COLOUR CONVERTERS

Despite the current economic crisis, you can still cash in on colour services in your salon by educating your clients on all the options available to them

Philipp Haug and Siobhan Haug at Haug London Haus

While much of the media is frequently reporting on both the cost of living crisis and the cost of running a business, the state of the hairdressing industry is rather positive – according to a Kantar report commissioned by Wella Professionals*, salon growth was at 12.7% from December 2021-December 2022. When you consider this alongside the knowledge that hair and beauty service providers, which includes salons and freelancers, contributed £5.1bn to the UK economy in 2022 (according to The Value of Beauty Report, created by Oxford Economics for the British Beauty Council) then the hairdressing industry is actually a favourable place to be.

Sarah Mason, Wella Artist and Salon Director at Sarah Mason Professional, Galway, points out: “Women may prioritise their beauty treats, such as haircare and skincare, when there is an economic crisis.” This behaviour is known as the Lipstick Effect – the notion that women in particular turn to little luxuries in times of economic downturn, in a bid to boost wellbeing. We can see evidence of this, with Wella also noting that average spending in the industry is on the rise, increasing by 5.6% during this timeframe.

Unfortunately, this growth does not cover colour services, despite their potential. Sarah adds: “We know from challenging times in the past that clients may switch out their services, so it is up to the hairdresser to suggest a workable plan that is suitable for both your client and your business model. It’s worth educating your clients on some of the smaller services you offer, which may be a little more affordable for them to maintain perfect hair.” For us to consider how salons can best serve their clients, we need to determine why they’re not taking advantage of colour services, and establish which of the following categories they fall into. So lets look at how we can get clients back into our chairs.

Wella Professionals

The One Reducing Appointment Frequency

While these clients may also be impacted by the economy, their colour preferences may have also changed following the pandemic. Many clients have admitted that they have begun reducing the frequency of their appointments as they transition to embracing their natural hair.

How to Get Clients in the Chair More Often

Some clients will be under the impression that to save costs, they need to cut down on the number of appointments they book in for.This isn’t necessarily the case, with Georgia Bell, Denman Ambassador and Owner of Society by Georgia Bell, explaining: “To help combat the cost of living crisis we’ve introduced a range of express treatments.They take less time, use less product and keep hair looking fabulous in between larger appointments – and encourage your clients to be in the salon a little more often.”

Samantha Cusick explains an alternative method, sharing:“One way to entice clients to visit the salon regularly is to highlight the benefits of colour services, such as the confidence boost, the ability to maintain a professional appearance, and that much needed pick me up when everything feels overwhelming.”

The One with Virgin Hair

These are the clients who have never coloured their hair.The common reasons stated for this include a wish not to damage their hair and a reluctance to commit to ongoing maintenance.

How to Alleviate Your Clients’ Damage Concerns

When it comes to potential damage that may be caused by colouring, communication is key. Shu Lan Cheung, FFØR Technical Educator, explains:“Make sure that you’re understanding of your client’s concerns, but balance this with a practical point of view. For example, to reassure clients, I’d always advise talking to them about damage limitation and aftercare – I’d always make sure they leave the chair with sufficient knowledge of at-home treatments.”

Sometimes, putting the health of your clients’ hair first means going against their wishes. While this may sound controversial, Vicky Panting, Paul Mitchell UK Technical Educator, explains:“I will often recommend an alternative to a service if my guest is worried about damage; if they want to go blonde, I’ll explain that we could do the service with high lift tint rather than bleach or lightener, however the end result may be warmer, or not as blonde, as their reference picture. ”

Combatting damage often involves a little forward planning. “Offer a strand test to determine the impact of the colour on their hair's health, especially when bleaching,” explains Danilo Giangreco, Owner of Danilo Hair Boutique and Revlon Creative Artist.“This can alleviate their concerns and give them a sense of control over the process,” he adds.

Some clients may not be aware of all the recent developments that have been made in the colour market, so it’s crucial to educate your clients on the benefits of various products. Katy Grimshaw, INNOluxe Superstar and Owner of Spectrum One, shares:“We always explain to clients that as long as they use an in-colour bond builder, such as INNOluxe, then there should be very minimal damage to the hair overall.”

