the juggle of both #Mumlife and Business life, much like I did, the first step is to realise that you CAN DO IT ALL... just not all at the same time.

There are only 24 hours in the day.. the same as Beyonce. If you attempt to fit in your #Mumlife alongside your Business life, without making any changes, your life will overflow into stress and overwhelm.

Like anything, you need to make space for the new part of your life so that the old and the new can happily coexist, and still have room left over for you.

To move things around and ensure that there is time and space for the things you hold most important you need to learn the fine art of "Automate, Delegate or Delete" - It’s time to take back your freedom from your business. I write a blog about it once!

If you don’t take the time to make the time, there will never be enough time.

2) Work smarter not harder

As a business owner, we make so many decisions day in and day out... it chews up much brain space. Delegation then becomes an important part of leadership. Invest your time in what 'only you can do' and making sure that you’re not responsible for anything that a team member could be taking care of.
If one of my team comes to me with a question that I know they could answer themselves, I ask them to suggest a few ideas of the solution, then empower them to take action themselves. One less decision for me - and more empowered and committed team members on my team #winning. This was an important skill that I learned early on in my business life—I figured out that less decisions = less stress = better leadership = better team = better Mum = better life. Haha, you get my point.

However, I soon realised that this is also something that can be easily applied to #Mumlife. I started to delegate and outsource some household tasks so I could be present in the life of my kids the best I can.

For me, this was getting some help around the house with cleaning & folding. It's so much nicer for both myself and the kids to have that extra time to spend together. It also makes my day as a business owner that much easier too.

3) Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

I realised that I had previously been somewhat afraid of asking for help. I think Mum guilt can take over sometimes, and you feel like you should be doing it all yourself. When my first child was born, I could hardly ask my husband to make me a cup of tea -um, doh!
Asking for help is brave and admirable, and if it makes both you and your kids’ lives easier... and saves your marriage too, then why not do it, it's worth the investment!

One thing that helps me with the#Mumlife juggle of business life is online shopping. For years, we used MyFoodBag, a food delivery service where the ingredients and the recipes for that week’s dinners are delivered to you. I loved the way that this allowed me to make fewer decisions.

Something as simple as having my family’s weekly meals decided for me was one less thing to decide about in my personal life, freeing up space for more decisions in my business life or my kids' life. It can be so effective to utilise the tools you have available to you, just to make life that little bit easier!

4) White space, white space, white space!

When most of your time is either spent on your business or your family, it can be super easy to forget about YOU!

But, at the end of the day, the success of your business and the health and happiness of your family starts with you. In order for you to look after other people, you first need to look after yourself. Agree?

Making time for yourself to unwind and relax can feel hard with a long to-do list - I get it. Taking time away to rejuvenate and regather your thoughts can feel counter-intuitive. But it will not only provide you with fresh inspiration and ideas for your business, it will also allow you to be more present and happy when you are with your family.

Creating white space can sometimes be just the thing you need to stop the brain fog. Your to-do list will be safe at home and ready for you when you come back. You'll approach it with a clear head when you’ve walked away. It is easy, to feel guilty about taking time away to yourself. But this time is vital for you to be the best Mum, business owner, partner, friend, and human that you can be!

5) Life’s too short

When it comes down to it, life is WAY too short to constantly feel overworked and overwhelmed. You only get one body, one life and one shot at this— you may as well make it one to be proud of.

Life is meant to be enjoyed, and not wasted. This is your chance! Remember to be present in your own life; it’s the only one you’ve got. I think that life is all about making smart decisions that work for you in order to get where you want to be. Instead of trying to make your life fit into a cookie-cutter picture, make that picture yours. Make sure that your business runs in a way that fits your picture.

If I can work out how to juggle #Mumlife and business life, then you can too.

I would love to hear any tips that you may have for juggling your responsibilities. How do you make time for your family, whilst owning a business, and what do you do to look after yourself, too?

Come jump into the Salon Owners Collective group and tell me your best tips and tricks. It surprises me every day how many other people struggle with the same things as I have, so I know you’ll feel welcomed into the community. We are all working together towards a life of more Freedom & Profit, and we can all do more!

The post Balancing Business Life and #Mumlife Like a Boss appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Stop Taking Clients in Your Salon and Become the CEO You Need to Be

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 22:49:08 +0000

If you’re anything like me, you opened your salon because you love doing hair and you knew that being your own boss would give you the life you dream of.

Setting your own schedule, working the way you prefer, and, of course, unlimited earning potential.

You have the vision, the drive, and the talent, which is why you’re still the top-earning stylist in your salon. But as you’ve come to learn, being the top stylist is ideal when you’re an employee of a salon, not when you own one.

If you find yourself stuck between the roles of stylist and salon owner, it’s time to make a transition. Although you might be the top-earning stylist, you’re inhibiting the earning potential of your team, and thus, your entire business.

Here’s how to get started in stepping out from your station and into the role of CEO:

1 - Take Baby Steps

Major changes don’t happen overnight, and neither will your move away from working with clients.

In reality, this process is going to look like a zig-zag where you take a small step away and redirect that time toward income-generating activities.

These income-generating activities (ICAs) include tasks like marketing, social media, brand awareness, and outreach efforts, as well as developing your in-chair sales strategies, which include your brand experience, client retention, and inducting new team members.

Then, once you’ve found your groove with that small shift, you zig again. You take another small step back while your team steps into space you’re making available with your clientele.

However, this brings up another important piece of the transition: trusting your team.

2 - Nail Down Your Processes

The key requirement for building a business and life of Freedom & Profit is that you need to build a brand where YOU are not at the centre.

Yes, you may have started this salon solo. Yes, you are the top-earning stylist and the face, or possibly even the name of your business. But you have to remove yourself from being the linchpin in your brand experience. Instead, make it about your clients, the atmosphere and your entire team as a whole.

And you have to trust that your team can come together to execute this brand experience. But that’ll only happen once you’ve nailed down your processes and created the code of how you do everything in your salon.

From consulting with a new client, to onboarding and training a new team member, to cleaning up at the end of the day, to the way your receptionist answers phone calls, emails and direct messages- every touchpoint of your brand needs a process.

These processes might feel confining, especially if you’ve yet to define any. However, within the structure of your processes is where you’ll find freedom because you’ll have built a system your team can pick up and run with. That way, you don’t need to be the integral cog in the machine of what makes your business work.

3 - Learn to Say “No”

Now here’s where things get tricky…

You’re making shifts and getting your transition underway, and you will inevitably start to feel resistance. It could come from within, from your clients, or team members.

Don’t give in to the resistance and overcome your need to please.

Now is the time to say “no.” Say “no” when things or people interfere with the new path you are creating. Especially when you may have more time on your hands.

It’s crucial to stay laser-focused on your vision. Learn to say “no” when something threatens your ability to maximize your efforts on your income-generating activities.

4 - Lift Up Your Team

But keep in mind, just because you’re saying “no” doesn’t mean you’re not saying “yes.” Every time you say “no” today, you’re saying “yes” to your future. Inevitably, some of those “yes”-es will include handing more power over to your team to carry out your salon’s day-in and day-out activities.

But, to hand over that power, there again, needs to be trust. That trust is going to come from your efforts in lifting up your team through continual training, education opportunities and empowering them to be the best they can be at their craft.

This then sets the stage for you to feel fully confident that every client at your salon is going to have an exceptional experience while in your salon and be happy with the results they walk out with.

Additionally, your team will feel invested in, encouraged and challenged as they continually work to become better.

Over time and with these four steps, you’ll continue to move away from the chair to a capacity you desire. This may even be 100 percent free of clients, so you are solely operating in the role of CEO.

No matter what your ultimate vision is, having a life of Freedom & Profit doesn’t mean that you’ve “finished” your business. It means that you’re striving to achieve your ultimate vision and trust the journey and process to get there.

To learn more about creating your own journey to Freedom & Profit, be sure to download our free guide with our 5-Step Formula for owning the role of salon CEO. Don't forget to join the Salon Owners Collective group where you’ll get more insights, tips, and support.

The post How to Stop Taking Clients in Your Salon and Become the CEO You Need to Be appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

6 Steps to Get Your Salon to Stand Out on Social Media

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 24 Feb 2019 20:40:52 +0000

While the world of marketing has undoubtedly changed in recent years, there is one thing that will always remain consistent no matter how much changes in the face of technology:

If you don’t talk about your business, nobody else will.

We all have to start somewhere and somewhere usually begins with word of mouth, but like those aforementioned changes we referenced, word of mouth doesn’t happen the way it used to, and now the number one home for people getting recommendations from friends and family is through Facebook.

Yes, I hear your collective groaning from the other side of the screen as you read this, but here’s the truth: your business can’t afford to forget about Facebook, and the abysmal numbers of people you reach through your page posts isn’t all the algorithm's fault.

Maybe it’s that you’re not creating the content that will connect with your ideal clients or that you’re not creating that compelling content consistently. Before you go rogue and retaliate by going on a total social strike, try out these six simple steps and see how it makes a difference in your social media efforts:

1 ) Niche Down

Want to know the fail-proof way to ensure that no one connects or engages with what you’re posting on social media?

Talk to everyone instead of talking to The One.

The One is your ideal client, the person who raves about your business and is unflinchingly loyal, and who if you could have even 50 more clients like them, you’d be well on your way to hitting your biggest Freedom & Profit goals.

But beyond solving their specific problem, you also need to know how to articulate the problem you solve for them.

How does your ideal client talk about their problems and challenges, and what is it they say they want?

Niche down your message and mirror it back to them in their own language, and you’ll find that your clients look to you like their salon soul mate.

2 ) Be The Expert

Now that you’ve niched down and narrowed in on your ideal client, it’s time to show them who’s the expert.

For example, does your client want you to be an extensions expert or the queen bee of balayage?

Again, trying to be everything to everyone doesn’t help you gain traction, you have to double down on who you’re talking to and take a stand on what you’re talking to them about.

At the end of the day, the biggest competition isn’t the salon down the street; it’s the pace in which people scroll through their social media feeds.

3 ) Create A Plan

In case you haven’t caught on, each step builds upon the last, so with this step, you need to get a system in place for how you’ll position yourself as the expert for your ideal client, and get them to know, like and trust you.

Your know, like, and trust factor is critical for building a rapport that connects with your potential client and eventually drives them to be a scheduled booking.

The way you build this connection and trust is by featuring the people of your salon (you, your team, your clients) as well as demonstrating your expertise by showing your technical skills and the results you create for your clients.

One way to envision how this will come together is to think about your ideal client walking past your salon and cupping their hands around their eyes to peer through the window.

What do they see? What are the emotions they feel when getting a glimpse of your space, your team, the clients in your chairs and the smiling faces of clients walking out the door?

Your social media should be the virtual showcase of that window-peering experience.

4 ) Be a Storyteller

The next step is where you introduce the context to the visual, window-peering experience. It’s where you entertain, inform, educate, motivate, and open the doors to a conversation on your social media accounts.

It’s not enough to post a client “after” photo with the caption “Love it!” You have to share the story and pull your ideal client in with something that’s relevant for them.

For example, if you’re showing a client “after” photo, explain why the client came to see you and what you were helping them accomplish. Give insight into your process for how you achieved the look you’re showcasing and how it will benefit your client in the photo.

Did you just give a new mom a cut that let her keep a longer length, but still allow for more natural wash-and-go styling or maintenance? How will this make her life better?

Or did you finally finish a color transition from jet black to blonde that’s been 9 months in the making? Share that process and story!

Paint the picture with your captions and don’t be afraid to go longer, we’ve found that longer-form content gets better engagement.

Speaking of engagement…

5 ) Engage

One of the biggest mistakes we see on social media is that people forget the “social” in social media.

If you feel discouraged by the number of people seeing (or not seeing) your content, you have to understand that for your content to be shown to more people; Facebook needs to know that people care about it.

So, what does that mean for you?

It means engaging with every single comment left on one of your posts, even if they are already a client (your clients will help bring you more clients!). It also means tagging any relevant accounts such as your clients, product brands, your stylist’s professional accounts, etc.

The more connection points you can create within your content, the further reach you’ll have and more engagement you’ll get.

Remember, engagement is a two-way street, and the more you engage, the more you’ll get in return.

6 ) Ask for the Sale and Make it Simple

Finally, once you’ve created a consistent routine of providing valuable and engaging content for your ideal client, you can share a promotion and ask for the sale.

At this point, you’ll have been taking the actions needs to build your know, like, and trust factor, so your audience will be better primed for purchase.

But, and this is an important but, you need to keep it simple. Don’t try to sell everything on your services menu via social media. Sell the primary promotion and do the rest (like add-ons and products) once your client is in the chair.

If you confuse, you’ll lose, and if you’ve done all this work to build a relationship with your potential client and then confused them on what you want them to do or buy, you’ll have lost that opportunity.

So, ask for the sale, but keep it simple.

Now let’s get social, shall we?!

We know all the in’s and out’s of Facebook and creating compelling content for social media can feel overwhelming, but these six steps are the foundation for building online relationships that turn into real-life clients.

The key is starting small (not trying to do it all all at once) and staying strong and consistent, even when your reach doesn’t feel like enough, it will get there with patience and persistence.

For more support, tips, accountability, and insights, be sure to join the free Modern Marketing for Salon Owners group on Facebook where we share even more on how to grow your salon’s reach for greater Freedom & Profit.

The post 6 Steps to Get Your Salon to Stand Out on Social Media appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Build a Successful Salon Team So You Can Get From Behind the Chair

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 20 Jan 2019 22:11:32 +0000

Imagine with me for a moment and picture yourself here:

You’re yelling from behind your chair to have someone help the person who came through the door three minutes ago and is standing at the front looking awkward.

Your stylists need constant hand-holding on how to best utilize their downtime.

You’ve lost track of how many stylists you’ve brought on in the last two years, but you know you’ve lost more people than you brought in.

Makes your muscles tense up with anxiety, doesn’t it?

Maybe it’s because these scenarios didn't require much imagination because, for you, this is reality.

Even if it’s not these specific circumstances, you’re not alone if you feel chronically annoyed by your team or exhausted with not being able to find or keep the right people.

Not only are these sentiments common within the Salon Owners Collective Facebook group, but they’re feelings I totally get. I've employed more than 120 stylists, apprentices and support staff in my time as a salon owner and I can attest that it's no easy feat.

After years of expense and exhaust resulting from the revolving door of team members, I knew I had a choice to make:

I could keep things the same and continue the cycle of expense and exhaust.

Or, I could face my fears, gain back control of my team and my business, and move forward toward my dreams, no matter how far away they felt. This meant letting go of my past failures as a manager and past "wrong hires" so I could step into the faith that I could attract amazing people into my business.

And with that choice, plenty of trial and error and a system, my team of 30 and I grew the salon to $2 million. I learned so much along the way through that process, and that’s what I’m going to share with you today with my top three keys to building a rockstar team so you can get out from behind the chair.

The 1-in-3 Team Rule

I had this vision of my perfect team…who I wanted to grow into what position, the types of competitions we wanted to enter and win, the clients we wanted to attract with this awesome and perfect team - I could see it so clearly... if only my staff would just stay put long enough for me to gain momentum!

Bringing on new team members always felt like two steps forward and one step back. They would come, get settled and then either leave, or someone would get pregnant (my salon saw the birth of 14 babies in 4 years!), but then I discovered the 1-in-3 Team Rule, and it changed the way I approached the people IN my business.

This general rule of thumb meant that for every three people I employed, they would fall into one of these three categories.

* They would become a long-standing employee - in many cases 6-18 years

* The average employee would be with us for two years

* And finally, we have the six weeks - 6 months employee

The six weeks to 6-month person is typically not a good fit for your brand culture, and that’s okay. In fact, consider yourself lucky if they realise they’re not a great fit and leave quietly and quickly on their own.

For the average 2-year long employee, consider this a baseline of what you might expect from a great stylist or therapist. They come, do great work, make money, work hard and then move on with their lives.

Whether it’s having a baby, travel is beckoning, or they move to a new city for a loved one, you can’t avoid the fact that “life is calling.”

However, if people are leaving you to go work for other salons on a consistent basis, it's time to take a good hard look at your business structure, culture, and operations and that you make some changes, starting with you.

This can be a hard pill to swallow, but better to recognize it now. And here are a few reasons why you might be having this problem:

You haven’t created a career path or a plan for your team members to evolve and grow professionally within your salon
You aren’t nurturing the culture or supporting your people by providing the right tools to do good work (and I don't mean just technical things like brushes and lotions, I’m also referring to the environment and continuing education opportunities)
You’re a dragon or a grumpy boss, which you may feel justified in, especially if your team is slacking, but this attitude creates an ‘us and them’ culture. If you think they are against you, they probably are, but mostly because they don’t believe you trust them, love them or believe they will do great work.

Then you’ve got the 6-18 year employee. They love you, your culture and the opportunity you give them to grow and thrive, and if you're doing it right, these are people you will love to spend time with and will have very long and rewarding relationships with. They’re also the team members who often grow into amazing managers.

With this 1-in-3 Rule, I was able to eliminate the pressure and expectation in my own mind as to what my perfect team looked like and what I expected from them.

Prior to discovering this rule, every time someone left it felt like I had failed in some way, and maybe I’d failed them by not being what they expected, wanted or needed, but now I had a new expectation on building a team that was more realistic.

Additionally, this rule will also help you establish your “norms” so you can be prepared to manage inevitable “life happens” turnover and not feel surprised or take it personally every time someone leaves.

How to Attract a Rockstar Team

Attracting (The Right) New Employees from the Get-Go

Now with the 3-in-1 Rule in mind, you’ll want to set out in creating a plan for managing the constant flow in the stream of people in your salon.

First, you’ll want to plan out the journey of an employee from the beginning, starting with how you’ll attract them and let them know you exist.

The focus of this attraction piece is that it needs to be about them. They are the ones looking for a new opportunity, and in their mind, it’s on their terms, and too often we make it all about us … we write about ourselves, our awards, our workplace.

Shift the perspective to what’s in it for them beyond just a job that pays the bills. Great employees want more than that.

Next up is mapping out the application and interview process so that you can quickly sift and sort through applications and identify good potential fits vs. non-ideal people.

Once you conduct the interview process and you want to extend an offer, you’ll also need a process for that, but it doesn’t stop there. Then you need a new team member induction process whether someone is straight out of school or a seasoned industry veteran.

This is the piece that’s often lacking and results in team members who regularly don't make budget or are always hanging out the back room on their phone. When you invest the time up front to induct your team on how YOU do it in YOUR brand, you’re setting both them and you up for success.

Of course, it doesn't stop here, employees will still need constant attention and direction, and that’s where systems and processes come into play…

Set Your Systems and Processes

Once I realized the power of systems and processes, my management team and I became obsessed with nailing them down.

We wanted to document our way of doing things that way any new or existing team member could have a directional and process on what they should be doing and how they should be doing it.

Eventually, we turned this process into an actual document that we titled, "This Is How We Do It Here.”

This became a living and breathing document that didn’t just live on the computer or in a drawer, we put it in the back room, a copy at reception and in my office.

It was our code, and while it didn’t sound sexy at first, this code for the inner workings of our brand changed my business and brought my team together in providing amazing service, consistently.

We all started to speak the same language and perform together as a team, and as a result, we got stronger together as we finally had a process for training, educating and coaching the team to perform at their best.

Now with these systems and processes in place, I could step back from the chair (another key element in growing the salon to new heights, which you can learn more about in our Freedom & Profit Guide) and coach my people with clear, regular communication that was both reliable and consistent.

I could also lead them with a vision for the future, where the business was growing and going, and most importantly, how they fit into that picture.

Over time, we built up a strong team and enjoyed higher retention, with more and more of them staying longer than the 2-year average.

And with all these pieces in play from understanding the 1-in-3 Rule to outlining every detail of our systems and processes, and becoming obsessed with building a strong culture, we eliminated the expense and exhaust of constant turnover, and we also doubled my ridiculously large goal of turning over $1 million per year.

I know it’s possible because I’ve done it, and I know you can, too.

Now I want to hear from you: what’s your experience with finding, employing and retaining a team in your salon?

Come jump into the Salon Owners Collective group and tell me - the good, the bad or the ugly. No shame here, just a community for honest conversation and helpful feedback as you work to build more Freedom & Profit in your business.

And don’t forget to get your free guide for How to Attract a Rockstar Team!

The post How to Build a Successful Salon Team So You Can Get From Behind the Chair appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Make the most of your Crazy, Creative Holiday Downtime

Larissa Macleman — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 01:24:41 +0000

Holiday time for me is a time where I get really creative. I love spending time with my family but as much as I love to hang with them all – I can’t help but slip into this crazy, creative business zone – The space and downtime allow me to think.

I dream up all sorts of things that I want to do for the new year and it can get a little bit out of hand…Does this happen to you too?

To make the most of 2019 planning while you have space and time over the holidays, I want to save you from shiny object syndrome (speaking from my own experience).

It’s easy to set elaborate goals and dreams but often we overestimate how much we can achieve in a year… but also underestimate how much we can achieve in 5 or 10 years…
So be kind to yourself

I want to give you 3 sanity tips for over the holiday period to help you plan and goal set your elaborate ideas.

Sanity tip #1 Back To Basics

One of the best ways to reinvigorate your business is to get back to the basics that work best for you. This may feel a little mundane, but don’t make the mistake of skipping over it!

Revisit your business plan. Hone in on what has been working, and get rid of anything that hasn’t. I use a simple method of START, STOP, CONTINUE. Review your major milestones, events and successes from last year.

Here are some good questions to ask yourself:

What salon goals did you not achieve?
What team goals did you achieve and not achieve
Which type of revenue do you want to grow? Not just a group total… but what moves the needle, where can you make the most impact My advice over the years is that less is more; narrow and laser focus make more impact
What percentage of time was each staff member booked?  How can each one make more impact

Pin-point what worked well in your business plan, and those things that no longer serve a purpose. Label all your activities with CONTINUE or STOP, based on how well they’re getting you to your goal. Create a START list of things that you’re not currently doing that might push your business to the next level.

If you started without a plan in place, then now is the time to make one!

Sanity tip #2 Unlock Freedom & Leverage your Business

A dream without a plan is just a wish.

It’s usually a dream or vision of how we can do it better… do better hair or skin, deliver a better service and earn more that drives us to buy or open our salon.

But somewhere along the way, we lose that vision as some days feel more like a fuzzy nightmare than a dream.

I see salon owners forget to keep the dream in front of them and they get stuck in ‘the weeds’ of serving clients and managing the drama of their team members. The stress, long hours and overwhelm starts to set in. It consumes them, their dreams and their shining light starts to fade to something dim in the distance.

Some of us achieve our goals and forget to redefine or reset a new, bigger, more wild goal in front of us. But the lack of clear visions or dreams means we simply ‘float about in the wind’.

Those that can keep that dream in sight and keep it firmly in front of them, alive with it’s shining light are the ones that move forward. Keeping their eyes on the prize and subsequently not getting caught up with Shiny Objects that distract them from their true potential.

It’s when Salon owners have clarity of their path that they have their best life, their best business and have the strength to navigate the gauntlet of business.

