The Phorest Blog

5 SMS Templates to Fill up February and Share the Love by Adding Value This Valentines

2012-02-01T10:26:00.000Z

It is almost Valentines Day and that means, whether we love or loathe it, that the season of bona fide cheesiness is already in full swing. You might have the urge to bury your head in treatments and pretend that it isn't occurring. But that would be a mistake. Occasions such as valentines are an opportunity. There are no clever gags, incredible marketing strategies or magic tricks needed. It is easy... get in the spirit of things and the clients will come to you. That is not even mentioning the fact that clients have just received their January pay and the post Christmas belt tightening is officially over. In fact, the "lord-I-forgot-what-it-feels-like-to-spend-and-eat-rush" is kicking in.

If you think you're worried about what to do for Valentines, you should see what your customers are thinking. There are women out there scouring dating sites for a viable date for the night, Teenage girls buttering up their mothers so they can go to that Valentines disco, men and women striving to look their best for the night, men who forgot what Valentines existed and have been driven into a frenzied panic by all the memorabilia on display... I could go on, but I think we all get the picture. Basically, there is a world of clients out there, whether gift wise or service wise and you would be a fool not to tap into that market.

Here are some SMS ideas to spread a little of your salons love by adding value to your services and get the clients kicking down your door this Valentines…

Nails

<Client first name> Finally Feb! Wave the Jan Blues away w/ free eyebrow tint worth £15 w/all shellac nails @beautyworld. Only 18 slots left call 01292928574

Hair

<Client first name> Stand Out & Pump up the Volume this Valentines... Free VOLUMISING gift w/ all cut&blowdrys @hairworld. feb only!Limited call 0129292857

Beauty

<Client first name> Spring Cleans are not just for the house,stay fresh this feb. Detox w/free cleanser w/ all facials @beautyworld. Limited avail 0129292857

Valentines

<Client first name> We'll be your best Valentine this year. Free head & shoulder massage worth £20 w/all appts booked for Valentines week! 0120445834957

<Client first name> Roses r Red, Violets r Blue and we have valentines sorted 4 you! £30 Gift Wrapped product packs worth £50 @beautytree, Only 16 slots. 0120445834957

Alvy Carragher is an SMS Marketing expert who works with Phorest salons to help grow their business. If you are interested in booking on one of our FREE SMS trainings, email Alvy on alvy.carragher@phorest.com. Phorest is the leading salon software company in the UK and Ireland.

The Difference That Makes The Difference!

2012-01-30T14:34:00.000Z

We're a few weeks into 2012 now, aren't we.

The reality of running a business in an economic climate like this is staring us all in the face, but the interesting thing is ... some salons will always thrive in a recession.

It always has been the case and it always will be the case, but the really interesting question is, why does it happen, what's the difference that makes the difference between thriving and going down?

Well, at it's simplest, most basic level, it happens because an individual makes a choice about who they are and what they stand for.

Let me give you example.

There were two twin boys with a horrendous, alcoholic, wife beating, petty thief, of a father. Both boys had a traumatic childhood, but they reacted to it in very different ways and by the time the boys were 30 one had becomejust like his father, while the other had broken away from the families cycle of despair and become a successful salon owner with a happy familyof his own.

When asked why they’d turned out like they had,they both gave the same answer … I’m like I am … “Because of my father!”

One boy saw his self-image as a victim and used hisfather’s behaviour as an ‘excuse’ tojustify his own. In his mind, he had nochoice.

The other saw his self-image as a success and used hisfather’s behaviour as his ‘motivation’to be different.

Both boys had a choice about their self-image and how they saw themselves. Youhave the same choice with the recession!

You can see yourself as a victim of it and use itas an excuse for failure … or you can use it as a powerful motivation tool to helpyou succeed.

The good news or the bad news is ... The Choice Is Yours!

Simon is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest customers are welcome to a free coaching session with him.To arrange your FREE session send an Email with the title Free Coaching Session to simon@simonlotinga.com

Mastering Your Business Means Mastering Yourself...

2012-01-30T13:17:00.003Z

This morning I stumbled across last years goals that I had written down. It is amazing how powerful writing something down can be!.. Even the action of writing down your goals can bring them to fruition and motivate you into action.

Of course it is better to write them and put them somewhere you can see them on a regular basis to ensure momentum. I realised I had achieved most of what I had written down without having them out in front of me. It was like a sublime message imprinted on my subconscious mind to focus on. It is like once it is out on paper it is in the universe...

One thing I have learnt for myself is that if I overload my goals and have too many then I do nothing. There is a formula for goal setting called S.M.A.R.T. In case you have forgotten this is the formula that has been used in the business world for setting goals for many years. I have added a few little tweaks to the smart formula you may find helpful when setting your goals.

S means Specific... which means something tangible that means something to you - e.g. "A new premises" is a tangible specific thing whereas "I'm going to make improvements" is too ambiguous.
M means Measurable... and make it meaningful, memorable, motivating and even magical.
A means Achievable… which also translates to planned, accountable and agreed upon.
R means Realistic... which translates into relevant, reasonable, rewarding and result orientated.
T means Time based, tangible and thoughtful with relation to the outcome you desire.

Work and life balance is so important when writing down your goals. Writing down too much can become overwhelming. Take one area at a time and write down one goal for that area of your life. It is a good idea to be away from your usual places of distraction like home or the business. Find somewhere where you like to turn off the phone and feel creative.

What are your goals going to be this year?

Sue Woodall is a salon business consultant who has worked in and with hundreds of salons over the last 20 years. She is about to launch a new salon manament business course with phorest.com, the UK and Ireland’s leading salon software company. You can email her here.

The secret to getting things done!

2012-01-23T09:21:00.000Z

I don't know about you ... but with my Salon Owners hat on I've been absolutely wowed by the blog posts that Barry, Alvy, Nicola and Sue have been sharing with us since Christmas.

The concept of Hairmiles:
The do's and don't s of loyalty programmes:
Powerful tips for getting the best out of Facebook;

this information is priceless, isn't it ... but only if we use it, which means taking action is the key, so what's the secret to taking an interesting idea and getting it done?

Some recent research has shown that only 10% of blog readers who look at a post and think "that's a good idea" actually do take action and use it.

25% of readers who look at a post and think "that's a good idea ... I must do it" take action.

40% of readers who look at a post and think "that's a good idea, I must do it" and then set a 'deadline' for getting it done, finally take action.

50% of readers who look at a post and think "that's a good idea, I must do it" then set a deadline and 'create a plan', finally take action.

60% of readers who look at a post and think "that's a good idea, I must do it" then set a deadline and 'create a written plan' about how they can do it, finally take action.

95% of readers who look at a post and think "that's a good idea, I must do it" then set a deadline, create a written plan and then 'make a commitment to a coach or mentor', finally take action.

So now you know the secret to getting things done ... the question is ... what are you going to do about it!

Simon is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest customers are welcome to a free coaching session with him which you would be foolish to miss, because he can help you deal with many of the problems that worry salon owners today. To arrange your FREE session send an Email with the title Free Coaching Session to simon@simonlotinga.com

6 SMS ideas to make sure you are booked out Valentines week, ensure clientele for March and sell more product than ever before!

2012-01-18T09:44:00.000Z

I am sure you are all fully aware that it is less than a month to Valentines Day. It’s a mixed bag when it comes to attitudes towards the season. But at the end of the day it hails the end of the January blues. It’s the beginning of spring. It’s a day full of the things we publicly loathe, but secretly love…(I don’t see too many complaints from anyone on the receiving end of this kind of attention.) the cheesy cards, boxes of chocolates and bad poetry.

As a salon this is a golden opportunity. We are basically talking about one night of the year when most of the adult country will not only be striving to look their best (whether for an exciting date or a night out on the town) but looking for the perfect gifts.…

So firstly, make sure your clients book now… offer valentines treats or packages that cover all their beauty and hair needs. Offer a £10 free voucher to spend in the month of march, with a treatment booked in Valentines week. You can even get creative and get Barry, here at Phorest, to design your custom Valentines gift cards. This will not only get them in for their Valentines day preparations, but ensures they come back to you in March!

Now think about the less obvious client… the men! Imagine all those poor men… breaking out in a sweat remembering the faces of their respective others after the debacle they came up with at Christmas. Let’s face it, they need help and you can offer it. Offer them Valentines Day specials, vouchers at various price points (or even better a voucher for £40 that says it is £50… making them look better will increase their likelihood to spend). You can also make up custom gift packages with products that all the ladies will be sure to love.

The possibilities don’t end there. Mothers and daughters get each other gifts and sometimes even friends. So send another campaign that tackles these clients. By dividing up your audience and sending a couple of different texts to different groups you will ensure that the right person is getting the right message. Ensuring you will have your most profitable Valentines day yet.

It’s one thing to come up with these ideas…but you have to let your clients know. Why not try some of our SMS ideas to let your customers know what you are offering this Valentines Day.

Gift Texts
<Client first name> Roses are red violets are blue, pick the right gift and they will love you. Gift vouchers @beauty £50 for £40 limited 013456799

<Client first name>, Roses are red, violets are blue, if u don't pick the right gift, so too will b you! Get gift vouchers @beauty £50 for £40 limited 013456799

<Client first name>, Ensure your other half is after your heart and not your head on V.Day! @beautytree w/ our packages £50 of product 4 £35. call 3297458235

<Client first name>, No need to panic! we have V.Day sorted for you. Plenty of gifts @beauty from perfect packages to gift vouchers. limited, call 3570302373

To Make Sure you’re booked out this Valentines week
<Client first name>, Don't let the flowers out do you! Make sure you look your best this V.day @beauty, book now to ensure a spot, limited... call 3954839574750

<Client first name>, Glam up for this Valentines week @Beauty. £10 free voucher w/ any booking valentines week. Spaces limited, so book now 010299347039753

3 Reasons To Love Your Loyalty...

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000Z

The meaning of the word loyalty according to wikipedia is “faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group or cause” which for salons means your business! You know that your repeat clients are what keep you going. It is those clients that love you unconditionally, that are the life blood of your business and rewarding them is a must. When starting your salon one of the key lessons you quickly learn is how much easier (and cheaper) it is to increase the spend of your existing clients than it is to attract brand new clients.

Here are 3 reasons to love your loyalty.

1. Reward
You can ditch the discounts and reward with loyalty e.g. a “double points day”. It is a great way to entice your clients to come in without discounting or devaluing your treatments. I’m sure you are aware that your clients are more likely to go out of their way to see you if they get points. It is crucial when you set up your loyalty system that you dont give points on usual treatments. Tempt them with different treatments they may not have had before - for example a facial client might like to try a spray tan for a special occasion. Time and again evidence shows that once she has tried something new she is more likely to come in again for both treatments.

