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Diving into the world of beauty and making a profit on it
Beauty is a business of the XXI century: the number of beauty salons is barely countable, and the new ones appear every year. People and women especially want to stay young and beautiful all the time. So, nail salons, hair salon business, and cosmetology open all around. The beauty industry, indeed, is very profitable.
The average wage of a cosmetologist is $26 000 per year. Besides, there is a chance to earn more. You have to work harder, learn better, and promote cosmetology more intensively. The business looks attractive, but is it easy?
Today, we will look at the issues and trifles a beginner should remember when opening cosmetology. For instance, if you want to start a cosmetology business, you must rent or purchase premises. It can be complicated as there are many things to remember. Rent looks more attractive than buying. Sure, you still have to spend a significant amount on the room, but it is better than investing a fortune and purchasing it.
The thing is that you never know whether the cosmetology you dreamed about will be successful. So, of course, there is a big chance of wasting money at the beginning. Moreover, it is hazardous for aspiring entrepreneurs who have no idea what they are doing.
Renting square meters at the start can save your nerves and money. If something goes wrong, you just rent it. So, it isn't that hurtful. Another bonus is that thanks to the rent, your cosmetology will be able to establish pleasant prices. So, it is extra crucial while starting.
After the premises and equipment are acceptable, think about communication. Are you sure your team knows how to treat customers? Effective communication in a beauty salon is one of the critical aspects of success. Anything can happen, and you never know how clients will react. That is why it is better to write down particular rules for staff to prevent conflicts.
A new business is always a pretty nervous thing because there are so many items and details. So let's see how to open a cosmetology step by step. Even the most complicated process is possible to do best with analyzing and good planning.
Big things have small beginnings.
Michael Fassbender — an actor
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Opening a cosmetology cabinet: business planning
The first detail to find out is the services you are going to offer. Determine them, and then see what to spend on. The cosmetology procedures can include:
hardware cosmetology,
therapeutic cosmetology,
laser cosmetology.
To understand which services you can provide, analyze your skills, budget, and experience. There is no point in offering everything at once. A client has to stay confident in your professionality. In the beginning, you can concentrate on 1 type. Remember that you can always add more services. It's not that difficult. What is hard is clearing the reputation if you don't cope with all the services you've mentioned.
Sometimes, less is more.
William Shakespeare — an English playwright, poet, and actor
Define your target audience
So, you've come out with a good idea of starting cosmetology. What's next? First, you have to understand whether the niche is available. There is no sense in opening a new beauty salon if there are 10 of them in 1 building. It is a bit exaggerated, but you've got the idea. Understanding the market is essential for every business.
Your clients are those people for whom you are working. Of course, revenue is a remarkable thing, but you open a salon for people. That is why finding out who will visit you goes together with determining the niche and its availability. A deep understanding of the local market will not only save you from silly mistakes but will also show your customers that you are smart enough to see what people need.
Understand your client, and you will understand how to succeed.
So, let's start by researching the active beauty salon businesses in your area. Answer the following questions:
How many competitors do you have?
Are they small or big?
How do they work?
How much money do they make?
Are they successful?
Which services do they offer, and what can you add?
Who are their clients? (pay attention to their age, income)
Do more salons open than close in your area, or vice versa?
Branding
A powerful brand is 50% of success. The image of your brand has to stay under one concept. There are no rules. Just keep it simple. Nowadays, people don't like overloading with colors, icons, etc. Select one color, detail, or image, then use it in various contexts. Once you've understood what will be your trait, play with it. Create multiple designs, use them in your logo, marketing campaign, name, and so on. Also, think about your cosmetology name. The title should reflect the services you provide and your concept. At the same time, it is essential to keep it minimalistic, memorable, and unique.
After choosing the name, register it as a trademark. There are many websites to check whether the title you have selected is available and original. In naming, creating a special one is essential. Copying can kill your cosmetology business.
Your main goal is to create a reputation for a unique place with professional cosmetologists and sound equipment.
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Business plan of a cosmetology
Any startup is created based on a good business plan. This paper is crucial as there you mention your conception, aims, risks, and potential income. It can be your roadmap to a dream or a colossal mistake. Well, let's think about the best and find out how to write down the business plan to win against the nearest competitors.
A well-thought-out plan is a hard job. It will take some time to make a good one. However, once you've coped with this task, the results will be positive.
A cosmetology business plan has to include:
Main concept description together with goals and tasks.
Services you are going to provide.
Prices of the services and products you offer.
Local market research.
Target client description + marketing strategy you will use.
A plan on hiring staff + their salaries calculation.
SWOT-analysis: strong and weak sides of your business, aims, and risks.
A financial forecast, including possible income and expenses, business analysis, and budget.