It might seem really simple but you have to keep clear on where you’re going; you can’t just hope it’s going to be awesome – clarity has power.

You think you’re so busy that your clarity slips – you’re not focused but you want to succeed… here are the things you need to know

Get clarity on

Who are you in the business
How (exactly) will your business make more income this year and where will it come from?
– who will make that income? Who do you need in your team?
What are your constraints and what holds you back from momentum?
– We feel it but often don’t know it or take intentional action toward it
How will you make a profit?
– You simply can’t just guess and hope on a wing and prayer
Separate marketing and sales
– Sales are how you upsell once a client is in the chair
– Once they are in the chair how will you give them a kick arse experience
Marketing gets more people in your business
– How will you get clients on demand?

Your role is to manage the ever-changing points of constraint

Sanity tip #3 Use the holiday & slow period to set yourself up correctly

You can scurry around and try to make shite happen, as you freak out about the quieter January… BUT you’re missing an opportunity.

You know every Jan is quiet so why get into a panic – prepare for it each year, its no surprise right?

Harness this opportunity to plan the year, sort yourself, make a strategic plan and make 2019 better and different.

A short-term loss (slightly less in Jan)   for a long-term gain; Imagine you did $5k less in Jan, but you did $15k more in Feb, March and April!!

Take time to reflect, re-evaluate and set fresh goals for 2018. Often, getting ahead requires you to take a step back, and spend time working ON the business, not just IN it.  Get away and invest some time in YOU and your business.

You are your biggest constraint, get out of your own way

You either control too much, thinking you can’t trust other people to do it. The problem is when you’re too in the weeds to see where you’re going. You need to pull your head up out of the action and get a bird’s eye view – and the holidays are the best time to do this!

You have to actively unlock freedom.

Create space
Source the time
Find the discipline
Designing systems for repeated item structure will set you free
STOP with the excuses

Forget January for now – focus on the other 11 months and make them killer.

Step into becoming the CEO of your business and move away from earning “by the hour’ as a stylist or therapist.

I know this is what you want for yourself, you must think about it all the time. I’ve transformed my Freedom & Profit guide and I want YOU to read it. Think of it as holiday inspiration reading.

Then come and join my Salon Owners Collective Free Group made just for you – to help you move into your dreams and make them more than just a wish.

Have a great holiday and use it well! – I’ll see you in the group.

The post Make the most of your Crazy, Creative Holiday Downtime appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Unlock Freedom & Thrive in 2019

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 02 Dec 2018 22:44:28 +0000

It’s officially the crazy manic time of the year, Christmas! I remember so painfully and clearly that when I was standing behind the chair every December, I would always tell myself “this is my last year doing clients”, next year would be different for the salon.

I hated Christmas with a passion, it took me away from the thing that I loved doing most; Running my business. I also felt like I had to make personal sacrifices just to keep on top of it all. I wouldn’t have time for lunch and going to the toilet felt like a disruption to my clients.

Not to mention, it also drove my staff crazy! Overbooked clients, hectic personal lives, clients running late who also had higher expectations and places to be. It was a madhouse.

What’s even worse is December makes us reflect on the year that has been. I would always start to notice the things I didn’t achieve. I would set big elaborate goals at the start of the year and I wasn’t nearly as close to completing that list as I would have hoped.

Not only was I stressed and overworked but I would become disappointed.

Something HAD to change.

Eventually, I was over it. I didn’t love this way of doing things and I know you don’t either. Here are some things to keep in mind during this crazy period…

It can’t happen overnight
I want you to focus on the current here and now, and park the rest. Right now you are in survival mode and you need to start moving into thriving. Give yourself permission to say no and take control of the situation.

More clients doesn’t equal more $$$
As tempting as it is to jam and cram more clients into the last 3 weeks leading up to Christmas, you are going to jeopardise a lot of things, so you need to ask yourself, it is worth it. You may have a lot more butts on seats but what drops is the average spend of those clients because your team are too ‘busy’ to give them the usual 10/10 service and experience. Quality over quantity.

Don’t stir the pot… more
Your team will thank you for not making them crazier and over booked, more than they already are at this time of year AND your clients will thank you for making their experience and outcomes your top priority. Fewer clients, Investing more $$$ equals less stress for all concerned.

Moving into 2019, you NEED to plan differently.

Let’s not drop the ball on the new year just because you are trying to survive Christmas. Don’t just plan to do the plan, set aside time, get a Salon Coach if you think you need to really invest in this or join a Supportive Hub of like-minded people.

I want you to think about how many hours you’ll work next Christmas, who will you be, what will your team look like and how can you support them without compromising your own sanity.

Let’s get some clarity back.

I want you to remember why you started this and what vision you had. Remember why you left your last job? It was most likely because you wanted to be more, do more, have more freedom and more profit and not have people tell you how to do it… right?

So, it starts with YOU.

You have the power to create a business around you – How you want to live, the hours you want to be in the business, the income you want, travel, the house you desire and the fitness you crave. I know that it can feel far-fetched when you’re feeling the pain of the daily grind, but when you have this clearly in your mind of where you want to be, you can leverage it. You can have the business you actually LOVE and thrive in.

It is possible, not only did I do this several times over, but one of my favourite Salon Owners that we work with is enjoying her Christmas being 100% in a supportive role for her team. She is not bogged down with clients and she is helping her business thrive.

The funny things is that when she did do clients (before she had her babies) she was just managing to survive. The commitment of her leadership and CEO role has allowed her to remain in control of her business as its grown.

If you still think it’s not possible…

Every time I have committed to moving through what I call ‘the journey from stylist to manager to leader and finally to CEO’ – my business has had exponential growth.

Step by step, I created time to work ON the business – it doesn’t grow on its own, It just gets busier and bogged down.

The same journey happened to me in this business too… I worked ON the 5 key areas of the business. I take you through what those 5 steps are in my Freedom & Profit Framework.

If you are interested in thriving into 2019, grab my updated guide, I talk you through exactly how to step your way through it.

In the Guide, we focus on:

YOU and how you operate and structure a successful business.
There is a segment on creating powerful profits
Building a Rockstar Team and supporting them to smash sales
How to build a framework to attract the right clients on demand

It’s a universal law; when you invest time in those areas of your business, you can’t help but grow.

If you want next year to be different for you and you are ready to step up into leadership and drive your business from surviving to thriving, here are my action steps for you…

FRIST, give yourself 30 minutes to really think about 2019
Grab the Freedom & Profit Guide Download
– Rate yourself from 1-10 in each section and Clarify what the 5 steps are that you need the most support in
Message me with what your “AHHA!” moment is OR reach out for a complementary strategy call , I can learn more about your business, your goals and dreams and then we can identify the gaps to what might be holding you back!!

Grab your Freedom and Profit Guide HERE.

The post Unlock Freedom & Thrive in 2019 appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Attract More of the Clients You Love

Louise May — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 22:35:54 +0000

Have you ever heard the saying, “try and please everyone, you’ll end up pleasing no-one”? The same goes in business.

We all want to make our clients happy, but there is always one client, it doesn’t matter how hard you try, nothing will ever please them?

They aren’t your ideal client.

Yet, there are some clients you could sneeze on and they would probably thank you for it. They love you THAT much… They are your ideal client.

“Everyone is my target audience” – this is probably the most common line used among business owners. You may have a product or service that everyone needs. That doesn’t mean that everyone needs it from you. You want to focus on attracting more of the clients you LOVE and who love you in return.

How do you do that? – It’s all in your marketing and branding.

I really want you to think about that client that you could sneeze on.

What is it about them that you absolutely love? Do you know the type of services do they come in for? What do they do in their spare time, where do they work?

Now take a look at your business, do you think your businesses personality appeals to that client that you love? (It probably does, that’s why they come to you!) Have a look at what you’re putting out in the world and who it’s speaking to. Your ideal client is going to see what you are posting on social media, will they like it?

It’s so important to attract the clients that you love and that love you in return because that’s how you create Raving Fans, Repeat Business, Amazing Testimonials & Referrals. Who wouldn’t want that for their business?

With your marketing and advertising, talk specifically to who you are wanting to attract. This will organically help you grow.

How to find them

Talk to your staff, find out the kind of people and clients they like to see and work with. Do their wants, needs, and desires align with yours? If you are all working toward a common goal it will improve your relationships within the workplace. If you find that your team members have different strengths and ideas of their ideal client, that’s ok too, you can work with that.

Find a balance between your ideal clients, something that they all might have in common and use that to focus on.

Create magic in your business and appeal to the people who are going to be loyal and devoted to you. You will start to know exactly who you are trying to appeal to, it will become second nature for you.

Keep an eye out for the next blog, I will talk about creating raving fans and how that can help your business.

The post Attract More of the Clients You Love appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Relationship Marketing

Louise May — Sun, 30 Sep 2018 20:25:03 +0000

Hi, I am a complete stranger. Give me money!

Let me guess, the first thing that comes to mind is, “Um…no.”

Well, this is exactly what you are doing if you are not building relationships with your audience and prospective customers. Think about it – would you rather buy from someone you know, someone you feel like you can trust – or a complete stranger?

Relationship marketing creates a safe haven for consumers. It gives the illusion that the business knows them – their wants, needs, and desires. A trust is formed. If a business suggests a product, the customer knows they are suggesting it because they truly believe it will benefit them.

Which would you prefer: to build a long lasting relationship with someone that sends you a coupon on your birthday, an email that your favourite brand published a new product, or that the item you wanted was back in stock – even though you didn’t ask for the reminder?

OR build a relationship with a company that slams your inbox with a newsletter, email, coupon for every item in their inventory, every podcast, or every blog post?

Let’s see how fast you find that unsubscribe button!

The objective of relationship marketing is to create a long-term relationship filled with loyalty and retention. You want to be the brand name that a consumer loves, believes in, and most importantly – recommends!

Relationship marketing is more of a courtship than transactional marketing. Things are taken slower, there is more nurturing, caring, and developing before making an offer. You allow the time for the customer and company to get to know each other.

Understand, you can only build a relationship if the customer is willing to provide the information. Are they willing to opt-in, answer a few segmentation questions, or provide demographic information in the form of a profile or survey? This information allows a company to gather details in order to mold a campaign around individuals so that their needs are met and voices are heard.

Why do we care about relationship marketing? One word – competition.

If your customers have a loyalty to you, they are less likely to price shop when they are ready to buy. They are less sensitive to price increases if one needs to happen, and more accepting to changes to your blog, website, or business such as appearance, adding or removing features, new ventures, and so on. They are committed to you – they are not interested in “seeing other people”.

So you may be asking, “Is that it? Gather a couple of details, show that I care, and I have a customer for life?” No, if it was that easy – everyone would be doing it and we would all be rich.

There are many elements to relationship marketing beyond customising to the individual customer.

One element to consider is customer service.You can have the best selection, the most outstanding information, the most informative podcast – but if you have the worst customer service, no amount of relationship marketing will help you.

Customers care about how they are treated, just as much as they care about how well you know them. Make sure they feel as if their opinions matter, their complaints (and compliments) are validated, and their suggestions are taken into consideration. If they feel as if it is their company too, they are more likely to protect it.

Lastly take a look at your social media. Is every post you make about a product, blog, podcast, or something directly associate with your company? You are getting to know them, how are they supposed to get to know you?

Use social media as a means to help make your relationship stronger with your customers. Post items they can share, content that makes them think, and give them opportunities to see the company as place of people rather than a vacuum sucking up their money.

Be true to you, be authentic and have fun, it is worth it.

The post Relationship Marketing appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Attract New Customers with your Free Google Listing

Samantha Jones — Sun, 09 Sep 2018 22:40:53 +0000

As a salon coach the Number One problem we are asked to solve is to help a business attract more customers, yet often I find the free Google My Business listing is neglected or under utilised. I like to attribute a huge part of my salon success to this amazing tool

Having a Google listing is absolutely essential for your business, it doesn’t matter if you have a bricks and mortar location or if you offer a mobile service, when people are searching for your services, being found is absolutely essential.

Your listing appears right when people are searching for your business or businesses like yours on Google Search or Maps. Google My Business makes it easy to create and update your listing—so you can stand out, and bring customers in.

So what is Google Business?

Google developed Google my business to allow consumers to search for the information they need quickly. Information such as location, opening hours and contact information is readily available allowing customers to instantly find what they need without searching through websites.

So why is the google business listing often overlooked or neglected? As small business owners we wear many hats and this is just one more page to manage right? Wrong, this is one of the most important listings and marketing tools you have, if you don’t take the time to create and maintain your listing you could literally be missing out on hundreds of visits every week!

My top tips for a highly ranked google Listing:

- Use the words people will use when searching for your services in your bio.

- ask clients that say they found you on Google what they searched for and add those words

- add attractive photos - try to stand out and show why they should choose you

- utilise the posts feature - You can now attract more interest by adding posts. The content will show in Google search and on map results.

- create offers and events

- stay active, reply to reviews and update content regularly. Google loves a well managed listing

If you don’t have a listing start by clicking here

The post Attract New Customers with your Free Google Listing appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Do You Tread On Eggshells In Your Own Salon?

Louise May — Sun, 26 Aug 2018 21:17:12 +0000

I was talking to a salon owner that had contacted me over the weekend about some issues in her business that she needs help with. One of her major issues is that she feels very intimidated by a staff member. She often feels like she is treading on eggshells and she is constantly giving into demands, so there is no confrontation. Now this salon owner is feeling really down.

She is working on the floor full time. She is a wife & also a mum to 3 kiddies. She is the busiest out of all the staff in the salon.

She wants to be able to offload some of her clients to her team so she can have some time to focus on building the business but doesn’t feel confident that her staff will look after them like she does. She knows that when the cat’s away the mice do play! She also knows the salon is capable of so much more but she just feels like giving up because it’s all too hard.

Where did it all go wrong?

How did this salon owner go from being the boss to being owned by the staff?

As salon owners, unfortunately one of the major issues is that we desperately want to be liked by our staff members. So we find ourselves saying yes to every request we get!

Can I have this day off each week?…. yes sure!
Can I take this Saturday off for this thing I have on?…. yes sure!
Can I take a week off in our busiest time?…. yes sure!

You know what I mean, right?

So what happens is that it starts to become expected as there are no boundaries in place from day one and if you say no then hell breaks loose. It is ok to be friends with your staff! I am still to this day very close friends with my staff from my salons that I owned. I have been invited to their Engagements, Weddings, New Years Eve parties, 21st birthdays and girlie weekends away.

The thing is that your staff need to know that when they walk through that salon door to start work that it’s showtime! It becomes very hard when there are no policies and procedures in place from the beginning.

If there are no salon rules set in place from the beginning and if the goal posts change all the time then there will always be issues.

Many salon owners that I speak to do not have a policies and procedures manual in their business.

Many salon owners that I speak to and also help have big issues when it comes to staff.

Do you have rules & boundaries in your salon?

Are you having issues with staff?

Do you have balance?

Along with the salon owner mentioned - I can also help you get your salon back on track. Book a free discovery call with me and we can chat about your concerns, goals and action plan to move forward.

Book a Free Discovery Call

The post Do You Tread On Eggshells In Your Own Salon? appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

SalonBot: Lady & The Hair Success

Suzy Broad — Mon, 13 Aug 2018 21:20:43 +0000

With over 17 years experience in the Australian Hair Industry, going from a garage Salon to opening up her own bricks and mortar location, and dreaming of her second, Prue is doing it all!

“We are professional but we love to dance and laugh about, we make everyone feel comfortable and I feel like that is a main part of our success”.

With a client focused approach, Prue listens to what her clients are wanting and shares how social media has had a large impact on her business. When asked about the reasons behind her actionable marketing steps that she took to get her growth within the last year, prue points strongly to Facebook and Messenger and says;

“SalonBot within the last few months and has been amazing, I felt like Facebook ads dropped off a bit when they changed everything so it was a bit harder to reach the right people. Having the messenger bot really helps because it ACTUALLY works and you know you are targeting and reaching all the right people.”

When asked how Prue sees Salonbot helping Lady and the Hair achieve its objectives, she states;

“It keeps us SO busy, no doubt about it! When I was in America and Larissa suggested I sign up and she would look after my Messenger Marketing with SalonBot for me, by the time I got back my salon was SO busy. I was like OMG, what is going on here. I was wondering why we were so busy and I realised it was because of the SalonBot and I think the brilliant thing about it now is not a lot of people are doing it. So the fact that we are makes it so different and we stand out.”

At this point you are probably wondering why you need SalonBot, and here is Prue's message for you:

“I tell EVERYONE to use it! I keep asking all my hairdressing friends that have businesses, if they have it yet, and when they so no, I tell them to hurry up and get it!”

If you want to find out more about salon bot, CLICK HERE and we’ll send you a message in Messenger to tell you all about it.

WIN a SalonBot for your Salon!

Designed and custom built just for your Salon valued at $979

Click Here

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5 Steps to Grow Your Salon Business to Gain Freedom and Profit

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 22:55:29 +0000

You only have one life. Your job isn’t to work yourself to the bone ‘til you’re *lucky* enough to retire. Your job is to craft a life you love, live it well and on purpose.

“On purpose” meaning you don’t leave it up to life’s circumstances to direct your journey; instead you take steps to set yourself on the path you desire. And because you’re a salon owner working hard to build a successful business, I know that the path you desire is one of Freedom & Profit.

Just saying “freedom” and “profit” makes you feel giddy and motivated, but you can’t say with confidence that’s how you feel when you show up for work every day…

Instead, you find that you’re wearing too many hats and spending all your time in areas that don’t grow your business (like serving clients all day long), and while that strengthens the relationships with your clients...it means no one is in the pilot’s seat steering your business in the right direction!

You want to get out from behind the chair, work smarter and not harder, and work ON your business instead of IN it.

I hear you! I was once there, too, and here are the 5 steps I took to make my dreams of Freedom & Profit a reality…

1) Believe In Your Dream

You wanted to start your own salon because you had a dream of doing better hair, delivering a better service and earning more.

But now that you own your salon, some days feel more like a nightmare than a dream.

How about we reconnect with that dream state shall we?

First comes the acceptance that you have the power and freedom to choose what you want your life to look like, and then comes the step that you genuinely believe you can achieve that vision.

As a hairstylist you know you can give your client a look they’ll feel confident in, and as a manager you know there’s potential in your team, but that piece of being the business owner, the entrepreneur…well, it isn’t quite there yet.

However, with strategic steps and a plan, you can get there and not at the cost of back-breaking hours and hard work. But to achieve it, you first have to wholeheartedly believe it.

2) Know Your Numbers

Once you’ve built up your belief, now begins the process of taking those strategic steps to make your dream a reality, and it all starts by evaluating where you are now and where you need to be with your numbers.

Always keep in mind, what doesn’t get measured, doesn’t get managed. You need to continually stay on top of tracking your numbers to see that you and your team are on track toward your greater goal.

First things first, how many hours per week do you want to be serving clients on the floor? Once you know that number, then you need to calculate how many staff members you need and what they need to make to support your non-earning role in the business (when you’ll be focused on bigger-picture income-generating activities).

Get clear on how much each employee needs to earn per week and per month, then set those sales goals.

You’ll also want to run all your current numbers to see where you’re starting from and so you can begin to create benchmarks to help guide your decisions on when you’re able to cut back on more of your time on the floor.

3) Build Your Dream Team

As we move onto this step, I want you to notice how we’ve begun to mentally shift your role from an operator (working 24/7 behind-the-chair) to moving into the role of the manager that instead of operating themselves, will look over and leverage a group of operators.

This group of operators aka your Dream Team is the key to creating Freedom & Profit, but it can also be one of the most challenging pieces of your business to master because although you are not the one doing the day-in and day-out servicing of clients, your team’s performance and outcomes rest on you.

This is why if you want to grow and manage a Dream Team, you have to be willing to personally grow and develop your managerial skills so you can successfully lead a team. Without that piece of your Dream Team, the growth of your business halts because a single person can’t be leveraged or scaled.

So, when looking at your journey to Freedom & Profit, consider this your fork in the road…

Who do you want to be in your business?

Do you want to be the operator, manager, and entrepreneur who plays all those roles on a sub-par level while always fighting for more time or money, but never being able to have both?

Or do you want to leverage your time by working on growing and developing your team, which in turn brings in more profit-producing clients for the business in one hour than you’d be able to generate by servicing a single client? ?

Seems like a no-brainer, right?

If it is for you and you’re thinking you want to leverage the time of your staff, then you have to know that you now only have one client and that “client” is your team.

4) Grow Your Clientele

Once you’ve closed your book to clients so you have the time to work ON your business rather than IN your business, you need to prioritise that time.

You didn’t just give up your clients to take on admin, the books, and menial daily operations tasks; this is time you need to focus on big-picture, income-generating activities that grow your salon in the long-term, for example, building up your clientele.

When you’re able to create clients on demand, you’re ready to feed them to your team and keep your growth momentum flowing and compounding, which is why marketing should be an income-generating priority of your time.

Here are the key areas of your marketing strategy you need to have dialed in to be able to draw in clients on demand:

Your Ideal Client

It may sound silly that you need to know who you’re marketing to, but it’s crucial that you understand that you’re not trying to appeal to everyone. You need to be clear about who your ideal client is, what her pain points are and why you’re the best to help her solved them. And within that, making sure that the focus stays on who your client is and how their lives will improve as your client.

Digital Processes

Next, you need to have the platforms and tools in place that make it easy for your ideal client to do business with you because the moment it becomes too challenging, they’ll give up and move on. This is why it’s critical, especially in today’s digital landscape, to make your contact information readily available on every single one of your digital platforms as well as online booking, and be able to handle Facebook Messenger requests and conversations without sucking up more of your time.

Social Engagement

Finally, you need a way to stand out from competitors. In addition to catering specifically to your ideal client, how are you going to be different in what you provide? What’s your signature, stand-out service and how are you sharing it in a way that educates, engages and entertains your ideal client? No more posting random content for content’s sake.

5) Master the Four C’s

As we’ve moved through the five steps of Freedom & Profit, all the work you’ve done to lay the foundation, get clear on your numbers, get out from behind the chair, and build a system for bringing steady clientele brings you here to what I call “The four C’s.”

At this point, you’re the entrepreneur…

You’re focused on the overall vision of your business and driving the activity behind the top-most pieces of your salon that, as your leadership trickles down through your salon’s staff structure, will produce a profitable and sustainable business.

Now, instead of focusing on the daily minutiae or doing work that doesn’t leverage your time or best use your zones of genius, your role is all about growth, and at this point, your Freedom & Profit goals should be your reality.

Here are the Four C’s that make that possible:

Company Culture - A happy team creates happy clients. When employees feel like they’re making a more significant contribution, that their work matters and that they’re a part of something bigger than themselves, they can’t help but be invested in not just their personal success, but the success of the whole salon.

Coaching - If you want your team to be invested in the success of your salon, you need to invest in them equally. And the good news is, this investment pays dividends in the form of a higher-quality team and happier clients, which leads to better retention on both sides of the spectrum.

Communication - A salon with open and honest communication between its leadership and team are the salons that thrive. In addition to having regular team meetings to get everyone on the same page on company-wide topics, it also means making your Code of Conduct a living and breathing document that’s readily accessible and sets firm expectations of how your team is to act and perform.