2. Introduce
Loyalty points are a great way to attract new clients. You can set up a client referral programe for your regulars. Imagine if Jenny is allowed to give her friend (who incidently is just like her) a treatment in your salon as she has never been before.

Strike One: she is likely to be as nice as Jenny because they are friends.
Strike Two: she could turn into another regular client.
Strike Three: she is more likely (because her treatment is free) to add some thing else with it to treat herself.

Yes you will get the occasional non-return but it is better to focus on the 10 new clients that you will get rather than the one you don't.

3. Remind
Your fab loyalty tag is a great subliminal message to your client. It is on her keys which she uses more than once per day. Keys are always near to you in a bag or lying on the table etc. It can also be a talking point if a friend sees the tag which creates a conversation about your great salon...

So let’s get the attitude of gratitude going this year. You have regulars so love their loyalty.

If you have a hair salon Barry at Phorest has an amazing loyalty programme unique to Phorest for you! Guaranteed to work for hair salons you can contact him for more information on barry@phorest.com.

How Love Hair Love Beauty Got 1000's of Bookings Through Facebook Last Year

2012-01-12T13:12:00.001Z

The best thing about a Facebook page for your buiness is that its FREE! I worked with Love Hair Love Beauty last year on their Facebook promotions and we managed to get 1000's of extra bookings. Here are some things we learnt.

1. Get your clients to Check-In: Run monthly competitions for your clients that check-in at the salon. By your client checking in at the salon they are promoting YOUR Business to all of their friends. This also increases check-ins on your business page and creates awareness on their friends' timelines.

2. Get more Likes on your Facebook page: If you saw a salon with 100 good reviews and a salon with 7 good reviews, which one would you pick?
Once your client has liked your page, this will appear in their likes on their personal profile so all their friends can see that you like "The Salon". If you have a website, put a facebook like button on the homepage. This makes it easy for the client to like your page without even being on Facebook. Now put this everywhere!

We put the Facebook Like button on the Love Hair Love Beauty website, buiness cards, tv screens in the salon, pricelist, receipts, newsletter and on each online booking we let our customers know that by either adding us as a friend or liking our business page they would get our EXCLUSIVE Facebook deals. We also ran competitions on our buiness page for things like a Spray Tan, Set of Nails etc. We found this got the most increase in likes and sometimes we picked up new clients, many of whom come in for repeat business time and time again.

The main thing about your Facebook page is to keep it active with new pictures, daily beauty tips, new products and services and new staff. If you are constantly updating your status it becomes the norm and clients know what kind of information they are going to get from you. The Salon does Facebook exlusive offers frequently and they found they are fantastic for filling white spaces. They normally put the offers out just as the salon was about to close. Love Hair Love Beauty prefered its clients to book online and therefore they had to book online once the salon was closed. Clients were encouraged to book online with these cheaper or added value packages, which then increased their online bookings as people become more aware that the salon offered online booking. They also promoted their Facebook page on the salon's Zanadoo page with a special Facebook offers tab.

Actively make your clients your Facebook friends: The salon actively searched for clients on Facebook and added them as a friend. They also asked clients for their email address in the salon and after putting it on the Phorest system, sent them a friend request or Like request.

We'd love to hear from you if you have any experiences with Facebook in your salon or have any questions!

Nicola Young is a Salon Business Advisor for Phorest.com, a leading salon software provider in the UK and Ireland. You can follow her on twitter here

Introducing Hairmiles… The Latest Innovation in Salon Loyalty.

2012-01-09T09:17:00.000Z

Here at Phorest we have devised a unique, exclusive loyalty program, which creatively rewards your clients making YOU stand out from your competition and bringing your clients back to you.

The new Phorest Loyalty system will:
• Set you apart from your competition
• Be a Daily reminder of your business
• Generate you more Money!

It is really, really easy to set up and we will be with you every step of the way to make sure you are getting the most out of it. Please, DO NOT use the 10 stamps on a piece of paper as your Loyalty system it WILL lose you money in 2012.

Instead choose our Funky HAIRMILES initiative. For each £ that your clients spend they clock up Hairmiles. At different point totals your clients will receive rewards, and here is where you can be creative! You can have some of your own products and maybe a particular service as rewards, and then compliment these with some outside rewards such as Champagne, Flowers, a meal for 2 …etc.

Here's how its works:
• The system does all the work for you - it's that easy
• We set it up for you.
• All you have to do is get creative and come up with a list of rewards for your clients e.g flowers, champagne etc… and we will do the rest.

The attitude of gratitude really works, how do we know? we have tried and tested it....

Barry Quinn is the expert for all things Loyalty here at Phorest. Phorest.com is a leading supplier of software and online booking to the hair and beauty industry in the UK and Ireland.

3 SMS Ideas to Ward of the January Slump and Keep Your Clients Rolling in...

2012-01-06T09:12:00.000Z

It's simple, almost too simple to write promotional texts at this time of the year. It's a New Year and that could really mean anything for anyone! However we do have the small luxury of knowing full well that most people's resolutions revolve around improving their appearance and getting healthy. The good news for you is that you have exactly what they want… you just need to remind them!

So if you have any sort of weight loss treatment or skin improvement regime... now is the time to pedal it. It's also a great time to push the "New year, New you" type slogans. Whether, that's a dramatic hair transformation, a slimmer waistline or just smoother skin...

Hair/Beauty/Nail

<Client first name>, Our Resolution @beautyspa is 2 make your resolves come true. Spend this free £10 on any £30+ treatment in JAN. Limited Space.call 938450389

Beauty

<Client first name>,How do you shed the excess Xmas pounds fast? @beautyspa our slimming t'ment was £50 and is now £35 for JAN only. 8 slots, call 39845749570

Hair

<Client first name>, New Year = New You. Let people see the change. Get a free product & styling tips @beautyspa w/every cut this Jan. Book now! 061934850435

If A Salon Is Quiet During January, What Is The Best Way For A Therapist To Use Her Time?

2012-01-03T17:50:00.001Z

A very Happy New Year 2012 to you all and I am sure this year will bring new opportunities. Out with the old and in with the new! Keeping your staff occupied and pro-active in January can be a challenge especially as a bored staff room can be a breeding ground for discontent. So here is a little inspiration to get you going.

1. Organise a Staff Inspiration Meeting - There is no better time than January to gather all your staff together. January is generally quiet so delegate one of your staff to organise a morning or an afternoon for a staff inspiration meeting. It will work wonders. But here’s the thing. You need to be inspiring. So put away the January blues and lead the way.

Acknowledge and appreciate - say thank you to your staff for their efforts last year, and acknowledge their part in your business. It is important to create a team feeling and show that regardless of the good and bad times they know they were part of it and you are glad they were.
Reflect - look back at the achievements throughout the year. If you did face adversity it is always good to discuss and share the lessons you learnt. It is also an excellent opportunity to encourage discussion to see what your staff learnt too. You may be pleasantly surprised at what they have to say.
Include - A great way to get staff motivated is to include them in your decision making and nurture their ideas. Your marketing calender for the year ahead is an excellent topic to discuss. Get an outline of ideas for a month by month calender for 2012. Valentines is only a short while away so use this time to create your next campaign. By including your staff they will feel part of the business. This feeling creates excitement, enthusiasm and happiness in the work place. This is an absolute must for your clients after all your business is a haven away from their troubles. Your staff know what their clients like, so listen to their input and take on board their good ideas. It is amazing how creative and inspirational this meeting can be. A word of caution though. If you don't like some of their ideas then discuss them openly. Do not dismiss their ideas out of hand and explain the pitfalls as you see them. Otherwise this may stop you getting their next idea which may be the best one!

2. Training - Schedule some training time. Use senior staff or bring in company reps or professionals. Utilise your team’s free time to excite and re-enthuse. Re-engage them on treatments or products they may have forgotten about. This will be great for sales. For your less experienced staff, training is so beneficial. They learn from the best, so use your senior staff.
This way you hit 2 birds with the one stone; by using seniors you acknowledge them and also enthuse your juniors. It is also excellent for sales and team building. Why not set a task of coming up with a new signature treatment for your business? Ask your team to write a procedure and implement the treatment to create a buzz.

3. Clear the clutter - There is nothing better than organising or clearing clutter from your business. It is amazing how dis-organisation and clutter can effect the energy in a business. It is empowering and motivating and clears away the cobwebs, creating a good feeling in your business.

I hope you are now feeling inspired! Before you know it will be Valentines day and you will be well back into the swings of an exciting new year.

Sue Woodall is a salon business consultant who has worked in and with hundreds of salons over the last 20 years. She is about to launch a new salon manament business course with phorest.com, the UK and Ireland’s leading salon software company. You can email her here.

Did you do it .... and if you did!

2012-01-01T10:07:00.000Z

First of all ... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Now I know I promised I'd be back between Christmas and New Year with an idea which has the power to make 2012 better than you think ... but I realised I could make it even more powerful by waiting until New Years Day!

Why was it better to wait?

Because, without any nudging, pushing, prodding or interference from me, last night was your best opportunity of the year to prove something to yourself and you either did it ... or you didn't.

No ifs or buts ... you either did it or you didn't! ... So did you?

Did you create any New Years resolutions for yourself and your business?

If you did, then congratulations, you've joined an important club ... The goal setters club.

By doing it without any nudging or prodding you've taken a very important step ... you've taken responsibility for your own success. As a coach, I've learned over the years that you're the salon owners I can really help.

Sadly there are lots more salon owners who desperately need help but they're not ready to face facts and say ...

If it's to be ... It's up to me!

They think there's no point in setting goals

while the economy is in recession
while they've got staff problems
while the cost of things is going up all the time
while the weathers not great ...

so many excuses, so many reasons why it's impossible for them to feel positive and look forward ... the good news, is the pessimists are your competitors and they're leaving the door wide open for you!

This is just one of the many reasons why now is a great time to be feeling positive about 2012.

If you joined the goal setters club last night, you proved you understand this as well, but did you know research has shown that working with a coach can increase your ability to achieve your goals by up to 400%!

Would you like to increase your ability to achieve your 2012 goals by up to 400%? If you would, you need to be quick.

Send me an Email simon@simonlotinga.com before 9pm on Tuesday 3rd January. Tell me in your Email what your new years goals are and why you want to achieve them.

In return for being bold and being positive, I'll give you a months free coaching instead of the 1 hour session I usually offer Phorest clients.

It's important you understand, I'm serious about the offer, I'm serious about the deadline and I'm serious about helping you ... so do it now.

Write down your 2012 goals, the reason why you want to achieve them ... and send the Email! simon@simonlotinga.com

Simon is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight.

The Secret To Increasing Your Clients Spend!

2011-12-21T15:21:00.004Z

The art of increasing the spend of your happy clients is tied inextricably to providing them with extra value.

