2 mins
THE FUTURE OF YOUR ONLINE REVENUE STREAM
As the UK hairdressing industry restarts, business consultant Liz McKeon reveals the benefits of continuing to grow the online retail stream you started during lockdown
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of daily life, including how people shop and what they shop for. This period of isolation and uncertainty has resulted in huge overnight changes to consumers’ shopping behaviours. During this time many salon owners embraced this new shopping trend by introducing online consultations and professional haircare shopping sites with enormous success.
HOW TO USE YOUR ONLINE RETAIL CHANNEL
As the world reopens the temptation might be to let this new division of the salon slide as the focus reverts to providing in-salon services. It’s important to remember that at a certain point your columns will be full and you will not be able to fit in any more clients. Providing you have the stock, retail sales can generate a limitless source of income for your salon, as there is no limit on the number of items your online retail customers can purchase.
TOP 10 REASONS TO RETAIL BOTH IN-SALON AND ONLINE
1 Online is another way to keep in touch with your clients.
2 It increases salon brand awareness.
3 It creates client loyalty by offering more services.
4 You can use it to solve client’s concerns or haircare problems.
5 You can perfect your client’s home haircare routine.
6 It pushes you and your team out of your comfort zone.
7 It provides another revenue stream for your business.
8 It ensures your clients achieve the results they desire.
9 You can expand your client base.
10 You can enjoy making money while you sleep!
LOCATION IS NO OBJECT
Your location is also worth considering. When selling in-salon services, you are generally restricted to a local clientele. Online shoppers can be anywhere in the world, so the world becomes your market, if you so wish. Also, the internet is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week, so your trading hours are never limited to salon opening hours.
With global online eCommerce already estimated to reach $5 trillion this year, the eCommerce sector was already thriving, but now online shopping has gone into hyper growth. As more and more shoppers move their consumption online, salon businesses are doing the same in order to meet the demand and stay afloat. This new salon trend is here to stay, so make sure you stay on the gravy train so to speak.
In comparison to January and February 2020, the online health and beauty sector showed online growth rates of 166% during April 2020 and this has continued to increase month by month.
Online retail sales have proven to be a great way to keep salon businesses afloat in difficult times as these. To safeguard the long-term success of your salon, keep going with online.
Liz McKeon is a business coach who specialises in the hair industry. For details about business seminars and industry workshops go to www.lizmckeon.com.