Creating the Image of Your Salon

Creating an image for your salon will depend on certain factors. These include the type of salon you are opening and the types of services your salon will offer. You want your salon’s image to reflect what your salon offers to its clients in more than just services. If you are opening a general salon, what kind of message do you want to give to your potential clients? Are you family and child-friendly? Are you offering great service at affordable prices? Think about what elements your particular target market would want in a salon and be sure to incorporate them into your salon’s own image. Here is another example to illustrate this point: You are opening a high end day spa. You know your target market will be adult women with a mid to high income level who enjoy pampering themselves. Your salon’s image should reflect the idea that every woman deserves to be pampered, and that your salon offers a tranquil escape from hectic, stressful everyday life. Always keep your ideal clients’ needs in mind when creating your salon’s image.

Choosing Salon Names

Naming your salon is an integral part of developing your salon’s image. Salon names need to make a good first impression on clients, and should communicate something that is distinctive about the salon and what it is offering. What is unique about your salon? What kind of image do you want your salon to have? These are just a few things to think about when deciding up salon names. Here are some elements that reflect a good business name: 

• A good business name is memorable – it is easy to read and easy to spell, not too long, and makes a lasting impression.
• A good business name should sound positive – no one wants to get their hair cut at a place that connotes a sad, harsh or negative feeling.
• A good business name should include something that points to what the business does or what it stands for.
• A good business name creates a visual in the clients’ minds – this element in a name can be reflected in the business’s logo.
• A good business name has to stand up to time – avoid names that revolve around trends and fads, or anything that has a shelf life. Your name needs to be as relevant now as it will be in the future. 

Think about these elements and make a list of ideas for your salon’s name. Think about how you want your clients to view your salon, how you can attract their attention. When you have narrowed your list down to some final ideas, share these ideas with your closest friends and family. Getting outside input helps you  understand how certain names will affect your target market. 

Choosing Salon Logos 

Once you have a name, it’s time to create some salon logos. This process can be fun and creative, so enjoy it! Just as with choosing salon names, creating salon logos should happen with your target market in mind, as well as your salon’s image. Your salon’s logo should complement your salon’s name as well as be visually attractive to your clients. When designing a logo, there a few ways that it can be done:

• Icon or Symbol: this type of logo is meant to represent your salon. There is no text that goes along with it, just the symbol by itself. The symbol or icon becomes a visual reference for your salon, so when your clients see this symbol, they know that it belongs to your salon. An example of this kind of logo for a salon would be a pair of scissors, or a simple lined figure of a head and hair.
• Logotype or Wordmark: this type of logo is incorporated into the actual name of the salon. For example, when you think of First Choice Hair Cutters, or John Frieda their logo is their name and vice versa. This type of logo acts as almost a signature for your salon.
• Combination Logos: this type of logo is a symbol or icon that is paired alongside the salon’s name. Think of Wella’s logo, the simple head of hair paired with the name Wella underneath. This type of logo needs to be created with extra careful consideration to the overall style, as sometimes it can become too much. If you want to pair a unique, artistic logo beside your salon name, try keeping your salon name’s font on the simpler side. Remember that no matter what kind of logo you choose to create for your salon, make sure that it reflects your salon’s image and says something about your salon. Consider hiring a graphic designer to create your logo for you so that you know you will have a professional looking outcome in the end. 

beverages and something to read

Salons At Home:

Salons that are run at home will most likely be simpler in design and will not be able to accommodate as many clients. Typically, your clients will be friends, family and people who have heard of your salon through word of mouth. Almost any type of salon service can be run in-home provided you have the proper supplies and equipment.

Salons in Malls:

Salons that are located in malls will be more commercial in terms of their image. Malls are always located in the most commercial heavy parts of town, as this is where consumers spend a lot of time. If you plan on opening your salon in a mall, you will be noticed by a lot of potential clients. Since mall salons are very open in terms of layout, and are visible by anyone passing by, ensure that your salon is clean, inviting and perhaps unique in style since there will be other competing salons within the same mall. The types of salons that will benefit most from being located in a shopping mall are general hair salons, barber shops and beauty salons. 

Plaza Salons:

Salons that are located in a plaza are typically well known in that particular neighbourhood. While plazas are commercial, they are also very common in residential neighborhoods. If you are opening a family-friendly, hair salon you will most likely get a lot of business and new clientele here. 