Never discount if you can avoid it
For example if you discount a popular service that your salon or spa is renowned for, you are effectively telling your clients that you have been charging too much for it. Your full paying clients will never feel the same again about paying full price for that treatment. See how dangerous a discount can be?

If you add value, your clients will spend more
It is far better to give your clients an extra service for free on top of the one they usually have even if this costs you the same as a discount. Why? Because your clients’ perception of the full value of the original service stays the same while you are introducing them to something new which they may come back and purchase.

Regular Loyalty Programs based on discounts do not work
Typical loyalty systems that you see in salons offer clients discounts if they spend a certain amount in the business. This again devalues the full price of your service to your regular clients. This is a dangerous trap to fall into - and it can be hard to climb back out.

Phorest provides Salon Owners with the most effective loyalty system in the industry
Your loyalty system rewards repeat customers with special treats that they never had before thereby delighting them while at the same time introducing them to new services while maintaining the value of what you charge in their minds.

Sue Maguire is Sales and Education Director for phorest.com, a leading salon software provider in the UK and Ireland.

Happy Christmas

2011-12-21T09:09:00.000Z

Hello again.

I've left you alone for the last couple of weeks because I'm sure you've all been rather busy!

On Sunday however, the business rush will all be over and we can relax, join our family and friends and have a good time for a few days ... knowing we deserve it.

Then, all too soon, the business merry go round starts again and we climb back on for 2012.

To help you get off to a good start I'll be back in the run up to the New Year with an idea that has the power to make 2012 much better than you think!

Happy Christmas.

Nu Essence Win the Battle for the Best Text.

2011-12-19T09:50:00.001Z

The Nu Essence Team

So the texts are in and we have decided on our winner! For all of you looking for some SMS campaign inspiration you needn’t look any further. Nu Essence in Dublin had the most creative and seasonal campaign! Here’s the winning text:

GUARANTEE A KISS UNDER THE MISTLETOE THIS X-MAS E60 PARTY PREP PACK. SPRAY TAN, SHELLAC NAILS & EYELASH TINTING AT NU ESSENCE CALL TO BOOK 01 6716443

Congratulations to Nu Essence… You will receive this campaign completely free!

The Attitude of Gratitude... And How It Makes All The Difference This Christmas

2011-12-14T16:17:00.002Z

Well it’s here. December. That lovely time of year. Everyone is getting into the Spirit of Christmas it’s time to say thank you. It always amazes me how a genuine “thank you” can make you feel. It feels so nice to be appreciated. It is really a small gesture that takes little time and effort that has such an impact. I'm sure you all know about the law of attraction, positive thoughts and actions give positive results. How often do we mean to say thank you but get caught up in the day to day and forget. So this post is a gentle reminder.

Here are 3 little thank yous that will go a long way.

1. Your family or loved ones.
How often do you see and are sometimes moved to tears at Award ceremonies such as the Oscars!   Actors thank their nearest and dearest publicly. They are grateful for the silent support that they are given by their loved ones. Without that support they would not have the freedom to do what they love and achieve success!! In your business who ultimately supports you in the background? A husband or maybe a good friend? Who gives you the words of encouragement? honesty when we are unreasonable? Sometimes this is not really what you want to hear but never the less it is needed. When was the last time that you actually said “thank you” properly to your family or loved ones? We often forget them, and assume they know we are grateful! So they are number one on my list of reminders with a huge thank you and a big hug.

2. Your staff..
They are the reason that you are now in business end of the year. Without your staff you would not be able to achieve all the possibilities you dream of, never mind keep your business open and your clients happy. All the marketing in the world is useless without them.   Of course you will have ups and downs with your team, but they are the life blood of your business! You may believe it is only financial rewards that matter. That may be true for some, but for most of us, a simple genuine thank you goes an awful long way. Saying thankyou verbally is better but I have worked with clients that prefer not to say thank you verbally. If that is you, write it. A little card and a small token of appreciation (a little candle, or small gift) is all they need. It is not really the gift it is the gesture that has all the impact.

3. Your clients...
Clients are still spending money but it is evident that they are more choosy about where they spend it, and who they spend it with. So saying thank you to your clients shows your genuine appreciation, and that will go a long way. So how do you say thank you clients? You could send an email. But the only thing with email is that with so many offers going around they may not get the genuine message. Sending Christmas cards will ultimately be more expensive so nothing is better than a quick text! With a 99% open rate you know you will get the desired result! Think about when you send your text though. Send your text between Christmas and New Year. Between the 26th & 30th is the best time that way your message wont get lost in all the pre Christmas madness. Here are a couple of suggestions.

Dear <Client name> <Salon Name> would like to say a big THANK YOU, we really appreciate your custom and look forward to seeing you in the 2012”.
Dear < Client Name> THANK YOU , we really appreciate your custom and look forward to seeing you in 2012 and here is £5 to spend in 2012.

Ohh and if you are going you give money to spend to say “thank you” avoid time exclusions in this case. It is a thank you token of appreciation, the right people will appreciate it and use it. Imagine if you get 200 up takes on that “Thank You” text? So that is 200 extra clients coming into your business and regulars deserve the reward as they helped keep you in business. Make sure they show the text to redeem it so you know what impact it had.

All that remains for me to do is to say my thanks, so a big “THANK YOU” to all of the clients that attended the workshops and thanks for taking the time to read my blog posts. I hope they helped...

Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year talk to you in 2012..... Enjoy …..

As always you know where we are if you need any help sue.woodall@phorest.com

How Can You Text All Your Clients For Free?

2011-12-14T14:59:00.000Z

Win our “Battle for the Best Text”…. That’s how. The texts have been piling in and the competition is heating up!

How?

The competition is simple. We want you to send out a Christmas SMS campaign and include us as one of the recipients!

We will monitor what you are sending and post the top 5 SMS ideas on our Blog! We will also give the best text idea their Christmas Campaign completely free (that’s right…even if the winner has sent thousands of the text out…we will cover the cost).

Irish Clients Text to 086-868-0002

UK clients Text to 076-2480-1421

What?

Maybe you want to remind Clients to book in for January now (to keep the busy season going), perhaps you have some Christmas Vouchers you need to sell off, or maybe you just want to thank all your clients for their Custom this year.

Any kind of campaign can enter the competition; we just want to see some inventive texting!

When?

Before, Friday at 11am. That’s the closing date…so it’s time to break out the creativity and get your texts in.

Who Can Enter?

All our Salons and Spas are encouraged to participate.

Why?

We think it is about time that we rewarded your hard work and gave you all the opportunity to show us what you’ve learnt this year. Let the battle begin….

Closing Date is Friday the 16th of December at 11am. The Best texts will be published on our Blog Monday the 19th of December and the winner will also be announced.

Staff Motivation ... a simple guide!

2011-12-06T11:18:00.001Z

I was contacted recently by the owner of a successful day spa who, after reading some of my recent posts, decided to take me up on my offer of a FREE Coaching Session.

When we talked I discovered she's a successful lady who's been in business for nearly 30 years, employs 17 people, makes a profit and yet she said she felt stuck.

She went on to explain ...

"What I mean by stuck is that I feel I've tried everything to motivate my staff and nothing seems to work!"

"I try to be fair and give them what they want. They've got excellent working conditions. They're well paid and can earn good commission on top. But no matter what I do they still don't produce the sales/revenue I know they should be able to."

Now the fact is running a successful business is always going to be a balancing act, isn't it.

We've got ...

ourselves to please
our staff to please
our clients to please
our bank manager to please
the tax man to please

and the list goes on!

You'll notice I put pleasing ourselves at the top of the list. The tragedy is that most salon owners are too busy putting themselves at the bottom of the list.

Why does this matter?

Quite simply because, when you're clear about what you want from your business (both lifestyle and financially), you can then be clear about what you 'expect' from everyone else.

You can also be clear about what you're prepared to give them ... in return for giving you what you want and clear about the consequences if they don't!

What's this got to do with our 'stuck' day spa owner and her under-performing staff?

Everything!

She gave her staff targets, with rewards if they achieved them ... but no consequences if they didn't. They weren't motivated by the rewards she was offering and because they were 'comfortable' didn't feel the motivated to change their behaviour to help her either! In other words their under-performance was her problem ... not theirs!

I explained that her staff could be motivated to change in two ways. By using ...

towards motivation
or away motivation

If they trusted her and she offered them something attractive or exciting that they really wanted and believed they could get ... then they would take the risk, take action and move towards what she wanted. That's towards motivation.

The alternative would be to make their current performance level 'uncomfortable' by showing them that it could lead to them losing hours or eventually their job if it didn't improve. This would motivate them to take action and move away from the discomfort she'd created and become 'comfortable' at a higher level of performance.

In other words she could move their comfort zone and they will either move with it, or move away all together!

Both types of motivation work, which you should choose just depends on what you can afford, the characters involved and the goal you're aiming for .

Now here are 2 important words of warning.

Don't fall into the trap of offering 'towards' motivation incentives you can't afford or sustain. Money, prizes and perks can be motivating but they soon get taken for granted ... until you want to take them away. Get this wrong and you'll end up demotivating everyone and spending a lot of money as well ... not a good combination!

Don't fall into the trap of being inconsistent or unfair when using 'away' motivation to move their comfort zone. You have to treat all your staff the same way.Communicate clearly and consistently with everyone. Tell them exactly what's expected and why. Make it clear what the rewards are for success and the consequences are for failure. Make sure you give them deadlines that are clear and reasonable. Be firm but fair and reasonable and you'll be fine ... the law is on your side.

A few days later the day spa owner sent me an Email that said

Hi Simon

Thanks for showing me clearly "I've been too soft!"

You were able to talk through this with me and made me realise my 'being nice' was doing me no favours!

The good news is I'm now getting all the figures and statistics I can out of my Memento database on my individual Therapists' performance and I'll be having a 'different' type of appraisal with them very soon, following the formula you gave me.

You were also right when you pointed out that I need to set them standards which I 'expect' and not just 'hope' they will achieve, and if they don't, in future there will be consequences!

Thanks again for your help.

As salon and spa owners, most of us learn the hard way that staff motivation is one of the most challenging things for us to get right. The good news is, as you've just seen, once you know how to go about it, life does get easier!

Simon is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest customers are welcome to a free coaching session with him which you would be foolish to miss, because he can help you deal with many of the problems that worry salon owners today. To arrange your FREE session send an Email with the title Free Coaching Session to simon@simonlotinga.com

Get Your Christmas SMS Campaign for Free with our "Battle for the Best Text Competition".

2011-12-05T10:39:00.000Z

We thought it would be fun to spark a little Christmas competition. It’s going be a battle for the best text! We want to see what you can come up with. We’ve shown you how, and now we want to see which salon can be the most creative.

The competition is simple. We want you to send out a Christmas SMS campaign and include us as one of the receivers! We will monitor what you are sending and post the top 5 SMS ideas on our blog! We will also give the best text idea their Christmas Campaign completely free.

