SALON TOOLS
Let the tools do the talking With the help of some of the industry’s experts, we’re looking into the effects of investing in salon tools and how products used within your business can contribute to building up a brand image.
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SALON TOOLS
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nough talks of the hair; we want to talk about the tools used to create these opulent masterpieces. As they say… Behind every great hairstylist is their tools. Of course, like most things within a business, the tools and products used within your salons contribute greatly to your brand’s image. So, just how important is it that you choose wisely
Marketing Director at CLOUD NINE, Jo Fox - using the right tools on your clients is so important as it elevates your own professionalism. It goes without saying that as a business owner, you want to offer good quality products to emphasise and work in line with the high-quality service available to your clients. Jo explained that a client visualises everything their stylist uses on them in terms of what branded products
products and equipment to ensure both clients and staff are happy. “Not every product is suitable for every client that walks through the door, so having a good selection means we can customise our treatments to the client’s needs.”
Not every product is suitable for every client. when it comes to picking your electrical equipment? We’ve posed questions such as ‘How can upholding a brand image be positively linked to new business?’ and ‘How can the tools which are used by a stylist affect their reputation?’ as well as ‘When investing in salon tools, should the image of the salon brand be considered, in terms of how they’d like to be perceived?’ The answers are coming from some of the greatest gurus in hair styling as we depict the importance of salon tools and brand image. According to Group Sales and
they are using on their hair: “Using a recognisable, good quality electrical tool is important and promotes them receiving a good reputation. The client looks to the stylists as the expert; therefore, they replicate what products they use and take their advice.” In the opinion of Jo and many others, high-end quality products equal highend service for a client and represent them as a valued business. Chloe Murphy, Owner of Palm Springs Hair and Beauty, sees the importance of using quality tools within her salon as she explained: “We’re always trying new
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When you are using products that your clients love alongside a good service, they will return. Chloe believes the products and equipment you use also lend a hand in the standard of the service you provide by using the best possible tools and equipment; it shows the client that no corners are being cut and their wellbeing is important. “When buying products or new tools, I definitely consider my brand image as there are so many products available you can purchase, and they need to be perfect for our target audience and our ethos. We aim to provide affordable treatments and care for our clients but at the highest standard.” Using products or equipment that are substandard can affect the quality of the service being provided. Once a stylist is producing work that isn’t of their highest quality, they may start losing clients, and the reputation of a business can become tarnished. As we’re looking into how a salon’s tools line up with their brand image, Chloe said: “I personally don’t feel that the tools used to reflect the status of the salon for us it’s more about finding the best available and best suitable products for our individual client’s needs. “However, changes do need to be
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made regularly to keep up to date with new trends and new product releases as this is what draws new clients in and keeps your returning clients interested. We always trial new products ourselves before offering them to our clients to understand how they work and the benefits.” Chloe and her team use social media to promote their new products, and they find that creating polls on Instagram is a great way of gauging what their audience is interested in or not so interested in. Undeniably using the correct products and styling tools enables a stylist to perform the best possible service, allowing the stylist to execute their craft at the highest quality. Lucy Jenkinson, Founder of hur, believes that by using styling tools that better the client’s hair, in respect of health and also style aesthetic, you will likely improve retention rates: “Creating a look that the client loves will result in them wanting more and by using products and styling tools that protect the health of your client’s hair will instil trust into the
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client as you do everything to look after the condition of their hair whilst in your hands.” By using styling tools with variable temperature control can demonstrate that your styling efforts DIVA PRO AIR CURL are prescriptive. Lucy notices that damaging the health of your client’s hair while under your care by using poor quality tools or not achieving the desired aesthetic of the client’s final style due to product inability is likely to result in them not returning for a second service. If you don’t invest in quality styling tools and opt for a cheaper alternative
SALON TOOLS where there is no quality evidence, you could potentially damage your client’s hair. This, in turn, could lead to your client leaving a bad review which could damage your longer-term reputation. According to Lucy, if you have a reputation for supplying a premium, good quality service, then it is only natural that you need to use products and styling tools that reflect this premium offering. “A salon needs to align itself to affinity brands and products that share the same positioning in their respective markets. If you are offering a high end, premium service, then your products and styling tools used in the salon, and also your retail offering, should reflect this.” Lucy finished. We asked Paul Percival, Founder of Percy & Reed, and ambassador for BaByliss Pro, how a salon’s tools can positively impact client retention rates, to which he answered: “The quality of the finish you get from using a properly engineered product makes all the difference in how clients look and feel when they leave. If the style you created for them drops out as soon as they walk out the door, they are likely not to come back.” So, when investing in salon tools, should the image of the salon brand be considered, in terms of how they’d like to be perceived? Paul thinks it’s important that when choosing a brand that will be a big part of your day-to-day salon life, you choose a brand that you respect and that you can trust: “In many ways we are only as good as the tools we have to use. “There’s absolutely no question that the level of equipment you use not only
reflects on your overall brand, but it makes it clear to all the team that we only expect the best results from them too. “You can’t expect the clients visiting or the team that work for you to believe in your brand if you don’t ensure that you will only use the best products for the job.” Paul added. David Corbett, owner David Corbett
Hairdressing offered similar advice as he explained that within his salon, they always try to partner with tool suppliers who are known and recognised within the community for offering great service: “Partnering with suppliers that hold similar values to our own strengthens our brand position and how we are seen to our consumers.
A salon needs to align itself to affinity brands. “You don’t have to own the most expensive tools to be able to offer a fantastic service, but you definitely need to look after them if you want your guests to feel they are being looked after.” So, most of our experts agree that your salon tools and equipment pose a direct effect on client retention rates and maintain a good reputation as a business. As Chloe said, though, not every tool will be appropriate for every client, so be sure to have a variety and using polls on your social media like she does to find out which products your audience value could be a turning point in working in line with not only your brand image, but your client’s needs too.
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