Meanwhile, Samantha Cusick, Olaplex Ambassador and Founder of Samantha Cusick London, says:“We always recommend clients incorporate Olaplex into their colour services. In fact, 92% of our colour clients opt to add it into their appointment. By adding it in, you eliminate the concern of damage – and what’s even better is that while you’re colouring the hair, Olaplex is working to repair and prevent damage.” 

The One Cutting Back Financially

The number of these clients is likely on the rise due to the current state of the economy. While they may still be looking to spend money on their hair, they may have a smaller budget now – and watch out for clients that may be considering at-home colour alternatives.

How to Reassure your Clients about Costs

While clients may be tempted to turn to box dyes in a bid to save money, we need to educate them on how our services are likely to be more cost-effective in the long run, not to mention of a much higher standard.Tom Syed, Educator for Alterego and Owner of Tom Syed Hair Spa, Stourbridge, explains:“When I apply a root colour, I always add a few panels of their root shade using a freehand board to create a multi-dimensional result.This is a great way to keep your clients loyal because you are creating something they can’t replicate with a box colour and adds value to the service without it costing you, or your client, a lot more. Plus, they feel their hair colour is extra special and won’t go to anyone else.”

Reassuring your clients about costs doesn't mean you need to reinvent the wheel – there are some simple ways you can ensure your services are available to a wider clientele. "We have recently introduced a Face Frame to our service menu. Nothing new to the industry, but new to us," explains Rob White, Co-Founder of Nashwhite, a Davines Salon Partner. "It's a quick service with a low price point, and while this has mostly been used by clients in between balayage services, it also offers the opportunity to experience Nashwhite at a lower price point."

Especially in light of the cost of living crisis, it can be tempting to turn to discounts to keep clients coming back.“It’s essential to offer the same service and quality at every appointment, and discounting can cast doubt over this,” says Andrew Jose, Owner of Andrew Jose and Revlon Editorial Ambassador.“We do however incentivise appointments for new stylists with an introductory price for colour when booking a full price cut or blowdry,” he counters.

Meanwhile, Siobhan Haug, Schwarzkopf Professional Ambassador and Co-Founder of Haug London Haus, explains one way she reinforces value to her clients:“We break down the cost of our colour services for our clients, and if there are any complimentary extras, like conditioning treatments, I would keep it on the bill with the amount taken off – so they can see the value of the service.”

Perfect for… ENHANCING:

Use Überliss Bond Colour Sustainers as a temporary colour, or they can be used to refresh hair in between colour appointments.

Perfect for… BOOSTING LONGEVITY:

Damage Undo Stop & Lock Colour Preserver is a vegan, SLES/SLS, paraben and silicone free revolutionary mask, formulated with 96% of naturally derived ingredients, which helps to neutralise the oxidative reaction that can cause colour to lose its intensity or bleach to appear yellow.

Perfect for… RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES

ELEVEN Australia Miracle Hair Treatment can be retailed to clients, meaning they can achieve ultimate protection while out and about this summer.

Perfect for… TRANSFORMATIVE RESULTS:

Revlon Professional Restart Pro-Care System formulas offer a highly precise and customised service to instantly transform hair in only five minutes with a powder that mixes with a liquid phase to transform hair in a flash.

PERFECT FOR… CONDITIONING WHILE LIGHTENING:

Goldwell SilkLift works to condition through integrated IntraLipid Technology and SilkProteinComplex, leaving hair shiny, smooth and soft. Plus, the Lightening Control Technology allows for a stronger and more targeted lift.

Master Your Colour Marketing – Top Stylists Share Their Tips

“We create bespoke colour menus for each season. These are often printed and displayed in the salon, and we also promote them on our website and on social channels.” 

“Use the blog feature on your website to talk about your colour services. This is great for your SEO; when a potential client is searching for a hair technique, Google will hopefully serve your blog page as a source of information."

“To stand out from the crowd you need to discover your unique selling point – your USP. Ask yourself why your guests come to you, and if you don’t know, ask them. How do you make them feel? Why are you different? Once you have this information, you know where to focus your efforts.”