How to start up a salon business

With rising rental, gas and electricity costs, running a beauty salon at home is a great idea if you want to keep expenses down a minimum. And whilst it gives you plenty of freedom and is very rewarding, you have to be willing to invest lots of time and effort, as well as cleverly manage space in your house. Here are just a few tips to get you started.

Treat your home-salon like any other business

If your salon is based at home, it can be tempting to treat it less seriously than a salon in a rented space. This is because we feel more relaxed and care-free at home. However, it’s still essential to write up a business plan, calculate your profit margins, draw up a marketing strategy and do all the relevant work to draw in customers. 

This attitude also applies to your conduct. It’s bound to be more laid-back than a salon on the high street, but you still need to handle clients professionally, even if they’re in your home.

Get all the relevant checks done

Before welcoming customers into your home, you must get all the relevant checks done to comply with industry standards and keep the space as clean and safe as possible. Ensure that all worksurfaces, equipment and seating is cleaned between treatments so you can get a good hygiene rating. This will build trust with your customers.

It might also be necessary to check with your home insurer if you’re allowed to conduct business in your home in the first place. Get this done first before spending big money.

Think about which services you want to offer

The great thing about a salon is that you can offer all kinds of treatments, depending on your skillset. From massages to nails, hair styling and beauty, choose the services that you’re best at and buy quality equipment, like great acrylic nail sets, to make your service even more value for money

When starting out, keep your services minimal. This way you can slowly gauge the competition, fill gaps in the market and respond to customer feedback if they’d like you to offer a particular service.

Be kind but firm with your clients

Salons often lose a lot of money through inconsiderate customer behaviour. If a customer decides to cancel last minute or not turn up at all, you need a system in place that ensures you still make a profit. This could include a 24-hour cancellation policy or deposits. 

Photo credits: Coworking London

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