Clients - More than top-notch results from your services, your clients expect an enjoyable experience. Once you’re off the floor, you’re able to better focus on crafting excellent client care programs, communicating them with your team and put them into action, which brings new clients through the door via your reputation and retains current clients who see your salon as an irreplaceable experience.

As you move forward, you’ll experience that business growth always comes in cycles, a state of change, push and pull, expansion and contraction.

The real question is whether you’re equipped with the right resources, tools, and support to help you navigate that growth in a reasonable timeframe before you go broke or burn out?

For years as a salon owner I felt this frustration and saw my fellow salon owners working themselves to the bone, and I knew I had to do it differently. So, I fought my way to Salon Success through trial and error, learning and testing…

And I eventually developed the business structure, framework, resources and tools that scaled my business to new heights. Then I started teaching these proven strategies and cultivated a community around them called the Salon Owners Collective HUB.

All I can say is that there is not another resource out there like this and that I wished I had this when I was starting my salon...

It would’ve made my path to Freedom & Profit much smoother and shorter!

The post 5 Steps to Grow Your Salon Business to Gain Freedom and Profit appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Structuring your Work so you don’t lose your Marbles

Suzy Broad — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 21:38:04 +0000

You’ve probably heard Larissa, the Freedom & Profit coach, express “work smarter, not harder” before, but what does that mean exactly? When your inbox is packed, there's a giant stack of to-do's and the client messages keep piling in, how are you supposed to get it all done smarter?

The truth is many of our common ways of doing things aren’t actually productive.

When you focus too heavily on the act of doing rather than the brilliance of planning, you can be investing lots of extra time spinning your wheels. Stop spending valuable time on things that aren’t worth your attention or that could be handled in a more efficient manner. Also, its time to stop focusing on activities that aren’t actually driving any results.

Being the Marketing Coordinator for Salon Owners Collective & SalonBot is a very hands-on job. I struggled for a little while because my workload just kept getting bigger but I wasn’t working smarter, I started to work harder. I started to feel overwhelmed and as a result, productivity actually went down.

Here are my top 5 ways to save time when working:

1. Structure

If you’re running around willy-nilly stomping out fires that randomly pop up instead of planning your workloads future, you’re going to burn out and fall behind.

The key to an effective workweek is setting some structure in place. What works best is to create “topics” for my days;

Monday and Wednesday & Thursdays are for designing SalonBot Salon Marketing.
Tuesdays are for social media, copy & other admin bits and bobs
Fridays are for social media and heavier styled copy tasks.

Laying out your weeks or months with specific days for doing things ensures you aren’t doing tasks on days where you shouldn’t be. Get aggressive with your planning, schedule in times for when things suit YOU. If something pops up, move it to the day where it is appropriate or if it's urgent, make the time for it, but don’t spend your hours thinking about that one thing that needs to be done or else it has the potential to ruin your entire day/schedule.

2. Write it Down

I can not stress this enough. You can make all the lists you want on your computer or phone but when push comes to shove, you need a physical daily list right in front of you.

Break your tasks down, figure out what is the top priority and get it out of your head and onto some paper. Use the rule of 3 key things on your list at once. Be realistic on how much time you have and how much you can actually achieve in this time slot. Pinterest has amazing free downloadable to do lists! Print one off and get into it.

Check out my list - Up the top are my 3 main tasks, followed by extra bits that need to be done, and then by things that pop up throughout the day that I can forward till tomorrow.

Then on another piece of paper, i have broken one of the 3 main tasks down into chunks.

Take a pic and tag @salonownerscollective on Instagram, use the #hashtag #planning - I can’t wait to see what you have come up with!

3. Drop the Myth of Multitasking

For a few talented mothers out there, there is such a thing as multitasking. But for the rest of us mere mortals, drop the idea that you can multitask and be effective. The brain isn’t wired to do two tasks well at once.

Focus on talking, typing, working or thinking, but don’t try to do more than one. You end up wasting more time trying to correct your words or rewrite your email. Your brain is losing efficiency and getting tired each time it jumps to a new task.

Focus on one thing at a time, complete it fully then move on to the next. This goes back to my point above about setting days for topics and tasks that are alike so your brain doesn’t fizzle out chopping and changing to different things.

4. Urgent does not necessarily mean important

If you check your emails or return calls in scheduled batches of your structured routine, it trains your staff to figure out their own problems. If they know you only answer emails during a certain day or time, they know if it's urgent they might just have to put on their big pants and figure it out for themselves. Have the judgment and discipline to step out of the easy habit of thinking every urgent thing is important, it's not. Learning to let urgent go will save you a tremendous amount of time and stress, so you can work smarter and focus on what is important. Plus it will give your staff independence to grow & take initiative - its scary to start with but its a win-win situation for everyone involved, think of it as a blessing in disguise

Our Salon Owners Collective Hub offers a module called “Ditch the overwhelm and get shit done” and I cannot recommend it enough. Click here to join the Hub today and find other really useful workbooks.

5. Take lots of breaks!

I bet you are thinking, “omg how in the heck does not working equal getting more work done!”

Its all about structure again. When you plan out your day to have moments of time between tasks for breaks, you’re setting yourself up for success. When you go, go, go, you end up burning out big time. Don’t get me wrong, I know what it feels like to be on a roll.

However, if you set up time for short walks, meals and other small blocks of time to reset your brain and fuel your body, you’ll have the energy and juicy brain matter you need to go strong all day. Start off small, plan to have 1 extra 10-15 minute break where you normally wouldn’t, when you get the hang of that, bump it up to 2. Don’t knock it till you try it, trust me!

Don’t feel guilty about getting up from your workspace every two hours for water, a snack and a few laps around the block. Keeping your body fueled and rejuvenated will keep you working smart for a long time down the road.

If you are looking for more structure within your Salon, check out our amazing coaches who can help you put all the building blocks in place to ensure you are on the right track to running a successful salon while still looking out for yourself.

Remember, your business will never be at its best if you aren’t.

The post Structuring your Work so you don’t lose your Marbles appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

New Financial Year Preparation

Louise May — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 08:01:06 +0000

It's time to do some financial year preparation and get proactive with your new goals coming into the next 12 months so you can review how far you’ve come.

Tax time can be daunting and frustrating – but so rewarding when you see growth.

So many business owners set goals at the start of the year or at the start of the new financial year, but so rarely do they go back and review their progress or put actionable steps in place to achieve their goals.

At the start of each new year calendar or financial, however you choose to direct your focus; Set Goals.

An action plan is the most important element to achieving these.I recommend choosing a maximum of 4 main goals. They may be financial, growth focussed, or material based.

Get a blank piece of paper and in the middle of the page write down your goal & the date you want to achieve it.
Now, on the right-hand side of the page come up with a MINIMUM of 25 reasons WHY you want to achieve that goal.
On the left-hand side, write down all the things you need to do to achieve that goal or that’s going to get you closer to achieving the goal.
On another sheet of paper, prioritise your action steps in descending order of importance... For example - Most important: Daily Action e.g. Follow up clients.
Then with all of your other action steps, decide when you are going to work on them. I like to create 3 lists: Daily > Weekly > Monthly

In each column, I write down what I need to focus on and when. I even mark it in my calendar so I hold myself accountable and complete the actions.

Make time to achieve your goals. Don’t just write them down and then a month later forget what they are and wonder if you achieved them come the new year. MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Stick these 4 goals & actions up on your wall where you can see them every single day and make time to achieve them. The reason I recommend not having more than 4 main goals is you don’t want to be focussing on too many things at once.

By having only 4 main goals, you have an even split of time throughout the year to achieve them. Quarterly. And yep, you guessed it. Each quarter, have a meeting with yourself and analyse how much progress you have made toward achieving your goals and adjust them as necessary.

Send an image of your action plans to:
@salonownerscollective on Instagram.

I can't wait to see what you come up with - Happy New Financial Year!!!

Get in touch with Louise

Book a Coaching Call with Louise

Click Here

The post New Financial Year Preparation appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Encourage Your Stylists and Boost Your Salon’s Sales in the Process

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 22:31:53 +0000

Do you have some stylists who seem to have a tough time connecting with clients? Thus making it difficult to get rebookings?

How about stylists who are afraid of selling? You’ve got incentives in place, but it doesn’t seem like enough, and you need those sales numbers to keep up your profits.

This is the point that you might be feeling frustrated with your team and pulling out your hair wondering whether they’re worth all the aggravation.

First, let’s put things into perspective…

Are these stylists who have a great eye and do beautiful work?

Are they timid because a mindset/confidence block is lingering or because there’s a motivation or attitude problem?

If you have stylists on your team who do beautiful work, have the drive, but lack confidence, don’t fret, this can all be solved with some coaching and leadership from you.

(Isn’t it funny how the problems we think are external actually require our gifts of leadership as the solution?! This is called being a bonafide salon owner, babe!)

Here are my top two methods for finding common ground with your hard-to-connect stylists so you can encourage them, and boost your salon’s sales in the process.

1) Teach Them Personality Matching

Whenever we encounter a stylist who struggles to make a connection with their client, we’ll often encourage them to ask their clients questions and challenge them to talk more, which typically doesn’t work.

Why?

Because your stylist is usually thinking, “What in the world do I talk to them about after we’ve talked about their hair?”

Thankfully, there’s a simple solution to this, and it’s likely one you already do with your clients and even your employees; you personality match.

In other words, you shift your tone, mannerisms, and conversational style and flow to fit the person you’re engaging with.

Now, this isn’t to say you’re inauthentic, but chances are you’ve honed in on the art of “reading” your subject and knowing how to match their mood and personality so that you can be on the same frequency, and as a result, have a great conversation or interaction.

For example, let’s say you have a loud and boisterous client loves a fun-loving gab session when she comes to the salon. And you also have another client who is soft-spoken and friendly, but a little shy. Naturally, we can see how our approach to interacting with those two people needs to be different, and by “different,” I mean similar to their personalities in order not to make them feel off-put.

The nerdy word for this is “neuro-linguistic programming,” but essentially it’s personality matching.

So, rather than worrying about the behavior of your employee, encourage them to match the speed and tone of their clients in the chair and give them something else to focus on rather than “what do I ask them or talk about?”

Simply allow the client to steer the conversation and follow (or instead, match), their lead…after all, it’s all about your client anyhow!

2) Show Them Incentive Matching

Now perhaps your stylist doesn’t need help with connecting conversationally, but when it comes to converting a sale, they’re completely lost.

It feels awkward for them, they don’t understand the importance of product sales, and as a result, they don’t hit their goals.

Maybe you’ve tried to put together (what you thought) was a great incentive program, but per usual, the only stylists who got the rewards were your same top sellers.

Rather than creating a blanket incentive program based on commission, which will just make your job even more difficult since money may not motivate your stylists, you’ll need to meet each employee with where they’re at on their sales approach and journey.

This may mean coming up with personalized sales goals as well as an incentive structure that matches their motivation.

Regardless of which route you take, it’s up to you to be their guide and their coach.

Get them up to speed with product knowledge, teach them about numbers and tracking in a way that excites, and build up their confidence by coaching them through improving their sales skills and blasting through their mental or money blocks.

Once you’ve leveraged those two methods, I guarantee you’ll see a shift in your stylists. In their attitude, confidence, motivation, and, yes, their sales numbers.

For more resources on how you can coach your rockstar team for excellent retention and sales, be sure to look at the Salon Owners Collective HUB, a resource hub filled with strategies, trainings, and the community you need to build a business and life of Freedom & Profit.

The post How to Encourage Your Stylists and Boost Your Salon’s Sales in the Process appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Why Free Salon Software isn’t the Best Choice for Your Business

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 03:25:44 +0000

There's a saying when it comes to getting things for free. If you aren't paying for the product, then you are the product.

Free software can be great for personal use, but when it comes to your business operations where you need efficient and streamlined solutions, free isn’t always the best option.

Yes, it’s critical to keep your eye on your cash flow, and to look for ways to be economical as you make business decisions, however, it’s equally important to know when opting for the cheapest (i.e., free) version of salon software can put you at risk of a higher cost down the line.

And, again, the odds are that if you aren’t paying for a product, then YOU are the product. For example, have you ever used software that bombarded you with advertisements during your session? Then you’ve experienced what it’s like to be the product.

On the other hand, some free software solutions take a more subtle approach by collecting and selling your clients’ data, so it's them who are targeted with loads of offers. This is currently the case with marketplace model solutions such as Shedul & Fresha, and even though it may not affect your experience, it is affecting your client’s experience, which as we all know should be the number one consideration of your business other than your cash flow.

One doesn’t need to look far to see how software users becoming a marketable product can affect your business and audience, simply look at the recent news stories featuring Facebook.

Sure, you may not be on the scale of Facebook, but regardless of your business’ size, if you aren’t paying for the software you use, then someone out there is paying for the data you’re uploading.

Read on to learn about the impact this can have on your salon and the alternative decisions to consider to keep your client experience top-notch.

Customer Support Reliability

Imagine this; you’re in the middle of a rush of customers when your point of sale system freezes leaving you unable to check out your clients. Your next move is to locate the point of contact for your salon software’s tech team.

In a moment like this, you’re met with a few potential scenarios; one where the support contact is easy to find and reach, helping you get back up and running in a matter of minutes, and the other scenario is finding no support centre or reaching out with no luck or idea of when you’ll hear back.

Can you guess which scenario you’re more likely to encounter with free versus paid software?

When a software company allows users free access, customer support simply isn’t going to have the resources it needs to be immediately available or to operate efficiently.

So ask yourself, if the software you’re using were to crash or give you a tech hang-up suddenly, can you afford to wait out a response in possibly a few days time? Or do you need instant support available to keep your business operating smoothly and your clients happy?

Irregular in Important Software Updates

From phones to tablets to laptops, no piece of technology is immune from regular updates, and with good reason! Updates serve to improve software functionality, and without those updates, you’re left with tech that’s slow and riddled with bugs.

Therefore, when you invest in a device or piece of technology, you expect it to run smoothly and give you a great experience. Conversely, when you’re using a free software platform, it’s unrealistic to assume that their software development would compare.

After all, no payment for the service means fewer resources to staff a team of developers who can keep the software as up-to-date and clean as possible, which results in fewer updates such as bug improvements and performance-enhancing features, less often.

Speaking of features…

Fewer Features

In case you haven’t noticed, efficiency is a big piece of the puzzle when it comes to deciding which software solution is the right fit, and that goes for everyday users as well as people with businesses and organizations to run. People want more convenience and less runaround, so the more all-encompassing a software platform can be, the higher value it holds.

Look at it this way, wouldn’t you want your salon’s appointment booking software also to send marketing emails and SMS booking reminders? That’s a no-brainer, of course, you would, that’s saved time and makes your life that much easier!

When you’re leveraging a free software solution, it’s unreasonable to expect that you’d get multiple streamlined features, so it’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth investing in software that acts as a hub for numerous tasks and functions (costing you a little more upfront, but saving you a ton of time on the backend), or cobbling together a variety of free tools, which will save you some business expenses, but cost you more time.

The Effect of Advertisements

Even if a software platform is free for you to use, they still have a business to run, and for companies that don’t charge their users, the way they typically make their money is through advertising.

While navigating ads and pop-ups may be annoying for you, the bigger red flag is if you do not see any ads, because that likely means your client or customer is seeing them or they're mining your client’s data to serve them ads elsewhere.

In either case, this can affect your client’s overall experience with your brand, which really should be 100 percent within your control, not that of a third party’s.

Prioritizing Security

The terms “software” and “security” should go hand-in-hand, especially when storing important information such as email lists and credit card information, but as recent news of data breaches and hacks, not all software security is created equal.

That’s why it’s up to you as the business owner to ensure that the software you choose to use in your salon comes with adequate security including keeping up with current data protection laws and staying current in warding off the latest viruses, hacking schemes, and malware.

Again, this kind of effort requires a diligent task force, which is often part of what you’re investing in with paid software.

Nothing Truly Comes Free

Whether you’re paying with your time, stress levels or cash, there’s always a cost involved with making a business decision, and sometimes those costs are hidden.

In the case of free software, those hidden costs often come into play when you find that the marketed benefits and features are in fact not included in the free version of the software, but require upgrading to a paid version and potentially require signing a contract.

While that makes sense and aligns with the idea that you have to pay for additional service and support, what’s less than desirable is that those costs weren’t transparently communicated upfront.

At the end of the day, “free” may sound most appealing, but your best bet is always to do your due diligence and to look for software providers that allow you the features that fit your goals, flexibility and pricing structure that work with your business, and the support you need to save you from tech snafus.

And finding one of those providers with a free trial is also an added bonus!

The post Why Free Salon Software isn’t the Best Choice for Your Business appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The 3 Phases of a Seamless Salon Customer Experience

Samantha Jones — Sun, 17 Jun 2018 20:54:17 +0000

What is your salon’s customer experience?
Samantha Jones takes us through her story and phase's she now recommends for the perfect Salon Customer Experience.

Most salon owners believe it’s what you offer when your client arrives in to receive their service, and although that’s correct to a certain degree, a truly seamless salon customer experience starts at the first impression point, which these days are primarily online.

If you fail to make the right first impression, not only do you risk not getting potential clients through your door, you also risk your retention efforts since a client didn’t have that seamless experience. Or perhaps you're drawing in the wrong clients altogether.

I know it’s hard to believe that you can have the wrong clients, but as the saying goes, “you can’t be all things to all people.” Some clients will simply not be a fit for your salon.

Now I don’t say this from the perspective of someone who has only ever nailed this customer experience thing on the head.

I speak from experience here - my first salon in Australia was a small place and an absolute dump when I took it on. It was situated in a side street in a not-so-nice suburb, but I knew I could turn it around.

So, armed with $15K and a handy hubby, we spent two weeks ripping the place apart and putting it back together again - and voila! I had created a high-end salon to be proud of.

I spent the next few months fighting off the bargain hunters, and cheapy do's the previous salon owner had been hanging on to, and slowly the salon began to turn around. I actually did well in that little old place, but always knew there was something not quite right... then one day I was merrily chatting to a client, and I asked them, “What was your first impression when you came to the salon?”

She replied, “Disappointed.”

My jaw hit the floor, and she went on to explain, “Well, you have a great online presence, your website is perfect and your social media, too...I was led to believe I would be coming to a swanky new building somewhere and when I pulled up, I felt disappointed.”

And that’s when it hit me... I had high standards (ex-flight attendant here), loved experiences that oozed quality, and focused on making my service delivery impeccable, but my client experience was mismatched.

This was also when I realised my client retention wasn’t at the level I’d expect or hope for, not because I was doing anything wrong with my services, but because the client experience from the first impression was inconsistent.

From that day of hearing my client’s feedback, I dedicated myself to developing a consistent salon customer experience which began the moment a client discovered the business. Eventually, this meant moving premises, but that needn’t be the case for you.

You merely need to start by becoming aware of the whole picture of your business and the impact it has on your client from when they first discover your business all the way to their next appointment.

The First Impression Phase

As I previously mentioned, your online presence is typically where your potential client will experience their first impression, so it’s critical that elements such as your website and social media profiles such as Facebook and Instagram be aligned with each other as well as with your brick-and-mortar salon space.

Now let’s start with your website, which should be:

Visually appealing - Are images clear, bright, and show an accurate representation of your salon and services?
Informative - Do you provide the information your potential client seeks such as service menu, pricing, stylist information, contact information, salon policies, etc.?
Easy-to-navigate - Have you organized all the information on your website in a practical fashion that allows someone to find what they’re looking for quickly?
On-brand - Does your website speak to the preferences and needs of your ideal client and what you can deliver for them?
Direct with calls-to-action - Do you make it easy for your client to book with you on every single page of your website?

Then you have Facebook and Instagram, which if your business is anything like mine, is where the majority of my clients discovered my services.

Before posting anything on your social platforms, I suggest having a checklist for yourself (that you can later pass on to a salon coordinator) that asks the questions:

Does the image portray my brand adequately and in an aligned way with my website and physical salon?
Is the message clear and am I telling the story of my salon that resonates with my ideal client? I
Is it promoting something we love to do, thus driving forward our business goals and initiatives?
Have I placed a watermark on my images?
Do my images look visually cohesive?

In regards to that last item of visual cohesiveness, when I opened my Swish Salon in 2015, I took every after photo against my brick wall.

Soon enough my pictures became recognisable to the public, but when other salons in the area began posting the same thing, I changed my background to a green wall and eventually to my branded salon banner from Secret Salon Society.

When every image or post you produce is created in this way, you’ll see that your feeds look branded, visually cohesive, and you’ll set the expectation for your potential clients that, “If I go there, I can expect to walk out looking like that.”

Day of Service Phase

Now let’s assume your website and social platforms have effectively resulted in a confirmed booking and skip ahead to the day you deliver the service.

This is the phase that will either make or break a relationship with every person that walks through your salon’s doors. At this point, your client has already researched you, stalked you, asked their friends about you, and you’ve created an element of “know, like and trust.”

Now it’s the job of you and your team to knock their socks off and deliver!

When I did my flight attendant training (I won’t mention how long ago), we were taught a phrase that has stayed with me throughout my life, “To your customers, it’s not just another day.”

In other words, you do the same thing day in day out, smile and say “thank you” a million times a day, but to the person in your chair who maybe only gets their hair done once in a blue moon, this isn’t something they do every day, and they’re putting their faith in your abilities.

That’s why we need to treat every client, every single time with the same care, genuine interest and attention to detail as if they were a brand new client.

If the first phase is the first impression, this is the impress phase where you have to wow your client to keep them coming back.

Post-Service Phase

Of course, we always hope our service is top-notch enough to have clients rebooking and coming back on their own, but our clients are busy just like we are, and it’s our business to continue taking care of them after each service to ensure maximum retention.

For example, my clients couldn’t just go to another salon because they knew I wouldn’t forget about them and would be following up.

Often, I would have clients come in after 12 months for a repeat performance, and rather than be disappointed; I would be grateful. Those clients only get their hair done yearly, yet I was the salon they came back to because I kept in touch in between.

So, that begs the question, what steps do you have in place to ensure your salon is the one your clients think about next time they need their hair done?

In addition to consistent communication with your audience through email newsletters, it’s also crucial to set up 1:1 check-ins at marked intervals. This could be through email, text, phone call, Facebook Messenger, whichever method matches the personality and needs of your client.

As you can see, your salon customer experience reaches far beyond your station and instead is a full-scope journey.

And when you put the time, care, and thought into making that journey one of ease and enjoyment, you’re helping to secure your client’s trust and loyalty.

Want to Improve your Salons Customer Experience?

Book One Free Coaching Consult Call with Sam

Click Here

The post The 3 Phases of a Seamless Salon Customer Experience appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Introducing Sam Jones, The Newest Member of the Salon Owners Collective Coaching Team

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 00:33:42 +0000

In case the title of this post didn’t give it away, we have some big news…The Salon Owners Collective Coaching team is growing!

In addition to Sam, whose story you’ll get a glimpse of here, we’ve also welcomed Louise to the coaching team.

