The beauty industry is big business in the UK, with a 73% increase in the number of salons and beauty businesses between 2014 and 2019.
The market is worth around £3 billion, all-in-all, and it’s widely projected to grow still further in the years to come, thanks to the end of Covid-19 restrictions giving businesses a chance to plan for the future, and customers the chance to think about the sorts of treatments they’d like to enjoy.
For salon owners and operators, it’s worth getting ahead of customer demand, and thinking about the changes you might make to your salon in order to ensure sustainable growth. This will tend to involve thinking about several different things:
Demand for organic and clean
Customers may be increasingly discerning about what substances they’re putting onto, and into, their bodies which may be a result of environmental concerns, health concerns or both. Given that both environmentalism and ‘wellness’ are booming, salons might be well advised to seek out organic and sustainable products, and to advertise the fact, too.
Personalised experiences
The UK is more ethnically diverse than ever, especially in big cities. This means that salons which are able to treat a variety of different skin tones and hairstyles will be in a better position to cater to the demand. This might mean offering training to staff so that every customer who walks through the door can have their needs effectively catered to.
Being able to offer customers a personalised experience is invaluable, too: and for much the same reason. Brands that offer personalised experiences are already at a major competitive advantage relative to those that don’t. As technology advances, the personalisation trend is only going to get more sophisticated, and customers might come to expect it. A great example of this comes in the form of L’Oréal’s partnership with the period-tracking app Clue, with the aim of providing targeted relief for period-related skin problems.
Be aware of the competition
When you first drafted your business plan, you should have taken a look at the local competition, and tried to identify their strengths and weaknesses. This is something you can still do, on an ongoing basis. Think about features and facilities that customers might find elsewhere, and try to match them. For example, if your rivals are offering things like tanning beds and topical tan accelerators, then you might look to do the same thing.
Go online
Online booking has become more and more convenient, both for customers and salon staff, and it’s the option of choice for young people. Studies have found that 80% of salon customers actually prefer to book online and online services increase bookings by 30% and reduce errors by 90%.
As such, it’s worth taking the steps necessary to receive bookings online. This is a trend that’s only going to intensify as younger people get older and people continue to become more tech-savvy. Plus, even if your target market is less likely to use online booking, it’s still a great idea to provide the option as new customers have been found to increase by 20% with online booking as an option.
