It’s a new year, but it looks like the challenges from the last have rolled right on over. The difference? Our resilience. The hair, beauty and wellness industry has shown its strength and ability to adapt time and time again (and that’s even before the pandemic).
With client expectations constantly changing, and online channels proving pretty essential, this year’s salon trends are looking a little different. Here, we predict what they might be.
Seeking inspiration online
If there’s one thing that’s increased in the last year, it’s our screen time. Scrolling Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are a few of the ways your clients are passing the time (and there’s a lot of time to pass). There, they’re finding inspiration for their next salon appointment and looking for ways to book the look’ directly. So sharing your work online, like on these platforms, is a no-brainer.
Better yet, our new LookBooks product (landing early this year), will showcase your work on our bookable platform. There, you can upload an image, tag the look, get discovered, and get booked.
Cultivating personal, smooth experiences (online and offline)
With parts of the ‘in-salon’ experience altered due to COVID-19, clients are craving those human interactions more than usual. Creating thoughtful and curated experiences is going to be the way to keep a client coming back again and again.
And that doesn’t just mean on the salon floor. Using digital tools makes the experience even more personal for clients, while also making it easier to manage your salon and appointments. Tools like online booking let clients book when it’s convenient for them, and keeping digital notes on client preferences makes return experiences memorable.
Sustainable products and solutions
This goes hand in hand with the experience you’re creating. Clients want to know what actions their salons are taking to look after the planet, so communicating this will be key.
You can highlight that sustainability is important to your salon by using and stocking products that have sustainable packaging, formulas, and that are known to be reducing their carbon footprint.
Reducing, reusing and recycling the equipment, products and waste you have is also a big step your salon can take, and there are organisations out there that can help you do this well, such as:
- Salon Sustainability — a non-profit organisation that runs a comprehensive waste recovery programme designed to service the hair and beauty industry. They can help you to recycle 95% of your salons waste.
Providing value at home
As people continue to stay at home, connecting with clients online has become a must. Hair, beauty and wellness professionals are branching outside of their salon walls to create exciting content for their clients and other beauty professionals.
I’m sure everyone has seen the interesting outcomes of people attempting hair cuts or dye jobs. Using social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok to share the tips and tricks of your trade is a great way for you and your team to keep clients regularly engaging with your business.
For a more personal approach, using email or text to connect with your clients giving advice and updates is also a great way to build on your existing relationships.
Elevated hygiene practices
This industry has always been able to pride itself on having high hygiene standards. That being said, health, hygiene and safety will continue to be part of a clients decision-making process when choosing where to book.
Salons have been creating simple ‘House Rules’ or guidelines that inform clients of what to expect in regards to the hygiene practices in the salon, and what is expected of them when they come in.
Sharing this type of information on the salon’s website, social media and in your pre-appointment texts and emails communicates the value your salon places on the health and wellbeing of all involved, and give clients the confidence to head to the salon.
For salons needing help with this, the British Beauty Council pulled together a range of guidelines that help all types of salons with their health and hygiene practices.