We are so thrilled to be able to bring their expertise to our community of ambitious salon owners and help you achieve your ultimate goals of Freedom & Profit.

So, without further adieu, here’s a little bit of Sam’s story and why she might be the perfect fit coach for you…

Sam’s Journey to Salon Owner

She may be a qualified and licensed hairdresser, nail tech, and beauty therapist, but Sam’s skills genuinely stretch far and wide.

As a formally trained dancer, she spent many of her early career days in a highly disciplined practice that involved a lot of travel, and the need to take care of her own beauty needs on-the-go (which her fellow team members caught onto by asking her to do their nails as well).

In her first career switch, Sam trained to become a flight attendant, a role that allowed her to learn the in’s and out’s of team management and crafting a top-notch client experience.

Looking back, she says her experience as a flight attendant was one of the most pivotal in preparing her for her salon ownership journey, which began in her homeland of the U.K.

Sam’s Salon Owner Experience

Sam’s U.K. business was her first successful salon, which she founded in 2009, but upon finding out she would be moving to Australia, she kicked her efforts into high gear so that in 18 months time she could sell it off and start her first salon in Australia.

Come 2013, Sam (along with help from her handy hubby) got started fixing up her first salon where she worked solo, but always knew she would need to open another location down the line.

This was due to Sam’s high-end approach, which didn’t quite match the surrounding locale of her salon and the client experience she desired to provide, so in 2015 she moved on to open her second salon in a better suburb and shopping complex, where she transformed her previous turnover of 250K per year into 7-figures in a couple year’s time.

Eventually, Sam was bitten by the coaching bug after experiencing the transformative power a coach could bring to a business after working with Larissa to hone her salon’s systems.

Sam’s Coaching Expertise

Flash forward to the beginning of 2018, and Sam has successfully sold off her second Australian salon and is now wholeheartedly focused on coaching.

As she says, “When I decide I want to do something, I go all in.”

By the end of this year she’ll have her official coaching certification from the International Coaching Federation, and in the process of obtaining that certification is coaching salon owners on how to reach their goals for greater Freedom & Profit.

In addition to her natural gift of intuition in being able to decipher where your salon is missing out on growth opportunities, Sam is also exceptionally gifted at being able to look at the big picture of your overall client experience, identify the gaps, and fill them in a way that enriches your salon’s entire approach to client satisfaction and retention.

Is Sam Your Perfect Fit Coach?

With her prior experience as a flight attendant in addition to her journey as a highly-successful salon owner, Sam is the ideal fit for salon owners needing help with refining all the pieces that go into a stellar client experience as well as those finding it tough to move to their next stage of growth.

Maybe you have consistent clientele coming through your doors, but you have a tough time retaining them, or you know you’re leaving a lot on the table concerning how you can best utilize your team and your client experience to boost sales and revenue (without adding more tasks to your to-do list).

If that sounds like you, it’s time to get Sam in your corner; she’ll help take you to new growth and beyond!

Get In Touch with Sam

Book One Free Coaching Consult Call with Sam

Click Here

The post Introducing Sam Jones, The Newest Member of the Salon Owners Collective Coaching Team appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Get to Know Louise May, Our New Member of the Salon Coaching Team at the Salon Owners Collective

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 00:30:27 +0000

Oh, how tides are shifting and our team is growing here at the Salon Owners Collective!

In addition to welcoming Louise May to our salon coaching team, we also recently welcomed Sam Jones as a coach as well, and are eager to be able to help more salon owners in our community with 1-on-1 support, guidance, and accountability through coaching!

Today I’m ecstatic to introduce you to Louise and have you hear her story and learn about her expertise because I know she can be a game-changer for your salon’s success.

Louise’s Salon Owner Experience

With over 30 years in the salon and beauty industry as a qualified stylist, 20 of those years being a salon owner, Louise knows what goes into building a thriving business and sustainable salon.

During those years she discovered many of the lessons she now helps her coaching clients with, most notably being how to get your salon’s systems spot on and build a firm foundation that helps keep everyone at the salon moving in the same direction and toward the larger business vision.

Louise’s Journey from Salon Owner to the Corporate World

When it came time to move on from salon ownership, and on to something new, Louise sold her salon, which had seven full-time staff members and one part-time staff member, and moved into a position with a Haircare & skincare private branding company where she worked closely with salon owners with creating & selling their own brand of retail and professional products.

This corporate gig required Louise to travel to sometimes up to 20 to 30 businesses a day, which is where she discovered that there were fundamental issues across many of the salons she was visiting and that there was a lot of room for improvement.

With time, as she visited these salons, developed relationships with the owners and gave them advice and wisdom that was met with significant success, Louise knew she was onto something.

She could take her years of experience, lessons learned, and business advice gathered and help others not just transform the success of their salons, but also their personal fulfillment. She could help support people and change lives, and thus, her foray into coaching officially began.

How Corporate Impacted Louise’s Coaching Expertise

In addition to her work with the private branding company, Louise also has experience as an area manager for a salon company, allowing her the opportunity to with work salon owners from the ground-up.

During that experience paired with her 20x daily interactions with staff in salons, she was able to identify the core issues she sees salon owner’s struggling with and take her unique approach to helping them step out of their salon bubble and take on a much-needed outside perspective.

Is Louise Your Perfect Fit Coach?

Whether you’re a new, first-time salon owner who wants to make sure you start off on the right foot with a solid foundation, or you’ve been in business for awhile, but know something’s got to change in your salon with bringing in more revenue or knowing your numbers, especially client retention, Louise is your go-to gal.

Essentially, she’s an operational and systems aficionado who’s ready to whip your salon into 7-figure shape.

Get In Touch with Louise

Book One Free Coaching Consult Call with Louise

Click Here

The post Get to Know Louise May, Our New Member of the Salon Coaching Team at the Salon Owners Collective appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

4 Ways to Shift Your Salon Owner Mindset for Greater Freedom & Profit

Larissa Macleman — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 08:29:45 +0000

As business owners, we’re never truly done learning. Whether it’s a new skill to add to our tool belt or way of looking at or operating our business, change is the only constant we can count on.

When it comes to business growth and expansion, one of the most significant pieces we have to continually fine-tune and actively work on is our mindset.

The concept of mindset and how it affects our roles as business owners is something I first began exploring in my early twenties, and during that period I went to two Tony Robbins events, which forever changed the course of my life and business.

If you’re not familiar with who he is, you should be! He’s one of the top mindset and success coaches in the world.)

This month I had the opportunity to see Tony Robbins again, and of course, I went because as I mentioned earlier, the mindset work is never done, and I walked away brimming with insights and takeaways old and new that I knew I had to share with you.

These are four of the biggest mindset insights that have shaped and are shaping my current trajectory in business, and I think you’ll find them powerful as well. Enjoy!

1) Understand You Have The Control

We’ve all had those days where we feel “off,” or a single event or trigger can derail our whole day. While we may not be in total control of our surroundings, other people’s emotions, or our immediate external circumstances, we do have ultimate control over our perspective and our emotions.

Now, it may not feel this way when you allow yourself to get carried away with your thoughts or spiral into behavior that doesn’t support your ultimate goals or vision.

However, that’s because you haven’t taken the step of being aware of your cues or realigning your mind and body to a state where you can operate in a space that’s conducive to your success.

Even a practice as simple as closing your eyes, and giving yourself a pep talk while you envision the atmosphere and attitude you do wish to have right at this moment can help you gain control immediately.

2) Fully Commit to Your Outcomes

Everyone knows a couple of people who seemingly don’t think of the consequences of their actions. Now I say a couple of people because these two people are different: one is someone who doesn’t think of consequences and gets burned for it (because the decisions they were contemplating weren’t the most positive in the first place) and those people who see a variety of opportunities, quickly identify the one that intuitively feels right, and they go for it. And miraculously, their decision always turns out to be a good one.

Do you know why that is? Because they can fully commit to the outcome of their decision.

There is no “Plan B,” they see the choice that produces the result they desire, and that’s what they choose.

Tony Robbins frames it as “arrive at your island and set fire to your boat.” In other words, find your destination and learn how to survive there. Your boat won’t be there to carry you away when the going gets tough; you’re now fully committed.

In fact, I experienced this when starting the Salon Owners Collective. I began putting the plans in motion while at my last job at salon software company, Timely, but I knew I had to commit to this if I wanted it to work.

Someone early on asked what my backup plan was in case this didn’t work and all I could respond was with, “There is no backup plan because this will work. It has to.”

As you shift your mindset using this practice, I think you’ll find there’s real power in making a decision, choosing to look forward and not back, and knowing success is imminent because when you’re driving forward, there’s no other way.

3) Decide and Act

Now that you’ve made your decision and have fully committed to the outcome, here comes the part of doing the work.

I know some people like to think of mindset as “woo woo” or not rooted in reality, but therein lies the difference, someone who has done the right mindset work will be invigorated to take the action necessary to reach their vision of success.

However, as invigorated as we may be, sometimes our brain can be tricky (see a pattern here on why mindset work is so important?) and cause us to procrastinate as we weigh all the facets of our decision such as where to focus first, or how to act, etc.

Author Mel Robbins (no relation to Tony) calls this the “5-Second Rule,” which she has written a best-selling book detailing the practice and science behind it, but the gist is: give yourself 5 seconds between when you decide to do something and doing it and count it out. Once you’ve reached “5,” it’s time to move.

This practice overcomes our brain’s natural response to keep us “safe” by thinking through every micro-decision that stems from our initial decision, which is the primary reason for stalling and eventually, getting stuck.

4) Share Your Wins

As entrepreneurs, we often share the quality of being driven and continually keeping our eyes ahead on the forever-moving horizon that we fail to stop and soak in the success milestones along the way.

Not only should we be aware of and acknowledge our successes, but we should also share them.

By sharing our successes, we’re inviting ourselves, our teams, clients, and other people who have made it possible to reach these milestones into being present with us and in our success, which only further fuels us to continue growing, developing, and moving in the direction of our ultimate vision for success.

As you can see, these are mindset practices you can leverage whether you’re a budding stylist or a long-time salon owner because as you grow your salon (and as an owner), you’ll continually learn new things and come up against new decisions and opportunities.

Through my Freedom & Profit program, I’ve helped countless salon owners navigate their journeys through coaching, support, and accountability and I can confidently say that its these types of mindset shifts and reframing practices that make the difference between salon owners that skate by with their business and those that skyrocket.

Which type of salon owner are you?

The post 4 Ways to Shift Your Salon Owner Mindset for Greater Freedom & Profit appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Harness and Leverage the Power of Messenger Marketing

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 21:04:05 +0000

The salon owners I work with talk to me about it often, I see it pop up more and more in Facebook groups that I’m a part of, and I'm experiencing the surge in my inbox.

I’m talking about messenger marketing.

Salon owners are spending more time on their phones, and it’s starting to creep into times outside of work hours, into the evenings and spilling over into our personal Messenger inboxes.

Forget the wave of social media marketing; we have officially hit what is about to become the tsunami of using messenger and bots.

As more of your current and potential clientele look to engage with you directly through the platforms where you work to connect with them, you need to be available instantaneously.

Now before your head rolls, let me pump the brakes on your paranoia.

Just because you need to be available ‘round the clock' for your customers doesn’t mean you actually have to be connected 24/7 or throw all hopes of having a work/life balance out the window.

It’s simply a matter of knowing how to leverage the capabilities of modern messenger.

Today I want to talk about the three steps you need to take to nail messenger marketing and not get left behind in the constant change of social media.

Want to listen to the episode on Powerful Messenger Marketing instead? Click here to give it a listen.

1) Elevate Your Brand Experience

So, in the context of Messenger, we can look at this tool like a personal concierge.

2) Engage in Conversations

Now that we’ve established an instant connection with the clients reaching out to us and discovered how that elevates our brand experience, then comes the piece of engagement.

For example, I want you to think about the ads or offers you’re already running. Did you know we have the option to drive our audience straight from the post to engage inside Messenger?

Also, you can even have your audience pay for their service right in Messenger. Talk about top-notch service; you didn’t make your client have to do any work other than a couple of clicks!

One of my favorite ways that salon owners can use Messenger to engage and spark conversations with their audience is through competitions and giveaways that put new services and products in the spotlight as well as cast your net wider to get new faces in front of your brand.

For example, I had a friend run a competition that got great organic reach with 200+ entries and responses, which was to tag a friend, so, in total, she exposed her brand to an additional 200 people.

All this to say, you don’t need to wait for interested buyers to come to you, you can reach out to them (and not have to do it on a complete 1:1 basis like my friend did).

3) Utilize Bots

Finally, here’s the piece that makes Messenger so powerful: SalonBots

By using a bot, you’re able to create that “wow” atmosphere you aim for when someone walks through your doors and translate it to their online experience.

Through helping my clients set up SalonBot for their salon, I’ve found that my clients cut an average of 50 percent from their current workload.

Now if the word “bot” freaks you out, don’t. Bots are a tool that paves the way for a personalized conversation that leads to real-life conversions; they're not a replacement for people.

If the pre-planned responses you set up for your bot deviate, SalonBot will send you a notification to jump in and tend to the conversation in real-time.

If you want to learn more about how to get started with Messenger automation and set up a bot, be sure to join my FREE Facebook group: Modern Messenger for Salon Owners.

Inside you’ll get access to me and the community, resources to help you create your first automations, plus access to my Messenger Marketing Masterclass.

Click here to join the free Modern Messenger for Salon Owners group.

Remember, our biggest competition isn’t the salon next door, it’s distraction, time and busy lives.

The post How to Harness and Leverage the Power of Messenger Marketing appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

3 Ways to Make Friends With Facebook’s New Changes

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 05 Feb 2018 21:54:38 +0000

“Ugh! Facebook changed its algorithm…AGAIN!” Sound familiar?
Your salon’s Facebook marketing efforts can feel like an uphill battle, but that’s where most business owners are getting it wrong. Instead of trying to fight the Facebook algorithm, you need to get friendly with it.

In fact, treating Facebook like the virtual venue for your salon’s dinner party where you’re the friendly host for all your ideal clients is the best way to see both your page’s reach and engagement grow.

Because rather than being the business that acts more like a commercial break (where everyone’s eyes glaze over, or they take the chance to grab a snack), you’re creating an atmosphere where people want to listen to you, and more importantly, they want to join in on the conversation.

In this blog post, I’m going to let you in on why the algorithm changes aren’t as “big” or as “bad for business” as you may think, plus the three fundamental ways you can achieve relevance with your salon’s social media marketing.

If you’d rather listen to this post, CLICK HERE to listen to the podcast episode.

Why The Algorithm Change Isn’t As Scary As You Think

First things first, as everyone panics as they hear about these changes, I want to put things into perspective.

Facebook is full…

What I mean by that is that there is currently a higher volume of content than there is time spent in the newsfeed by users, which is a basic supply and demand issue.

And because Facebook is a business (and needs to make a profit, just like we do), they are only going to put the most relevant content in front of their users because the more relevant a piece of content is for a user, the longer they will stay and engage within the platform.

Essentially, this algorithm change really isn’t much of a change at all. Over the last several years Facebook has increasingly put more emphasis on relevance and personal interactions, and that focus is merely deepening.

I actually believe this is beneficial for business owners, especially those in the salon and beauty industries because it’s forcing the cream to rise to the top.

Only those salon owners who make an effort to be present, relevant and are open to the mindset of creating meaningful connections will continue to grow their reach and engagement.

So how do you do that?

Using what I call the Dinner Party Method.

3 Ways to Treat Your Social Media Like a Dinner Party and Boost Your Salon’s Relevance

1) Tell a Story

Gone are the days where you can post an image of your work or a hairstyle you created with the caption, “Love this!”

Back in the early stages of social media marketing, brands were able to broadcast their updates and treat their profiles like a stage.

Now we need to change our frame of mind and talk with our audience and not at them.

For example, imagine you’re at a dinner party. At dinner parties, people typically gather around in small circles conversing, and there’s always someone in the group that tells a great story and draws you in, but they also allow the conversation to flow back and forth.

As you’re standing in front of your computer or scrolling through your phone, rather than posting something vague or non-engaging, think of what you’d say if you were that person sharing your story in a small circle at an intimate dinner party.

You wouldn’t just hold up your phone and say, “Love this!” You’d give more details and context to create a conversation with the person or people you were sharing with.

If you want people to engage with what you’re posting on your salon’s social media, you need to give your audience the opportunity to participate with you by practicing the art of storytelling.

2) Think of Your Audience

Going back to my stage analogy, when you’re broadcasting or blasting your message as if you were higher up on a stage, what you have to say is going to go right over everyone’s head.

Because when you try to talk to everyone, you're really talking to no one since you’re not saying anything specific to capture their attention.

However, when you go to a dinner party, typically it’s with people you know or a mix of people you know and some new people, but there’s a sense of community and underlying trust because it’s a more intimate setting.

When you translate that idea to your social media marketing, you’re going to pick one type of person you love serving, having in your chair or doing business with and cater your conversation to her because she is your ideal client.

As you speak to her directly through your social media posts, more people like your ideal client will start to pay attention and engage with you.

3) Be Present and Engage

One of the best parts of a dinner party is that you’re able to have genuine connections with friends or people you’d like to become friends with because you’re present with them.

Of course, the beauty of social media is that we can connect with our ideal clients without them needing to be directly in front of us at our reception desk, but even the way we can be present on social media has changed.

Back to my point that Facebook is getting full and people are spending less time in their newsfeeds, it doesn’t mean they’re not still on Facebook; they’re just moving to different areas of Facebook, namely Groups and Messenger.

What used to be the necessity of having the capability for online booking, is now being present and available to engage within instant Messenger.

You’re getting messages at 11 p.m. asking if you have an opening tomorrow, which is great for business, but not for your beauty sleep.

Thankfully, there are solutions to achieving this balance so you can maintain a presence on your social media profiles while still getting a good night’s rest, but know that this is the new way of communication.

Just like at a dinner party, you need to be approachable, open, and present to create a connection, spur engagement and strengthen that know, like and trust factor that ensures when someone sees you at their next "dinner party," they’re going to stop to say hi and chat.

P.S. - Want to see how salon owners are starting meaningful conversations with their ideal client using Facebook’s Instant Messenger? CLICK HERE to learn more about Salon Bot.

The post 3 Ways to Make Friends With Facebook’s New Changes appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Top Tips For Nailing The Salon Cray-Cray Season

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 08:20:09 +0000

Recently I had a salon visit - it was 2pm and my stylist announced she hadn’t eaten anything yet, because she was ‘living the salon Christmas-Cray-Cray again!’

This is an all too familiar cry as the busy Christmas season commences, you barely have time to step away from the chair, let alone grab a bite to eat.

Every season you find yourself saying ‘never again’, and yet you still work yourself into the ground. I know, because I’ve been in this situation time and time again, getting so tired out that I’d end up having an afternoon nap on Christmas day, missing all the festivities. I learnt the hard way, and have since worked hard to make sure it’s not like this for the girls who are still on the floor.

Now I’d like to share my top tips to help you over the silly season:

1. Look After Yourself

Be prepared to work long days and get organised before you start.

Pack a water bottle or two, some muesli bars, nuts or Lady Balls - all of which provide slow release nutrition to sustain you throughout the day. Bring your lunch and something to eat at dinner time. Choose healthy food that you can bite between clients if need be - the last thing we want is hangry hairdressers or therapist!

It’s important to make sure you get outside when you can, even if it’s a once round the block to look at some shoes, it’s vital to leave the building and remember you're not trapped in this cave called the salon madhouse!

It’s tempting to work lots of 12 hours days, and I know there’s a time and a place - but too many is a recipe for burnout - stretch them out as much as you can.

Look after your feet - we are on them all day. Remember to wear comfy shoes - even if you bring two pairs of shoes, so that you can switch them out during the day.

2. Look After Your Team

Now you’ve looked after yourself, it’s time to take care of your team. Organise pizza on a late night, have nuts and raisins available and water out the back. It’s the little things which make all the difference to the people on the floor.

Consider bringing in extra support - you could use after school girls or trainees looking for work-experience, and have a few who can work so that there are always helpers available.

Maintain your morning huddles and make sure the communication lines remain strong so that people know what’s going on as the days get busier.

Say thank you to your team when the leave, and remember to compliment them when they do well to keep moral high.

And one final tip, consider closing between Christmas and New Year - it’s great to sit back and have a proper break after the cray cray silly season.

And now, there’s nothing left but to embrace the season, enjoy the ride, and come together at the end of the day for a glass of wine to relax!

The post Top Tips For Nailing The Salon Cray-Cray Season appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

From Freak Out to Freedom

Larissa Macleman — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 21:36:42 +0000

Running a salon is a huge job. You often learn a lot - hard and fast.

Whilst the potential for growth is massive, there is also the danger of working yourself into a state of overwhelm - managing a team, looking after clients, marketing and client attraction you can easily become the victim of your own success.

In this blog and my recent podcast on the topic, I look at some of the most common issues that come up with those I coach and in the industry in general. I want to help you with some tips on what you can do to manage them.

The Quiet Day Freak Out

We’ve all had them - zero clients in the appointment book. You can easily start to question your business, your team’s worth and whats gone wrong. I remember my first Zero-day… Once I got over myself this is what I did and have seen success with other salons owners since...

What to do?

Track your sales over time

Stop and remember one bad day does not define your business.
Go back and look at the month to date, and look at your sales objectively.
Go back over your last 3, 6 or 12 months to see how the sales are going in general. Use an Excel spreadsheet to make a graph - visually you’ll get the full story of what is going on in your business, and you’ll notice patterns in the peaks and troughs in sales. One trough does not make a business fail.
If you track information, and make business decisions based on this kind of data, you’re in a much strong position.

Finally work through your to do list 🙂

Use this sudden quiet time as an opportunity to do all the things you don’t normally get done. Don’t send everyone home just yet, but do a team exercise. On quiet days, grab your team to-do list and make use of the time.

Have a great clearout of the salon, get hair out of the corners, cotton buds out of the back cupboards and get everything in order
Do your social media scheduling posts for the whole month
Do some training or even do each others hair & waxing sessions #whatatreat
Treat your team to a muffin or a wine after work to keep moral high

Out of the Box Marketing

This is your chance to try some radical and fun marketing tactics to really see what works. You have $0 in the books so you have NOTHING to lose - Right? Get out a big push on the socials, get your name out there and make a splash!
Some examples include:

“Bring a Friend” - Today Only and both get a free service or treatment
A crazy free-bie offer and target your Ideal Client. For Example one of my Salon Owners promoted a FREE offer for new mums for a free treatment and blow-out as long as they brought their baby (younger than 3 months) into the salon - it went bonkers and gained LOTS of traction.
Those clients in your chair, who are getting high value are feeling the love and have a “money burning a hole in their pocket” now that they don’t have to spend on core services. They are primed to invest in home hair care or extra services offered to them. A recent salon went from $0 booked in today, to $600 by the end of the day after booking on ONLY free services! #nice. Remember to re-book these people!

Ditch the Overwhelm to find more Freedom

As Salon-Business Owners we can get so bogged down with the would-should-could - there is so much to do and not enough hours in the day… ever! When you’re in an overwhelmed state, nothing truly productive gets done. It will never all get done - so declare your business ‘perfect’ NOW! Enjoy what you have and think about improving it step by step.

