You Don't Own a Salon. You Own A Business.
In his latest blog, Leon Alexander Ph.D., challenges industry conventional thinking to help owners add more to their bottom lines.
The Case for the Professional Color Service
As color manufacture Goldwell prepares to launch an innovative direct-to-consumer campaign designed to highlight the advantages of the in-salon color service over at-home box color, SALON TODAY sat down with industry icon Nick Arrojo to talk about the importance of the professional service.
February 28, 2012
3 min to read
As color manufacturer Goldwell prepares to launch an innovative direct-to-consumer campaign designed to highlight the advantages of the in-salon color service over at-home box color, SALON TODAY Editor Stacey Soble sat down with industry icon Nick Arrojo, the owner of New York’s Arrojo Studio, to discuss the importance of the professional color service:
SALON TODAY: Nick, tell us a about Goldwell’s new campaign, “You Can’t Get Supernatural from a Supermarket,” and how the company intends to drive new customers into the salon?
Arrojo: “It’s really important for us to try to create a differentiation between getting your hair colored from a box and actually getting your hair colored by a professional. The campaign pairs stunning visuals with some amazing phrases, such as ‘Show-stopping Blonde Doesn’t’ Start on the Shelf’ and ‘Chocolate this Rich Doesn’t Come in a Box.’ We need to create awareness with consumers so they realize that a box isn’t going to fulfill everyone’s color ambition or desire. A professional colorist is somebody who’s going to be able to make the perfect recommendation for color success. It’s about making a realistic expectation.
When a consumer sits on a train and sees an ad or watches a commercial on television, it looks so easy. The general public needs to know that it’s not as simple as it looks. The consumer doesn’t understand that the condition of their hair will impact the color. She doesn’t understand how porous her hair is, or that what’s been done to her hair previously will impact the result of what she gets out of that box.”
SALON TODAY: How can a professional colorist educate her clients about the benefits of a professional color service?
Arrojo: “The reality is the models on the box were colored by a professional stylist. If a client already has color on her hair, she won’t know what that box color is actually going to do. And, box color can’t really give dimension. If she wants her color to look natural, she has to have dimension. And as we age and get gray hair, that hair will have less sheen and less luster. We have to make the consumer understand that you just can’t get guaranteed results from a box. While the consumer may save a penny with box color, there’s a chance that it’s going to go very wrong.”
SALON TODAY: Some of the biggest factors driving clients toward box color are price and convenience. How can salons better accommodate clients who are either time or price sensitive?
Arrojo: “If a client is price-sensitive, she can either go to a cosmetology school or to a salon with a great training program and get the same kind of expertise for a much more affordable price. For example, at my salon, you can get brilliant color by a professional-in-training for $30 and a full head of highlights for $40. As far as time goes, a consumer really has to think about the difference technique can make. If a consumer is just doing box color (which typically would be a single process) within two weeks she may see the gray grow through. Whereas, if she opted for highlights, she may have to spend a little bit of time in the salon, but wouldn’t have to color her hair as often. We need to educate our customers and let them know that for great color, they need a professional. There’s no technique in a box. Salon professionals can assess the situation, determine what needs to be done, and communicate what’s achievable and what’s not, then deliver on that service.”
Below, watch the 30-second consumer ad which will soon appear on Bravo, E! and the Oxygen networks!
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