9 minute read
ITS CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS
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Christmas is coming, Christmasiscoming, and what a year it’s andwhatayearit’s
been. been. We ask industry Weaskindustry experts how best to cope expertshowbesttocope with a very diff erent kind withaverydifferentkind of festive season. offestiveseason.
To say Christmas 2020 will o sayChristmas 2020 will be unlike any other is be unlike anyotheris probably something of probablysomething of an understatement. With anunderstatement. With Covid-19 and the possibility Covid-19 andthe possibility of regional lockdowns still ofregionallockdowns still lurking – and a likely lack lurking –andalikelylack of Christmas parties – it ofChristmas parties –it could be a tricky time for salons and couldbe atrickytime forsalons and barbershops. However, there are ways barbershops. However, there are ways you can still make the most of it and youcanstillmake the mostofitand enjoy some festive cheer. enjoysome festive cheer.
MARC’S TOP TIPS
1Think carefully about your retail this Christmas. We’re focusing on stocking fi llers this year – around £10 to £20 market it correctly, we could have one of the best Christmases we’ve ever had. Of course things could change if there are more redundancies or if the recession gets worse. But
business and is the owner she established in 2003 in Middleton, North Sienna Training Academy.
– not big ticket items.
2Use this Christmas as an opportunity to pace out business. We don’t want to keep dealing with surges – stable businesses have good, steady trade throughout the year.
3Don’t let any Christmas feature, whether it’s a tree, decorations or even product displays, take up any precious social distancing space.
MARC MCCUNE
Marc has styled in London, Sydney, Paris and Milan during his 20+ year career. As well as being the owner of the Eutopia salons in Glasgow and Helensburgh, Marc is also a brand educator for Sebastian.
In some ways, Covid has sped up some of the trends we were already seeing at Christmas. For example, I had a lot of regular clients who were choosing to have appointments any time in November and then in early January, rather than cope with the hassle of Christmas. With restrictions on Christmas parties this year, that trend will expand.
One positive from this is that it could help in-salon retail sales as clients may not have fi nished their shopping in November.
That said, it looks like product companies are cutting back on the packs they’re selling this Christmas. Many clients have been buying products online during lockdown, so that will aff ect our retail sales. We’ve been cutting back on retail stock at Christmas for a while, so this year’s circumstances might speed up that trend.
Clients are desperate to get all their appointments in, so we’ve been telling them to book the next three and we’re booking right up to
Christmas. We’ll continue with our current opening hours of seven days a week with three late nights, but we might go up to four nights.
In terms of getting the salon ready for Christmas, we’re looking at doing a lot of plastic displays. I think it will all have to be done with
Perspex, baubles, things hanging from the ceiling – things we can wipe down and won’t collect viruses.
We’ll still have a fantastic inviting display, but it’ll be diff erent from previous years.
We’ll see salons experiencing more steady business this year, which might not be a bad thing because we traditionally end up with a bottleneck with everybody trying to get in at the same time. Christmas doubles your turnover in December but halves it in January. I’d be quite happy if it means we’ll be quieter in December but busier
LISA CATHCART
Lisa has more than 25 years' experience in the of Salon Sienna, which Manchester. Lisa is also the founder of the Salon
Normally we start planning for Christmas now, but this year we started discussing it much earlier. If we plan and a lot of clients have been working at home during lockdown, and they now want to be pampered.
in November and January.
LISA’S TOP TIPS
1If you have a Christmas shopping day or special evening events, hold those online with video via Zoom and allow clients to log in from home.
2Use leafl ets to give customers info about products and Christmas packs – to maintain safe hygiene and keep products away from direct contact.
3When it comes to decorations, think about displays that are wipe-clean.
STEPH STEVENSON
As well as a highly respected celebrity stylist, Steph is the founder of the new Marie Claire Jetstyle range of salons and products and the owner of HNB: a 4000 sq ft hair, beauty, aesthetics and cosmetic dentistry salon and spa in Sandbanks, Dorset.
I feel that this year everyone requires a bit more bit more of an emotional element in ent in everything that we do – we o – we need to give our clients even more of a ‘get off the world experience’ than before.
Although we have all the PPE and safety measures in place, we’ve worked hard to make sure having a great time is still the main thing for our clients. That means we will be decorating the salon this Christmas and off ering clients treats. We may even give gifts – we feel that it’s really the right time to show how much we value our clients.
As there won’t be so many parties this year, we’re off ering the local corporate community team pamper community team pamper days. Ensuring they follow the days. Ensuring they follow the latest guidelines in England latest guidelines in England of having no more than six of having no more than six
people, they can hire the salon out of hours and have a diff erent type of party (see Spotify playlists below).
We’ll also be majoring on online retail and gift vouchers, and maybe some pay-forwards with discount, which we haven’t done before. The more we celebrate Christmas more we celebrate Christmas and off er, the better our and offer, the better our chances of entering the New chances of entering the New Year in a healthy condition. Year in a healthy condition.
STEPH’S TOP TIPS
1On social media, provide more competitions and giveaways. Increase packages – add on rather than take money off.
2The party market is a big part of a salon’s business at Christmas so fi nd ways to plug that revenue gap with other ideas. Be creative!
3Pamper your staff. With restrictions in place and in light of how hard everyone has worked, they’d probably value a they’d probably value a couple of extra paid days couple of extra paid days off rather than a Christmas off rather than a Christmas party this year. party this year.
GRAHAM SOULT TIPS FROM THE RETAIL EXPERT
Graham Soult is a high street champion who runs retail consultancy CannyInsights.com. Here are his key suggestions for Christmas 2020.
No one quite knows what Christmas is going to look like, so being fl exible and able to cope with uncertainty is important.
Excite the customer Excite the customer with great products and ith great products and services – you haven’t ervices – you haven’t just got to entice st got to entice people into your salon eople into your salon or barbershop this year, r barbershop this year, you’ve also got to ou’ve also got to entice people out of ntice people out of their homes. eir homes.
Make your window Make your window appealing, eye-catching ppealing, eye-catching and Instagrammable. nd Instagrammable. People are going to eople are going to photograph it and share hotograph it and share it and spread the word. and spread the word.
If you want to attract If you want to attract people to your town or eople to your town or business, you have to usiness, you have to make it worth their ake it worth their while with a festive hile with a festive atmosphere. Make mosphere. Make the client want to e client want to come as much for the ome as much for the experience as for a xperience as for a product or service. roduct or service.
HNB’S CHRISTMAS HNB’S CHRISTMAS SPOTIFY PLAYLISTSSPOTIFY PLAYLISTS
SpotifySpotify – New Year’s – New Year’s Eve Party Bangers, Eve Party Bangers, Christmas Is Coming, Christmas Is Coming, Christmas Crackers Christmas Crackers Gaspard Royant Gaspard Royant – – I Can’t Believe I Can’t Believe It’s Christmas It’s Christmas Gavin Boyle Gavin Boyle – –Best Christmas Best Christmas Songs 2020 Songs 2020
Stephanie StevensonStephanie Stevenson
– Christmas 17 – Christmas 17
