Like everyone, when tough times came along we were scared, we weren’t really sure what to do. Everyone was panicking and it was hard not to join in. We decided that we wouldn’t be victims of the bad news. It was tough in the face of all the scare-tactic media, but we were adamant that we were going to hold onto image.
One of the big things that we started to do was to change our mind set. For me that was a lot about leading by example. The girls that join us today feel as if it has always been this way. But, we have not always been so fearless. The thing is to realise that you can have whatever it is you want in your business; you just have to step up and be brave enough to ask for it. It’s hard at first, but once you start it just gets easier and easier.
I used to hate asking customers for things like testimonials or even to buy a product. I used to think it was cheeky to ask. I’d get embarrassed at the thought, but then…
When my daughter Kimberley joined the team, from a background in cold-calling and tele-sales she made an impact on all of us. She wasn’t afraid to be direct. If she asked enough times she knew she would get a result. It took time but I also started being more direct.
Today that is just how the entire team operates. We have no problem getting testimonials because we ask for them. People that have genuinely enjoyed a treatment are usually more than happy to give them.
We also have a product of the month that we refer to as flavour of the month. We tell everyone about it. We find that one in twenty will purchase. But if we didn’t ask every single person then we wouldn’t get that 5%.
We have had to change the mind-set that no Means no. We truly believe that “No” does not mean that our clients don’t like us, but simply that today they maybe don’t feel like that product or service. After all nobody’s a mind reader, so unless you tell your customers or ask them they will never know what you have on offer…
Sue Carter is the owner of Image Salon in Ipswich Suffolk which has been going for 11 years. She has been using Phorest Salon Software for two years. The Phorest Blog is going to be following Sue’s salon business over the next 6 months.
Why not request a demo of our salon software today? We can help you get more clients, back more often spending more!
Why not request a demo of our salon software today? We can help you get more clients, back more often spending more!