We think it is about time that we rewarded your hard work and gave you all the opportunity to show us what you’ve learnt this year. Let the battle begin….

Irish Clients Text to 00353-868680002

UK clients Text to 0044-7624801421

Closing Date is Friday the 16^th of December at 11am. The Best texts will be published on our Blog Monday the 19^th of December and the winner will also be announced.

A life changing story ... for a salon owner.

2011-11-29T08:39:00.001Z

As Salon Owners we love learning from each other, don't we!

I was reminded of this last night. I was talking with a small group of Phorest customers. One of them mentioned the nightmare she had to deal with when she decided to expand and open her second salon. We were curious, so we asked her what happened.

We discovered that she'd started off with high hopes, but soon the problems began to appear and build. They got so bad that at one point she lost a stone in weight, nearly had a nervous breakdown and stopped trusting people. In the end she closed the second salon.

As you can imagine this experience left her confidence in tatters but the good news is ... she didn't let it beat her. She picked herself up and went on a self awareness course.

It took a while and it wasn't easy in the beginning, but by working through the exercises and lessons on the course, she learned she was a worthwhile person who deserved to be successful and could be proud of what she's achieved in life.

In other words, she changed how she felt about herself on the 'inside'.

The results were amazing. Her confidence grew, the way clients and staff responded changed, the salon started performing better and the problems that had seemed so 'BIG' began to shrink and fade away. She learned one of the most powerful lessons any salon owner can learn. How we feel about ourselves on the 'inside' (our self image in other words) will be reflected in what we experience on the 'outside' in our life and in our business.

Change how we feel on the 'inside' and the results we get on the 'outside' will change as well.

I discovered the same lesson myself many years ago. I had a salon that wasn't working. It was going backwards, I felt like a failure, it was causing me pain. I thought the cause of the problems was 'outside' of me and tried many 'sticking plaster' solutions which didn't work because the truth is, I was bleeding on the inside!

I didn't do it on purpose, I didn't even realise I was doing it, but I was my own worst enemy, I was the problem! One day, the penny dropped and I realised what I needed to do.

I went to work on me. I changed the way I thought, changed what I believed was possible, changed the way I behaved towards myself, my staff, my clients ... and as I did, the performance of the business changed for the better as well.

The good news is you don't have to have a crisis or catastrophic meltdown before this lesson works.

Even if all that's happening, is a consistent drip drip of niggly problems with your staff, your clients, your bank manager, or your partner applying this lesson will be just as powerful for you.

So here's a suggestion. Get Christmas out of the way then make yourself a New Years resolution. Make yourself a new years resolution you promise to keep.

Make the resolution that 2012 is to be the year of YOU! ... Start with a book, start with a course, start with a coaching session ... start with whatever looks good or feels right for you ... the important thing is to choose something and start.

Start from the inside, work on yourself, work on your beliefs work on your behaviour and when you do it consistently ... you'll be amazed at the difference it makes!

Simon is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest customers are welcome to a free coaching session with him which you would be foolish to miss, because he can help you deal with many of the problems that worry salon owners today. To arrange your FREE session send an Email with the title Free Coaching Session to simon@simonlotinga.com

Ready, Steady, Go: 3 Tips on Preparing for the Xmas Rush..

2011-11-28T15:10:00.001Z

Well December is nearly here and there is an air of anticipation around; will it or wont it take off?; are we going to be busy?!!! Well there is a sign of bustle oozing in the air, a busy feeling is building in the centres and high street.

There maybe an air of caution with your clients but that’s ok have faith - it will happen. It does happen eventually every year and every year is an unpredictable as the last. Here are a few tips that may help you prepare for the unexpected.

Ready.... First on the agenda is the staff rota this time of the year. It’s all hands on deck. When clients have their treatments can be as unpredictable as buying vouchers!! Looking back on last year will give you a sense of what happened, which were your best days or were there any unexpected frenzied days not staffed properly? The reports on your Phorest system will give you the facts so check those. Ask your staff to be flexible. Can they do extra in the event of overload? Reward their flexibility with time in lieu when they least expect it. For example you could send your most loyal staff member who goes the extra mile, home early when they least expect it . I found that was really appreciated!! It might spur one of the others on to go the extra mile too.

Steady... Do you have your vouchers in an emailable format? If you don't have an online shop make sure you have a PDF version of your voucher offers to email out to clients. You have clients who like and prefer to shop on line, so having your vouchers, gift boxes and special offers available on line will boost your revenue. Not all clients will know that you offer this service. Inform your clients and you will create excitement around your online facility. If they don't know they wont use the facility so remind them via e-newsletters, SMS and in house posters. Remember you have an SMS facility so use it to promote your online shop here’s a suggestion.

Hi <Client Name>, Have you heard? At <Salon Name> we have fantastic Xmas Offers in our online shop. You can look, book and buy.... click here (put the link to your online shop in here)...

You could be creative and reward your clients for buying on line. Give them a bonus when they buy or book on line. Imagine making revenue when you are closed via your online shop. If the snow does come (hopefully not!) then on line business could save the day.

Go... Before you know it, Christmas will be upon you so organise yourself and do a little mind map of everything that needs to happen at home as well as at work. Avoid burn out. I learnt this after many years of Christmas Eve sipping lemsip on the sofa. Prioritise (while you have the time), ask for help, delegate where possible. Sometimes we try to do too much ourselves. Rather than hand over tasks just in case they are not done as we like! That makes you the bottle neck in your own business. Delegate, check the task is being done, assist and follow up. At least if half is done all that is left is your finishing touches...

Now you are set and I hope these tips help you have a wonderful month and as always if you need any help you can contact me on sue.woodall@phorest.com have fun and enjoy....

Are You Looking For An Exciting Career With The Fastest Growing Company in the UK Beauty Industry?

2011-11-26T15:33:00.001Z

Phorest, the fastest growing technology company in the UK hair and beauty industry is looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious sales rep to join our team in London and the south of England.

Our passion is helping salon owners use our salon software and marketing tools to grow their business. If you are passionate about the hair and beauty industry and working with salon owners on their business then this could be the career for you.

Click on the following link for more details or email your CV to careers@phorest.com

http://www.phorest.com/positionsavailable.php

In June 2011, Forbes Magazine called Phorest the leading Salon Software company in the UK and Ireland.

How to boost your profits ... with this simple idea!

2011-11-22T10:26:00.001Z

Hello again.

A few days ago I was talking to the owners of a very successful Spa.

On the surface everything looked healthy. They were busy, with great facilities, top notch service and an excellent reputation.

If you were to visit the place you'd go "wow these guys are experts at what they do" ... but the truth is they had a problem a real problem that threatened the long term future of the business.

They were only making a tiny profit and in the current climate even that was at risk!

Now running a business on a low profit margin is dangerous for many obvious reasons which I won't go into now ... what I will do instead is introduce one simple idea which has the power to make all the difference to the amount of profit we can make.

The idea is called the 80-20 rule ... or the Pareto principle which says that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

Let's assume it's true (and I believe it is a sound principle) what does it mean for your business and your profit margin?

Well, for a start, how about ...

80% of your profits will come from just 20% of the services on your price list.
80% of your profits will come from just 20% of your clients.
80% of your profits will come from just 20% of your staff.

This means you need to be able to identify ...

Your profitable services.
Your profitable clients.
Your profitable staff.

Once you've done it you can change many things.

You can change the services on your your price list.
You can change the price you charge for things.
You can change the products you choose to promote and market.
You can change how you treat and reward your clients.
You can change how you treat and reward your staff.

Change your focus to the 20% where the profit is and you'll discover the difference can be amazing.

The good news is, the information to help you find the 20% is on your salon computer system and in your accounts.

With a new year coming, it makes sense to take the time to find this powerful information and use it. If you're not sure how and you'd like some help, it makes sense to take me up on my offer of a FREE Coaching Session ... you'll find details below.

Simon is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest customers are welcome to a free coaching session with him which you would be foolish to miss, because he can help you deal with many of the problems that worry salon owners today. To arrange your FREE session send an Email with the title Free Coaching Session to simon@simonlotinga.com

3 SMS Ideas to Push Your Products and Get Your Customers to Spend More Per Visit this Christmas

2011-11-15T11:45:00.000Z

Christmas is almost upon us and with it comes one of the busiest times of the year for everyone. People are frazzled, stressed and panicking. They need presents to impress, outfits to kill and treatments to make them look picture perfect for the many seasonal events.

You might be rushed of your feet, so a special offer is the last thing on your mind…you are already booking in plenty of people. You need to get those people to spend more money! You need to offer them the ultimate convenience!

It’s really easy; they are coming to you to take the stress out of their Christmas Beauty preparations, so why not offer them the chance to off load even more of the Chaos. Give them solutions. Offer them vouchers or gift sets that they can simply add to their bill. You get an extra sale (and a voucher guarantees future bookings!).

So get texting one of these special offers today and watch your revenue rocket with minimum hassle!

Hi <Client first name>, No need to fret over Xmas gifts. Give a Beautytree gift set. Prices start @£20 for £35 worth of product. Just walk in or call 0879938472
Hi <Client first name>, Shop & Treat! We have your Xmas shopping solution @beautytree Free £20 Gift vouchers w/ every treatment over £50. Call 0879247437 

Hi <Client first name>, How do you Impress your loved one this Xmas w/o going broke? Beautytree Xmas Vouchers! £50 vouchers incl a free product. Call 0879485743

Alvy Carragher is an SMS Marketing expert who works with Phorest salons to help grow their business. If you are interested in booking on one of our FREE SMS trainings, email Alvy on alvy.carragher@phorest.com. Phorest is the leading salon software company in the UK and Ireland.

How Can You Encourage People to Buy Gifts From Your Salon or Spa This Christmas?

2011-11-14T17:00:00.001Z

It has arrived. As much as we all think “not already!”it is Christmas again. Gifts are for sale and thoughts have turned to buying presents and that is your signal to act and get ready...

Yesterday I went out into the hustle and bustle of the weekend frenzy which hasalready started, although I’m not in the Christmas mood myself yet! But ask around some of your clients havestarted buying already – in fact one of my friends has all her shopping done!). So here are some tips that can help you makethe most out of your Christmas sales.

Have you heard of the expression “a confused mind can’tmake a decision?” Well it’s true, and when there is too much on offer you tend not to buy anything! Take for example allthe perfume gifts you see around. I walked around department stores and there was somuch choice that I did nothing. Simplicity is key - take the strain away from your clients. Have you ever noticed that you sell morewhen there is less on offer than when there is more?

Here are some solutions to try:

1. Use 3price points for voucher sales to suit 3 budgets. 3 seems to be the magicnumber when it comes to choosing. Think of when you want to embark on a newproject and it is normal to get 3 estimates. Invariably you choose one according toyour budget and your perceived value for money. Here are some examples. Of course you know your own market and prices sothese are just suggestions, I’m sure you will get the idea.. Oh! And ALWAYS add value in yourpackages. Cutting prices just cuts yourbottom line. Add treatments that can bedone at the same time as your voucher is used.