A business plan isn't a paper to write, hide and forget. If you want to succeed, correct it, according to the business development. For example, if you add any services, change advertising campaigns, hire more administrators for salon – mention it in your plan.
How to choose a location for cosmetology?
You probably know that location and premises are important, but why? Well, the answer is simple and complicated at the same time. To select an excellent location, you have to take into account the following factors:
Does your target audience live in the chosen area?
Does it have enough parking space?
Is it accessible? (here think about transport)
Who are your competitors?
How do you stand out?
How much space will you have on the facade to advertise yourself?
Is the rent fixed?
Do they offer a holiday renovation?
Each question is essential. You have to negotiate all points with your landlord and sign papers after.
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Cosmetology equipment: types and where to get the best one
To start working, you will have to get furniture, equipment, and consumables. The number, type, and so expenses depend on the services you will provide. Now, you see why determining the procedures you'll offer is so important. However, there is still a classic set of stuff for cosmetology:
coach for procedures,
tables and shelves,
gloves, disposable caps, shoe covers, bathrobes,
instrument sterilizers,
face beauty machines,
ultrasonic cleaning device,
laser devices,
therapeutic instruments for skin,
syringes, ampoules with vitamin cocktails, hyaluronic acid, botox,
antiseptic & disinfectants,
serums, creams, masks, and tonics.
The equipment is usually costly, so make sure the warranty and insurance are fine. These papers will save you, in case an accident happens.
Equipment and consumables are one of the most expensive parts of opening any beauty salon. However, we don't recommend saving on them. Quality equipment and cosmetics guarantee that the services will be professional and effective. Due to the number of competitors, only the best service can satisfy our modern, sophisticated clients.
To optimize the expenses, collaborate with reliable dealers to sell you quality stuff a bit cheaper. Usually, they agree if you buy a large number of items. In any case, it is better than ordering cosmetics from unknown suppliers than dealing with clients' complaints.
Register your business
When starting cosmetology, you have to apply for licenses. Basic licenses include:
Medical license. To get this one, you and your staff must have medical higher education. If you have it, apply for the license, wait till the government checks all the documents, premises, and equipment. Usually, it takes up to a few months.
Licenses for employees. Your team must have a pack of medical licenses to perform all the cosmetology procedures legally.
Then sanitary norms. The premises have to be clean and safe both for the team and clients. Considering the pandemic, you should also clean and sanitize them every before every guest.
Hire high-qualified professionals. As the owner, you are responsible for everything that happens in cosmetology. So, it will simply help you to be calmer and less nervous about accidents. If you are low-budget, think about hiring young specialists. Of course, you have to teach them, but they are usually fond of hard work and ready to learn.
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Advertising and promotion of a cosmetology
A good reputation starts with proper marketing. Your clients don't need to know about this small secret. Print out leaflets and business cards, posters, and stickers. Then give it to your customers and their friends. It will increase your chances of getting more visitors.
To promote cosmetology, you need:
A website. It will allow your guests to read all the information they need, drinking a cup of coffee at home. Statistics show that together with a widget for online appointments, it, factually, doubles profit. CRM will also work very well. Especially the one that offers a widget and website for free.
Creative ideas that don't cost much. Be active and never ignore even the craziest promo ideas. Sure, no need to do anything harmful, but collaborating with a female football team or a model agency will be beneficial.
Social networks. Any platform will work. The most important is frequent sharing and quality content. You can hire an SMM specialist or maintain the profile by yourself. Just stay creative and sincere. People like it.
As a social network fond of visual content, Instagram is a great place to promote beauty businesses. You can, for example, run promotions there, offer special bonuses for mentioning your cosmetology, and so on.
Word of mouth. And again, communication – be polite, professional, and you will satisfy your clients without any effort. Again, a positive experience is a guarantee of a return visit.
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Why does cosmetology need online appointments
We've mentioned that online appointment is beneficial for any beauty business. But, mainly because the niche is associated with comfort and service, everything should stay as convenient as possible.
Advantages of CRM for cosmetology:
online widget + website,
many reports,
business analytics,
a client base,
consumable stock management,
marketing tools: QR stickers, analytics, automatization.
Connecting good salon software is also a positive thing for clients. Now, they can make an appointment round the clock and wherever they want. In addition, the service is bookable even when cosmetology is closed.
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Conclusions
The cosmetology business is similar to any other beauty industry. Sure, you have to work hard to succeed, but we have described several steps that will save you from many failures.
And, first of all, be ready to offer professional cosmetology services. Money comes after. EasyWeek booking software will gladly automate the processes that can be done without your participation. If you are interested, click here to get more detailed information. And, we wish you luck in starting the cosmetology business!
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