What to do

Dump everything out of your head. Like a computer, when the ram gets full you can’t function or think clearly or creatively. Get a big piece of paper and write everything down. Take a couple of days to do it - get it all out of your brain! You’ll start to free up space in your brain to think clearly and creatively again.
Start to think about your list using the eisenhower grid. Organising everything this way, you are able to figure out what is urgent, important or not to urgent or should just be deleted.
Pick the stuff in the important quadrant - this is what will really move the needle in your business and make an impact.
Concentrate on income generating activity - keep this at the top of your list all the time, and spend at least 3 hours a week on activity that will bring you more clients, income and sales.

Remember that within your business, you have various roles - a stylist, an income generator and a business manager. Make sure you give the latter two priority, and manage them separately to client time.

I worked myself into overwhelm and stress before my business coach threatened to break both my arms and get out from behind the chair doing clients all day long. Who was running my business if I was serving clients? A fair Question...

As a result, every time I dropped a day working IN my Salon on clients and instead focused ON my business, on my Team and Client Care & Business Growth activities, my business grew and I earned more. I then gained more freedom as a result.

After 20 years of owning an award-winning salon, I created the Freedom & Profit Program to help Salon Owners & Industry Brands through Coaching, Courses & Community to do the same!

Best of all It’s free so you can download it yourself FREE HERE.

The post From Freak Out to Freedom appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Ditch the Overwhelm & Get Shit Done

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 02:54:54 +0000

As a business owner, I’ll bet you know that feeling of overwhelm all too well. Your mind gets so full it starts to feel fuzzy, and just when you need to get to work, you lack the clarity you need to actually get shit done!

At times like this, you feel like a hamster running endlessly round on a wheel, unable to stop or jump off, but getting no-where very fast.

What Causes Stress

Often stress comes about not because your work is too much for you, but simply because your brain is too full. Think of it like a computer - when the RAM gets used up then it starts to run slower and there’s no space to fit anything else in.

This is exactly the same with your brain. When it’s too full to function properly, it’s no wonder you struggle to actually tick things off the to-do list.

When this happens, more often than not you get stuck in the busy-work of your business, and productivity is actually very low

So, how can you go about getting off the treadmill, ditching overwhelm, and getting the work done?

This is exactly what we teach in Ditch The Overwhelm & Get Shit Done, and below I’ve outlined the tried and tested system which is going to help you do this too.

The System

Use this system regularly to help you clear out your head, get rid of overwhelm and actually get shit done! Schedule a set time within your working week to go through them, and your to-do list will be done in no time.

Your Daily Ritual

Each morning, before you start on your work, take time to do this short ritual which will set you up for the day.

Write down your three key priorities for the day - we’ll go through how to decide these shortly.
Write down three things you are grateful for today - it’s impossible to feel overwhelmed when you’re in a space of gratitude.
Decide where you can bring in help - don’t be a hero and try and do it all!
Decide what you’re going to let go of and scratch them off the list
Take a moment to do some evidence tracking - note down everything, big or small that has happened to show you are going in the right direction.

Implement Tiger Time

Tiger Time was first coined by Amy Porterfield. It’s the time you set aside every day for business development and admin tasks - and you must guard this time as fiercely as a tiger guards her cubs.

It’s also vital that you schedule in time each day to walk away from your work, do yoga, read a magazine, go for a walk or even watch TV - anything that gives your brain a break, even if just for 10 minutes.

Get Your Tasks Organised

And now, onto the exciting stuff! We know this sounds like a daunting task on top of everything else you have done, but if you follow this simple system you’ll feel far more in control of your to-do list.

Dump all the stuff

Get everything out of your head and onto paper. It doesn’t need to be in any particular order - just get it all out. Keep the page open and available so you can keep adding when stuff keeps coming to you. This helps you to get it out of your brain, where it’s chewing up valuable space.

Start sorting

Next, create different headings relating to different areas of your business. Some we recommend are:

Client

Acounts

Team

Admin

Marketing

You can even include groups for other tasks such as family, doctor, chemist, groceries.

Prioritise

Choose one group at a time and start organizing them.

So, you have a grid split into four quadrants:

Urgent - Important - things that needed to be done yesterday! Typically time bound or someone waiting for you. Doesn’t matter how big or small they are.
Important - Not Urgent - Things which feel urgent because you want to get cracking with them, but aren’t time-bound, they might have been on your list for a while. If the business won’t fall over by x date, they go into Important quadrant
Not important - Urgent - these are day to day interruptions, emails, meetings you need to organise. They might feel time-bound but in the grand scheme of things they aren’t vital.
Not Urgent, Not Important - put anything that really isn’t important to your business here. Even the pleasurable activities you spend a lot of time on, but could actually be delegated quite easily.

Go through this process for each of the areas of your business separately.

Choose an area to focus on and take your top three priorities in the Urgent quadrant. These will be your three tasks to be dealt with first during your Tiger Time each day.

Once those three tasks are done, THEN you can move onto the rest of the list. Concentrate on one task at a time and tick them off when done, it’s a great motivational feeling.

Decide which of the non-urgent tasks you can outsource, and give them to a member of your team, or even look for a VA on a site like Upwork.

If tasks really aren’t important then decide if you can just delete them! Failing that, park them in the future and give them a date when you’ll re-evaluate if they need to get done.

Figuring out what's most important each day and what needs to be done to enable the big jobs to get finished. Do this regularly and you’ll have a manageable to-do list, a clear plan for the week, and you will of kicked overwhelm to the curb.

Want more information on how to manage overwhelm and get more shit done? This program, including printables from this process is available in The Salon Owners Collective HUB. This program itself is usually $97 but is free when you join the HUB. Learn more HERE.

The post Ditch the Overwhelm & Get Shit Done appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The 5 Emerging Salon Marketing Trends

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 22:09:01 +0000

The problem is that our clients and our potential clients are becoming tired of jaded and traditional marketing tactics. The days of leaflet drops and selling steak knives and deals at Grab one have just worn thin and if anything it turns our clients off coming to us.

If you’ve been big on marketing your salon over the years you’ll have noticed that trends of what works and what doesn't is always changing… and now more than ever its changing more and more rapidly…

The term ‘content marketing’ may sound new and techy but trust me when I say it’s vital for you to master this art in order to really see your salon grow.

The public are becoming tired of traditional marketing tactics and more and more jaded by the constant stream of adverts both online and off.

‘Content marketing’, a word that sounds very boring if you ask me!!

But trust me when I say it’s vital for you to master this art in order to really see your salon grow going forward.

The new way of marketing is not to advertise… well not straight off the bat anyway. So how do we get cut through… in an inundated online space. How do we stand out from the crowd? and get our brand in front of our potential customers and clients? If traditional advertising and deals are dead… what do we do instead?

This new way is on the rise and is fast becoming the way to engage with your audience and build meaningful connections too.

Well, Content Marketing includes blogging, social media, video and guest blogging, and is driven by conversations and storytelling instead of simply broadcasting and selling to your potential clients who follow you.

Below I've outlined the 5 steps you need to take in order to get started with content marketing for your salon:

1. Define your Audience

In order to be really effective with all your marketing, you need to clearly define your target audience and then speak to them in everything that you create.

You’ve probably heard about creating an ideal client persona, and this is a great way to get started. You may have more than one ideal client, but it’s worth getting super-clear on who they are, what they like and where you can reach them.

Pay attention to demographic information such as age and location, but drill down even further so that you really get inside their head.

A great place to start is to survey your current clients - they hold a wealth of information that can help you get more customers through your door.

2. Set Goals

Marketing without an end goal is like setting off on a car ride without a location in mind. You may see some interesting sites on the way, but you’re going to get a bit lost and take longer getting to your ultimate destination.

Setting clearly defined goals for your content marketing from the get-go will enable you to figure out what you need to do get there, and to measure what’s worked and what hasn’t.

Many salon owners fall into the trap of thinking that their end goal is simple ‘more Client Bums on the seats’. Of course, this is key to your business growth, but it’s unlikely that one piece of marketing alone will bring hundreds of new clients through the door.

Think of your content marketing as pieces of a jigsaw - they all need to slot together in order to create the chapter book. the punchline is toward the end once you have established who is in the story and their purpose. Content marketing objectives could include:

Increasing brand awareness of you and your salon - Let people know you exist.
Building a following of potential new customers - stay top of mind.
Turn those likes into Bookings - now you can get those Bums on Seats!
Keeping your current customers engaged and coming back time and again

Whatever your goal, make sure you can measure and track it, so that you can easily repeat what works for you.

3. Create Quality Stuff!

The content you produce is the backbone of your marketing strategy, and this is what will really set you above the competition and encourage your followers to share, helping you reach more people.

Your content (the stuff you post and share) should be both engaging and thought provoking in order to encourage followers to take an action related to your business eg: book, like or share.

If you want a plan for what to post and when then I'll send you the 5 Types of Posts your Client Actually Wants to See... I'll message you directly.

Here’s how:

Create stories which will be interesting to your Clients. After all its about them... not you and your team! There are lots of ways you can do this within a salon, and the environment lends itself to visual stories. You could share snapshots of your salon, behind the scenes, and ‘meet the team’ posts so that people get to know and trust your team before they’ve even stepped through the door. Go ahead, grab the plan for what to post and when then I'll send you the 5 Types of Posts your Client Actually Wants to See...
For each piece of content you produce for your salon, you should include a ‘call to action’ - ask your Clients to do something. This could be as simple as asking them to comment with their favourite style on an Instagram post, or asking them a question to get them engaged. You can also pique their interest with your blog or social media posts, and ask them to click to read more on your website or even to book an appointment.
Ask a meaningful question, and make sure you reply! Modern marketing is about two way conversations and this is the best way to build connections.

4. Promote and Distribute

There’s a danger that you fall into the trap of creating a great Instagram picture or blog post, and then sitting back and waiting for it to do all the work for you.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work this way, and you need to share your content far and wide to really get any traction... you cant sell a secret!!!

Promote & boost each blog or story
Don't complain about paying to promote on Facebook, nothing in life is free. - pay to play and stand out!
Get your wider community to share it, create some good connections that will regularly share.
Email it to your clients.

5. Re-purpose

This is a great way to save you valuable time, and to reach even more people. Remember that some of your ideal customers may prefer to look at pictures, whilst some love to read blog posts, and others listen to podcasts in their spare time.

Once you’ve created an amazing piece of content, you can adapt it slightly for these different audiences. You can also use snippets of your blog posts on social media and in your email marketing in order to ensure more people see what you're saying.

This modern marketing is fast becoming the number one way to connect with your ideal Clients - both old and new. As a salon owner, your business lends itself to this type of marketing so it’s worth getting Investing the time in it now.

If you want to learn more about this type of marketing strategy for your salon, I invite you to join me in my Marketing program for Salon Owners...

Learn More

The post The 5 Emerging Salon Marketing Trends appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Celebrating You & 10,000 Downloads

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 06:58:59 +0000

You are the most important part of The Salon Owners Collective so please Celebrate with me in reaching 10,000 Podcast Downloads and also reaching one year in business!

Already, in putting this blog together, we're now closing in on 12,000 Downloads already.

To celebrate Nicola and I reviewed the top 5 most downloaded episodes and wanted to share them with you.

5 most listened to PODCASTS

Mia DeVries from The Fox and The Hair shares her top strategies for growing a whopping 66.6K Instagram Following.

The salon started their social media presence on Instagram, and over time the strategy was delivering more and more clients into the salon appointment book. She has reaped the rewards of her efforts.

Turn Followers into Clients

For many salon owners, the thought of passing over your clientele to spend more time on business building can be fraught with fear and uncertainty, but if you take the important jump of stepping away from the busy work of your salon floor, your business is bound to benefit.

Janine, who bought her first salon at 24, and is the master of working ON her business, not IN it. She has set up her most recent salon and built her team strategically, with this objective in mind. She now only spends around 7-8 hours a week in the salon itself, with an awesome team in place to manage the day-to-day operations.

Work ON it not IN it

I often hear of stories that 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 Podcast is all about how to Build a Brand that is stronger than the team you employ.

Stronger than your Team

From humble beginnings Chelle from Urban Betty, Texas, opened her salon with 6 chairs and just one contractor, she shares her story of surviving a thriving salon with a team now over 30 strong. Chelle took a recent leap of faith and it’s starting to pay off as she gets out from behind the chair too fast track growth in her business.

So what’s the secret to no longer ‘doing clients’ and not only surviving but thriving? Find out in this Podcast!

Whatever it Takes

You set up your own salon business with dreams of more freedom, autonomy and time, and now find yourself wondering when you’ll next get to take a day off? You’re not alone!

Now Imagine arriving at the salon. Your team are already cleaning and preparing the salon for the day. You lead a short, but productive meeting to propel sales, setting a 20% growth target for the day then you head to the gym for your 11.30 yoga class... this is more of what you dream of - right?

In this Episode I’ll cover the 5 Steps to Freedom and Profit for Your Salon.

Freedom & Profit

Thank you so much for your ears, downloads and support. I look forward to spending more time in your ears and sharing stories from some awesome guests I have lined up for you...

If you want me to alert you as each episode goes live simply click here

The post Celebrating You & 10,000 Downloads appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

5 Steps to Freedom and Profit for Your Salon

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 22:06:53 +0000

Did you set up your own business with dreams of more freedom and time, and now find yourself wondering when you’ll next get to take a day off? You’re not alone!

Unfortunately, as an industry, we’re not making much profit and the old 80:20 rule is actually more like 95:5. Despite so many hugely talented individuals, only about 5% of salons are actually making any real money.

But why is this?

We’re not adequately putting up our prices to keep up with rising costs and as a result, our profit margins are suffering.

For many newly qualified stylists and therapists, opening your own business is the obvious next step. But whilst our technical hairdressing skills and customer care are top notch, when it comes to actually running a business, we have to learn on the job, learn fast, and often fudge it on a daily basis.

The reality is that every business success is grounded on business know how. And without that business know how:

You’re time poor
You work late and long hours
Your team gives you headaches
You wear all the hats in your business
You make the most money whilst others sit out the back
You stay awake at night worrying about bills, the team, the clients, the rent etc.
You make no profit… just wages that you’d be making for someone else… or perhaps even less!

The madness has to stop - now! So, what can you do about it?

Your Dream Day!

Imagine arriving at the salon. Your team are already cleaning and preparing the salon for the day. You lead a short, but productive meeting to propel sales, setting a 20% growth target for the day.

You head to the gym for your 9.30 yoga class. After a few 1:1 sessions with your team you meet your business coach and mastermind group for some new inspiration and to sanity check your current ideas. You meet your marketing co-ordinator and then cover the desk while your front of house goes to lunch.

It’s nearly 3 pm, so you head out to pick the kids up and stop off at the park before heading home for some family time. You’re looking forward to spending the evening planning your next trip around Egypt and your team’s next trip to a hair expo as part of your team bonding and education programme. You know a good night’s sleep is ahead of you, and even when a staff member decides to leave or gets pregnant you feel at ease that you got this!

Does this sound like a life worth living? I believe a business should be built from your dream and designed around how you want to live…not being hostage to your business and left with the scraps left over from hard work and long hours.

Follow my 5 steps to freedom and profit and it’s well within your reach.

Get clear on your goal – Design your ideal life

You really do have the power and freedom to choose what you want your life to look like. The only thing stopping you is your ability to IMAGINE what that life might look like, or your BELIEF that you can achieve it. Do you have a growth mindset or are you fixed where you are? Don’t let a lack of confidence hold you back from going out there and LEARNING how to achieve the success you want. No one was born knowing the how… we all have to learn it.

Get specific and believe that with strategic work and planning, you can have the life you want and it doesn’t have to come at a cost of long hours of hard yaka.

Ask yourself this… Do you have clarity around how much do you want to earn in your take home pay? Have you set yourself a goal around how many hours do you want to work in and on your business?

When you take action, plan and commit to the life you want (by learning how it pull it off, rather than staying still and complaining) you will start to create the life you want!

Know your business model numbers

I believe in growing your business around what you want as a business owner…first. What you want in terms of income should mould your whole business model. Getting clear on the numbers will help you build your dream business. When you have a clear income goal set, you can get clear on what your sales need to be and how many you need in your team to get you there.

Reverse engineer your numbers and plan your business operations from a place of your life, income, profit and personal income goals. When you’re clear about what you want to achieve, you can be clear about what your business would need to look like to achieve it.

Remember your accounting profit is not your take home profit? There are many expenses after profit which need to be factored into your budget, including debts, taxes, purchasing new assets to grow the business and increased stock holdings. Plan for your profit to be more that your take home pay.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

My guess is that you’re wearing too many hats and spending all your time with clients and doing the book work late at night or on your day off. If this is the case, then who’s actually running and growing your business?

The first step to growing your business is to close your books. Stop taking on new clients yourself and focus on growing your team so they can grow the business income. You’ll get a more engaged team and stay with you when you give them the attention they need and deserve. No one works hard and stays long term without attention, development, love and care from their employer.

When you make your team your primary client and treat them as well as your treat your paying clients, your team will grow and flourish.

Saying no to your current clients, without actually losing them is a practiced skill. Clients build rapport with a stylist and you can engineer this feeling by matching them with an alternative stylist through their Interest, personality or technical skills

Transition off the floor gradually , cutting your ‘working on the floor’ hours 20% at a time. Take time to really weigh up your client time vs owner time.

What will you work on if you’re not doing clients? I get this question all the time… Well tip 4 & 5 answer this exact question… Work ON your business and focus on income generating activity!

Work ON your business – External Growth

Income generation is now your number one activity, so spend your time on activities which attract new clients into your salon for your team to tend to.

Are you clear about who you are as a brand? What makes you stand out from the crowd, what is your signature service that people come flocking to your salon for?

Once you are clear on this make sure you know who the ideal client is, who wants what-you-got. Your marketing strategy should speak to her directly, show you as the expert in your area in your field of expertise. Make it as easy as possible for new clients to find you, connect with you and book with you. In today's digital world your online strategy is do or die for your salon.

Work ON your business – Internal Growth

You know any headache you might have are going to come from the internal workings of your business… mainly your team 😉 When you have the time to invest in your people, encourage, support and promote your team, they will maintain that fully-booked mindset – Employ, train and maintain a team to reach their goals, and yours – remember your team are the backbone of your business. An investment in them is an investment in your business too.

You can’t grow your dream business without providing effective one-to-ones to grow each individual. Consistent one-to-ones are key to helping your team members build their book of clients. Keep these meetings focused on the client.. it’s not about the stylist and what she wants, rather how can she deliver a 10/10 for the client. When this is the goal your average client spend will improve on it’s own.

Retaining those cient you already have is easier and less expensive that finding new ones so I can’t stress enough how valuable it is to keep your current clients coming back for more.

Introduce a loyalty, points or membership program – it keeps your clients for longer by rewarding their loyalty to you (and how much they spend with you) despite your team who may come and go.

Worried about your team - listen to this podcast episode Building a Brand Stronger than the Team you Employ and this blog 3 Ways to Build your Brand from the Inside Out… they will help you build your brand without feeling hostage to your team.

When it comes down to business, you need to do the math first as part of your ‘design your life’ process. Baby steps, but create as much time as you can away from the chair in order to both grow your team and your business... and reduce burnout as an added bonus.

The post 5 Steps to Freedom and Profit for Your Salon appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

3 Ways to Build your Brand from the Inside Out

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 29 May 2017 21:57:09 +0000

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?

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!

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.

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!

The post 3 Ways to Build your Brand from the Inside Out appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Attract New Clients with your Website?

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 01 May 2017 22:17:44 +0000

Your website should be your biggest and most important online sales tool.

Yes, a sales tool. It should be bringing you new clients (and helping your existing ones stay connected with you).

But remember, your website is not an online sales tool for your business… Your website is an online buying tool for your Client!

There is an important differentiation there. It's important because it helps determine whether, and for how long, people will remain on your website - and whether or not they will book an appointment with YOU.

Let's review the questions your client will be asking herself:

Where am I, Is it local, is it a salon? (or have I ended up on the wrong page).
Will I Like and Trust the person looking after me?
Vibe, tone, look and feel of a business - is it a match?
Do other people go there? If other people trust it, I might too.
Can they do what I want? Will I get what I want?
Does it fit into my price range?

Does your website answer all these questions? To help you today, we explore how we can answer these questions for our prospective client through making sure we have a great website.

I’ve created a check list for you so you can go and do your own quick easy review. I’ve kept it super simple and not techy stuff at all!

Print out the checklist on the last page of this guide and make some notes while you review your website. Goto www.salonownerscollective.com and click on FREE RESOURCES or this podcast episode.

The Grunt Test

If you showed your website to a cave-man for 5 seconds, can he tell you in a grunt what you do?

Make sure he can answer these 3 questions:

What do you offer?
How will you make my life better?
How can I book or do business with you?

If someone can't answer these questions in 5 seconds from your home page, you have some work to do.

Is your client the hero?

Is your client the hero of your business or is it all about you, your brand or your product company?

Your clients need to be the Hero of your business and your website. Happy smiling people who have enjoyed your service, and look great, build trust immediately with your business and brand.

Are you speaking to her in HER language? It's really easy to speak in our own in-salon lingo and forget that for some clients, that makes no sense to them. Listen to how your ideal client speaks and use HER language to attract more clients just like her.

Can you look after her needs? It sounds so simple but do you show evidence and build confidence in your new visitor, that you can indeed do a great job of their hair or beauty needs? Before and afters or 'hero shots' all build a fast and visual case that you can do the job you say you can.

Testimonials: People trust other people more than what you say about yourself - get those nice comments your clients send you and put them clearly on your website! Add Photos!

Your Goal

Your website is something that people will visit to first learn more about your business. But what is the goal for your home page and website? Well, what do you want someone to do once they come to your website? Call you? Book an appointment? Join your newsletter list? What is the point of them coming to your website…? Think about that from your client's point of view.

Call to Action

This goal is called a “Call to Action.” What action do you want the visitor to take? The key is to focus and try not to suggest too many things at once on your home page. You should have one or two primary goals only. Remember they can click to other parts of your website for other information they want. - Book now? - Phone you? - Join your newsletter? - Follow you on Social Media?

Go check your home page - HOW EASY IS IT FOR A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT TO TAKE THAT ONE ACTION IMMEDIATELY?

Download the check list and do an audit on your website - download it here.

Make it Easy

We book flights, dinner reservations, our clothing and weekly food shop, all online - can your clients book with you too?

The internet is about convenience, people are easily frustrated and feel inconvenienced if they reach a dead end or have to click too many times. Once they decide to 'give you a go' how easy is it to connect with your business?

Can they book online? Can they call you from their mobile with one click? Do they need to search around your site to connect with you only to find a freaking form?!

Make sure they can book with you on the spot, online, and at any time! Ensure you have online booking on your website and your Facebook page. Not only on your page but in your news feed, messenger auto reply, your email signature and your SMS reminder text. #everywhere

Need a good salon software system - this is the salon software I know, love and trust. Make it easy to do business with you.

So let’s talk about Online Booking. Not only should you HAVE online booking but once they arrive at the booking page it should be simplified down to only a few services available to book.

