As a small business owner, it can be difficult to keep on top of all of your duties and responsibilities. You have so much on your plate. But in order to maintain harmony in your salon or spa, it's important to make sure your employees feel appreciated, connected, and invested in the business as well. Here are some of our tips for bringing everyone together and fostering a sense of community in your space.

Encourage work friendships.

While gossip and chatter can get to an unruly level, as long as it is kept to reasonable amounts, you should not discourage stylists from developing their own friendships organically. When people are comfortable enough to form their own connections, it can enhance the work environment for everyone involved. Don't interfere in these relationships unless necessary.

Organize company gatherings.

Of course you don't have the same resources as a larger business might, so trips to amusement parks or elsewhere are not necessarily an option. But if it's at all feasible, try to do an annual or semi-annual get together of some sort. Get your staff away from their styling stations and into a different environment. This could be a picnic at your home or a local park, and you can even make it a potluck so you don't have to shoulder the whole burden of catering. Allow staff to bring their families if you can swing it, so that everyone can truly relax and get to know each other.

Create an atmosphere in which staff feel involved.

If your employees feel like they have a say in decision making, they're more likely to be relaxed at work, loyal, and invested in your business. Regularly ask for feedback or ideas that your stylists might have for improving processes, routines, or new salon equipment possibilities.

Treat everyone fairly and equally.

Playing favorites is the quickest way to create division within your salon. Employees will pick up on this right away. Make sure that everyone has the same benefits and expectations, and your staff will respect you and each other a lot more.

These are just a few suggestions on how to make things go smoothly at your salon. What other practices have you put in place that have made a difference toward a feeling of community within your business?

If it's been a while since you did any updating on your salon's website, now is the time. More than ever, customers are visiting sites online to get information about businesses before they make the trip to the physical location. Make it easy on your potential clients when they look you up. Hire a designer or use a service with templates.

The visual impression that your visitors get from your website is almost as important as the information you provide. You need a clean look with no elements that distract from your images and copy. Avoid flashy visuals and stick to a simple, sleek look. If you don't have web design experience, this is one thing that is definitely worth investing in. A good designer can be pricey, but there are other options. You can sign up for a service such as Square-space, which offers solid templates, hosting, and support to help you along the way.

Provide high-quality images.

Clients who are researching salons definitely want to see what your place of business looks like. They want to feel reassured that the place they're considering for their beauty needs is clean and well organized. Make sure your photos clearly show your salon chairs, shampoo stations, massage tables, and floors, preferably on a bright sunny day with the windows open for additional light. Feature your photos prominently on your site.

Include simple copy and make it easy to find.

The most relevant information your site visitors will want includes business hours, location, and a description of the services you offer. Display these items prominently on your site, preferably on their own pages with easily navigable tabs. Another good feature to provide are brief bios of your stylists and other staff to familiarize your potential customers with your employees, as well as information on any events you host or community work you do.

If you're not confident in your own writing abilities, it's best to get help. You can hire a content writer or ask a friend who you know is good with words. It's very important to make a good impression with properly structured sentences and good grammar, so definitely don't skip this step. Make sure your writer knows to make the web copy succinct and to the point so your customers get the information they need right away.

By following these tips, you're sure to see an improvement in user experience on your website, which will ideally help drive more clients through your doors!

We've all heard that it's cheaper to retain an existing client than to acquire a new one, and the beauty industry is no exception. As a beauty salon owner, client retention should be one of your top priorities. Here are four tips that can help you win over first-time visitors and turn them into clients for life.

1. Build personal connections.

Take the time to listen to your clients and engage them in meaningful conversation while they're in your salon chair. Make eye contact, ask plenty of questions (people love talking about themselves!), and use the client's first name to help establish a personal bond that makes clients excited to come back and see you. By building a personal relationship with your clients, you can turn one-time visitors into lifelong customers.

2. Educate your clients.

Many clients appreciate it when you explain what you're doing and why as you work with them. Little things like explaining why a particular product will or won't work for someone or demonstrating a quick styling secret can not only help establish your expertise with your clients, but also provide extra value and get your clients excited about learning something new. Just be sure not to go through your entire bag of tricks in one sitting, so you have something new to demonstrate next time.

3. Make booking easy.

Your clients are just as busy as you are, so if you want to earn repeat business be sure to make your appointment booking process as painless as possible. If you can, take advantage of online and pre-booking options that allow clients to schedule or change appointments on their own quickly and easily. Sending out appointment reminders and confirmations are also great ways to remind clients when they're due back in your salon. Remember, the easier you make it for clients to come back, the more likely they'll be to return.

4. Over deliver with extras.

Never underestimate the power of all the little extras you can offer in your salon when it comes to improving customer retention. Simple things like providing free coffee, snacks and wine, complimentary scalp massages, or giving away product samples can go a long way toward winning lifelong clients. Your extras don't have to be anything extravagant or expensive, but giving clients a little more bang for their buck can help you stand out from the crowd and earn more repeat business.

For beauty salon owners, client retention is all about creating an exceptional client experience. Anyone can offer your client a haircut, but only you can provide a unique personal experience that meets the client's needs and makes them feel special. By incorporating the four tips above into your salon experience, you can turn your patrons into clients for life.

If you have extra space in your salon that you've been meaning to do something with, one fun and unique option could be to convert it into a men's shaving room. Shaving spas are popping up all over the country, and there's no reason you shouldn't create your own. Imagine the options: you could offer couples packages for massages, haircuts, and shaves, thereby attracting an entirely new demographic - the husbands of your current clients!

Men need options for relaxation too, and they don't always feel comfortable in the salon the way women do. It's clear there's a market for a shaving room in cities. Here are a few suggestions for transforming a chunk of your space into a men's shaving room.

1. Decorate in an extremely masculine style.

Think hunting lodges and smoking rooms - dark wood tones and deep greens and blues. You could incorporate metallic elements as well. Choose black salon furniture and barber chairs to help contribute to the dark, muted appearance of the room.

2. Keep it separate as much as possible.

You don't have to have a door, but emphasize the privacy of the area as much as you can, maybe with something like a heavy brocade curtain. Men coming to your facility for a shave will not want to be subject to the more feminine space of your main salon room.

3. Make sure you're staffed appropriately.

Your shaving staff don't have to be men, but they absolutely must be trained properly to offer a close, traditional shave. Discuss the atmosphere with them as well, and be certain they understand the difference between the shaving room and the main salon area. It will be best to keep up a businesslike feel in the shaving room, as opposed to the more casual and fun vibe in the salon.

4. Advertise!

Tell your current clients to invite their husbands, friends, and family, and make announcements on social media so that people know your unique service exists.

A men's shaving room may not take over your existing business, but it can be a fun supplement that offers the public and your employees something new. As long as you have the space and a little extra capital to put into the effort, it can't hurt to give it a try!

When a client sits down at your salon chair or styling station, they're looking for more than just a good beauty treatment and they also want to have a great overall experience. A big part of creating a good experience for your beauty salon clients is being able to engage your clients in conversation. Here are some tips to help you have great conversations with your salon clients.