Finding the Perfect Match
by Stacey Soble
Stacey Soble
Director of Brand Content Strategy
Stacey Soble has been involved in the conversation of salon business for more than two decades—as a reporter, a consultant and as the editor in chief of SALON TODAY. She has been responsible for growing the brand's celebrated recognition programs, SALON TODAY 200 and SALONS OF THE YEAR, and has launched two new competitions in recent years--STAMP (SALON TODAY's Annual Marketing Program) and the SALON TODAY Total Makeover Competition. She is a frequent speaker on the topic of salon business at industry events.
E-mail Engagement
As we started gathering examples of how salon businesses should engage their customers in new and unique ways for the cover story of SALON TODAY, I started thinking about how the businesses I patronize engage with me. There's one business I feel strongly connected to and engaged by, and ironically, I've never set foot on their property, never met one of their employees, never even spoken to one of them on the phone.
by Stacey Soble
2010 Vision: Engage Your Social Media Networks
The new rules for decade 2010 demand that you and your brand, not just your service providers, engage your client and your community audiences. While that may seem like one more daunting task on the management checklist, the information age and the popularity of social media make it easier than ever.
by Stacey Soble
2010 Vision: Engage Through Marketing
We ended the last decade in a deep recession funk—a funk that negatively impacted salons as much as other business segments. People still have to eat and drive. When an appliance breaks, it has to be fi xed or replaced. But in the world of fashion and beauty, consumers can delay, cut back and stretch.
by Stacey Soble
2010 Vision: Engage Your Employees
Your staff members are artists by nature, yet the day-in, day-out conveyor belt of clients just wanting a ‘little off the top’ or ‘a few highlights for Spring’ can stifle creativity over time. Some wise owners are learning how to cultivate and celebrate that creativity, while harnessing its power for some great salon PR and marketing.
by Stacey Soble
Top Tip: The Salon Greeting
by Stacey Soble
How to get more male clients
If you're already wooing men into your salon and spa, you're one step ahead of making Father's Day a success. If not, leverage the upcoming holiday to learn how to best attract men and keep them coming back. Dan Kliska, president of JOE Grooming, a leading manufacturer of professional men's grooming products, offers the following promotional tips to help attract men for Father's Day and beyond:
by Stacey Soble
Cancer survivor gets makeover
Kelly Markson, Ph.D, an economic professor at Wake Technical Community College, a wife and mother of two, had long, thick hair for most of her adult life. Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and within two days of receiving her first chemotherapy treatment, her hair began to fall out in clumps.
by Stacey Soble
Salon gives prizes for customer loyalty
Client loyalty at Valentino's Grand Salon in Whitby, Ontario, is rewarded with the simple pull of a slot machine's handle and the chance to win big prizes. Year after year, Casino Month is one of the most successful marketing campaigns at the salon owned by George and Vasile Tsinokas.
by Stacey Soble
Upselling will increase salon profits
Upselling has gone mainstream and you too can easily learn this simple business technique. McDonald's made upselling an everyday occurrence in the 1970s by asking every customer, "Would you like fries with that?" Starbuck's will upgrade your 'tall' soy latte to a 'grande' for only a small price increase. You may be going solo to the movies and have no intention of eating a large popcorn all by yourself, yet it seems only logical to say yes when offered an upgrade!
by Stacey Soble
Top Strategies from Successful Salon Owners
In my opinion, the best part of a business conference is the expert panel session--it's interactive, informative, and because of its spontaneous nature, it's usually highly entertaining. Simply assemble a group of experts with a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences, collect a stack of thoughtful questions from their audience of peers, and grab a notebook so you can start jotting down the great ideas and strategies that start flying around the room.
by Stacey Soble
Staff Meeting Stats
As salons become more focused on business, staff meetings have become standard operating procedure. SALON TODAY recently conducted a brief online survey of a sample of owners from our ProView Panel to learn more about your gathering preferences. Seventy-four owners participated. Here are the results:
by Stacey Soble
50 Life Lessons Through Noëlle
If your service menu features body treatments, massages or facials, some credit is due to Noel DiCaprio, who frequently is credited as the Mother of the day spa movement. Although the great Noel lost her battle with cancer more than a decade ago, the business she founded stands strong and celebrates 50 years this year.
by Stacey Soble
Salon offers perks for staff like photography, equipment
by Stacey Soble
Biz Buzz: A Look at March's BIR
Each month, the Beauty Industry Report provides readers the information they need to predict industry trends, keep on top of leadership shifts and stay on the cutting-edge of an ever-changing industry. SALON TODAY provides you with a few ...
by Stacey Soble
Take Back Your Clients!
Tired of watching your clients stretch their appointments further and further apart? Hate hearing how they're trimming their ends and touching up their roots at home? Wish they'd fill their counters with products off of your shelves? Well, join the rallying cry that's being voiced around the country—Take Back Our Salon Clients!
by Stacey Soble
One Salon's Killer App
by Stacey Soble