Outloud: Marketing Feather Extensions

Styled by Phia Salon in Columbus, OH. Photo by Michael Houghton. Feather Check A roundup of pricing on feather extensions at different salons: Tru Salon: $15 Interlocks Salon & Day Spa: $40 per feather bundle (which includes five feathers) Savvy Salon and Day Spa: (1 for $10, 2 for $20, 3 for $25, 6 for $50) Trashy Roots Salon: For the "short and thick" feathers it's 3 for $10, for the "long and skinny" feathers it's $8 a piece.

"Our salon is on fire with feather extensions. They are the easiest add-on service we have ever offered, and from a marketing perspective, they've allowed us to maintain our image of being on the forefront of new trends. Stylists who wear feathers sell feathers, and not just to guests in the salon. Whether they are at the dentist, the gym, the bank, etc, the extensions create a buzz and draw in new guests."
-Mary and Scott Randolph
Randolph's Salon in Waterford, MI

"Feather extensions and colored extensions need to be displayed on the staff. They are the walking billboards for these new trends. Also, have the stock available as these are a quick-impulse purchase and partner with a great company."
-April Lyn Graffeo
Indra Salon and City Spa, with Pure Talent Academy, Andover, MA

"The work our team created on Gendala Kelli Anna (part owner and manager) has been a source of joy for her, a source of inspiration for our team, and has been met with awe in the community. She is approached almost daily as a celebrity, with comments such as, ‘Oh I know you, you're that feather girl.'"
-Elizabeth Bella
Co-owner Phia Salon Columbus, OH

"We presented feather extensions at our local Chamber of Commerce EXPO, showcased by our newly crowned Miss Lake Norman 2011 and Miss Lake Norman Outstanding Teen 2011. We sent photos in an eblast, and posted them on Facebook. The employees are all wearing them, and, heck, I did too. Not only are they fun, but they are ‘eye catching.' They draw attention and that is good for business because it starts a conversation. In our current society, ‘conversations' are what sells, whether it is in person, in a blog or some other form of social networking. Get those clients talking!"
-Pat Helmandollar
Owner of Savvy Salon and Day Spa Cornelius, NC

"Our clients are going crazy for feather extensions. As soon as they hit the market, our staff started wearing them and now 90 percent of our staff, including the men, wear them. That is the only marketing we are doing, but almost every client asks about them. We are not retailing home extensions, we only offer them as a service. As a service, it's about three times more profitable than a hair cut when you look at profit per minute."
-William George
James Joseph Salon, Boston, MA

"For us, the clientele who seem most receptive to wearing feather extensions are primarily in their 20s. They see the feathers as fun and whimsical, and the ‘natural' element is appealing to them. Personally, I think Steven Tyler's presence on American Idol is helping to push this trend. We are displaying the feather extensions on a mannequin head in our retail area. We first colored and foiled the mannequin in the very latest trends for Spring, then applied the feathers. Then we barrel-curled the hair and feathers to show that the feathers can actually be styled. The mannequin is a bit creepy (they all are!) but it is generating dialogue and interest in feather extensions, as well as the color technique."
-Ginny Eramo
Executive Director
Interlocks Salon & Day Spa Newburyport, MA