The year is 2014 and the last decade has seen a change - research has shown that men want to look good. Not only do they want to look good, but men are prepared to invest time and money to do so...a lot of time and money to do so.
It doesn't take Einstein to calculate that men make up 50% of the population. But more interestingly, the male grooming market in the UK is reported to be worth a whopping £7.6 Billion. In addition, around £830 million is spent in salons and barber shops, with 125 million salon visits by men per year. When you consider that as little as 20% of revenue in a salon comes from male clientele you may ask why.
It goes without saying that if you have the capacity to do so, and are serious about investing in your men's business then you can transform your salon for your male clients and invest in dedicated 'men's' stylists, a specific area for your male clients, a complete redecoration of your salon and more. However, not all salons have the ability to do this with either salon space or financial restrictions the main obstacles. Yet, there are some very simple and easy touches that you can bring to help encourage guys into the salon - and we give you a brief run down here with these five easy steps:
Is it clear that you cut men's hair? It may sounds silly, but if you do not have any pictures of male cuts in the salon windows, or men's services on your menu then guys will presume it is a female salon only. Have a window display? Make it more manly. Take a trip to the local DIY store and decorate your window accordingly. If you make it obvious that you can cater for men you will get interest.
Once you have a man in your salon you want to keep them there! Make sure that you create the right environment so that men are not intimated by your salon. With an unlimited budget and endless time, a dedicated male area complete with sports bar and arcade would be a must, however there are smaller changes that you can make to help your male clientele feel at ease. Pop some men's mags in the waiting area to allow them to feel relaxed if waiting for an appointment. If you have a television in the waiting area you could show sports and male orientated programmes for that extra touch. It is no good getting a guy in your salon only to put a bright pink gown on them! Make sure you have different coloured accessories for any male clients. Adjust your language to make a guy who is maybe not that familiar with a salon environment to feel at ease - these are all sure fire ways to create the right vibe for male clients at a low cost.
Be proactive! Once you have make it clear that you can service male clients then don't be scared of telling people. Include special offers for men on your salon adverts and menus. A great way to entice males to your salon is through offers or discounts - and you can get to them through your existing clients! Hand your existing clients a percentage off or a free men's cut for the man in their life. It could be their brother, their son, their husband or partner and it gets people driving men into your salon for you. Remember - it is all extra business for your salon so do not be afraid to make the initial offers rich for the client as, in the long term, this should pay off for you.
Remember to retail! Do you have products especially for male clients? If not - get some! In this day and age men love to spend money on making themselves feel great - so make sure that you have a combination of products and services to tell the guys about when they visit. Remember - men tend to want to make things as easy as possible for themselves - if you use a product on them that they love they will be more inclined to buy it from you there and then!
Educate your staff. Remember, guys tend to find it harder to talk about problems they may have such as baldness, dandruff, scalp issues, so make sure your staff are well educated and equipped to cut men's hair. Send at least two stylists on clippering courses, shaving courses, anything that the men will love. If your staff are informed your male customers will be too and will be sure to want all the services and products that you can offer.
If you are serious about creating or improving your male business then with some relatively small changes you can increase your male business and cash in the financial rewards.
For more information and advice call us on 02380 227722 and speak to one of our Customer Service Team.
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