The Phorest Blog: your trusted resources for all the latest salon marketing & management tips, trends & best practices. Did you know that we just recently launched the Phorest Blog Podcast? If you’re more of a listen-on-the-go kind of person, then click here to learn more and subscribe! In the meantime, we hope you’ve had lovely holidays and are ready to power up your salon in 2019! To get you in the right mood, here’s a collection of the top 10 most popular Phorest Blog articles published in 2018, based on how much traffic each post got over time. Cheers to another great year ahead!
Listen to Phorest FM Episode 98, and subscribe to the Phorest Blog Podcast here:
The Most Popular Phorest Blog Articles Published In 2018
They stuck with many of you and likely will continue to, this year. Don’t worry, we don’t expect you to read all 1o articles in one go! Simply bookmark this blog and refer to it later, when needed.
10. What Are Salon Cash Flow Projections & How Can They Help?
(By Gloria Murray, Award-Winning Accountant & Director of Murray Associates Accountants)
Excerpt: “Salon cash flow predictions. They’re a bit like having a crystal ball: they help you to look into the future and predict if or when you could run out of cash – or even better, have loads of money! For example, imagine it takes four months longer than had planned for you to break even in the salon you’ve just opened. What effect will that have on your cash several months from now? Cash flow is cash in and out; it’s different from your profit and loss. So what can it tell you about your salon and how do you put such a prediction together?”
9. VAT Increase Highlights Irish Government’s Lack of Understanding of Hair Sector
(By Ronan Perceval, CEO of Phorest Salon Software)
Excerpt: “On October 9th, 2018, the Minister for Finance announced that the VAT rate for hairdressing services would be going up from 9% to 13.5% – a total of 4.5%. Coupled with a National Minimum Wage rise from €9.55 to €9.80 – in itself an increase of €0.25 per hour – and a rise in the rate of employers PRSI contribution, this VAT increase is causing for the hairdressing industry in Ireland to react, and for a cause. What is it that makes the salon industry so different?”
Read more or learn more about the issue on Phorest FM Episode 89.
8. 10 Salon Business Mistakes That Hurt Your Bottom Line
(By Valerie Delforge, Business Strategy Consultant)
Excerpt: “Running a business is hard work. Whether you feel ready to take the entrepreneurial plunge or you’re after opening a second location, the challenges you face never really get easier. They’re just different. Not only that, but the way you deal with these hardships also changes over time and with experience. Sometimes though, being right in the middle of it all can make it hard to identify salon business mistakes that can put your brand at significant risk. It’s okay to make salon business mistakes, as long as you learn from them…”
7. What You Need To Know Before Buying An Existing Salon
(By Gloria Murray, Award-Winning Accountant & Director of Murray Associates Accountants)
Excerpt: “If you have even the slightest bit of entrepreneurship in you, it is very likely that there will be a time in your hairdresser, stylist or beauty therapist career where you think: “Right, it’s time. I’m ready to run my salon (or spa!).” And you know what, that’s fair enough. From there you might decide that opening a salon is the way you want to go, or you might instead consider buying an existing salon. While the latter might seem like a good bet, there’s a lot to take into consideration. In my 21 years in business, I’ve seen 90% of business owners overestimate how much their business is worth. So you need to be very careful, even if the said salon has been professionally valued. There’s a myriad of things you need to think about before going ahead and investing your money in an existing salon.”
6. Top Insights For Salon Success From The Phorest Salon Owners Summit 2018
(By Zoé Bélisle-Springer, Digital Content Editor at Phorest Salon Software)
Excerpt: “As we all go back to our daily occupations after the Salon Owner’s Summit 2018, we thought it would be a good idea to recap some of the top insights for salon success that we heard at this year’s event. After all, if you’re reading this now, I’m assuming it’s because you also share most salon owners one common purpose: to lead and evolve an industry that makes everyone feel and look like the superstars they were born to be. Ready to dig in? Great starts here (pun intended).”
Click on the image to download the eBook.