· €/£45 for a basic gift which would suit ateacher or a friend.

· €/£75 for a mum, daughter, husband etc.

· €/£125 for the wife, girlfriend or dare Isay mistress!

· Use this idea on products as well using the 3 price point idea. Here you have an opportunity to cross sell e.g. add in a “free mini ritual or manicure, ultimate brow, if it is hair you couldadd in a scalp or hair treatment. Selling products this way allows the recipient to try your business.Chances are new clients like to try before they use you all the time so they couldbook a treatment and add on the freebie...

2. Whencreating and writing your marketing material use tempting words that create afeeling of “spoil me “ for example wordslike :- Indulge, Experience, Ritual, nurture, look fabulous etc these are wordsthat create desire (“I want that”) feelings...

3. Usepictures too (only small though) it’s not all about the picture, it’s aboutcreating a feeling so clients look, read, then act. If you create that “ohhh sound” when someonereads your as or sees your poster you are on to a winner. When selling what I call “result orientated”treatment vouchers e.g. laser before and after pictures really sell because itcreates a “Got that and want THAT ” message

Well I wish you good luck with Christmas sales and you knowwhere we are if you need us.....

Sue Woodall, a salon management expert, has been running successful salons for more than 20 years and now works with Phorest salon owners. Phorest.com is the leading salon software company in the UK and Ireland.

What easy steps can you take now to ensure January is busy in your salon?

2011-11-14T16:39:00.003Z

"Last Year I handed out 330 of these Gift Cards and in January I received back 310 - It was our busiest ever January. This year I will run it in all my salons" Mary O'Mahony, Visage Hair

Well the run in to Christmas has began and hopefully the next few weeks will be hectic and profitable for you. And scary as it may be, it is a good time to start thinking about 2012 and how to generate income in a month that can traditionally be slow for salons. Last year we had some calls from clients in November asking for any ideas we might have to help them out in January. So this is what we came up with:

Give all your clients a Gift from your business before Christmas in the form of a credit card with a monetary amount printed on the card (e.g Gift Card £15). You are giving this to all clients as a thank you before Christmas. Here's the catch - The card can ONLY be used in January & YOU set the minimum amount they must spend to use the card (e.g Gift Card £15 must spend minimum £35 to use card). All this information is printed on the card so the client knows exactly where they stand.

Here's why it works:

Because the expiry is printed on card it gives them the push to use in before it expires
It is a monetary amount - This feels more like a gift you are giving clients than a percentage amount off
The card is professional and impressive - Your clients will associate value to it (which they won't with a discount)
If they do not use it, they are likely to give it to a friend and you may even get some new clients from it.

This worked really well for many of our clients last year.

You don't have much time left to do this so give Barry a call today on 01 874 7800 (IRL) or 08450 822 411 (

) and generate income this January with the attitude of gratitude!

Barry Quinn is the expert for all things Loyalty here at Phorest. Phorest.com is a leading supplier of software and online booking to the hair and beauty industry in the UK and Ireland.

Do You Need New Clients ... These questions might help!

2011-11-11T11:27:00.001Z

As you may already have noticed I'm very happy to give Phorest clients a FREE 1 hour coaching session.

Why do I do it? Because, like Ronan and his fantastic team at Phorest, I'm passionate about helping salon owners grow and succeed.

The great thing about coaching is that it allows me to help you create an effective plan for something you want to achieve ... or help you find a solution to a problem you're struggling with at the moment.

To give you an example. This week I was giving a FREE coaching session to a beauty salon owner who told me her reason for asking to talk to me was that she needed more new clients ... LOTS OF THEM!

After finding out where her salon was, how many people she employed etc etc, I asked an important question.

"Why should clients choose your salon rather than any of your competitors?"

Now I ask this question a lot. Can you guess what the most common answer is? Would you be surprised to know it's ... "Because we're friendly, or because we're nice!"

Now of course it's important to be friendly and nice, but in no way does it help you stand out from the crowd, so excuse me for being blunt when I say, "BEING 'FRIENDLY' IS NOT ENOUGH!"

This time though I got a surprise because the salon owner thought for a moment and then reeled off quite a long list of really positive reasons why clients should choose her salon. Her answers ranged from offering FREE parking, to soundproof treatment rooms and much much more.

I listened to the impressive list and then asked what turned out to be the really important question for this particular coaching session.

"As a potential new client, how would I know you offer all those advantages?"

She thought about it this for a minute and then said ... unless I'd been told by another client, the chances are ... I wouldn't know.

Her web site and marketing material just listed the treatments and services she offered, told everyone where the salon was and listed her opening hours and prices.

This is important stuff, but it's not going to make a salon stand out from the crowd or get anyone excited and beating a path to the door, is it!

Once she understood that she had a competitive advantage, everything changed. Between us we came up with a more than 10 different low cost strategies she could use to get people emotional and excited about trying her salon. These strategies would allow her to attract new clients, without appearing desperate or giving all her profits away.

So what about you?

Are you sitting on a competitive advantage that you're not using at the moment, or do you need to create one?

The good news is, once you know how, it's quite easy to do!

Simon is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest hair salon customers are welcome to a free coaching session with him which you would be foolish to miss, because he can help you deal with many of the problems that worry salon owners today. To arrange your FREE session send an Email with the title Free Coaching Session to simon@simonlotinga.com

3 SMS Ideas to Fill up Your Appointment Book…

2011-11-08T14:57:00.004Z

Winter is here and with it the season of snuggling up by the fire in fluffy pyjamas with a steamy mug of hot chocolate. Beauty can often be thrown to the wayside with people more interested in being cosy than cute. Don’t let your clients forget their beauty regimes in favour of a night in … remind them with one of these texts and insure that your appointments are booked out …

Hair

<Client first name>, Brighten up the Dullest Winter Days With Our Colour experts @beautytree.W/£45 for cut&colour worth £60. Limited! Hurry 08797319771

Beauty
<Client first name>, Rejuvenate Your Weary Winter Skin @Beautysecret. All facials w/ free eyebrow wax worth £10. Limited space! Book now 087973197712

Nails
<Client first name>,Glam-Up Your Winter Woolly’s With Our Nail Experts @nailtreats. Free eyebrow tint worth £15 with every full set. Limited! Hurry 0879731954

Deal or No Deal ... That is the question!

2011-11-07T10:59:00.000Z

Have you been tempted by the Daily Deal promise?

Judging by the number of times I'm asked for my opinion about doing daily deal promotions with sites like Groupon; KGB; Wahanda; Catch The Monkey; (to name a few of the most popular) ... I believe many salon owners have been ... and it's not hard to understand why.

All the media hype about the recession scares people. The natural result is some clients are spending less when they come into the salon or simply leaving it longer between visits.

Because of this many more salon owners are now finding themselves with fewer clients coming in each week and making less profit on the clients that do come in!

Imagine that was you. Imagine you've got a good business, you've been busy, but all of a sudden you're looking at an appointment book with too many gaps in it.

Or imagine you've recently opened your salon, but it's proving a little more difficult to attract new clients than you'd hoped.

Then imagine the phone rings and someone promises to find you two, three or even four hundred new clients for little or no up front cost. It would be tempting wouldn't it ... all these new clients and a promotion that appears to pay for itself ... but I've been concerned for a while.

I've had a growing number of conversations with distressed or angry salon owners who, tempted by the promise, took the plunge, but after an initial surge of delight at the number of takers, realised they'd made a dreadful mistake.

It didn't attract the potential long term clients, they'd hoped to impress. Instead it attracted Daily Deal junkies (or 'bargain monsters' as a friend of mine calls them) who then move on to gobble up the next great offer.

It left the salon owners with a big bill and a nasty taste in their mouth because they realised that the loyalty created by the very attractive offer they just paid for didn't go to them ... instead it went to the business that sold them the offer in the first place.

So if you do need new clients and Daily Deal sites are not the answer ... what is?

Well the answer is in marketing attractive offers to your current database if you've got one, or in marketing attractive offers to the database of other businesses if you haven't. (How to arrange this is a subject for another post but basically you just make them an offer they can't refuse to market your offers to their clients!)

The answer is not in discounting.

Teaching your clients your price list is just a starting point for negotiations makes no sense, does it.

Instead the answer is in making offers which give them extra value.

The answer is in making offers that encourage people to try new products or services they may buy again.

The good news is that the Phorest system and the training that comes with it give you everything you need to do this effectively, you just need to add consistent action.

Simon is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest hair salon customers are welcome to a free coaching session with him which you would be foolish to miss, because he can help you deal with many of the problems that worry salon owners today. To arrange your FREE session send an Email with the title Free Coaching Session to simon@simonlotinga.com

My lesson is: Feel the Fear and Get on With it!

2011-11-01T19:24:00.003Z

You have probably heard the expression: “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” (not that I am referring to myself as “old” or anything). Basically, no matter what we know, we can’t know everything and it’s important to strive to learn new tricks wherever possible. I myself have certainly learnt a few new tricks lately and I thought you might enjoy this lesson, as I have just plummeted into the whole new world of online business and social media...
They say that situations and experiences are often sent to you for a reason and in this case it is true! Having been involved in the beauty industry for many years on different levels, branching out on my own was both daunting and exciting.

So, you can imagine my delight when I got the opportunity to work alongside Phorest in their marketing and education department. Over the years, I have experienced the beauty business from a considerable number of angles and I was confident that I knew everything that I needed to know... well almost everything...

You’ve probably guessed where I am going with this and you’re right! There is always something new to learn. Given my confidence in my knowledge of the industry you can imagine my surprise when I found myself sitting in front of a computer listening to conversations about online business and the new way forward. It is so exhilarating to be involved in a company that is all about systems, organisation, growth and online visibility and marketing.

It was in that moment that it dawned on me! No matter how much I ignore it and pretend it doesn't apply to me, I’m not on line and I need to be. Nope, no online presence, well a Facebook page and a Twitter account ..that I set up in a half hearted effort to get online, but guess what... I don’t use them (oops!). Nothing was linked, nothing was fully set up, I had no blog... my online presence was practically non-existent. Here, I was writing blogs for Phorest and I never thought to do the same thing for myself.

If anything, it was a huge wake-up call. But just as soon as I realised what it was I needed to do the fear started kicking in. The usual doubts started circulating: “what if I make a mistake”, “What will people think” and “What on earth do I say?”. So there I was surrounded by online experts and fully aware of the benefits of being online, yet no online presence. No matter how scary it seemed...I had to take action.

