Salon Today - February 2009 - (Page 19)

I Imagine your new bottom line if you could permanently boost your salon’s color business by 5 percent? What if you could raise it by 10 percent? For many salons, color represents the largest revenue-generating category of the salon; for example, the SALON TODAY 200 reported that color accounts for 33 percent of overall sales. Many owners believe that because color is so strong, their color sales are ﬂat—leaving little room for growth potential. Even the most established salons have the ability to strengthen this core service, stress David Adams and Virginia Meyer, founders of Red Chocolate, a new color education program that connects the salon owner, manager and service provider to the essential tools, techniques and processes for sustained growth. Adams, a globally renowned colorist and former Aveda technical artistic director, felt existing color education platforms were great for inspiring new color ideas, but didn’t have the format to make it easy for participants to take home the information and implement it. program, and the Browns decided to offer the opportunity to test the program to their most senior colorists at their Lindhurst, Ohio, location. “As owners, we all take for granted that our established staff members have developed their own way of doing things, but they also yearn for inspiration. When they’ve done things the same way for many years, they start to forget the important disciplines,” says Nancy Brown. “A creative person without discipline is like an octopus with roller skates.” “A creative person without discipline is like an octopus with roller skates. —Nancy Brown ” >Perspective from All Sides The Red Chocolate pilot program, “Creating Confidence and Success with Hair Color,” consisted of six one-day, in-salon classes which were scheduled so participants, including the Browns, managers and service providers, had time to practice their newly learned skills in between sessions. (Two days of lessons were followed by two weeks of practice; then two days of lessons, two weeks of practice and the ﬁnal two lessons.) In between class sessions, Adams contacted the participants to give them tips and encourage them to continue practicing what they’d learned. The education followed Adams’ 10 points of color service, including: greetings and welcomes, the consultation, pricing, formula, application and technique, value-added services, shampoo and after treatment, styling and ﬁnishing touches, home care and pre-booking. Prior to the ﬁrst class, Meyer met with the Browns and their managers to analyze the salon’s existing color business. She took three key measurements: total color transactions to total transactions; color service per color ticket; >An Idea Takes Shape Adams began thinking of all the points of service that make a salon’s color business successful, and how each staff member, from the receptionist to the service provider to the owner, was responsible for that success. About a year ago he discussed his ideas with Ed Brown, who, with his wife Nancy, owns Ladies and Gentlemen Salons and Spas and Brown Aveda Institute based in Mentor, Ohio. “I spoke to Ed about developing a program that looked at different points of service—from merchandising color care products to educating the receptionist staff on color, to making sure a salon is charging the right price,” says Adams. “I asked him if I developed the program if he would test it in one of his salons.” “It was the kind of conversation you get really excited about, but after you walk away, realize it will probably never happen,” says Ed. But Adams, with the help of Meyer, did follow through with his ideas for a pioneering and color service, measured as a percentage of total service sales. Those measurements not only provided a baseline look at the existing color business, but allowed Adams and Meyer to customize the program for the salon and set both personal and business goals. “Most owners have an overall sense of how their color business is performing, but they don’t probe deep into the different measurements that can show them where they are today, how to build a plan for growth and how to shape the behaviors that impact growth,” Meyer says. Other color behaviors were measured as well. For example, four of the Ladies and Gentlemen locations were asked to deposit waste color product into a bin for four days. “We were able to measure the total grams and determined the business was throwing away $500 worth of product every day,” Adams says. Armed with the salon’s real color numbers, Meyer was able to establish a Profitability Planner that would show the owners what would happen if they increased their overall volume 5 percent, then increase it to 10 percent. The salon statistics also helped Adams reﬁne his curriculum, developing the six days of classes. Daily topics included: establishing opportunities for growth and deﬁning benchmarks; conﬁdence in using color products and setting personal goals; practicing excellence in consultation and all steps involved in providing a superior hair color experience; a hands-on technical workshop including redefining the classic techniques; a hands-on technical workshop including exploring new techniques; and a creative hands-on workshop. The intended outcome of the series was to ensure every participant knew which color product to use for what end result; and felt inspired and conﬁdent in using and choosing that product. In addition, each participant was coached in the development of strong consultation, pre-booking, add-on service, retail and waste-reduction behavior. The ﬁnal course gave each participant the opportunity to stretch creatively through practicing more advanced hair color techniques and application. > www.salontoday.com February 2009 | 19 http://www.salontoday.com

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Salon Today - February 2009 Contents Editor's Note Reception Spa Menu Decor Inside Look Custom Color Board Games Where's My Exit? Products Owner to Owner

Salon Today - February 2009

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