April Awakenings

Let’s face it—inauguration aside, it was a long, bleak winter. We are a nation in serious need of spring. Take advantage of the renewed sense of enthusiasm to revamp your business, re-engage your staff and reignite some sales. For April, consider this:

April 22 marks the 39th celebration of Earth Day. Observe it with an eco-conscious salon activity. Gather the team to pick up trash in the community, plant flowers outside the salon, or switch current bulbs to energy-efficient ones.

If your junior staff members are a little shaky in their conversation skills with upscale clientele, take steps to boost their cultural awareness. Offer each a stipend to take in a local play, lecture or art exhibit and give them something to talk about.

For clients staying closer to home, launch your own “Spring Break” with a specially priced collection of pampering services designed to give them a little getaway without the travel expenses.

As summer approaches, so does vacation season. Too many staff members off in one week equals a cash-flow problem for you. Institute a new vacation policy now where time-off has to be submitted and approved, and then stagger vacations throughout the season.