2017 My Year of Communication
There are so many ways in a salon that we communicate every day. I have chosen to discuss what I think is the most important to get right and the one that so many get wrong without even realising. Put simply “It is not what you say but how you say it.” that counts.
The tone that you use can completely change the meaning of words from positive to negative and as a receiver if we hear a tone that we don’t like we react and respond accordingly. Clients respond by not returning. Staff can respond in two ways: 1.They get their back up and resist you and can be the leader of unrest in the salon or 2. They get upset and feel pressured and not valued.
Most of the time poor tone is used when a person is busy and under pressure…..not an excuse that is acceptable I am afraid. So think about not only what you say but how you say it and see if you can be a better communicator.
Profit And Loss Across The Industry
It is equally important to focus on two critical areas of your business’s performance. Firstly you should always be setting and really striving to achieve your goals and targets but even more important you should be looking at your expenses to make sure your bottom line profit is as it should be. The beginning of a New Year is a great time to do this.
A salon that has a monthly turnover of $20,000 and is making a 20% profit is much better situated than a salon that is turning over $80,000 and making a profit of 2%. It is very easy to get distracted by good turnover, but the reality is it does not really matter how much you take, it is all about how much you make. So make a commitment during 2017 to take control of your profit. During each coaching session I review the salon’s profit and loss so all my clients are aware at all times how they are tracking.
Team Leaders Management Programme
Introducing ‘Creating Great Team Leaders Management Programme’ for 2017. Delivered by Faye Murray in conjunction with MIG College Brisbane.
This programme is designed for new managers, those who have not previously undertaken management training or a salon owner who just feels lost.
There are 6 subjects as part of the Creating Great Team Leaders programme. Each will be delivered separately but there will be many points that will follow on and link. For the very best results the more subjects you complete the better you will be as a great team leader.
The goal is to give you the knowledge, confidence and energy to change many things that you currently do to become a super team communicator and to implement new strategies that are proven to work.
For more information click here or go to http://www.mattersingray.com.au or call MIG (07) 3349 6538 to book.
I am only going to take limited numbers so this can be very interactive for everyone. If you want to join in please book soon. We have great enrolments in the first week already.
This programme is suited to both hair and beauty.
Follow Me On Pinterest
I love spending time adding to my Pinterest page and I think you would find some great quotes and ideas. Would love you to follow me on Faye Murray. These are all the special messages that I really enjoy. They are great to use for inspirational messages at your team meeting, your staff Facebook page and just to feel good.
The Lady Bird Books
If you are looking for something fun and interesting to read in your salon here is a great idea. I found them last year when I was visiting the UK and we have a whole series of them and we often use them for an after dinner laugh. They are best described as an adult spoof version of kids’ books. By adult version they are perfectly appropriate. Your clients will enjoy them and you won’t have to toss them out as they won’t go out of date. Two of my clients already have these in their salon and they work so well. Clients who don’t know each other start to laugh and share the pages.
My two favourites are:
The Ladybird Book of Dating
‘How it Works’ The Husband
Click on the link below to find these books online.
Easter Planning
I know we feel like we have just said goodbye to Christmas but Easter will be here before you know it. I suggest you start to get your rosters and planning in place now. Your team will want to plan and so will your clients so get everything in place nice and early.
If you are looking for some really special Easter treats to have in your salon my favourite chocolate wholesaler, Belgian Delights, has some wonderful things in their Easter catalogue. Use your ABN and buy at wholesale not retail.
Policy manual tip
If you already have a good policies and procedures manual and it is time for a review, don’t try and do this all in one go. Set a goal to do 3 – 4 a week and go through and add and change as you need. Then reintroduce these to your team so they are aware of any changes that have happened that are part of your total salon’s culture and standards.
Your policies and procedures manual is one of your most valuable tools but if you don’t use it there is little or no value to your team and most of all to the consistent level of service you provide to your clients.
Business management tip
Combine Your Client and Team Feedback Systems
Most salons ask clients for feedback about their products and services, but only a handful asks their team the same questions. This is a missed opportunity. A lot of insight can be gained from connecting your client feedback to your employee feedback. You will have a wide range of ages and interests across your team so use what they think to better the way you can treat your clients.
Think about ways to collect feedback.
A message board in the back room where feedback and comments can be added
A message box where feedback can be added
Your private FB page encourage your team to share their ideas
During your team meeting ask for feedback. For example: Rate our shampoo service and suggest how could we do it better.
Melbourne Beauty and Hair Expo
I’ll be presenting ‘The Business of Brows’ bootcamp at the Beauty Expo in Melbourne in March alongside celebrity brow artist Jazz Pampling. Jazz will cover the ‘how to’ and I’ll be talking about leveraging these skills into additional turnover dollars for your salon. Click the link below for more information and tickets.
Faye's favourite quote
People who wonder whether the glass is half empty or half full are missing the point.
The glass is REFILLABLE