Owning a salon studio with Cosmo gives you the perfect opportunity to create a unique experience for your clients. Traditional salons can seem uptight at times and the stylists only have so much control over what the vibe is like.
With your own salon suite, you have total control over the design, ambiance, conversations, and amenities. Here are some simple things you can do that will go a long way with your customers.
Offer Refreshments
We all know the importance of staying hydrated, but it can be easy to forget with a busy schedule and beauty appointments.
Whether you just want to keep spare water bottles available or get a little more fancy with the options, your clients will take notice of your extra effort. We’ve had Cosmo Experts offer sparkling water, juice, soda, and more! Set up a drink station that has an iced water cooler.
Check out these Pinterest ideas for inspiration!
Charging Station
We’ve all been in a situation where we desperately need a charger for our phones, tablets, or other electronics. Be a charging haven for your clients by having a small area with multiple different chargers.
Have options for iPhones, Androids, tablets, and anything else you see your customers come in with. It will be a one-time investment that you customers will appreciate every time they come in.
Selfie Mirror
You can get very creative with this idea. Whether you want to include hashtags or the name of your business on the mirror, selfie mirrors are becoming more popular. Aside from allowing your client to boast their new haircut or nail design, you also help your business with promotion and marketing material.
Try to have them tag your personal or business accounts on whichever platform they decide to post on.
Free WiFi
Sometimes it truly is the little things we take for granted. Giving your customers access to free WiFi as they wait for their appointment is easy to do and goes a long way.
If your suite has accessible WiFI, hang up a decorative sign that calls out the name and password.
Be Personable
One easy way to make your clients feel valued is to listen and learn as much as you can. Make them feel as if they’re being wined and dined. Take a sincere interest in their lives and build a relationship that is more than just offering services.
It is easy to tell when beauty professionals are just making small talk and trying to get you out the door. Take the time to make them feel appreciated and unique.
Show Love on Social Media
Aside from being a great marketing and promotional tactic, interacting with your clients on social media will go even further in making them feel special and appreciated. Whether you choose a time of day to scroll through your social feeds or need to turn on notifications for specific people, make the effort to post, share, comment, and like as much as you can.
Take the time to write responses that are personable and show you care. Your followers will take notice if you only comment with heart emojis.
Celebrate & Reward Loyalty
Loyal customers are extremely valuable to any business. Not only does it help you stay financially stable, it’s also a great asset for promotion and new clientele. Those customers will be much more likely to recommend you to friends, family, and coworkers.
As a way to build their loyalty, come up with ways to celebrate or reward your most loyal customers. Whether it is some sort of loyalty program where customers get perks for a certain number of visits or sending out holiday cards, come up with your own unique way of making their loyalty count for something.
Clean & Tidy
No one thinks of a VIP experience when they walk into somewhere messy, unorganized, and dirty. Make sure your suite is as clean as can be no matter who is coming in. Treat every appointment as if you’re trying to make a great first impression.
Even if you feel comfortable with certain clients and think you can get away with a little bit of mess, take the time to tidy things up before they get there.
Extra Entertainment
From beauty magazines for inspiration to music playing in the background, spice up their experience by adding some extra entertainment. We’ve even had Cosmo Experts stream TV or Netflix shows on tablets for their clients to watch during their appointment.
Any extra amenity that you can offer as an option can be considered. For music, give them the option to hook up or sync to the speaker so they can choose the music.
Samples & Complimentary Services
While you might not have the means to hand out free product samples to everyone that walks in, there are ways to get creative with it. Let them try a new product every few appointments and set that aside for doing the same with other clients.
Another great benefit of working in a salon studio is that you have diverse beauty professionals surrounding your suite. Partner with a Cosmo Expert who offers a different service and try to come up with some promotion.
Summary
The good news is that once you open your own studio with Cosmo, you’ve already taken the first step to creating a VIP experience. The privacy and intimacy that studios allow for are guaranteed to make your clients feel more special and valued.
The next step is determining how you want your business to be seen. You have all the freedom and control to determine exactly how your salon should be operated. Don’t settle for the bare minimum – aim for a true VIP experience.
To get started on your journey of owning a salon, reach out to the Cosmo team or schedule a tour online!