Not really sure where to start I sent a cry for help to Alvy ( Alvy is a relatively new addition to the Phorest team and works alongside Karolina, who is the online marketing expert for Phorest.). Not sure what to ask, I simply wondered if she might know where I start with all this online stuff and could she help me...

To my relief, Alvy was amazing. After a 10 minute conversation, (yep, just 10 minutes) on the basics of an online presence (the what, where, why, and how) and some quick social networking guidelines, I was off...
The fear was gone, so what if you say something wrong! The whole point of social networking is building relationships, it’s about people getting to know you and what you can do for them. After all people buy from people they know, like and trust... don’t they?

So, armed with motivation and a little advise...I took my online presence into my own hands. Hey presto! My accounts are now linked, the tweets are on twitter ,the blog and website are being developed (and coming along nicely) and the biggest surprise of all is that it’s actually fun.

It’s done, I felt the fear and did it anyway. It’s easy, exciting and a little addictive when you know how (big thanks to Alvy!). New challenges are coming at us every day, which is why you need to realise that you can learn new tricks.. Challenges present us with an opportunity to learn something new.. And as the man says: “YES WE CAN”!

You might need to take a deep breath and a big gulp, but help is only ever a phone call or a click away. Maybe, it’s just me but having new tools to help in your business is exciting... We hope you enjoyed the post, please leave your comments and if you need help feel free to email me.

My 13 Bad Habits ... The easy way to improve your teams behaviour!

2011-10-30T22:14:00.000Z

As a salon owner I have to admit there were 13 habits I used to have, that made it impossible for me to build a happy healthy team.

It took a lot of soul searching to realise and accept that I was causing a lot of my own staff problems but when I tackled my bad habits and improved my behaviour my team was transformed.

Here are 13 questions you can ask yourself and answer honestly that will help you discover whether any of your habits might be making it difficult for you just like they did for me!

The first question that you can ask yourself is - when you're in the salon, are you selfish? Do you put your own needs in front of the other people around you? I’ll just give you a second to think about that. When you're in the salon are you selfish?
The next one – how guilty are you of having favourites amongst your staff? Are you someone who shows favouritism between different members of your team? And it’s honesty time, just ask yourself that question.
The third one – How guilty are you of talking about people behind their backs? Let's say a team member rings in sick for the fifth time this month, do you go in the staff room and moan about it to other members of staff? Or imagine another stylist has a client come back complaining their haircut’s lopsided, do you talk about it to other team members or just in private with the stylist concerned?
How guilty are you of making promises to your staff that you don’t keep? Some employers are very guilty of just saying whatever they need to say to get over the problem they’ve got in front of them at the moment and then they forget about it.
How guilty are you of being intolerant, impatient or holding grudges? Just to tell you a story about this, I used to be very grumpy and intolerant and I didn’t realise it. Every morning I would come in and I would go into my office and a different team member was deputised to come in and just talk to me about something, anything. Just to find out what sort of mood I was in that day, so they knew what they were in for. So ultimately, if your emotional behaviour is inconsistent in the salon, it has an impact.
Next, are you judgemental. In other words, do you prejudge? Do you go around judging people against your standards whatever they may be? Or are you fairly open minded and tolerant and accept that there are different schools of thought?
Are you guilty of bullying in any form? There are some employers who get what they want by hectoring, haranguing, nagging and telling people what to do all the time. And they do it in a negative way.
Are you guilty of blaming others rather than sharing or taking responsibility? Again, I've been guilty of this in the past. For example, one day it was very important that the computers in the salon were left on, because we had a problem with the hard drive. I made a point of telling some members of staff not to turn them off. I then assumed that they’d pass the message round to everyone else. The thing is, they didn't ... and at the end of the day we lost seven days worth of data. When I found this out I had a few angry words with the person who’d actually pressed the off button. Now I knew deep down inside it was my responsibility. I knew I hadn't made made sure that everyone knew ... but that didn’t stop me taking it out on someone else. Once I realised what I'd done I had to ring the team member up and apologise. If I hadn't the whole episode would have festered ... because I wasn't being fair. So do you see what I’m getting at?
Are you guilty of being inconsistent or unfair with praise and discipline? We tend to take our good staff for granted. They are taking money for us, with a positive attitude and causing no problems so we just let them get on with it and assume they know how we feel about them. Instead we tend to on our problem people. Big mistake.
How guilty are you of having no measurement of feedback? In other words, do your team know what’s expected of them in terms of figures and production and do they know how they are performing relative to that? Are you running a business where there is a level of performance expected and people know clearly, because they’ve been given the information by you regularly, how they’re doing or are they expected to guess?
How guilty are you of not trusting? Do you expect the worst from your staff or do you expect the best naturally?
How guilty are you of not consulting or involving? Ultimately do you just make the decisions around the place? This is how it’s going to be, do you involve the team, getting their suggestions on how things can be improved or resolved?
And finally, you’ll be relieved to know ... how guilty are you of not listening? One of my favourite phrases is ‘you have to listen to what your staff 'do' as well as listen to what they say’. People very rarely tell you what they’re really thinking, but they will show you with their behaviour. So you’ve got to watch. When I talk about listening, less than 10% of the meaning we take from listening comes from the words that are used. It’s all about the background stuff that gives it its meaning. And body language is nearly a half of it. So just imagine someone’s always coming in late, they’re telling you something. If someone has behaved impeccably for years and years and they suddenly start misbehaving, instead of nagging them, you might want to find out what’s behind it. Because the odds are that it’s you that’s causing it. That was one of my big lessons.

I hope these questions have helped. If they've opened your eyes to habits you need to change then don't delay, get stuck in and make a start. If you're not sure how and you'd like some help, just send me Email simon@simonlotinga.com and we'll organise your free coaching session.

Over the last 30 years Simon Lotinga has owned a number of very successful salons and is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest hair salon customers receive a free coaching session with Simon which you would be foolish to miss. Phorest.com is the UK and Ireland's leading salon software provider according to Forbes Magazine.

simon@simonlotinga.com

3 SMS Ideas To Pack Out Your Halloween Weekend

2011-10-27T14:14:00.000+01:00

Hello Everyone!

It's Halloween this weekend and all your clients may be too distracted by the festivities to come into the salon. Send one of these quick SMS promotions today and pack out the weekend.

Hair

<Client first name>, Get Your Halloween Hair here - £10 off any £40 cut or style this weekend only. Only 8 slots left! Hurry ring 0124545444

Beauty

<Client first name>, Hide from the tricksters this w/end + get FREE Massage worth £30 with every Facial or Body Treatment. Hurry Only 8 Left! 0121454544

Nails

<Client first name>, Get Ghoulishly Glamourous this w/end. FREE smoky eyes worth £10 with every £40 booking this weekend only. Hurry Limited Spaces 0121212454

We hope this helps and as always give us a call on 08450 822 411 (UK) or 01 8747800 (IRL) if you need a hand!

Alvy Carragher is an SMS Marketing expert who works with Phorest salons to help grow their business. If you are interested in booking on one of our FREE SMS trainings, email Alvy on alvy.carragher@phorest.com. Phorest.com is the leading salon software company in the UK and Ireland.

The 10ft Promise ... The secret to happy clients!

2011-10-27T10:20:00.000+01:00

Simon Lotinga

Sam Walton the founder of Walmart built one of the most successful companies in America with ... 

a simple promise he made every staff give when they joined. They had to promise to look every customer they came within 10 feet of in the eye and give them a smile! 

This simple yet profound promise holds a lesson we can all learn from.

How?

Well we often make the mistake of thinking we're in the 'Hair' or 'Beauty' business, but we're not ... we're in the 'People' business.

Long term salon success will only come if clients return over and over again, and feel happy recommending us to their family and friends. They will only do this if they 'like' us as people and it's a fact that 'People like people who LIKE THEM!'

So why not give the '10 foot promise' a try in your salon and train every team member to smile and make eye contact with every client they come within 10 feet of, EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT THEIR CLIENT!

When you do I'm prepared to bet amazing things will happen.

Over the last 30 years Simon Lotinga has owned a number of very successful salons and is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest hair salon customers receive a free coaching session with Simon which you would be foolish to miss:). Phorest.com is the UK and Ireland's leading salon software provider according to Forbes Magazine.

5 Tips To Make Sure Your Salon Or Spa SMS Promotion Brings In The Clients

2011-10-24T19:20:00.002+01:00

In Marketing, there are so many little things that contribute to the impact of your message. Unfortunately it is trial and error in some parts but those little things that you do make all the difference.

1. You must measure the reaction that your marketing message got
Take an SMS campaign for example. Ask yourself did that text campaign work? And if not why not? But you’ve got to be realistic and not too hard on yourself. If you sent the campaign to 50 clients and 10 responded that’s amazingly good :). Some people will complain that they only got 10 responses - but for a total spend of 8p per text or £4 that is amazing value. If you only got 1 response - that is still good value if you got one appointment booked for £30. However if you got no responses then we need to look at what you said in the message. As with any communication that you make in your business it’s all about the customer and how they perceive your message - it’s not about you!!

2. Let’s look at the wording
Ask yourself “Was my message interesting?, did the headline grab their attention?, was the message short and snappy? Did the message reach the right people?”

3. Was the campaign segregated into relevant groups for maximum impact?
E.g. sending a text to a professional for an off peak offer, could actually annoy your client, wasting your time and money. Instead of creating the desired reaction “I want that!”, it could become “that’s not fair!” Be selective with your recipients and niche your offers.

4. Was the offer specific?
Did it have a monetary value or did you simply put a discount? Discounts are often not clear whether they mean anything tangible for example “Get 20% off a facial this week!” There will be no reaction to that because “What is the price of the facial?” or “What facial?” or “I’ll leave that”. Why should they act? Try something tangible and more specific using monetary value e.g. “£10 off all our facials this week.” Or try it in a different way e.g “We are giving you £10 off any facial this week” That sounds different right? It is not always what you say but how you say it. Just imagine whether you would say to your partner “Here is a discount to go to the pub” or would you say “Here is £20”. make it tangible!

5. And finally make sure there is a call to action or an instruction.
You would be amazed at the amount of people (myself included) that have made the mistake of sending a text promotion with no call to action and then nobody responds. Oh and if you can personalise it e.g. “Call Ruth now on 01234” makes it better beacuse it is easier to call a person than a reception!

And of course man the desk if you are sending out a “stonker” offer to get busy and make sure there is a voicemail active. Nothing worse than a “busy tone”.

I really hope this information is helpful and dont forget we are here to help you, so drop us a line on sue.woodall@phorest.com.

Sue Woodall, a salon management expert, has been running successful salons for more than 20 years and now works with Phorest salon owners. Phorest.com is the leading salon software company in the UK and Ireland.

Your Goldmine Is The Detail In Your Database....

2011-10-15T22:21:00.002+01:00

The importance of collecting information correctly in your business cannot be overstated. After completing our first SMS Marketing seminar in Leatherhead, I thought I would share a few snippets of information from the day.