Clients don't want to scroll through 'extra product' or 'toners' or a multitude of services when they don't know what they mean.

All they want to see is cutting, colour, waxing or facials etc KISS (keep it simple sweetheart) Simplicity will increase your booking conversions. You can connect with them to confirm the exact service before you confirm the online booking. You are safe using online booking.

Remember your website is an online buying tool for your customer (it’s not about you!)

Your Team

Did you know that a salon’s team page can be the 2nd or 3rd most visited page on a website, outside of the home page. What does that tell you? We know hair and beauty is a very personal service, people want to connect and get to know, like and trust the people who will be touching them.

Your team page should -

Have each staff member with their photo looking at the camera, looking like they are a happy person… or what ever vibe they want to portray. Like, will attract like. You will be judged! 🙂 -
A blurb about them that is current - don’t mention dates as they are out of date quick smart. (award in 2014)
Show off their Area of Expertise (and remember to have some fun) - A booking link to book with that individual stylist or therapist. - Go the extra mile, add a link to their social pages or a blog or video blog about them.
A booking link to book with that individual stylist or therapist. - Go the extra mile, add a link to their social pages or a blog or video blog about them.
(and remember to have some fun with it all)

Meet the ‘Know, Like and Trust’ Factor

This is so important for any business especially hair and beauty and double especially within it’s online presence because we can’t meet people face to face first, we must build this trust into our website.

It’s all the more important for the hair and beauty industry, as we’re working with people on such a personal level. Remember, we follow brands but we do business with people

People do business with the people they know, like and trust.

Know, Like & Trust

How do we do this online on our website:

Start a blog
Writing not your thang, start a VLOG
Share stories of clients - before & after transformations (not just an after shot) - If you like to share your stories on your social pages - make sure there are links to your website everywhere (including being able to book online from your social pages)
Take some of your best posts and stories and get them on your website too
When your website tells a story and potential clients can get to know you, price is less of a barrier and focus.

If you like to share your stories on your social pages - make sure there are links to your website everywhere (including being able to book online from your social pages). Take some of your best posts and stories and get them on your website too. When your website tells a story and potential clients can get to know you, price is less of a barrier and focus.

Let’s Talk about Pricing

Show your pricing, but keep it simple. I believe in showing your pricing, but keep it simple. Too much detail can turn people off and confuse and overwhelm. When you’re confused you loose.

Pricing just lets people know that you match their price budget & brand match. They want to know if you’re Maybelline - or more budget focused. Mid brand, a nice balance of quality and reasonable prices or are you top end, boutique, a brand name, high end service.

Leave the detail and extra add on's to the in-chair consultation. You can consult and match their needs from a price list on a webpage.

Your website tells a story and if potential clients can get to know you, price is less of a barrier and focus.

I hope this has been a helpful exercise. It’s worth doing from time to time as things always change in the online world just as fast as they do in your salon.

I’d love to hear from you! What did you find most interesting or useful? What changes are you planning to make on your website? Hola if you have any questions or need some guidance. Meanwhile grab the Client Attracting Website Checklist and do your own audit.

Get the Checklist

If you want to listen to the Podcast - Your Website is Losing you Clients - click here.

The post How to Attract New Clients with your Website? appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

5 Steps to Nail Team Communication in your Salon

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 08:00:40 +0000

Life in a salon is fast paced, full of constant excitement and change. But without great communication and structure, managing a team in this environment can become stressful to say the least. Constantly putting out fires that your team throw at you the minute you walk in the door can wear you down.

So how can a busy salon owner keep a team on track and prevent the overwhelm, without cutting into valuable time managing client care, marketing programs and all the other things required from you as lead of a business.

Creating the time and space to have regular and structured communication with your team is key. Yea, you’ve heard it before.. But are you doing it? Team meetings are the perfect way to facilitate this. Not only do team members love the opportunity to come together and share their thoughts and get involved in the running of the salon. From a managerial perspective, it’s a great way to share thoughts, ideas and the future vision of the business with them - It gets more buy in from your team in the long run.

If consistent communication and team meetings are key to the salon success, how do you build a culture of communication into the running of your salon? Over on the Podcast we chatted with Amy Carter, Salon Manager Rush Salons, London and she shares her top tips for running successful team meetings in your salon.

Tips For Team Meetings

Commit to the process

This may sound simple, but it’s surprisingly easy to fall off the wagon, prioritise other things and let your team meetings slip for weeks or even months.

In order to really see the benefits of a communication culture, set a time, date and length of time which works for you and your business - and stick to it, no matter what! Your team won’t prioritise it, unless you do.

It’s invaluable for you and your team will really appreciate the time together too. If you’re really strapped for time, you could have shorter weekly meetings and schedule a longer monthly meeting to go into more detail.

Get Organised

Never underestimate the power of planning ahead! It may be tempting to wing it, but when you stand in front of the team with all eyes on you, it’s vital you’re fluid, slick and prepared in order to maintain credibility as leader. It doesn’t need to take lots of time - keep a notebook on your desk or in your handbag for notes about what you need to bring up in the meeting - and include set agenda items such as KPIs, new products, client activity and promotions each week. You’ll be most effective when you’re clear on your outcomes.

Keep some flexibility though, maintain an element of surprise to stop you and your team becoming complacent!

3. Multi dimensional Communication touch points

Don’t assume because you’ve done a meeting everything has gone into the brains of your team. If 80% of your team are listening 80% of the time you’ve done a good job!

After the meeting you should email the key points, leave a notes in the staff room, copy those points into your Private Team Facebook Group and find other imaginative ways to communicate the key ideas with your team. Amy adds hidden quizzes into her communication to ensure people are paying attention.

Perfect Your Skills

Cut yourself some slack and give yourself time to perfect your team meeting style. After a time of taking meetings regularly, you’ll hone your skills and get to know what really fires up your team. Take the time to observe and follow through, you’ll soon discover what really works. A team meeting is about engaging and coaching your team to succeed not nagging and berating them, it takes time to adapt and deliver well.

Be Mindfulness of Your Goals

Goals are important, but not if they drive you so far into the future that you forget to be present in the now. Bring yourself back to the present moment and be mindful of enjoying today and what's going on now.

Step one is to just start. Start with one team meeting and then book the next. Make sure you listen to the Podcast episode with Amy, who shares much of her experiences as a salon manager, leading teams to success.

The post 5 Steps to Nail Team Communication in your Salon appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Does your Salon have a Social Clique?

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 00:42:16 +0000

How To Build A Click-Worthy Brand For Your Salon Social Media

We live in a digital age, and having a strong online presence for your salon is increasingly vital for growth and success.

This week over on the podcast we chatted with Stacey from The Social Clique about building an enviable online following which will translate into those all important clients too.

Stacey started her career working as a journalist for top media outlets and glossy magazines until she was made redundant from her dream job – forcing her to reassess her career path.

She moved from print to digital and now works with small business like salon owners to help them get seen and heard in a busy online space through social media content creation (awesome social media posts for example).

We had a great chat and both agreed that the first rule though is to ensure you Identify your Ideal Client.

Identify Your Ideal Client

The first step in any successful client attraction campaign, should be to identify your perfect client.

Take a look at who your clients are already and consider if those are the clients you want in your business going forward. Tomorrow does not have to look like today.

Get really clear on who you want to attract into your business. Maybe it changes for each marketing campaign, if you have more than one ideal client. Once you unlock and clarify this, it’s like finding the key to a treasure chest of information for you business!

If you don’t know who you're talking to, you are talking to nobody - as Seth Godden says, ‘everyone is not your customer!’

3 Tips to make your Salon Click-Worthy

The 4/90 system

Getting started - Choose one or two platforms that you’re really good at or area where your ideal clients are and stick to it! Take the time to post at least once a day, and learn as much as you can about how it can work for you and your business.

You’ll learn so much about the audience (which are just people who could be your clients) on that platform so that 3 months down the line you’ll have gained a lot of insight from the audience you’ve already built. There’s no point having a presence on every social media network if you’re doing them all poorly. Focus on one at a time for 90 days and really get consistent to build up your business online before you focus on the next. This will help you maintain a strong, clear, consistent presence and really build your brand awareness.

With the constant need to create content (things to post and share), it’s all too easy for it to feel like another overwhelming task to add to the day. Batching your content can really help save time. Block out a time each week or once a month in your calendar and use a scheduling tool like Buffer (or just facebook scheduling tool) or PlannThat to manage your time and get a consistent, focused strategy. Remember it takes time to get the creative juices flowing - but when you do it well it will be so worthwhile!

Stay Top of Mind

Email is a direct communication line to your clients, it’s an easy way to stay ‘top of mind’ which increases client retention. It’s often underutilised by salon owners. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Send an email reminder (or text message) to those clients who don’t have a future appointment already booked. Send it at the 7 week mark and again at 12 weeks to entice customers back. A simple ‘carrot’ at the 12 week mark may invite a few of those less regular clients back into your empty gaps.

A monthly email news broadcast helps with clients regularity. Use these three topic points in each new-broadcast to help stay of interest to your clients thus ensuring they continue to read your emails.
- A heart warming story about your team and what they are up to. Keep it personal and professional. People follow brands but they do business with people!
- A promotion or product feature. Help them come more often, look better between visits. The more value adding information you can share the better.
- Show you’re the leader in your area of expertise by talking about what's in fashion. Whether that is the trends about skin care, styling trends or trends in sustainability.. Whatever your business stands for that you know your clients care about too… talk about it! Show you are in the know!

To make this as painless as possible sync your email provider, like Mailchimp to your salon software . Ensure you keep your clients records up to date so that following up becomes easy.

No Salon Mess - Start a blog

It’s a given that your potential new clients will stalk you online before they decide if they want to pay your salon a visit and trust you with their hair and beauty needs.

If you’re doing great social media content and awesome marketing campaigns then imagine all that work, only to drive them to your website… and it fails you and your brand. Just like a messy salon that looks neglected.

Your website needs to look fresh, let them know exactly what to expect when they walk through the door. Does it allow your ideal client to imagine herself in your salon as a client? Does it do the job of actually attracting new clients and encouraging them to book an appointment with you - otherwise, what's the point?

Give your salon website a quick audit with the ‘Client-attracting Website Checklist’ Download for free, print & easily do your own website audit. See how your salon website measures up.

Not only does Google like fresh new content on your website, so do your new and existing clients.

Create and share the story of your brand, and position yourself as an expert in your field. Adding something new at least once a month will help raise your profile, attract new clients and keep current clients coming back for more. Plus, you can share it in your email broadcast and on social media as a way to expand your reach even further.

If you're looking for deep dive learning on all things around new clients attraction using Social Media strategies be sure to check out our online course - Turn Like Into real bookings

Useful Tools

The Five Posts Your Clients Actually Want To See >> Free Download
Social Media Secrets >> 3 Free video lesson series

The post Does your Salon have a Social Clique? appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How Salon Mums Juggle Business And Family

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 23:32:32 +0000

Being a parent and a business owner is an emotional cocktail that can drive us for success or drive us mad.

A salon business is built around making our clients happy - we’re in the service industry after all.

Too often this translates into saying ‘yes’ to everyone. Yes to the needs of your team, yes to the needs of your clients. Only to get home and continue to serve the needs of your children and household demands, this can come at the expense of yourself and your relationships.

Business ownership takes it’s toll on family life with the pressures of working to hard and not being fully present when at home.

Lauren owns a salon in Canada called Signature Style Hair and also works with other salon owners as a Business Consultant, a field she was originally trained in.

As her salon grew and family pressure mounted, Lauren knew she needed to make changes within her business which would allow her to spend more time with her kids.

She put some brave yet simple steps in place to help bring her home-life and business back into balance, including making more profit too. She shares with us exactly how.

How Can Busy Salon Owners Juggle It All

Here are 3 simple and brave tips for salon owners who want to maintain that all important work-life balance and actually be present with their families.

Work Out What You Really Want

There comes a time when you may well get tired of doing everything for everyone, so it’s important to work out what you really want - it’s a beautiful indicator of what fuels your soul and your reason for being on the planet!

Get clear on the important stuff:

Draw a picture of a pie and write the 7 most important things in your life. Then rate each one by satisfaction. This will give you an awesome visual of the things which are making you exhausted and things that aren’t working, as well as those that are working really well for you.

You can do this for your family life and your business life too. Look at all the services you offer and this will help you figure out which aspects you really love and to figure out what to focus on.

Have a look at what brings in more income and also brings you more joy. Getting clear on where the gaps are in your life empowers you to make changes where you need it.

Talk to your clients to make the changes and give them recommendations so that you no longer have to hang on to clients who don’t serve you.

Lauren even has some scripts to help you which you can download here.

Redesigning your schedule will affect not only your energy levels, but also your income too. Figure out what you love and let go of what you don’t.

Be present with your family

I still have moments when I am constantly distracted by my business even while i’m in mummy mode and trying to be present with my kids. It’s the kids that are affected by this half present mother.

Take some time, even if it's only 10 minutes, to sit and be present with your kids.

Instead of trying to direct the play, try commentating on what they are doing as they play. This quick and effective way fills their emotional tanks because they feel seen by you.

For Lauren and her children this changed their relationship within 24 hours. With older kids, Lauren talks in the podcast about taking time to go for a walk with your kids, especially boys, in order to connect and properly hear their words. Put your family needs ahead, and remember that focused connection takes less time than you would naturally think. You can get rather boring after 10 minutes and they will naturally move on to more interesting activities and you can move back to your busy business life.

Keep your calendar updated

It’s easy to over commit, especially if you’re a people pleaser and a driven doer. Get diligent with your calendar and put everything on it.

Sync your personal Google calendar to your in Salon Software

Colour code your commitments, but also schedule in things like shopping or dinner with your family. It’s important you block off time for the mundane as well as the important to ensure you have enough space and time to do the things that light you up and to invest quality time with your family.

Keeping your calendar synced between salon and home helps you to say ‘no’ when you really need to.

This can be hard when you’re used to working in a service based business like your salon, where your aim for the day is to make people feel happy or to get to your goals.

But ultimately squeezing people in won’t be the best for you or your client, so finding ways to say ‘no’ whilst saying ‘yes’ to life!

Lauren recommends a blog 25 Ways To Say No

If you liked this blog you might like to listen to the Podcast Chat with Lauren.

The post How Salon Mums Juggle Business And Family appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

When this salon owner broke her leg, her business exploded

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 08:50:17 +0000

Growing a profitable business while maintaining work-life balance is an enviable position for some, but for most, it’s more than an elusive dream. As a serial entrepreneur or business owner, and especially if you have a family to consider, this is always the goal.

Over on the podcast, we chatted to Kelley from Wellington salon, Head Start. She bought her salon when pregnant with her first child, and has since grown a loyal team of 13 who work hard to build the business with her. She spends 7 hours IN the salon each week. Kelley has built her business in a way that enables her to work on tasks which will accelerate growth, whilst maintaining an enviable work-life balance. She shares her top tips to help you get out from behind the chair.

How To Survive and Thrive in Business without Burnout

Learn

Building a business isn’t a walk in the park, and you’re going to make a few mistakes along the way. Learn from them. If you’re listening, the failures will teach you what can do differently next time. If there’s something that you don’t know how to do - you can learn how to do it. This does not mean that you have to learn and then do every job in your business. Both Kelley and I agree that learning enough to know how things work so you can delegate effectively and enough to make good strategic decisions.

Understanding the business basics such as budgets, profit and loss - and taking the time to learn what it all means is actually very empowering. Basing your daily, weekly and strategic decisions on those numbers propels your business forward toward your goals (rather than floating around in the dark hoping you’re doing well).

This does not mean you have to actually DO the number crunching if it’s not your thang. Kelley has her accountant manage her books, as she recognises numbers are not her forte, but it’s priority enough that she meets her accountant weekly.

Learn and improve constantly, says Kelley and If you need extra motivation then Kelley recommends a few must read's…

The E-Myth by Michael Gerber is all about working on your business, not in it. Also The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris.

Team

Treating your team how they want, and deserve, to be treated, by putting yourself in their shoes every day provides a constructive working environment. This doesn’t mean lying down and taking whatever they throw at you, but creating a working environment where they feel valued and feel aligned with your vision.

If you understand your team and what they need from their perspective, you’ll have strong team retention. Enabling them to achieve what they want in their own careers is a win-win for everyone involved. A strong team also means that you can step away from clients or the day to day tasks of your salon feeling confident that it is running smoothly.

When you do spend time IN your business, spend the time with your team instead of on operational tasks, save those for your home office. Hold a team meeting every week and make them fun and interesting. Invite your team to have turns at hosting the meeting themselves, they will be far more engaged and developing a deeper understanding of what’s happening both around them and within the business.

It takes time to build the engagement, but it’s worth it in the end. Giving your team the opportunity to stand up and lead lowers the time you feel you’re talking to a team of blank faces.

Work On Your Business Not In It

Kelley broke her ankle in New York late 2015 and was forced to take some time away from working with her clients. Having pondered this for a while, she took this as a sign and broached the subject of coming out from behind the chair with her staff, who were all super supportive.

Whilst dropping your clientele may seem terrifying at first, it opens up the time for you to really work on growing your team, your salon clientele and thus your business.

Both Kelley and I experienced an explosive increase in turnover and profitability when stepping back off the floor and focusing instead on building and managing the business as a whole. We both agree, when decreasing your hours actually doing clients, ‘nothing will happen but greatness!’.

Be brave. But be smart, we’re not suggesting you jump off the cliff without a parachute. Be strategic and block out small and manageable blocks of time and replace it with a new business growth activity.

Warning: do not replace client time with admin, paper shuffling or walks in the park and wine nights out!!

If it feels hard to transition your clients to a new stylist, start with closing your ‘book’ to new clients then take your time to consider which members of your team will be most suited to love and care for your clients.

If you want to enjoy work-life balance and build the lifestyle of your dreams then consider how much time you’re spending on growing your business and where you’re investing your time. Sometimes things have to change... If you want to see that change come to light. Listen to the interview with Kelley Oliver over on the podcast.

Are you a salon owner who wants to grow? I work with a small group of women to help you build and fast track the success of your salon & vision?

Areas that I support you through individual coaching & full access to the Academy Resources & Trainings:

Branding, Social Media & Promotional Marketing strategies.
The building, leading, training, and managing of a Rock Star Team.
Transitioning from doing clients by the hour, to leverage your time and fast track growth
Freeing yourself up from the stress of owning a business to enjoy life outside of work!
Profitability & Pricing - Your finances should set you free

The goal is to help you get more clients and transform your business into a well-oiled machine, build your team, and get you out from only being behind the chair and working ON your business instead of IN it - so you can spend time with friends, family or do yoga (if that's your thang)!

ENROLLING NOW.

The post When this salon owner broke her leg, her business exploded appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

3 Strategies to Surviving & Thriving

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:07:58 +0000

From humble beginnings back in 2005 Chelle from Urban Betty, Texas, opened her salon with 6 chairs and just one contractor, she shares her story of surviving a thriving salon with a team of over 30.

I absolutely loved my chat with Chelle. Like me, Chelle, had had no formal business training and found herself working flat out, juggling every task from manning the desk, paying the bills, ordering the stock, managing the team and of course cutting the hair. With the ever closing gap between working 6 days a week to total burn-out, Chelle took a recent leap of faith and it’s starting to pay off. She is out from behind the chair to focus on fast tracking growth in her business.
So what’s the secret to no longer ‘doing clients’ when you’ve been juggling a full book and not only surviving but thriving?

The first ah-ha

The ah-ha moment came for Chelle when she took on her first employee, having only had contractors in the past. Putting a stylist (or therapist) to work as an employee not only gives you more control of your environment and how you want to grow your business. But as you change and as you move away from being a client-focused income earner to a business manager, your business model needs to change too.

For a longer term approach to growing a business, employees are more profitable for your new business model than contractors.

Coming Off The Floor

Having just come completely off the floor January of 2017, Chelle takes comfort from my own experience that every time I stepped back and took another day away from clients and refocused the efforts to grow my business, the impact to my bottom line immediate.

It’s important to note tho, to take it one step at a time, as Chelle can attribute to. Gradually dropping the number of client days, and replacing the time with Growth driving activity is the smoother way to approach this change.

Ok, I get it! It’s tough to tell your long-standing clients that you’re off to ‘grow you business’ so gently does it. Your team need to become your new clients and it’s my recommendation to treat them as such. When you focus on your team, your business is sure to thrive.

So if you’re ready to get out from behind the chair and really build your business, what three steps do you need to take? Chelle shares her thoughts around building a successful business that sustains life balance for her and supports her growing team in my fav Podcast chat check it out.

Build a Team

Chelle introduced a coffee-date with each member of her team, once every couple of months to enable her stay on top of what’s going on. Putting systems in place like this, right from the start has enabled Chelle to regularly check in with each team member on a personal level, and to really get to know them.

This connection has been invaluable for ensuring her staff stay happy, allowing her to keep abreast with what’s going on with them. She recognises that what goes in outside of their work can directly impact what goes on inside of work. Staying on top of that becomes paramount. Learn more about how to Attract a Rockstar team.

Harness The Power Of Social Media

Chelle swears by social media as a growth strategy. It’s been instrumental in growing her business with more than 13K followers on Instagram.

Whilst a beautiful page with a consistent look is key to getting people liking and following you, you should never underestimate the power of engagement.

Chelle is a firm advocate of taking any training going on the topic of Social Media (Like Turn Likes into Real bookings... ) well, just say’n!! 🙂

To really keep people coming back for more, visit similar hashtags or pages and like, comment, and start conversations with people & Pages as much as you can. If you want to see growth be consistent and available, reply to comments on your own feed, and reach out to people outside of your immediate circle of friends. Keep up with it daily! But, if you don’t want to be glued to the phone allocate pockets of time to schedule social media, in manageable chunks and delegate! (outsource your socials or delegate to your team)

Work Smarter & Not Harder.

Spend time ON your business, on activity that actually grows the business… not just creating a one column income stream. This is called leverage. Leverage your time to develop ALL the columns and the client bases of your team, not just growing your own individual clients. This is the only way you will Grow Beyond Owner Operator.

The first step in getting out from behind the chair is to develop your team. Trust in the process and slowly cut back your appointment schedule and smoothly facilitate the change both for your team, yourself and your clients. As you start to cut back on cutting hair, more often than not your regular clients will go to one of your team members, with whom they have already built a rapport. Then re-invest that time into growing, training and mentoring your team and into sales and marketing for your business. Grow Beyond Owner Operator - For Salon Owners who want to Get Out from Behind the Chair & Fast Track Growth!

Want to learn more about Growing Beyond Owner Operator and actually running a successful, profitable business primed for growth? Join me in the Salon Owners Collective Mastermind

Make it work – whatever it takes!

The post 3 Strategies to Surviving & Thriving appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

The three reasons your competitors website is better than yours!

Larissa Macleman — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 01:28:03 +0000

Your website is the window into the soul of your business. Your digital home and it should be used for driving new clients to your salon by turning them into paying clients as well as retaining the loyalty of those that already love you.

In this blog post, we look at the three things your competitors are doing really well and you should be too!