In Store Salons:

In store salons can range from low priced services found in chain department stores, to higher end services found in specialty boutiques. However, no matter what type of store your salon is located in, your salon’s image will most likely have to reflect the image of the store overall. As well, your target market will most likely be directly reflective of the type of customers that the store receives.

Downtown Salons:

Salons that are located in a city’s downtown core are typically higher end barber shops, beauty salons and day spas. Most businesses that are run from a downtown core rent their spaces by the month, therefore, they must charge more for their services. As well, downtown cores tend to be home to the higher end boutiques and specialty stores, so you can expect your target market to be higher income adults. As for your salon’s image, it should reflect the high end image that your clients will most likely be expecting. If your clients are paying more for your services, they will want to be pampered.

Campus Salon:

The campus salon is always successful, for students who live on residence on campus are going to turn to their campus salon first before venturing out into the city. The types of salons that do best on campus are general hair salons. Students have tight budgets and tight schedules, so you will want to consider having affordable pricing and make walk-in services available to them. This will guarantee you more client business. As for your salon’s overall image, think about making it a fun, inviting atmosphere. Your main clients will be younger students, so make sure your salon is a place that will make them feel comfortable.

Prices for Your Salon Services

Depending on where your salon is located and what kind of services you offer will affect what kinds of prices you place on your salon services. For example, if you are a high end day spa located downtown, you will most likely have higher priced services. After all, your clients are paying for quality and luxury. When you start to figure out your salon service prices, take into account a few factors. Are you paying rent for your space? If so, how much are you paying? What kinds of prices are your competitors offering for their services? It is important to have competitive pricing. Also, who is your target market? Make sure that your prices are something that is within your specific target market’s budget.

High End Salons vs. Walk-In Services

One of the biggest factors for pricing in your salon will be the type of salon you are running. There is typically a large difference in the cost of services between a high end beauty salon and a general salon. On one hand, it may seem beneficial to open a high end salon where you will be making a lot more money off of your clients, but keep in mind that high end salons have high prices for a reason. Their rent is often much higher, the products they use are more specialized, and the services they offer are more extensive. All of these things cost money, so it is necessary to price your services higher or else you can risk going out of business. Affordable walk-in services don’t  need high prices as their rent is usually not as much and their products are more common and easily attainable. Their prices have to be competitive with other salons that offer similar services, and their target market usually consists of low-mid ranged income families. Keep these things in mind when pricing out your salon services.

Choosing the Design of Your Salon

Just as with so many other elements of your salon, your salon’s design should take into account the type of services you offer, the location, and of course your targeted client base. Try taking a step into the mind of your ideal client. Knowing what kind of services you offer, what do you imagine they hope to feel in your salon. For example, if you are opening a high end barber shop, what do you think your clients would like to see? Since they are paying more for expert services, maybe they want to feel as if your salon is their own personal retreat – luxurious dark woods, big, masculine leather chairs and even a billiard table or two (see image below). Try to create a space that your clients will feel comfortable in, and a space that they will look forwards to coming back to. How you design your salon will affect how your customers feel, and how they feel will affect how well your salon business does in the long run.

Choosing the Layout of Your Salon

Having the appropriate layout for your salon will help your salon space be more functional. If you have a smaller space to work with, you will want to make use of every square inch possible on the salon floor, so take this into account when designing the layout. A great way to make use of smaller spaces is by setting up your stations along the perimeter of the salon walls. With a larger space, you will want to create a nice flow in your salon, so placing your stations only along the walls may not work as well as it may leave your salon floor feeling empty and baron. With a larger space you will have enough room on the salon floor to place some free standing stations back to back as well as placing stations along the walls (see image below). Creating a good flow in your salon will help things run more smoothly and will help to create a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere for your clients. 

How to Make the Atmosphere Reflect Your Brand

Your salon’s atmosphere can successfully reflect your salon’s brand through a combination of good design, functional layout and even choosing the right style of furniture. What is most important is that you create an atmosphere that is welcoming and relaxing for your clients. For example, if you are opening a high end day spa, you don’t want your space to feel busy, cluttered or have hard lines and black walls. You will want a calm space, light soothing colours, soft lines and simple furniture that isn’t too busy. Stay true to what you are selling to your clients. This will guarantee that your salon’s atmosphere is reflective of your salon’s brand, and that will always create for a more positive experience for your clients.