Your database is a goldmine and that’s a fact. Take Facebook for example, if Mark Zukerberg was to sell facebook it would be worth billions but really all he is selling is information on people. Ok you may not have facebook but you are able to collect your client information in Phorest. And if anyone was to buy your salon - the most important thing they would buy would be your client database.

Database, detail and delegation...

As I said your database is your goldmine, it is the biggest asset in your business and when you gather your information in the right way the potential is limitless! Not only can you streamline your marketing but you can niche your offers down in so many different ways. For example if your client’s occupation is defined on your system then you can target that group of clients with offers that specifically interest them and therefore get a much bigger response.

Did you know that text messaging has a 99% open rate? Whereas direct mail is 35% and email is only 15%. When you send a text to a specific category of people you can really boost your bottom line immediately for next to nothing. Let’s say your client is a stay home mum. Weekends and evenings are busy for her. Every mum needs some "me time" so why not send her a text to tempt her during the week? Make it a good value add on treatment but not a discount because they are boring and mean nothing. If you give something away with something else you’ll get it back it’s the law of the universe. But this only works if you have the client's information so here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. How much information do I have?

2. Is it correct?

3. Are my categories valid and up to date as well as being specific? Can I tell from my database what my client does for a living, likes for a treatment, what product she/he uses, and what is their birthday? If yes let's get going?

4. If no - what do I have to implement on my desk or in my salon or spa to get that information in order to maximize my database? Procedures and checklists could be your answer. Who inputs the info at what stage? Who checks it is done (assumption is always dangerous) check lists and follow up are important. Scripts are always useful as a guideline get your team involved in suggesting what they want to do. A tip here is to ask the best staff member what it is that you say and do to get a booking and they will come up with the procedure themselves.

No excuses now if you're quiet - use the time to nurture your goldmine... Have a brilliant week hope you enjoyed the post and please feel free to ask me any questions on sue.woodall@phorest.com.

Sue Woodall, a salon management expert, has been running successful salons for more than 20 years and now works with Phorest salon owners. Phorest.com is the leading salon software company in the UK and Ireland.

Has The Recession Got You Tearing Your Hair Out? Time For A Different Point Of View

2011-10-13T19:27:00.000+01:00

Pick up any newspaper, watch any news bulletin and its doom andgloom; you’d think the world was coming to an end and it’s enoughto get anyone tearing their hair out!

Like me, you’re probably doing your best to help your staff andclients feel positive. It’s not easy is it, but … and it’s aBIG BUT ... there is some good news.

Experience from previous downturns and recessions shows us that awell organised hairdressing salon can be virtuallyrecession proof. Hair still grows after all and a visit to the rightsalon is guaranteed to make anyone feel better.

But the big question is … “what is a well-run salon?”

There are many answers to this question and as a salon ownermyself and a business coach who’s had the pleasure of working withhundreds of Hairdressing salon owners I’m passionate about trackingthem down and sharing them.

If you were to twist my arm though and say “come on Simon …what is the most important thing I should be doing right now torecession proof my salon” I’d ask you this.
Have you made your choice?

Have you made your choice between ‘doing hair’ and ‘runninga business that does hair’ … It doesn’t sound much doesit, but let me explain why making your choice is so important.

By the way, before we get too far into this let me say there'snothing wrong with choosing either, they can both work brilliantlyand be very rewarding, but if you get the two mixed up (and most ofus do) then the …

staff problems;
money problems;
stressed out with too much to do problems

that can seem such a 'normal' part ofour life as a salon owner begin to mount up and in a recession theycan be fatal to your business.

In his book ‘The Cashflow Quadrant’ (which I recommend ifyou want to learn more about money) world famous author RobertKiyosaki makes a distinction between being 'Self Employed' and beinga 'Business Owner' and it's this difference that’s behind thechoice we ignore or get confused about.

It doesn't have to be confusing because the difference is simple.

When we ... the salon owner ... are working on paying clients,we’re self-employed; we’re doing our 'job' which is hairdressing. When we ... the salon owner ... employ people to work on payingclients for us and instead spend our time leading them by creatingand managing systems that help them work profitably and effectively,we’re business owners running a business that ‘does’hairdressing.

Can you see the difference? If you can, the next step is to choosethe one you're passionate about. If your passion truly is working on clients and you’re sure youwant to be self-employed, then it makes sense to either …

rent a chair in a salon;
or rent a salon and share it (and the costs) with one or two other people who you get on with and who want to be self-employed as well. Sharing like this will make sure your 'costs' are as low as possible, which is the secret to making money when you’re self-employed.

Then all you have to do is justenough work to stay under the VAT threshold and you'll find you canweather the recession, make £30,000 to £50,000 profit andhave plenty of time off for Holidays and to go on courses if you wantto.

If, however, you don’t want to spend your life behind the chairand your passion truly is building a business then you need to aimhigh.

For a salon to be profitable enough to give you a comfortable lifewhether you’re on the floor or not I recommend you aim to build aminimum of 5 busy stylists and get off the floor as quickly asyou can. It's only when you get to this size of salon that youactually start making more money than the successful self-employedstylist can, but the good news is the once you get to this point, thesky is the limit.

If you get confused or don't make the choice, then the chances areyou'll …

get stuck in the trap with fewer than 5 busy stylists;
stuck on the floor yourself because you're either the busiest stylist, or the only stylist the clients want;
stuck in the vicious circle of problems that can take all the pleasure out of running a salon and make the recession a real threat to you and anyone who depends on you.

So there you are. You have a choice … you just have to make the choice!

Finally for now … Another brilliant book that explains the trapwe fall into when we don’t choose and also gives you a plan to getout of the trap if you’re stuck is; ‘The E Myth Revisited’ byMichael E Gerber which in my opinion is a ‘must’ read for anyonein the business of running a salon that ‘does’ hairdressing.

Over the last 30 years Simon Lotinga has owned a number of very successful salons and is now the UK's foremost business coach for salon owners. His latest book is called The 7 Most Expensive Mistakes Salon Owners Make: and How to Solve Them Virtually Overnight and all Phorest hair salon customers receive a free coaching session with Simon which you would be foolish to miss:). Phorest.com is the UK and Ireland's leading salon software provider according to Forbes Magazine.

Don't Panic If You Are Having A Quiet September - Just Take Some SMS Action!

2011-09-26T16:39:00.001+01:00

Hmmm it’s that time of year again. It’s September and the schools are back. There was a small flurry from clients and then quiet...

I got some urgent phone calls from some salon owners last week which prompted me to write this post. Some were a little worried, exaggerated by all the doom and gloom in the media (if it bleeds let’s print it attitude - remember only bad news sells). I know there is a slow down out there but there is every year around this time and why should this year be any different.

So what is your plan of action? Have you ever noticed that when you are quiet your team has more time to dwell on what they don't have instead of what they do? Staff rooms can fester bad attitudes when people have time to kill so get them out of the staff room and back into the treatment room. And this is were your phorest system comes in very handy as sending an SMS promo means getting quick cash into your business and get the phone ringing.

3 Facts that you should know about SMS

Evidence tells us that a massive 99% of people who get an SMS message will read it!
Sending a text reminder stops 7 out of 10 no shows... FACT
6 out of 10 clients return a second time to your business If you say Thank You..

There are the simple things that you can do automatically on the Phorest system such as reminding your clients to come in the day before and saying thank you the day after for first time clients. These are the things that really work. As do things like sending a birthday text offer on the first day of the month. I even had a salon owner who told me that a client had come in and told her they were the only people to remember her birthday - not even her husband and kids had remembered! Now that is how to build a strong client rapport.

If you need the to phone to start ringing why not send an SMS promotion today. Here’s a suggestion:

“Do YOU need some ME time?”
(Give a valued added bonus with a treatment) e.g. (Your salon name) is giving YOU a healing massage with every facial booked today for this week only... (make it time sensitive)
We only have 7 slots available so hurry call now on (....... ) number

Be specific with your filters as there is nothing worse than sending a lovely offer to someone who cannot make it in those times. Send your offer to the right clients e.g. if you are quiet in the day then send to “Housewives with Kids” or if you have free slots in the evening time then send to “Professionals”.

I hope this little post will raise your sprits and get your phone ringing. I'll talk to you again soon.

Sue :)

Sue Woodall has been running salons for more than 20 years and now works with Phorest salon owners. Phorest.com is the leading salon software company in the UK and Ireland.

6 Ideas To Rev Up Your Revenue For Christmas!

2011-09-06T18:08:00.004+01:00

I know you are probably thinking what the hell is she talking about Christmas now for? It's only September! But there is a reason. Christmas is the one time of year when you have to turn people away. It is also the time you are least prepared for. And that is a FACT. So by starting to plan now you can make sure to rev up your income and sell sell sell!

Preparing for Christmas involves thought and determination. No wonder we put it off until its too late and lose out on lots of extra sales. You can be sure all the big retailers have been preparing since May! So it is time that salon owners put some quick work in now which means they can exploit the benefits in December. Also it is better to do the work now when you are a bit quieter than in November or December when you are too busy!

Here are 6 Quick ideas for you:

1. BRAINSTORM IDEAS
Use your staff here. They have lots of ideas and enthusiasm which will create excitement and interest from the whole team.

2. DEFINE YOUR OFFERS
Have 3 price points for Vouchers that will work for 3 different size pockets!

3. CONTACT SUPPLIERS NOW
And ask for help with adding goodie bags to vouchers, promotional material, and wrapping paper etc.

4. STAFF TRAINING
Make sure all your staff know your offers and that scripts are available for reception.

5. COLLECT CLIENT INFO
You'll need this for marketing in the new year and it's amazing how many salons forget to do this properly in the christmas rush.

6. IMPLEMENT A VOUCHER SYSTEM
You have a voucher tracking system built into Phorest - Use it! And why not contact us about
our Credit Card Vouchers?

Trust me. Do the work now and reap the benefits at Christmas!

Sue Woodall has been running salons for more than 20 years and now works with Phorest salon owners. Phorest.com are the leading salon software company in the UK and Ireland.

Should Salons Open 7 Days a Week

2011-08-31T10:20:00.002+01:00

It really depends on where thesalon is located.

If it is in the City Centre then usually it would be a good idea, especially in London or Dublin where there are many areaswhere people are out shopping on a Sunday.

If it is situated in a Gym, again it could be beneficial as there are clients going in and out all thetime, 7 days a week.

If it is in a main shoppingcentre that is always busy on Sundays, then it could be good but of course some shopping centres are dead on a Sunday.

However if you’re salon is not inany of these and you do not already have clients using your services on aSunday then it will take time to build up the business on a Sunday.

By all acounts it really doesdepend on your client database, if the majority of your clients are housewives/Mums,then Sunday is usually a family day and you will struggle to get business onthis day.

