How To Launch Your Salon Business Into The 21st Century
Don’t get us wrong – we get that you know exactly how to run your business.
When it comes to the actual beauty part of the beauty industry, we’re sure we’d be hard-pressed to find someone with the same awesome, advanced skills as you.
So, don’t take it too hard when we say that you might be a little behind in the salon technology department, after all who isn't. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with that! Especially since we’re about to kick your salon into gear with some of the top technological advancements in the game.
Don’t stress if you’re not a techie-geek, either. Most of these software, tools, and other salon technology gadgets that can help boost your business aren’t the least bit intimidating once you understand their purpose.
Salon technology can help make running your business easier, more intuitive, and really boost your organizational skills, which means that you’ll be left with even more time to focus on the part of your business that matters most to you – the beautification and artistry.
Grab a coffee (or a super strong cocktail if technology stresses you out – we don’t judge!) and read up on a few of our favorite salon technology tools that we believe can help boost your business instrumentally!
First Things First, Why Go Tech at All?
Some of you might be thinking, “my business is running great, why would I change it up by adding salon technology that could just confuse things?”
For starters, new technology is one of the best ways to empower your business and unlock your full potential. Sure, things are running great right now, but what if things could go even better?
It’s important to understand that when we say that it’s time to “talk tech,” we’re not talking about anything insane like a robot assistant who also cuts hair or something.
We simply mean the implementation of a few, easy-to-use tools that can better how you communicate with clients, post about your services, or run the business side of your salon.
Overall, getting more in-the-know about salon technology tools, software, and more can help to unlock your salons potential and perhaps even provide better management practices for salons so workflow can operate at a smoother level.
Go Mobile, Guys
We’re just going to come out and say it – get rid of those bulky cash registers and huge desktops of the past.
They’re invasive, low-tech, and cause you all kinds of problems! Get with the times and invest in some super awesome salon technology that takes going mobile to a whole new standard.
Gone are the days of stationary computers and desktops crowding your work-space.
Invest in a mobile smart device like an iPad, a tablet, or even a smartphone where you can run a good chunk of your business from. With mobile devices like these, you can automate email marketing, book and manage appointments online, run a payment app that allows you to swipe cards and manage expenses directly from the mobile.
If you are in the boat of eliminating that cash register, check out Square making accepting payments through your phone or iPad, seamless.
You can store client information, photos, preferences, and other information about appointments on these awesome mobile devices.
The best part? You can store all of your information on the device ,as well as on the cloud to certify that you’re protecting all of your vital info. This will, in essence, lessen the workload on your staff, make everything convenient and efficient, and eliminate a ton of paper waste, too!
Efficient Loyalty Programs
You know what else you can do with those awesome mobile devices?
Run awesome, web or mobile-based loyalty programs.
There are dozens of software programs and apps out there that can help you run effective loyalty programs with the touch of a button. These apps can help encourage frequency of visit, retention for clients, and even referrals!
Loyalty programs are fun, efficient, and organized way to retain your current clients and gain new ones at the same time. All it takes is a mobile device, organizations, some tech-savvy, and determination to get this program running!
No clue where to start? Don't worry, the work has been done for you!
Now you just need to choose the program that fits your business.
Integrated Marketing Tools
Don’t be scared – this is just a fancy way to say social media platform marketing.
Odds are, you already understand the importance of digital marketing and that your social media platforms are top-notch, so we don’t have to go through and preach the good word to you about social. But we will preach about the importance of integrated marketing.
It’s not enough to just post a status on Facebook about your Fall specials – you need to post it, tweet it, email it, put up a photo on Instagram, pin it to your Pinterest board, and on, and on, an on.
Marketing integration simply means that you’re going to use technology to get all of that done a lot faster than you normally would.
There are dozens of software programs, apps, and databases out there that will send out formulated emails based on events in the salon, a client’s birthday, a confirmation of an appointment, special hours, etc. It can send out surveys, thanks yous, follow-up booking appointments, and even post your ads on several social platforms all at once!
In other words, you can count on integrated marketing tools to take care of the dozens of small tasks that would normally happen behind-the-scenes and take hours to accomplish.
Smart Security Systems
We’re not doing this to scare some sense into you about salon technology, we just happen to really stand by this one.
Your salon is your haven and your moneymaker, so you obviously want to go to great lengths to protect it, right? Of course.
Whether you’re running your salon out of your home or work at an established location, you want to secure it.
So, if you’re running an old, run-of-the-mill security system, you could be putting all of this at risk!
Did you know that they make security systems that literally hook up to your phone or your computer? There are tons of smart security systems out there that allow you to monitor your salon through cameras that stream straight to your smartphone or tablet. You can keep an eye on the salon at all times. It’ll even send you alerts if something is disrupted so you can be the first to know if something’s not right.
This type of technology is typically super easy to use and install and can give you peace of mind at the touch of a button.
If salon technology is completely new to you, or you're already a Google certified genius- we hoped this article helped you sort through some of the new gadgets out there!
Best of luck incorporating them and bringing your salon business up to high speed!