Professional & personal photos of your team on a dedicated team page.

As well as a beautiful smiling photo and a 'blurb' of their area of expertise, include some more personal information like their favorite pastimes, in order to create a personal connection with your potential client. Remember that you’re clients will be making conversation and potentially spending a lot of time with this stylist or therapist in quite a personal way - they want to get to know them a little and that they will connect while in the chair or between wax strips!

Capture their attention & keep in touch.

You know how it works. At the party, she finds out you're a hairdresser and ask you how she should do her hair (how annoying) but you see her around a few times as you have mutual friends and before long she comes into the salon and visits you - Boom, New client for life.

Imagine doing the same by building a (party) list of people who could become your client soon, after a few ‘chats’ digital, or otherwise. By keeping touch with her (send a regular interesting newsletter or target her with interesting facebook posts) creates an opportunity for you to build a relationship before enticing her to visit the salon… and pay you money (of course, the best kind of friendship 🙂 ).

"List Building' is a proven marketing strategy that enables you to keep in touch with your potential client, build her trust and letting her get to know your business personality, before sending her a special offer or invite to an event you hold and then, of course, get them to book into your salon chair.

But how do you get her to give you her email address? (and BTW no one wants to join your NEWSLETTER)!

Offer something to your website visitors (your new party friends) something special that is worthwhile giving you her email address for.

Think about what they would most find useful, and turn it into a simple video, step by step guide or how-to-tutorial on how to care or style for her hair or care for her skin at home. Join her to your exclusive club and receive a special gift or upgraded service.

A simple voucher toward her first visit is always a sweetener (if not a little boring), it always works. Whilst showcasing your expertise, exclusive offering you stand out from all the other salon websites like yours… (who offer nothing) and you can keep in regular touch with her while she gets to know your brand using directly targeted social media or email marketing updates.

We book everything online now - can they book with you?

An online booking system will make doing business with you easy! We book flights, dinner reservations, our clothing and weekly food shop, all online - can your client's book with you too?

The internet is about convenience, people are easily frustrated and feel inconvenienced if they reach a dead end or have to click too many times to get more information. Once they decide to 'give you a go' how easy is it to connect with your business?

- Can they book online?
- Can they call you from their mobile with one click?
- Do they need to search around your site to connect with you only to find a freaking form?!

Include links to your booking page across the website in easy to spot locations so they can book with you at the touch of one button.

NB: When they enter your online booking program, is it easy to find the services they want? Or is it full of your internal use types of services that look messy and hard to maneuver for your client (who doesn't understand your internal jargon)?

Remember, Your website is not a pretty online design poster for your Salon… Your website is an online buying tool for your Client! There is an important differentiation there.

Want to assess your own salon website and see how you compare? Download the free Client-attracting Website Checklist and assess how your salon website attracts new clients.

The post The three reasons your competitors website is better than yours! appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

6 Business Tips from Artist to the Stars

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 08:19:25 +0000

Finding your Area of Expertise, your signature service is vital to ensure your business stands out in an overly crowded space, and few have done this better than Jazz Pampling.

Jazz is a world-renowned Brow Artist specialising in brow shaping, and has worked with celebrities such as Paula Abdul, Naomi Watts, Aussie model Samantha Harris and Aussie Singer Jessica Mauboy.

She’s based in Sydney, and has just opened a new studio and expanded her team, taking her business to the next level. She started out as a makeup artist, then luck allowed her to sit in on a week long course with Rae Morris which led her to train then specialise in brows.

She has truly become known in her niche and travelled around Australia & the world with her business, working with clients and training beauticians and makeup artist both privately and group courses.

I chatted with Jazz about her secrets to her success and how she stood out from the rest - she shares some real gold which I’ve share in this blog, but her real energy is shared in the podcast - catch it here:

Put your clients first

Never compromise quantity for quality. It might mean that your business grows a bit more slowly, but giving your clients that extra care and attention will reap the rewards in the long run.

Collaboration & Community

Without really realising it at the time, Jaz built her business through connecting with her wider community in the hair, beauty & makeup artists circles and making the most of the collaborative opportunities as they came to her. Once you find your niche, look to connect with people in complementary industries who can help to drive your business forward and you can both win from the relationship.

Push through the doubts

Feeling like a fraud is a part and parcel of building a business. We all struggle with this from time to time - even celebrities who we look up to feel like this before a big performance. The key to success then is to keep going, push forward and push past the doubts. It’s all in your head!

Communication is key

Communicate constantly with your staff and your clients. It's essential to a happy, smooth running business. Communication is what brings clients back. It’s a basic human need! Take the time to sit down and find out what they really want, and make them feel comfortable enough to point out when they want something different.

Don’t focus on your competition

Be aware of your competition and the marketplace around you, it's important to understand what happening in your industry and where you fit into that picture. Everyone should focus on running at your own pace, you’ve got to do what’s right for you. If your focus is outside of your business, and what others are doing and you're bogged down in FOMO - your business will never grow!

Retention & Online Booking

Getting wrapped up in clients rebooking before they walk out the door is so-last-year. How our clients manage their time has changed - smartphones have changed this so drastically that it’s now time to focus instead on your client retention rate.

As your clients leave the salon, you want them to feel happy and less pressured - if you do a great job during their service they keep returning time and again. If your client retention rates start to fall, you should start questioning and re adapting your client service delivery strategy.

That brings us to providing an easy, simple to use online booking experience for your clients - it’s about making it easy for your clients to do business with you, after all!

Check out Timely Salon Software - it’s easy to use, it will keep you synced with your appointments on the go while making it easy for your clients to book with you.

And finally, Jaz reminds us not to try to rush life or business - life is busy and pressured enough. Everything will fall into place when as meant to.

LISTEN TO HER INTERVIEW ON THE PODCAST - SHE SHARES HER JOURNEY AND LIVELY ENERGY! I KNOW YOU'LL LOVE IT. CLICK BELOW

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How one salon successfully turned a social media following into real clients

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 02:14:09 +0000

I chatted to Mia DeVries from The Fox and The Hair, over on the Podcast, to find her top strategies for growing a whopping 66.6K Social Media Following and turning them into paying Clients – one of the key strategies to the salons current success.

The salon started their social media presence on Facebook, and over time the strategy was delivering more and more clients into the salon appointment book. She made a strong effort to grow her Instagram and their salon has reaped the rewards. Social Media has been a huge part of the Salon growth, so much so that they have relocated to accommodate the growing team and client list.

Like many Salon business, Mia’s business journey to success has not been smooth sailing. With team walkouts, a new young family to care for, a Salon relocation and a home that recently burned to the ground – it’s Mia’s determination that is her real success factor!

I loved my chat with her on the Podcast ( go have a listen, while you clean or drive ), which is perfectly timed as I launch my Signature Program Turn Likes Into Real Bookings, which covers social media & web marketing strategies to turn your Social following into real paying clients.

Listen to the interview with this strong business woman – Mia’s Top Business Tips and Thoughts for Salon Owners.

1 - Dedicating your time to the cause

Mia decided to build social media management into her role, as she likes a very hands on approach. She likes to control the look and feel of the Brand Social Image. She posts regularly, between clients, team meetings and nappy changes. She is committed to growing that following.

The joy of having a large team in your salon, is that you have a lot of content (Beautiful Pictures, of Beautiful Hair) to choose from. But even with a small team, you can utilise everyone's work and different personalities to inject some charisma into your Social feed. A consistent commitment to quality and regularity is key!

2 - Your team's presence

Mia’s says, If she could do her time over, she’s only allow the business Social Page to post team’s individual work. Suggesting only one page for the salon, with all stylists client before & afters photos being added to that.

It’s a big topic to think about, and different Salon and stylist have the differing opinions - think carefully about how you want to manage the pictures your staff post on the platform and choose a strategy which will most benefit your business growth.

You may be able to get your team involved with the day to day posting, whether it’s their own page or your Salon page - in order to free-up some of your own time. It’s up to you how you split the tasks, but it’s vital that you post regularly to really grow your following.

3 - Mia’s Tips for building your business Social page

Make your page different from others in order to grow your following quicker and engage your audience.
Think of your Instagram page as an extension of your salon - people get to meet the team and get a feel for your personality and style before they even set foot inside the door.
Use great light to showcase your work - if you don’t have enough natural light to make the pictures look good then invest in some lighting in a specific area. Create a Salon Selfie Station with a branded background wall.
Introduce a membership program. A membership program is a great way to get regular clients and income coming in. You can set different packages such as a weekly blow dry or a monthly colour. Get your clients hooked on your salon, and make it easier for them to come back time and again!

4 - Mia’s Personal Business Tips

Always ask for help and get as much help from mentors as you possibly can. Pick other salon owners brains, spend time in their salons and learn as much as you can.
Say yes to any opportunity that comes your way - as Richard Branson says: “Say yes then figure out how to do it!’
Be upfront and honest - that way you never need to back-track and try and remember what you’ve said or written!
Find a business coach that you trust who can help drive your business forward

If you’re interested in diving deeper into the topic of Turning Likes into Real Bookings, Learn More here

The post How one salon successfully turned a social media following into real clients appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

3 Keys To Work On Your Business, Not In It!

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 15 Jan 2017 07:14:20 +0000

Janine bought her first salon aged at just 24, and is the master of working ON her business, not IN it. She has set up her most recent salon and built her team strategically, with this objective in mind. She now only spends around 7-8 hours a week in the salon itself, with an awesome team in place to manage the day-to-day operations.

Over the festive period, when previously she would have been run off her feet, Janine was able to confidently step away from her salon and really enjoy the holidays with her family.

Janine and I chatted on the Podcast and talked about the 3 key ingredients to making such a successful transition away from the daily tasks!

If you focus on making your team, your clientele and on having clear systems and structures, your business productivity and profit will be sure to increase.

If one of the key reasons you set up a business was help you achieve that all-important work life balance then these 3 tips a must for you...

1. Celebrate Your Salon Team

Take the time to grow, engage and nurture your team. It’s hard running a team and the more you put into helping them grow, the more you're going get back, particularly with the younger stylists.

Pay attention to how the industry and working environment has changed in the last ten years rather than reminiscing on days past - trying to force a square peg into a round hole just isn’t going to cut it. It’s important to break the cycle and be innovative and accommodating. If you change your mindset so that your team become your main clientele, the way they’ll look after your business and the things they will introduce to build your brand will be profound.

It’s not your way or the highway!

Don't hold your staff back purely because of their age or lack of experience. Encourage your team and let them flourish and grow, and your salon will flourish and grow.
Once your team know your core values and vision, let them run with it, give them the scope to really engage and grow their role. It’s important you maintain your trust in your team and nurture their skills. Having systems and good communication channels in place will enable this to happen smoothly.

2. Share Your Vision and Business Goals

Make sure you’re all on the same page and that the ship is sailing in the right direction. Businesses change due to the economy, team dynamics and innovations. When faced with such change, make sure you’re open with your team in order to keep them on the same page, whilst staying true to the core values of your business.

If they’re part of the evolution of your vision, which you create together, this will be far easier for you to achieve. Everyone on your team should actively and openly understand any changes ahead.

Communication within a salon

In a packed-out salon environment communication becomes more important. Some ideas which Janine has set in place are:

Hold a weekly team meeting to build the culture and team vision.
Each team member has a one-to-one to discuss their personal progress within the vision.
Have strong KPIs in place (Key Performance Indicators) so that everyone knows what they are out to achieve.
Have a 15 minute huddle each morning, celebrate and look at the day ahead. This keeps everyone on track and ensure any issues are ironed out from the start.
Set up a Secret Facebook page for the team - Everything from funny thoughts, to information about what’s going on each day in the salon.

3. Embrace Technology and Social Media!

It’s a useful tool and not scary! Social media is much more simple than it’s often perceived. Remember it’s just as new to everyone as it is to you, so it’s vital to get amongst it!

The marketing side of social media is great for any salon business. Build your brand presence online and always keep your target market in mind. It’s important you put accross the right message and brand persona to encourage the right people to your salon.

Taking the old way online

This is a great way to simplify the marketing process. Often online marketing tactics are no different to the old way, they are just re-packed in a new way. So, for example, you can offer the old loyalty cards and refer a friend vouchers still but just do it on the social platform. This gives the incentive to share and the reach is far larger, and far cheaper than a printed referral card.

Social Recruiting

Whilst you can use the regular recruitment sites, social media can be a great way to find new team members. Share on Facebook and Instagram, and even consider a sponsored advert to further reach potential staff. This is a very cheap way to advertise and a highly effective way to reach even more potential staff.

I caught up with Janine for a good old chat where she shares even more on working ON your business rather than IN it! Click below to head to the podcast for a listen.

The post 3 Keys To Work On Your Business, Not In It! appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

3 Secrets to make Social Media work for your Salon

Larissa Macleman — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 09:50:16 +0000

You want to attract more clients, but Social Media is just not working for you... And you’re tired of posting at random & feeling the pressure of what to post and when. If this is you, then this blog is just for you!

Having spent years honing my experience in digital marketing, both whilst running my own salon, working for Salon Software Giant - Timely and consulting with Salons, the most common stumbling blocks for salons are:

‘What should I post when?’ And
‘How can I increase our salon’s social media following?’ And
'How do I actually get clients to book with me?'

Some form of Digital marketing strategy is vital if you’re to have a successful business in this era. In my latest Podcast, I talk about how I've turned likes into real bookings, and how you can start to do the same for your salon business!

The first step is to develop a clear strategy and I’m here to help you stop wandering and start standing out from the crowd. These three secrets to salon social media success will give you clarity on the what and the why, and a good foundation to your (modern) Salon Marketing.

Become the expert in your area

People like to do business with someone who is the authority in their field. It makes sense that they want to work with people who are known for their expertise.

So how do you position yourself as THE expert and to share your authority? Here are a few of examples of people who have done just that:

Jazz Pampling is an Australian brow artist. She is a beautician and makeup artists too - but she specialises in brows. She’s chosen her niche, and has focused right down. She’s grown her brow salon so much she’s moving into bigger premises, plus she’s travelled the world speaking to and training other therapists in her area of expertise - those little hairs above your eyes!

Become known

If you choose to specialise or stand out from the crowd in an area, it doesn't have to define you forever (or it also doesn't mean you ONLY have to specialise in ONE thing) depending on your passions, your team and your market needs. I started by specialising in weddings. I noticed there were lots of events in the city targeting brides, and an engageed woman was likely to become a client for at least a year before her big day.

We created bridal packages for 12 month lead up to 'her' special day. By specialising on a niche, we became known in our city as the go-to Salon. We eventually got so busy we had to limit the number of brides we saw on any one Saturday (our regular clients were getting squeezed out!!).

How to specialise in a crowded market

We then decided to specialise and focus on colour. Now how do you do this if every other salon also does colour?

a. Upskill - we brought in a new & innovative colour range, we created new colour packages each season, and we up-leveled our colour skills. Our clients loved that we offered them something special, innovative and different, and so we got known as the best.

b. Choose a signature service
Dry and Tea have done this remarkably well. They are a full-service salon with signature package & branding focus in providing the perfect blow wave coupled with a beautiful tea experience. Not only are they leading in their hair specialisation, they are providing an exceptional experience for their clients to savour and enjoy. This is what will keep them coming back time and again.

So, how to decide what to specialise in?

Choose a niche and focus, focus, focus!

The magic happens when you tap into your unique talents and make sure you’re exceptional at what you do. Coupled with choosing something you’re passionate about - you’re sure to stand out from the crowd!

Your content strategy

Once you have your signature service or area of expertise nailed, you need to utilise your content strategy to tell the world about you and your business.

Your social posting content is your opportunity to be visible and really share what you can do and how much of an expert you actually are. Its your opportunity to attract people into your salon.

Don’t rely solely on before and after shots - your social media needs to be varied, have depth and speak to your clients. There are 5 types of posts which your dream clients will love to actually see from you in their newsfeed.

Curate great stories in your area of expertise, create your own stories and remember to add a personal touch too - be who you really are and share the inside of your salon. Build trust with potential clients, they are letting you loose on their crowning glory after all!

If what you post resonates with your dream clients, they are far more likely to follow you, engage with your business page and eventually book with you.

I’ve put all this together with some real life examples in my Salon Social Post Formula for you to use in the salon or with your team. It shows exactly how you can do this too.

Get those bookings!

So my tip number three is to introduce online booking. We can book everything now at the touch of a button on our smart-phone - so why not your hair and beauty appointments too? In order to make this a reality, you need to include links in many of your social media posts. Not just at the top of your Facebook page!

Make it as easy as possible for your followers to make that booking with just a single click.

Link regularly to your online booking page from your Facebook or other social media content, this will be sure to drive bookings.

When running a busy salon, I discovered 50% of my salon phone calls were clients re-scheduling. I realised I was paying someone purely to manage the diary and lives of my lovely clients. Not only this but our in salon clients were being interrupted whenever the phone rang! STOP your phone from ringing and delivery your clients what they are looking for - convenience!

The post 3 Secrets to make Social Media work for your Salon appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Nail Your Salon Instagram Strategy With Plann

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 25 Dec 2016 20:00:04 +0000

I spoke with Christy Laurance over on the podcast, she's an Instagram extraordinaire and creator of Plann, a scheduling app for Instagram which enables you to create a strong visual presence, based on a solid salon Instagram strategy. She shared her top tips to help you develop a strategy that will work for your business, and ways to use Plann to implement it.

Instagram, the social network of the moment, lends itself particularly well to creative and visual businesses like hair & beauty salons. There’s so much that you can do with Instagram, from posting showcase shots to validate your stylist's skills, to giving potential clients a peek behind the scenes of your busy salon.

But how do you go about ensuring that your time and energy spent posting on the platform will actually pay off for your salon in the long run?

Why you need an Instagram strategy for your salon

With all social media platforms, it’s easy to fall into the habit of ‘posting and hoping’ - send out quick-fire updates as and when you feel inclined, without any clear direction or purpose behind them. Instagrammers are particularly prone to this, because the visual nature of the posts encourage quick-fire snapping and posting. But actually, Christy explains why it’s vital to have a strategy behind everything that you post:

“There’s a lot of content out there. Having a strategy behind your content allows you to engage and tell your story better, instead of just posting and hoping which doesn't really work”

Christy has a fantastic free downloadable PDF to help you plan your strategy, but the real magic happens when it comes to using the app Plann.

Scheduling to create a story

Your posts need to tell stories. Whether it be yours, your teams, or even your clients, the best Instagram feeds have a cohesive story running through every post.
With Plann, you can look at your whole feed, and visually map out how each post relates to the next, fits in with your brand, and tells those stories. Christy gave us her four top tips to get started with Instagram

1. Be social on social media!

It may sound obvious, but it’s just as important that you engage with your followers and build connections on Instagram as it is on any other social media platform.

Christy advocates creating a community, and spending the time to nurture and build that community will pay off for your business in the long run.

“Make friends online,” she explains. “If you chat and comment on other people’s feeds, they will keep coming back and interacting with yours too. Every time I post, I set an hour to comment and make new friends.”
With Instagram’s current algorithms, the more likes and interaction your posts receive, the more likely Instagram is to put it in front of more people. And the more people connect with your posts, the more your following grows online, which you can then turn into paying customers.

2. Analyse your grid as a whole

Using Plann, you can actually start mapping out how each of your images will look on your overall grid, so that your feed looks cohesive and inviting. Christy also suggests playing around with perspectives within each of the images on a row, to add interest and keep the feed looking visually dynamic.

3. Think about your why

It’s vital that you get clear on why you are posting on Instagram. Is it to bring more customers into your salon, to start creating a buzz online, or something else entirely? This should then determine everything within your strategy, and every post that you subsequently do on the platform.

Don’t just broadcast, think about what your ideal clients are going to want to see, share interesting images and posts to boost interaction.

4. Bulk and schedule

Plann allows you to upload your images in bulk, and to send them out at specific times each day. Not only will this keep your feed in action, it will also help you minimise the time you need to spend each day on the platform itself. Christy is a strong advocate of quality over quantity. It’s far better to have strong images which tie in with your brand, but to post them a little less regularly. Play around with different schedules and see what works best for your - every business is different, and the joy of Plann is that it allows you to completely tailor make your Instagram strategy for you.

I caught up with Christy for a proper chat where she shares even more tips and insights for your salon Instagram strategy! Click below to head to the podcast for a listen.

The post Nail Your Salon Instagram Strategy With Plann appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Set yourself up for your best year yet!

Larissa Macleman — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 02:27:17 +0000

I spent the new year in a camping site surrounded by rain and a rocky beach and dear I say it, NO WIFI! But as a result of that trip, I created Salon Owners Collective.

I think I hardly spoke to the Family I was so busy scheming. So it feels right that I should take stock and plan forward as this next year should be better yet! Right?

So I've put together my thoughts on how to have your best year yet!

Reflect On The Past Year

Review your calendar or appointment book from the past year. It's SO easy to forget all that you've done over the period of a year... so that was something new that I have begun incorporating into my process.

One of my favourite ‘mentors’, Tony Robbins say "Capture your "Magic Moments" throughout the year". And there is no better way to do this than with photos and video, not to mention Facebook’s ‘memories’ feature (yay). There’s so much value in reviewing major milestones and achievements in your business or goals but also remember the small things, like the sweet words of you small kids - those moments make you happy.

Stay Positive

Things can easily turn to negativity in your head... especially if the year didn't go as planned.

Intentionally reviewing your wins will help you stay positive. Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day. You’ll always achieve less than you think in your days and weeks and even a year. But you can achieve much more than you can imagine in you 5 & 10-year strategies. Be kind to yourself!

Express Gratitude

Gratitude is what fills your heart with love and personal power. Reflect on it daily.

What do I most want to be thankful for one year from now? This should give you some New Year Focus.

Say No & Do Less

This has always been the hardest challenge for me, but I can say I’m getting good at it (in my old age maybe).

As an entrepreneur, new, exciting opportunities are everywhere. And I'm drawn to them like a magnet. I like to call it ‘new-shiney-object- Syndrome’ can you relate?

WELL… cut it out!

I’ve learned (and am continuing to learn) the value that comes from only focusing on a few things and doing them really well. So it makes the elimination process really hard. Sometimes you have to let go of some things you really love.

Ask yourself this, for each one:
Will it drive my business forward? YES or NO?

From the YES list - Take your top three.

Ask yourself again - Will this push my business forward NOW or make the most impact.

If it’s a loud YES, push on and make the time to get it done. I suggest booking a dedicated time into your appointment calendar to ensure you’ll get on to it - get out of the salon where you will have no interruptions if you can.

If it’s a NO, then quick-smart, move it to DELEGATE, DELETE or FORWARD.

Set Compelling Goals

Don’t just set goals, set compelling goals but then get connected to the "WHY" behind it.

"When you lose your 'why', you'll lose your way"

The WHY behind the goal brings it to life. Without a clear Why, the chance of you achieving them drops dramatically.

Break It Down

One of the things I find challenging is that I love to dream up BIG goals... but often I find it hard to know where to get started. And can sit around faffing about not really achieving anything - busy being busy and achieving nothing! Sound familiar?

