subject: How To Start Your Own Salon [print this page] Once you've made the decision to start your own business, it's all a matter of ironing out the details. And as they say, the devil is in the details. Knowing the ins and outs of the business you want to get into beforehand is crucial to success. Especially since the first two to three years of your business are the most unstable. If you don't start strong, most likely, your business will soon slip away into obscurity and you'll be back working for some big company before the year is out. A salon is probably one of the most viable business models today, especially with the rise in demand for salons and spas. People want to look good and feel good and a place that can offer them that is sure to get some business as long as it is planned well.
(1) Is your business going to be a salon, a spa, or a barbershop? What kind of services will you be offering? - This will probably dictate everything else when it comes to putting up your salon or spa including how many personnel you need, what kind of equipment and how large your space needs to be.
(2) Who is your target market? - Deciding what customers you want in your shop will also help you determine if you need to add to your current menu of services and where you should set up shop. Certain locations are better than others for attracting a particular kind of customers. If you want to cater to the younger crowd, you might want to open your salon near a school or near where teenagers and young people seem to go. Opening in a mall is almost always a safe bet since the amount of foot traffic in the area is sure to give you some customers.
(3) Do the math. - Since the first few years of a business tends to be the most crucial, it's important that you have enough money set aside to see you through the lean years. Calculate how much money you will need to set up the business and how much operational expenses are for each month. You will then be able to come up with an amount you will need to have to keep your business running until you start generating repeat business.
(4) Get a reliable software system that can help you manage your business efficiently. - The right salon management software can help you manage appointments, remind customers about their bookings, manage employee time cards and schedules, and calculating commissions. This will help you improve your productivity by essentially automating the tedious tasks.
