by Greg Milner | Apr 8, 2014 | Blog, Featured
“I almost never go into the salon any more. I stay at home with my toddler son, while the business grows and grows…”
Nicole Lopez is living the dream that only a small percentage of salon owners ever realize. From a standing start three years ago, her hair & beauty salon in a down-market, outer suburb of the most isolated capital city in the world (Perth, Western Australia), Nicole’s Destination U has grown rapidly to the point where she now has a salable asset – one that generates serious profit without her being there.
DIRTY LITTLE SECRET: To this day, Nicole’s staff and clients – even her husband – think she’s a marketing genius, that she’s created a ‘marketing machine’ entirely through her own talents. Her husband still doesn’t know that the entire time, she’s been downloading her marketing ideas, templates and strategies from WSM Members Only Million Dollar Resources Library.
In this 8-minute video, Nicole describes exactly how she transformed a run-down, outer-suburban salon into a cash-generating powerhouse – with only FOUR staff.
[cf]Nicole[/cf]
Want that kind of boost to your business, and more importantly, your LIFE? When Nicole joined WSM she was one of just FIVE salons accepted each month into the Worldwide Salon Marketing ‘My Social Salon’ marketing & mentoring program. Click here to apply for a 30-day Money Back Guaranteed Test Drive!
by Greg Milner | Apr 7, 2014 | Blog
Anni Diamond is a long-term Member of Worldwide Salon Marketing’s My Social Salon program, a super-successful salon owner in her own right, and sought-after coach and business mentor.
Selling your services as an aesthetician or technician is no different than selling the services of a dentist, electrician, plumber , fish and chip shop owner , hairdresser or educator. You see, without marketing no one knows who you are…..you can’t sell a secret and secondly without a sale, you have no customers, therefore no business.
One of the greatest mistakes I see in our industry is that many of us strive to be great aestheticians, hair stylists and technicians and we study hard, train and educate ourselves in the science of the skin, hair, nails or whatever your industry is, but we don’t have a clue on how to run a business. You’ve heard the expression, “build it and they will come” …….well it’s the biggest lie you will ever hear.
So, Let me start by saying that I firmly believe education is paramount in our industry.
The more time and money you invest in learning, the less time and money you waste trying to figure things out on your own. Learn from someone that has already done, what you are trying to achieve.
Without education, a marketing plan and a marketing budget, your business is doomed for failure. We generally are not sales people, nor are we specialists in marketing. We are nurturers by the very nature of the profession we have chosen. How can we “sell”? How do we know how to write an ad that will make our phone ring off the hook? How do we convert the people that do turn up for their appointment into becoming long term clients? How do you learn to manage staff, negotiate a lease, be a leader and a mentor to your staff? Who teaches you this?
Running a successful business isn’t easy and running a failing business is even harder.
The number one most important decision you will ever make in your business is finding a proven and successful mentor to show you the way to success. A mentor will support and encourage you to manage your own learning and growth in order that you can maximize your full potential, develop your skills and improve your performance.
This decision is more important than investing in the latest piece of technology or latest widget.
OK, so you get your education, start a business and somehow just supposed to “figure it out.”
How’s that working for you?
Only about 50% of all new businesses survive 5 years or more!
On average, women business owners fail at the rate of three times that of the male entrepreneur.
You CAN learn how to be a successful entrepreneur and business owner. It starts with investing further into your education, not as an aesthetician, hair stylist or technician, but as a business owner.
Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself. YOU are your greatest asset and YOU are the solution to all your challenges and roadblocks.
Cheers
Anni Diamond
www.beautysaloncoach.biz
by Greg Milner | Apr 5, 2014 | Blog
I recently did some research on the Net. I looked at over 300 salon and spa websites. Wow! What an eye opener!
Most of them had lots of glitz, music, and beautiful pictures, but lacked any real solid information about their business or how they benefitted their clients.
Nothing! No information, but an invitation to sign up for their newsletter. Why would I want to do that?
Or this:
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times, NEVER, ever use reverse type (white) against a black background.You simply can’t read it! Obviously, this salon doesn’t subscribe to my posts, but should.
I found reverse type to be a running theme with the majority of salon sites, but not with spas. Not sure why. I do know that it’s extremely hard to read, and this screenshot is 469 x 196!
Both of these businesses have greatly missed the money-making mark in three ways:
- No information
- Incomplete information
- Hard to read information (for the latter site)
So, let’s set the record straight. Your About page should have the same function as your other web pages: Promote your services through connection with your prospect.
Nobody does this better than Derek Halpern. Nobody. He owns and runs Social Triggers. If you aren’t a subscriber of his, you should be. Do it now.
Derek doesn’t waste any time answering readers’ Silent But Ever Present Question: “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?”
