Hair Opinion - Hello Summer

Maria Dowling discusses “summer proofing” your business, starting now

I’ve only just packed away my winter wardrobe (even in Dubai we do have winter wardrobes!) and I’m already hearing clients talk about their summer holidays and bemoaning “what they will they do without me for eight weeks!”

Although the salon remains well and truly open throughout the summer months and beyond, there is a definite change in the vibe, purely because so many of our fellow Dubaians tend to jet off to foreign climes to escape the heat.

In terms of your business, planning for the summer should have started already, and if you haven’t started by now, then today’s the day. Take a look at my five pre-summer considerations to keep business booming whatever the weather.

1 Planning the hairstyles

I start talking to my clients about their thoughts for summer styles and colours quite early in the year. Low maintenance colour and cuts seem the most popular. Fringes (bangs) that have looked amazing over the winter months are generally not a good idea in the heat and humidity of the summer. If you’ve gone for the chop in November, think about growing it long enough to tie back when you get to June. Many of our clients keep the same styles come rain, shine or humidity but I think it’s the job of a stylist/beauty therapist to put the idea out there in more than enough time to do something about it.

2 Buy for retail

Our retail mix over the summer does change – ideally we want to bring in more SPF products, treatment conditioners, sun sprays, mini sizes – all the things your customers may be likely to need over the summer months. Bearing in mind that by October, everyone is starting to think about winter hair again, we keep the buying quantities small. So talk to your suppliers now to see if they have any seasonal retail products that would suit.

3 Staff holidays

The team at mariadowling tends to split its holidays throughout the year but a large chunk of these holiday days are taken in the summer. It’s often a good time to encourage staff to book their holidays but beware of the classic assumption that summer is going to be quiet, before finding that it’s a busy period and you’re short staffed! I find that the end of July and beginning of August is quieter for us whereas near the end of August people start returning as the schools go back, so I prefer not to have too many stylists off in those last two weeks.

4 Fill those appointment books

Start planning ahead for your clients and get those summer appointment books filled. While our team is really good at preparing their clients for future appointment bookings, I still want to ensure that when I look at the appointment book for one or two months down the line, it is at least 50 per cent full with re-bookings. This gives us an idea of our turnover forecasts and allows us to plan for stock purchasing, staffing etc.Plus it’s comforting to know that you still have a business, come the summer months!

5 Summer promotions – are they a good thing?

For me, the jury is out on summer promotions. As a salon, we don’t do many promotions but that’s not to say they aren’t effective when done well. Sometimes clients who are still in the country need a little encouragement to leave their sofas and come into the salon more often than they would normally. However, be careful not to cheapen your brand or attract the “serial promotions clients”. These clients are the ones who only visit a salon with a promotion/discount/buyone- get-one-free offer. They are rarely loyal and will jump to the next salon when your offer ends. I believe what really works for a salon is to promote value-added treatments or competitions such as “win a day of pampering”. The most important thing to remember with promotions is to keep them short and make sure they end before your regular clients start to return.

Maria Dowling is creative director at mariadowling salon and has been a colourist for more than 20 years. For more information call +971 4 345 42 25.

Maria Dowling discusses “summer proofing” your business, starting now

I’ve only just packed away my winter wardrobe (even in Dubai we do have winter wardrobes!) and I’m already hearing clients talk about their summer holidays and bemoaning “what they will they do without me for eight weeks!”

Although the salon remains well and truly open throughout the summer months and beyond, there is a definite change in the vibe, purely because so many of our fellow Dubaians tend to jet off to foreign climes to escape the heat.

In terms of your business, planning for the summer should have started already, and if you haven’t started by now, then today’s the day. Take a look at my five pre-summer considerations to keep business booming whatever the weather.

1 Planning the hairstyles

I start talking to my clients about their thoughts for summer styles and colours quite early in the year. Low maintenance colour and cuts seem the most popular. Fringes (bangs) that have looked amazing over the winter months are generally not a good idea in the heat and humidity of the summer. If you’ve gone for the chop in November, think about growing it long enough to tie back when you get to June. Many of our clients keep the same styles come rain, shine or humidity but I think it’s the job of a stylist/beauty therapist to put the idea out there in more than enough time to do something about it.

2 Buy for retail

Our retail mix over the summer does change – ideally we want to bring in more SPF products, treatment conditioners, sun sprays, mini sizes – all the things your customers may be likely to need over the summer months. Bearing in mind that by October, everyone is starting to think about winter hair again, we keep the buying quantities small. So talk to your suppliers now to see if they have any seasonal retail products that would suit.

3 Staff holidays

The team at mariadowling tends to split its holidays throughout the year but a large chunk of these holiday days are taken in the summer. It’s often a good time to encourage staff to book their holidays but beware of the classic assumption that summer is going to be quiet, before finding that it’s a busy period and you’re short staffed! I find that the end of July and beginning of August is quieter for us whereas near the end of August people start returning as the schools go back, so I prefer not to have too many stylists off in those last two weeks.

4 Fill those appointment books

Start planning ahead for your clients and get those summer appointment books filled. While our team is really good at preparing their clients for future appointment bookings, I still want to ensure that when I look at the appointment book for one or two months down the line, it is at least 50 per cent full with re-bookings. This gives us an idea of our turnover forecasts and allows us to plan for stock purchasing, staffing etc.Plus it’s comforting to know that you still have a business, come the summer months!

5 Summer promotions – are they a good thing?

For me, the jury is out on summer promotions. As a salon, we don’t do many promotions but that’s not to say they aren’t effective when done well. Sometimes clients who are still in the country need a little encouragement to leave their sofas and come into the salon more often than they would normally. However, be careful not to cheapen your brand or attract the “serial promotions clients”. These clients are the ones who only visit a salon with a promotion/discount/buyone- get-one-free offer. They are rarely loyal and will jump to the next salon when your offer ends. I believe what really works for a salon is to promote value-added treatments or competitions such as “win a day of pampering”. The most important thing to remember with promotions is to keep them short and make sure they end before your regular clients start to return.

Maria Dowling is creative director at mariadowling salon and has been a colourist for more than 20 years. For more information call +971 4 345 42 25.