If you wanted to give Sundays atry expect to do a lot of promotions and to keep costs down using Part timestaff to provide the extra hours. Personally I would survey my clients to seehow many would like Sundays for treatments.

Anybody out there have experience of Sunday trading? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below..

SueMaguire is the Head of Sales for Phorest.com, the UK and Ireland’s leadingsalon software and online booking provider.

Are You Look Good Or Feel Good Beauty?

2011-08-29T15:57:00.002+01:00

I have been in the beauty industry for many years and have seen many business trends come and go, from the rise of the nail bar, to the demise of B-tox in high street chemist chains.

The idea 20 years ago of a bar on the street where you just got your brows and lashes tinted was ludicrous and yet now they are everywhere. I had an interesting conversation with the guys in Phorest about how the industry had evolved the other day and it led to me writing this post.

Beauty has come and gone from the high street over the years but I am glad to say YES, despite all the doom and gloom the high street salon and clinics are making a return. So it is important to make the most of understanding your key treatment niche....

The owner that has a Feel Good business will see massage, ritual type treatments at the top of her revenue categories. The owner that focuses on Look Good beauty will see waxing, tans, and nails at the top of her list. Interestingly both business models do well with facials. This is because both boxes are ticked; a facial makes us look and feel good.

But think about this:

• As a busy business owner, you may assume that you know everything that is going on in your salon but use your Phorest system to print out an Income by Category report. You may be surprised where the bulk of your income comes from.

• Do you niche your staff? Yes, your therapists are qualified in all areas of beauty. But you can be sure they will prefer and excel in one area - Look Good or Feel Good. In my experience if you make staff do treatments they don’t like, the very fact you are making them, means that the job will be done half heartedly. But they excel in doing what they love.

I remember not being very good at false nails! I did them because I had to, and with no enthusiasm. The results were not what they could have been for clients. Give your team responsibility for doing treatments they shine in. Identify their strengths and passions. Your staff will then almost automatically build a large clientele in areas where they are passionate. However the opposite applies. If your Feel Good therapists do Look Good treatments all day then you will quickly lose your clientele.

This really works and it is so simple to do!

You will have a win- win situation; happy staff, happy clients and a happy YOU!

Good luck and please give us your feedback. I would love to discuss this with you.

Phorest announces an investment of £1.2m/€1.3m

2011-08-19T13:22:00.000+01:00

What does this mean for your salon?

Today we are delighted to announce an investment of €1.3m/£1.2m into our company. The investment comes from a mix of private investors who are all very successful technology entrepreneurs and a venture capital fund called Enterprise Equity.

Despite the tough economy out there we have been experiencing strong growth this year, particularly in the UK where nearly 300 salons have started using Phorest in the last 2 years. Forbes magazine recognised this in June when they called us the leading salon software provider in the UK and Ireland.

So what does this investment mean for our existing customers?

Most of the investment will be going into product development. Early next year we will be releasing a new version of our salon software, codenamed Memento 7. This will utilise cloud technology to provide salon owners with the most advanced salon software on the market to help them run and grow their business better than their competition. We are also looking forward to improving the educational services around using Phorest software to help grow your salon.

Phorest already operates the UK and Ireland’s leading online booking service for salons called zanadoo.me, which books millions of pounds worth of hair and beauty services in salons every year. This investment will help us release a much improved version of online booking for salons and a service that will ensure our clients capture lots of new business through the internet.

And what does this investment mean for prospective salon owners looking to grow their business with Phorest salon software?

It means that if you choose to go with Phorest, you can be certain that you are signing up with the most innovative, customer focused and best funded salon software supplier in the market.

We are very excited about the products we are working on, so watch this space over the coming months!

At your service,

Ronan Perceval
CEO

Loyalty VIP

2011-08-03T12:23:00.002+01:00

Loyalty VIP Gold Card

Our Loyalty System not onlyis guaranteed to increase your bottom line but it also is an effective way to improve your customer-retentionlevels. The cost of trying to bring in new clients can be massive in comparisonto rewarding your existing client base.

Theadvantages of the Phorest Loyalty system:

Our Loyalty system willallow you to focus on your best customers. These customers buy more and areoften willing to pay more, which boosts your cash flow. By increasing loyalty,you will increase profitability and extend the time they place their businesswith you.

Loyal customers are alsogood for your business because they become your best advocates. They recommendyou to others, saving you marketing costs. A loyal customer's endorsement ismore powerful to their friends and family than any advertising campaign. Thisbrings me on to our new initiative in Loyalty….

The PhorestLoyalty VIP Card:

Every salon has its bestcustomers. On average, they can be the biggest spenders or the long-standingclients that have stayed loyal over the years. They could be the nicest peopleto deal with or they could be the people that recommend you to all theirfriends.

These are the customers youwant to keep. So how do you reward them? And should you give everyone the sameVIP treatment? We recommend you do one of two things – 1.) That you run aclient report that will list your top 100 or 200 clients and these clients ONLYwill receive your salons GOLD Card. 2.) Run a client report and anybody who hasspent over X amount since January will receive the gold card.

These clients are thelifeblood of your business – As a reward on top of your normal loyalty systemyour VIP clients only should receive certain offers, maybe a permanent discounton products and the stature of being recognized as a VIP Client (Who doesn’tlove a bit of flattery!)

To find out more call BarryToday!

Unique Farmers Business Idea, Relevant to the Hair & Beauty Industry?

2011-08-03T10:50:00.002+01:00

I always thought my dad was a farmer. It turns out he was a marketer as well.

Bear with me; this is going somewhere!

Back when I was a child I was plagued by my dad asking to borrow “a fiver”. No, he didn’t have a drug habit funded by his children’s pocket money or anything else as sinister; he was just a farmer who dealt in cheques and normally didn’t carry around cash as it’d most likely fall through the holes in the pockets of his old sturdy-not-stylish farm clothes. However when it came to the time of the year when he’d have baby calves to sell there was a sudden need for cash “for luck”.

For Luck

How it went was this. Some farmers would need to buy calves; some would have extras to sell. My dad usually fell into the latter category. Other farmers would hear when he had calves to sell and would call round to see if they liked the look of them. There was no set price; a deal was thrashed out between buyer and seller. Regardless what the sale price was however, the tradition would see my dad sending the buyer away with his new purchase along with a €5 note “for luck”.

Back then I found the habit annoying, as I knew he’d be back asking for another fiver long before he’d remember he owed me one in the first place. Later I thought it was cute, and now I think it was really rather smart. The fiver was going to neither make nor break either party. It left both buyer and seller with warm fuzzy feelings however, and the buyer was likely to form a good opinion of the seller and come back again for repeat business.

Your business might smell a lot prettier than my dad’s, but there’s no reason a similar idea can’t work for you. You might not want to give back cold hard cash as each customer leaves (although you could); you could instead give each customer a £5/€5 voucher “for luck” and help them leave with a smile and maybe even another booking.

Just make sure you don’t fund the idea from your daughter’s piggy bank!

What do you think?

Laura

Laura Ryder is part of the marketing team in Phorest.com, a leading provider of salon software to thousands of salons and spas in the UK and Ireland. Phorest also operate myzanadoo.com, the Uk and Ireland's number 1 destination for booking salon and spa appointments online.

Small Details make ALL the difference!

2011-07-28T17:31:00.001+01:00

The devil’s inthe detail and the follow up...

Detailyuk........! I think I can safely saythat I am a big picture thinker who has trained herself to deal with the detailand reaped the rewards... Here’s an example of attention to detail thatcan increase your bottom line.

Okay, try this one…sit in your reception area, remember to use a casual manner, your staff arenervous enough of you! Observe your desk,now just listen!! Interesting isn’t ithow much business is actually turned away, unconsciously of course?

Forexample:

· Firstlythe phone call, “sorry we are fully booked today, can I take your number andcall you IF we have a cancellation” Ouch!That’s a pain. What’s the life time value of a facial client? More importantly, you’re probably not goingto call with a space!!

· Nowfor the walk in client “Sorry we have an appointment tomorrow not today though I’lltake your number” - (Ouch hit number 2)...

· Evenworse - door shut, no one on reception, therapist has just popped in to do aneyebrow shape, and no one answers...

What can you doto maximise your potential? Here aresome suggestions and solutions:

· Number1 the phone call.. Offer to send out amonetary voucher to get them back. Yes they may go up the road, but with moneyin a voucher they will come back and try you. Now for the detail.. Ask for contact details and email the voucher out,yep you now have them on your database for marketing further down the line)…..

· Number2 your walk in client.. Give the clienta voucher and ask her to email for a validation code when she is ready to usethe voucher to validate it. Anotherchance for an email address, these days most clients have an emailaddress. There are exceptions, if noemail get a postal address and tell them you will post out a copy for them, yeppostal details to market to further down the line....

· Nowwe deal with the shut door option. Leave a notice on the door with an emailaddress to apply to for the “Sorry we can’t help you voucher” it’s a long shot but at least you stand somechance of getting a retry from that client.

Detail andfollow up will bring you in so much more business! Very often we are all too busy to catch theone that got away.. Remember clear communication to your staff. Follow up with a procedure, that way everyoneis singing from the same hymn sheet. Now you have those situations covered, thedetail and follow up will help you reap the rewards...

Michael's Tips for Marketing your Salon for Men!

2011-07-28T13:14:00.008+01:00

Hi Everyone,

So after myhands on research into men and beauty treatments, I have composed a mocktreatment menu for a male specific salon.

This is a menufrom a man’s (debatable) perspective and what I think would be appealing tomen in terms of offering beauty services. (You can download the menu here)

A big problemI came across was treatment menus for female salons were obviously targeted atwomen specifically with wording etc, which is an instant deterrent to men. Itcan boil down to the basic naming of services. Naming them to draw interestfrom men should reallyincrease the amount of bookings you receive.

One thing Ifelt when I walked in the door for my first salon visitwas, “I must be the first man to ever walk in here”, which would instantly putany man on edge. If I read a treatment menu and saw a section for men, orbetter still a separate treatment menu for MEN ONLY, that would instantly putme at ease, as I would know that it is not the case and that there aretreatments specifically for me and my metro-sexual friends!

So don’t deterpotential clients. Remember these men can help increase your revenue and growyour popularity, so cater for them. Also, let your female clients know thatyou are now offering a Male Only Menu, you may also decide to promote Male Onlytimes ie. Mon, Tues, Wed from 6pm-9pm.

Be Inviting,don’t scare the hell out of us with your microdermabrasions and yourexfoliates! We like words like sport and beer. We might have a hard exteriorbut inside we're little puppies that want massages and facials, we just don’tknow it yet!

Please send mefeedback on what you think about this, you can email me at michael.geraghty@phorest.com, I genuinelywant your input and opinions!

Until nexttime,

MichaelGeraghty,

Phorest trainer