His About page enters the conversation already going on in the prospect’s head and demonstrates how Social Triggers answers those questions. Derek begins to build a foundation of trust through questions, testimonials, and demonstrating his experience.
Then he instructs them to join up on his email list. And he does this three times on the page.
Yes, in three different sections, Derek invites his readers to get updates from him. It’s a natural progression that builds trust with each paragraph.
See for yourself. Did it feel pushy to you or more like an invitation?
Now take a look at your About page. Are you using it to build connection and get the prospect on your list? If not, re-do it.
The About page is one of the most visited pages on your site. Make good use of it! Don’t hesitate to use Derek’s page as a model for your own, either.
I did.
Keep Pushing The Envelope,
P.S.
Here’s a partial screen shot of Derek’s About page. Click on it and it will take you to his site.
P.S.
Hate to write marketing articles and Facebook posts? Wish there was someone you trust that could do it for you? Check out the Salon & Spa Beauty Bank here.
by Greg Milner | Apr 4, 2014 | Blog, Featured
Amber Clayton is excited. Understandably. For months, her beauty salon in the little South Australian town of Port Pirie (pop. 13,000) struggled to bring in $3,000 a week. Suddenly, in the space of a month, weekly sales jumped to more than $5,000.
How? In this video, Amber explains the dramatic effect some carefully-implemented marketing has had, not only on her sales, but her new-found enthusiasm for business.
[cf]Amber[/cf]
Want that kind of boost to your business, and more importantly, your LIFE? Amber was one of just FIVE salons accepted each month into the Worldwide Salon Marketing ‘My Social Salon’ marketing & mentoring program. Click here to apply for a 30-day Money Back Guaranteed Test Drive!
by Greg Milner | Mar 31, 2014 | Blog
Here it is March and I’m not seeing a lot of love. At least not in newsletters. The fact is, I hardly ever do!
I subscribe to a lot of hair and beauty newsletters… A LOT! The most interesting thing about each of these newsletters is this: 
They are all the same!
Literally, you could take out one logo and insert a different one and it wouldn’t matter.Worse, these newsletters are like reading a retail ad for Wal-Mart.And yet, when describing what they do, beauty owners tell me it’s their passion.Why doesn’t that love show up in their newsletters? What a huge disconnect!
So, let’s set the record straight right now.
If you want to grow your business, you must extend the same kindness and consideration for your clients in your newsletter that you do when they are right in front of you.
You must continue to serve.
Before you put keystroke to cyber paper and hit SEND, ask yourself these 3 questions:
- Is this information serving my clients?
- Is this information they can use right now?
- Is this newsletter focused on them or me?
If your answer isn’t’ “Yes, Yes, and Them,” STOP. You haven’t got a true relationship with your clients. Your services are nothing more than a commodity because that’s the message you’re giving them!
You keep the focus on your client when they are in your chair. Keep that same focus on them when they aren’t.That’s the missing piece! You can’t treat people like royalty in your business, and then turn around and send out a Wal-Mart ad.
Sales ads masquerading as newsletters are just a house of cards. There is no foundation of trust. Selling to your clients is all about their experience in your business and when they aren’t there.
Keep the luv going. Give your clients meaty information and great offers. Very few beauty owners do that.
Peace Love, and Profits,
P.S.
Hate to write marketing articles and Facebook posts? Wish there was someone you trust that could do it for you? Check out the Salon & Spa Beauty Bank here.
by Greg Milner | Mar 23, 2014 | Blog
You know it and they know it. You want them to purchase what you’re offering. So why not say that in your promo?
Hmmmm…when was the last time you wanted to purchase anything? Even if it was an iPad, did you really want to fork over that kind of money?
Can I get a “Heck, no!” But you wanted the product, right?
Once you made the purchase, it felt good knowing that you made a solid investment. That’s just human nature.
We want it but we don’t want to actually BUY it. It’s a funny little game we all play.
When you’re writing offers for your newsletters, remember that because it’s an important psychological tweak.
It’s a mistake that I see way too often in salon and spa newsletters. Instead, encourage clients to GRAB an offer.
“Grab it now!”
Or, tell them to INVEST because, most certainly, that’s what they are doing!
“Invest in your health/hair today!”
But here’s the real mind binder.
The word “purchase” has very strong negative connotations. So when you use that language, it’s actually a disservice to your clients.
Remember, you’re in business to serve and make a good living at it by providing topnotch services and products.
If your wording doesn’t resonate with your clients so that they want to use your services, how will you be able to serve them?
Always come from a place of service, even if it means tweaking language so that your message can be heard and acted on.
Peace, Love, And Profits,
Susan
P.S.
P.S.
Hate to write marketing articles and Facebook posts? Wish there was someone you trust that could do it for you? Check out the Salon & Spa Beauty Bank here.
