Bounce back from a brutal winter by jumping onto the bandwagon of innovative add-on services and drive your business barometer out of the red and into the black. Smart new solutions = happy clients, more services and more money. Don't get left behind!

Technology moves so quickly it can feel hard to keep up, when even a "simple" cell phone choice can be dizzying. But, sifting through the options and finding the solution that best meets your needs is worth it-you end up being better connected and more productive than ever.

The same strategy applies to your salon business and service menu. Just as cell phones and other technologies keep evolving and getting "smarter," so do salon services. Consumers and beauty professionals keep challenging manufacturers to improve speed and results, and to deliver new options and experiences.

Here, in this special section, we spotlight some of the most innovative new service opportunities for 2011, and spell out how you can leverage each to add more dollars to your business and personal bottom line.

Tell Them "You Have the App for That!"

Clients are ready for better, faster, more. Establish your salon as a "beauty innovation authority" by offering them bright new ideas that introduce beauty enhancements within every aspect-hair, skin care and nails. A few tips:

• Know the story: Script your front desk with time-of-booking suggestions for add-ons that add up.

• Tell everyone: Be sure every client who calls in or walks in learns from your reception team about advanced treatments and formulas they may not be aware even exist, as well as options to speed up familiar services, or that "little something extra" just to welcome spring.

• Cross-promote: Acquaint all stylists, estheticians, nail techs and assistants on your team with these same selections to discuss with clients in their chairs.

• Market your message: Develop marketing campaigns and advertising slogans around the new technologies to position your salon as a forward-thinking, rejuvenating destination.

• Don't forget Facebook! Be sure that your in-salon signage, salon menu, web site and social media efforts are ALL in sync with promoting your "innovation image," and introducing your updated service options.

In other words, to ensure you successfully use innovation to move the growth pattern of your salon revenue from red to black, do all you can to reinforce the message that your salon is boldly addressing clients' hair, nail care and skin care needs and helping them to transition, beautifully, to a new season.

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Stay up to date on all the latest "beauty apps"! For new service ideas and product offerings, log onto cosmoprofbeauty.com.

Revenue Revolution

The current explosion of innovation we're experiencing in the beauty industry detonates new bursts of income for your salon. This special Beauty Biz Trend Report identifies four additional profit niches that will multiply your spring and summer dollars. The plus is that exceeding client expectations generates repeat, retail and referral business-and that, as they say, is priceless! Show clients how they can:

1. Choose their texture. Today there's no reason for clients to complain about frizz, excessive curl, lack of body or thinning hair. Armed with keratin treatments, conditioning services, advanced product formulas and heat tools, your clients can have the hair of their dreams every single day.

2. Save time. From quick highlight brightening and conditioning services that cut daily styling time to nail color that lasts two weeks and hair removal that eliminates plucking time, you have the answer to one thing every client is looking for-more hours in the day.

3. Raise their beauty to the next level. The latest technology offers clients a degree of beauty that their mothers (and fathers) simply didn't have available to them. Watch their delight as you help them to discover what it's like to have a clean and healthy looking scalp, forever-fresh and glossy hair color, natural-looking applied eyelashes and customized nail shades. And don't forget the guys! Men's business is booming at many full-service and specialty salons, and many manufacturers are customizing products and service solutions to make salon experiences like hair color and other treatments more male-friendly.

4. Stay safe. Beauty at any cost? That's never in fashion. Salons must be more careful than ever to use the highest quality products that keep clients and their hair, skin and nails free from harm.

New services:
Gloss and Shine
Scalp Help
Priority: Healthy-Looking Hair
Highlighting Help
Smooth and Straightforward
Skin Care Products: Three Sure Things
14-Day Nails