5. 10 Tips To Perk Up Engagement On Your Salon Instagram Profile
(By Zoé Bélisle-Springer, Digital Content Editor at Phorest Salon Software)
Excerpt: “How do I get better engagement? One of the most popular questions about Instagram. The answer? It takes time, effort and whole lot of patience, but not impossible! If you’re really dedicated to boosting the engagement you’re getting from your salon Instagram profile, here’s a tried-and-tested list of tips. Let’s start the list with an easy one. Switching from a regular salon Instagram Profile to an Instagram Business Profile will require at most 10 minutes of your time, and it provides your clients with a direct contact method within the app. With a business profile, a few contact buttons appear on your profile allowing your customers to either get your business’ address, call your salon, email you or even book an appointment. Additionally, you get analytics on your profile! What’s not to want?”
Read more here or get even more tips in the Salon Owner’s Instagram eBook.
4. Top Salon Lighting Tips To Complement Your Interior Design
(By Zoé Bélisle-Springer, Digital Content Editor at Phorest Salon Software)
Excerpt: “There’s no way around it: salon lighting can make or break your interior design on top of throwing off existing and potential clients. When well thought-out, however, it can enhance every single step of your customer journey and daily tasks. Everything, from the placement to the type of bulbs you decide to use, plays its role in successful interior lighting design. Lighting is an integral part of how we, as humans, experience a space. So what is it that you must look out for, and why?”
3. 9 Subtle Signs An Employee Is Thinking About Leaving Your Salon
(By Connor Keppel, VP of Marketing at Phorest Salon Software)
Excerpt: “Stylists and therapists move around, particularly in the earlier days of their career. If you’re lucky enough to have one or more linchpins (someone who adds salon-wide value way beyond their role) on your team, you’ll want to keep them for as long as possible. In fact, some salon owners think that it’s their responsibility as a manager and leader to invest in people’s futures and prepare them for the next opportunity; even if it isn’t in their salon. But at the end of the day, we’re all human. When someone becomes increasingly disengaged, it can hurt. Personally and professionally. Fortunately (and if you’re vigilant enough!) employees who are thinking of leaving your salon will drop hints here and there.”
2. 25 Salon Conversation Starters To Use With New Clients
(By Zoé Bélisle-Springer, Digital Content Editor at Phorest Salon Software)
Excerpt: “It’s not because you’re a stylist, therapist or a hairdresser that it means you feel the most comfortable when meeting new people. Outside of your work, you still have dominant and less dominant personality traits that make who you are as an individual. This, sometimes, can translate into feeling awkward when having to start a conversation with a new client. However, in a research we conducted amongst New York salon-goers, we found that the majority of women (65%) favoured a chat with their hair or beauty therapist. Your chair is a special place, a place that makes people look and feel like a million dollars. Let’s make sure you have the right conversation starters on hand to learn more about who’s giving you 100% of their trust for that one or two hours.”
1. 10 Tips To Raise Your Salon Prices Without Losing Clients
(By Zoé Bélisle-Springer, Digital Content Editor at Phorest Salon Software)
Excerpt: “It’s no secret that the price of living has gone up and customers’ habits have changed over the last few decades. Yet, within the hair and beauty industry, there’s still a fear associated with raising prices. It’s important to realise that sometimes your salon prices just need to be adjusted. And if it’s done for legitimate reasons and you have numbers to back yourself up, then you shouldn’t feel insecure about your decision. Nowadays, trust often comes hand-in-hand with a brand name and leadership position. Think about raising prices as a given for heightened reputation. The good news is, there are strategies you can use to make your announcement go smoothly and ensure your clients stay loyal to the services you provide them.”
Happy digging, and thanks for reading our Phorest Blog articles! #LetsGrow
Got feedback? Let us know either in the comments below or tweet us @ThePhorestWord! (Pssst! We’re on Instagram too!)
Featured imaged shot on location of Leeson Beauty Lounge, in Dublin. © 2018 Phorest Salon Software.