It ties in with ’Say No - Do Less’ then spend that little bit of time chunking it down into bite size parts.. If it’s still too hard, break it down more!!!

Just remember nothing will happen unless you really get into the nitty gritty moving parts of any large goal.

Schedule The Year

The first step to ANY of this is to get intentional about what you actually want. And too often, our calendars get filled up with "stuff" and it never leaves room for the things we most want to do.

I don't want that to happen. I want to make sure I have time for the things I want to accomplish and don't look back this time next year and sigh!

Taking time now to block off dates on the calendar for the important things. Making sure the priorities get priority on the calendar.

This year I'm moving my family up the priority list and adding in my time out now! Including our family trip to Fiji! I don't want family time to be squeezed into the gaps that are left-overs.

Next is big business projects like launches or marketing campaigns. Education or team events like Expo.

Once those things are on the calendar, it's obvious that there is little room for much else. That gives you tremendous clarity. Because if I am going to protect my time, saying "yes" to something new means I will have to say "no" to something I'm currently doing.

It immediately gives perspective. It makes decision making VERY easy.

Unplug For A Time

Do you unplug? I’m talking, no work & no tech.

I find it hard. It can be small but intentional. This year my focus is Experiences. Intentional time to get away from it all and be present with where I am and who I’m with. First up is a trip to the wine district here where I live - Martinborough. I’m planning it now for next month. Tech off (mostly), no TV, just some bikes, some wine and my awesome family.

Last but not least...

Get a coach or mentor in your life.

Let’s face it, it’s hard at the top - everyone comes to you for advice and guidance. But what about you?

It’s useful to have a Someone to help you goal set, sanity check you and your ideas, Keep you focused and on track and give you a tad bit of accountability.

Book a Free Coaching Call

The post Set yourself up for your best year yet! appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How To Build a Sustainable Salon For The Future

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 09:00:00 +0000

I’m starting to realise how important it is to do our bit to protect the planet, whether it be buying recycled products or recycling our waste, and many of us are starting to implement strategies to help us live more sustainably in our daily lives. But as a business owner, have you considered what you could do to run a more sustainable salon?

And what exactly does sustainability mean to us anyway?

Over on the podcast I chatted to Paul Fresca from Sustainable Salons Australia. Paul, his wife and his team have made it their business to revolutionise the way salons operate. They provide a dedicated resource designed especially for the salon environment, to help us operate in a more sustainable way, benefiting the business, the local community and the environment.

What Makes a Sustainable Salon?

Paul and his team started out studying the contents of 170 salon's waste bins. They found that over 68% of the contents of the waste bins was metal - a recyclable product - predominantly aluminium foils and colour tubes. What’s more, with over 4000 kilos of hair getting cut off each year, they found a real need for more recycling within the salon environment.

They launched Sustainable Salons Australia to collect, and recycle, all of this waste. The program has gone from strength to strength, and after rapid growth through Australia it is soon to launch in New Zealand.

The Three P’s of Sustainability

Many people hear the word ‘sustainability’ and automatically think of planting trees and being green. It is, in fact, far more than that.

Introducing the 3 P’s of sustainability:

> People

> Planet

> Profit

By taking a people-centered approach to building a sustainable salon, and inputing strategies to protect the planet, you will also see an increase in profit for your business too.

Here’s how you can get started:

#1 - Set up a Green Policy for your salon

Within your Green Policy, outline what you stand for, and display it within your salon as well as on your website. Outline where you are now, and where you plan to be in the next 3 years. This will set the tone for building your sustainable salon business.

When you start putting measures in place to increase sustainability, main areas to focus on are:

How you deal with waste and recycling;
The energy efficiency of your salon. There are some quick wins you can put in place straight away such as changing to LED lights and energy efficient blow dryers. The initial outlay will be worth it for the massive savings you’ll see in your electricity bills.

#2 - Support a local charity

Supporting a local charity will benefit your salon in so many ways. It will connect you to the local community, and also give that all-important boost in morale to your staff too. If your get to know what's happening in your area and connect on a local scale then people will start to see your salon as a focal hub, and a place for positive interactions.

#3 - Marketing

It’s the number one fact of all business - you can’t sell a secret! If you invest in your marketing from the get-go, and talk openly about your sustainable salon and charitable approach to business, you’re sure to reap the rewards of customer growth and loyalty.

Working with your local paper is a great way to go. People love to hear about positive local stories, so you can include within your press release your support of a local charity or event that you’ve got coming up. It’s a great way to let people know what’s happening on your doorstep, and to showcase the work that you do.

Want more of Paul's wisdom on creating your own sustainable salon? Click below to listen to the podcast:

Listen to the podcast HERE where Paul shares his story to success.

The post How To Build a Sustainable Salon For The Future appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

How to Build Your Salon Dream Team

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 00:56:09 +0000

Working as a stylist in a busy salon, then stepping into the role of owner or manager, where you want to build your salon dream team, is a whole different ball-game and can feel daunting. Having the right team behind you, as your salon grows, is vital.

Your team can make or break a business, because ultimately they are the face of your brand, and so they define what your salon becomes known for. If you have a highly engaged, motivate team who work well together and are totally aligned with your vision for your business, then you stand to run a salon which is set to thrive.

How do you ensure you have the best team for your brand?

I chatted with Mana Dave of Blaze Salon & Pony Professional over on the podcast recently. Mana is a stylist, owns two top salons in Auckland, and is a Redken international platform artist. He shared his most deepest secrets & actionable tips to help you transition from stylist into salon-owner, and build a thriving team.

Building a thriving salon business

Before you embark on any aspect of building a dream team for your salon, it’s vital you take the time to work on yourself and your vision for the business first. As Mana explains, if you become the very best version of you that you can be, the right people will be attracted to you.

Take the time to really work on your brand, your vision, and your core values for the business. Once you’ve done the inner work, looking both at yourself and how you want your brand to be perceived, then you can lead by example and start to build your dream team. Remember, if you’re not clear on any aspect of your business, then your staff won’t be clear either.

Work on your culture

Once you’ve got the foundations in place, you can start to work on the culture within your salon. Your culture relates to the service and atmosphere that your clients experience, but also to the way your staff interact with each other, with their work, and with the salon ‘brand’ on a day to day basis. Mana advocates fostering a vibe of gratitude. In his salons, all staff are thanked as they leave for the day. They pick up on this energy, which filters down to their clients too. If you’re working within that energy every day, then only positive things can happen!

Employing the right staff

Moving into the role of salon owner, you’ll find that a large chunk of your time is spent on HR related activity. From hiring new staff to managing holidays and sickness, it’s down to you to ensure your salon recruitment runs smoothly. Whilst it’s important you follow the process of advertising and interviewing potential new staff, Mana recommends a different approach to the interview itself.

Before you start talking about a candidate’s skills level, it’s worth taking the time to focus on trying to understand their perception of your values as an organisation. People often have a different definition and interpretation of the same value, and so you want to make sure that your new recruits’ values are in line with your organisation. This will make a big difference, and will ensure that the new staff member will join your space seamlessly and fit in with the culture of your company.

Remember, skills can be taught, but the mindset of a person is far harder to shift. A happy team is a productive team, and so it's vital you work on creating the right culture for your salon and your brand. Focus on a vibe of respect, both for your values, but also for your staff.

Appreciate their work and push them to achieve great things too. By investing time and energy from the very beginning to create this cohesive culture within your team, your business stands to reap the rewards for years to come.

Prefer to listen to the chatter? Click on the podcast below:

Listen to Mana's personal chat over on the Podcast here.

The post How to Build Your Salon Dream Team appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Launch and Grow your Dream Business

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 03:53:14 +0000

Starting a business is hard graft, but once you get going you’ll get to the point where you’re ready to scale it up, or even wanting to exit in order to pursue a new dream. Without the right tools in place, this can be harder said than done.

Recently I was privileged to interview Tracey Hughes over on the podcast. With over 30 years experience in the industry, Tracey has successfully launched and grown her salon businesses, before then pivoting into providing award winning training for salon professionals. Here are the top lessons to help you to launch, grow or even exit a business.

Or you can listen to her interview over on the podcast here:

Work ON the business instead of IN it

The vital first step for any business owner looking to scale a business is to start by taking a look at where you are in the current moment. By doing a thorough audit of your business, you’ll see where most of your time is being taken, and where you can delegate tasks. Many salon owners have a full roster of clients, which doesn't leave enough time to work on building the business and managing your team. If you’re to successfully grow, you need to give yourself time to get off the shop floor. It takes energy, time and money to focus on building a business - prioritise your time wisely instead of simply working to other people’s agendas

Surround yourself with knowledgeable people

Leadership means taking a step back sometimes. It’s important you surround yourself with people who can do the things you can’t do. As a business owner, there is a danger in wanting to be good at everything. Don’t be afraid of bringing in experts to help your business grow, and remember you can’t be good at everything, so you should surround yourself, whether it be through networking, getting a business coach or joining strategic groups, with other positive people who have expertise complementary to your own.

Systemise your business

We can’t emphasise enough the benefits of having systems in place in all aspects of your business. This will ensure smooth day to day running, and will enable you to pass certain tasks onto your staff in order to spend more time working on the business growth itself. If you want to expand your business, whether that be through opening another salon or changing direction slightly, it’s important that your first business is running well. Implementing systems will ensure this is the case.

Up-skill to become the expert

If you want to start your own business, or even get into education, develop own skill set first. Having the initial training will set you up for future success. Once you’ve mastered the classic foundation techniques then you can start to get creative. Get out there, assist other educators on events, find out what other people in the industry are doing. A good educator must be selfless and have a genuine desire to help others. Figure out where your skills set lies and what you want to teach in the first step. You need to know how to engage students and make them the hero of their own businesses too.

And one final tip from Tracey:

"Just do it! Follow your instincts and live your life the way you want. Give yourself permission to follow your passion, it will pay off in the end!"

Listen to her interview over on the Podcast here:

The post Launch and Grow your Dream Business appeared first on Salon Owners Collective.

Put Yourself Out There & Get Visible

Larissa Macleman — Sun, 23 Oct 2016 13:40:21 +0000

Earlier this year I met Emma and Carla, aka The Merrymaker Sisters, two awesomely fun sisters who have built a strong & loyal Instagram following of over 60 thousand for their health and lifestyle business! We had a great time recording the interview - you can listen here on the Get Visible Podcast

I’m always inspired by and learn a lot from those outside the salon industry, and these girls are more than inspiring because they not only take action but they have energy to-boot! Not to mention there is a lot to be learnt from their Instagram tips and their attitude to building engaged communities online, and translating them into loyal customers on or off line.

Put Yourself Out-There & Get Visible

It’s a real thing… FEAR of being online - False Evidence Appearing Real (or a gut feeling pointing you in the right direction), but what about thinking “what’s the BEST that would happen, getting your business online?” ?
You don’t need to put yourself online, if you feel comfortable sharing your personal your journey great, but it’s really about showcasing your salon.

One of the objections I hear often, which stops salon owners getting more social-media-active or building an online profile for themselves is the ever-present fear of putting yourself out there - publicly.

For some this comes naturally, but for most, there is an understandable fear around putting pictures of yourself or your salon work out there for all to see. Building a strong following for your brand really demands an online profile. People are naturally interested in your journey in business, as a salon owner & the skill level of your in-salon artists.
It’s not entirely necessary for you to splash pictures of yourself all over Instagram if you don’t feel comfortable doing so. The aim is ultimately to validate the skills of your salon and the people in it, and chances are you have both clients, and staff members, who will be all too happy to be featured on your salon Instagram feed.

Emma and Carla recommend asking yourself: ‘What’s the BEST that can happen?’ - forget the worst and flip this question on it’s head. Once you start focusing on the many benefits to your business, you’ll begin to get excited by the possibilities.

Managing the extra workload

I get it, you’re a busy salon owner and the added workload of an extra social media account is a sticking point. You know Instagram is a fantastic tool for building a following and thus more bookings. BUT if you don’t post regularly there really is no point being there, your clients will lose faith in you if your last post was 6 weeks ago! So, how do you harness the many benefits to your business, without it eating into your day or your home life?

Have a plan

It’s a good idea to have a plan and to use a social media scheduling tool like Latergramme or Grum.co to schedule in all your posts for the week. The key with Instagram is to be consistent, whether you post twice a day or four times a day, stick to it (and more IS more).

You can gather a catalogue of beautiful images from around your salon, and take a couple of moments once a week at a quiet time (Ummm, actually book that time out in your appointment book, otherwise it won’t happen) to plug them in via one of the desktop or phone app’s. That way, you don’t need to worry about collecting content each day. Latergramme will give you a notification when it’s time to post, and all you need to do is hit send with Grum, set it up and forget about it!

Delegate to your team

Working in a creative or beautiful industry like hair and beauty, it’s likely that you have people on your team who are on-to-it, Social Media being one of the things they're likely in to! They would thrive on the opportunity to utilise their skills in their downtime. Make the most of their skills by giving them the opportunity to collect photos to use on your Instagram feed. You could start a roster, with members of staff who are keen taking it in turns to manage the account for a week at a time. That way they all get the chance to do something creative which they love, and you get an interesting and dynamic Instagram account which is going to engage your audience and keep your customers come back again and again.

I know that finding the time to post, let alone create a strategy whilst you're running your team & business, can make it feel like it’s just another item on your to-do list. Is adding another social platform really worth the extra effort? And will it actually bring in those all-important paying customers?

Actually, it’s a strong marketing tactic and you should add it to your arsenal. If you need more ideas, direction or strategy, check out the e-course 6-Weeks to Turn Likes into Bookings.

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Is your website & social media working hard for your business?

Larissa Macleman — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 01:20:04 +0000

As salon owners, it’s easy to get so caught up with the day to day running of your business, seeing to clients’ needs and keeping the salon ticking over, that you can forget how important it is to maintain your presence online.

Once your website is up, it’s vital you don’t just leave it there to stagnate. Just as with any shop front, people who find you online want to see a vibrant place where they can get inspiration and keep up with current news and trends, which is why it’s key to keep updating your site as you go.

What’s more, social media can play a massive role in getting your salon brand out there into the world, and showcasing just how great your stylists really are. Think of it this way, if people find your business online and like what they see, they are far more likely to actually walk through the door.

Earlier this year we were lucky to chat with Jaime Jay, founder of Slapshot Studio. They work with busy entrepreneurs helping them do all the things necessary to build an online presence for their business.

Jamie gave his 3 top tips for really making your website work for you:

Don’t focus on price - Have a blog & add plenty of images

This is especially important in the hair & beauty industry, as it’s a great way to show off your work, hairstyles, beauty results and your salon environment. Make your blog inviting and personalised - there is so much competition on the internet it's important to have a personal message to share, it stops people being so price focused, this is how people learn to live, love & trust you and your brand.

2. Post videos

Video’s are fast becoming THE way to get your business seen online. Not only do they add another dimension to your website, they are also trending on social media, so people will be more likely to share them even further. Think of common questions that people ask you, and post the answers in a short video. (be brave, do Facebook Live - go on)

3. Link from your social media

Not only will posting a link to your website increase traffic and visitors to your site, thus increasing the number of people booking into your salon but link posts also tend to get higher reach - meaning more people see you and your business.

4.‘know, like and trust’

That ‘know, like and trust’ factor is so important in any business but all the more for the hair and beauty industry, as we’re working daily with people on such a personal level.

5. Bring in your team:

But all this marketing can take time, which is why it’s great idea to outsource if and when you are able. Companies like Six UnderGround Media specifically manage Social Media strategies for Salons or get someone to write regular blog posts or two (I know a few if you need ‘em) and just as importantly, get your salon team involved.

The more people you can involve in your digital marketing the better - there will always be someone on your team who is keen to get in front of a camera, and not only will they help create interesting and vibrant marketing activity for your business, they’ll likely share it even further too.

Make sure you tag your team or local businesses into your posts to get further reach, meaning more people see your Brand more often.

Use a Secret-Team-Page to communicate with your team, not only to improve communication, but it a great way to get good images for your social (while you can check and approve quality control first) Get your team to post all their before and afters in there, and you can pick and choose the best of the best.

Whilst all this digital marketing sounds great in theory, when you’re busy running your salon, growing an online presence can seem like another task on the never-ending to-do list. This is why Jaime and his team have developed the 4-90 plan, and they shared with us exactly how it works.

The 4-90 Plan

The 4-90 plan is a simple way to get on top of your marketing and start growing your presence on various social media platforms fast. This is how it works:

Pick 4 of your favourite social media sites or Marketing Strategies to focus on - we recommend Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and your website.
Pick 1 as the go-to marketing platform for the first 90 days.
Post 1-3 times a day on that chosen platform, focus on reach, quality of your posts, promotions and giveaways - this will really start to grow your following.
At the end of the 90 days, move on to the second platform and concentrate on that one with the same focus and effort.

Continue to maintain the first platform of course, just not as intensely. By now you’ll have a formula that is working, make sure you maintain it - continue posting 1-3 times a week.

Build up the next platform in the same way, Focused strategy, posting, giveaways and promotion. And so forth.

By the end of the year, you will have established authority on 4 different social media & your web platform, and you have a plan in place to post regularly on each.

By the time a year comes around again, thing will have changed alot, it will b e time to review your strategy and give it some effort again - Finding fresh ideas and renewed energy for each of your 4 platforms keeps your business looking relevant and that you’re ahead of the game.

So, what’s the number one takeaway when it comes to being visible online?

Content creation is king (or queen depending on your style) - the more relevant your content is for your clients, the more chance you have of being found by your ideal clients.

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Success Is Not An Accident

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 10:08:25 +0000

Success is not usually an accident. It usually follows a formula. But before you even get to a formula, you need to be clear what you want to be successful at! Sure, we all want to be successful in business, of course, otherwise, why did we get into business in the first place. Success needs to be clearer on how it’s going to manifest itself, otherwise it wafts about aimlessly.

It seems to me that those that are hugely successful are successful at something quite specific. It’s clear from the outside what they are about, what they do and what they are awesome at. It can be harder than you think, from inside your own goldfish bowl to get clear on your purpose or narrow down to one specific set of expertise.

Every one of us has the ability to excel at something. It doesn't have to be a huge point of difference, simply your unique personal quality or passion that you want to share with the world. When you get clear on who you are, what you love and what you’re an expert at - Magical things start to happen.

Be the go-to-expert

Think about what's Important to you? What do you want to be known for? Where does your passion lie? Where your expert skills cross over with your passion - this becomes your purpose and usually with it, your area of expertise. Once you are clear about this - it becomes more simple to share a clear and succinct message to the world and attract the right types of clients and team into your business

Know-Like & Trust

We like to do business with people that we know, like and trust. We trust those that show us that they know what they are experts in their field and have confidence in their abilities. We trust what they’re sharing with us. The same applies for our clients - they want to know you, not only that you know what you’re talking about but that you can produce the results they’re looking for. They too want to go to someone they can get to know, like and trust.

Tell your story

Storytelling is the best way to show your ideal client that you are the go-to-expert that is right for them. But first get clear on your message. Yes, it’s about you being an expert but it’s also about your client… she only cares for you if you can solve HER problems. Will you be her vitamin or painkiller?
Are you going to dull the pain she has with her hair and fix all her beauty woohs. Bringing her out of her beauty disasters or are you the vitamin that will lift her up to the beauty she desires with your magical scissor-wand? Remember the story is about her - not you!

Weave and share your story, however,suits you best. I love to blog but it’s not for everyone. But the same principle applies. You can tell your story through vlog posts on Socials, Youtube and Facebook Live. Through images on Instagram or snapchat stories. It doesn't matter how you deliver your message or share your story, the point is that you don’t keep your talents a secret - People can’t do business with you if they don’t know where or why you exist.

Give’em a hook & get’em to book

I know for some of you, sales is a swear word. But what’s the point of all this if you don’t get booked and paid!? The simple fact is, people don’t want to have to work hard to do business with you. If they know, like and trust you already then it’s time.

We book restaurants, flights, hotels, we buy clothes and the weekly shopping online - why should doing business with the hairdresser or beauty therapist be any different? Don’t make them leave their device or social site and have to search hard to connect with you. Don't make them search for your phone number just to find you’re closed on a Monday. They’ll forget by tomorrow. Give’em a hook and then the link to book (online that is).

Success is not an accident, it’s a formula!

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A Salon’s Secret Formula For Success

Larissa Macleman — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 02:00:25 +0000

Successful salon owners often get asked, ‘what’s your salon secret formula for success?’

There are so many factors at play when it comes to going it alone and setting up your own salon, it’s easy to look at other successful businesses out there and think that there must be some magic bullet that will take away all the hours of hard work, late nights and strong coffee. But is there?

I caught up with Kesia King, founder of Chop Chop Mobile Salon to get her to spill the beans about how she managed to set up such an innovative new concept.

Kesia has a background in marketing and entrepreneurship, having previously worked for a Fortune 500 company. She came up with the idea for Chop Chop when on maternity leave as a way to follow her dreams whilst creating a sense of community and belonging in a society which for many feels increasingly disparate.

However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. But despite having battled through staff failing to turn up and a failed investment round, Kesia and her business have come out of the other side stronger than ever.

She shared her top tips for any aspiring salon owner embarking on their salon entrepreneurial journey:

Create a business plan

Never under-estimate the value of taking the time to create a solid business plan at the beginning of your venture. You should take the time to really consider your financials and map out how you envisage the first 6 months, year, and even five years. This will enable you to have a far clearer idea of what you need to do to move your business forward, and is also vital should you decide to go for funding to get your salon business off the ground.

Have a plan b, and c, and d!

When funding for Kesia’s mobile trailer fell through, it was thanks to her plan b, a cheaper alternative that she had already written into her business plan, that she was able to continue to pursue her dream. Make sure you consider every eventuality possible and write different scenarios into your business plan too. It’s a good idea to have different price points and different offerings, in order to ensure you never rely on one sole idea to generate all your revenue.

Be prepared to be flexible

You may have prepared for ‘every eventuality’, but you also need to expect the unexpected if you’re to succeed in business. The fact that your success rides on so many different people and external factors can seem overwhelming, but with a cohesive plan and strong leadership, you’ll be able to pull everything together, even if it isn’t how you originally planned - and know that it probably won’t be!

Find a team you can rely on

Surrounding yourself with a like-minded team of people who share your vision and your desire for success is no mean feat believe me. But in order to be successful it’s vital you surround yourself with people who understand the entrepreneurial lifestyle, and who will be just as willing to work hard to get everything off the ground.

Be prepared to muck in

When a key stylist failed to turn up to Kesia’s first ever event with the mobile salon, she had no option but to step up and take her place. Not being a stylist herself, it was terrifying.This hammers home the importance of working with a strong, and dependable team, and always having a backup plan should something go wrong.

Keep the faith

Kesia thanks her dogged determination to fulfil her dreams for the success of her business idea. In those moments of doubt, and there will be many along the way, it’s vital that you keep the faith and truly believe that you will succeed. Using visualisation techniques is a powerful way to make your dreams a reality. Think about your business as if it’s already successful, and do this at every available opportunity. That way, success really will be within your reach.

Kesia’s number one tip to make it happen - ‘See it before you see it’.

Listen to Kesia’s journey and full interview here.

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