Blog

Back in the good old days, barber shops could rely on passing trade and word of mouth to bring in new clients. But times have changed and sadly most barbers can no longer depend on this. However, there are plenty of simple marketing techniques that can help save you time whilst attracting new customers. It’s a no brainer!

Opening up a salon business is a great way to apply your passion for hair or beauty and become your own boss. Although, when you’re just starting out, it can all feel a bit overwhelming!

We all love a good makeover story. The feeling of polishing something that’s past it’s prime to make it shiny and new again.

At Shortcuts, we have been working furiously behind the scenes to deliver some very exciting features and improvements to unlock the amazing potential of this industry.

When you are a salon owner, you are faced with a variety of tasks and challenges including bringing in new clients and managing finances. However, one of the most difficult, yet essential tasks is salon staff recruitment.

It’s no secret that having a presence on social media can reap BIG benefits for your salon. Social platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok allow you to reach your existing audience and target new customers - aka a goldmine for salon owners! 

Let’s be honest, running a successful salon business is NO easy task. And since salons have been forced to close, there have been plenty of new challenges thrown into the mix. 

It’s likely that you will have created a marketing plan at some point, but it may well be in need of a refresh. So, to help get you started, we have listed our top tips to create a salon marketing plan that ACTUALLY works.

There’s no doubt that running a salon is hard work and you are used to being rushed off your feet all day, every day. Due to this, you may usually have very little time to review your salon working practices and ensure they are maximising your potential. However, in these unusual times, you suddenly have a lot more time to play with again. So, what do you do?

We chatted with Ingrid van de Berg, our fab New Zealand Sales Manager, about how the barber industry is evolving to include more technology and progress their business even further.  

We understand that the ongoing closure of salons due to COVID-19 has made things very difficult, to say the least. With so much time on your hands at the moment, it can be hard to know what you should be focusing on. Whilst your salon doors may be closed, this doesn’t mean you should just be putting your feet up. It’s important to stay in touch with your existing clients and get creative!

Ok guys, we get it… 2020 was a rubbish year. From bushfires to a global pandemic, lockdowns to protests, to wild weather and a wild ride of a US election thrown in, it was a year that was… a lot... to handle. At best. But in amongst the real-bad, we like to think there was some good.

In this strange new age we’re living in, so many of our wonderful clients have needed to change the way they operate to ensure they are trading more safely and strongly in a coping-with-coronavirus world.

Let’s face it, when you have a salon, spa or barber business to run you’re BUSY. With a capital B. You have a lot on your plate, juggling all the demands of your business, not to mention family, friends, and life in general. So wherever you can make your life easier, you’re going to be jumping on that opportunity, right? The simplest way to make your life easier is to (drum roll please…) automate. Seriously. Anything you can automate, just do it!

Let’s face it, when you have a salon, spa or barber business to run you’re BUSY. With a capital B. You have a lot on your plate, juggling all the demands of your business, not to mention family, friends, and life in general. So wherever you can make your life easier, you’re going to be jumping on that opportunity, right? The simplest way to make your life easier is to (drum roll please…) automate. Seriously. Anything you can automate, just do it!

Campaign marketing doesn’t have to be hard work. In fact, the best campaigns will work hard FOR you, bringing in new clients you would never have found before, and keeping the relationships with your current clients on track so you get them back through the door regularly. We’ve mapped out some campaign ideas for the everyday situations every salon owner can relate to. Get ready to nail your campaign marketing!

Keeping track of the clients that come through your salon or barbershop is going to continue to be an important step in the nation’s recovery from COVID-19 – regardless of what stage of restrictions your local area or country may be in. Everyone is so aware of the possibility of a second wave, like we’re starting to see in Victoria, so making sure you’re on top of contact tracing in your salon, spa or barbershop is a must.

Suddenly barbers all over the United Kingdom are scrambling to figure out how the heck to keep track of the clients walking through their doors when they’ve never taken appointments before. So what can you do ASAP to safeguard your business against COVID-19 and get your contact tracing requirements up to speed?