Learning from 2019 to conquer 2020

Now is the time to take stock of everything you did during the previous year, and to get planning for an amazing year ahead. Returning to your salon after the holiday period allows you to take a fresh look at your salon’s business strategy and evaluate what salon goals you’ve reached – and which you haven’t.

‘The expression ‘out with the old, in with the new’ is a valuable attitude come January.

If you’re ready to refresh your salon business, but you’re not sure where to start, I’ve got some ideas to help kick-start you into a thriving 2020.

Back to basics

One of the best ways to re-invigorate your business is to get back to the basics that work best for you. This may feel a little mundane, but don’t make the mistake of skipping over it!

Revisit your salon’s business plan. Hone in on what has been working, and get rid of anything that hasn’t. I use a simple method of START, STOP, CONTINUE. Review your major milestones, events and successes from last year. Here are some good questions to ask:

• What salon goals did you not achieve?
• Which type of revenue do you want to grow?
• What percentage of time was each staff member booked?

Pin-point what worked well in your business plan, and those things that no longer serve a purpose. Label all your activities with CONTINUE or STOP, based on how well they’re getting you to your goal. And create a START list of things that you’re not currently doing that might push your business to the next level.

If you started without a plan in place, then now is the time to make one!

A business plan is like a roadmap – it helps you navigate through your business, and find achievable ways to reach your goals.

There are plenty of salon business plan templates online to give you an idea of where to start. From that point, you can work to make your plan your own.

Invest in your business

What’s missing from your business? Don’t be afraid to spend money (wisely) to make money. A few expenses that should eventually recoup themselves include:

• automated systems (reminders, marketing, online booking)
• professional development for staff
• business courses
• updated website (new images and new copy, updated branding)

Your annual budget should be set up to include some allowance to invest ON your business. The long-term investment is what will keep your business moving forward.

Invest in yourself

Running a successful salon business is time-consuming, stressful, but awesome – all at the same time. It’s easy to get caught up spending  all the hours of the day working on, and in, your business.

If you’re ready to expand and grow your beauty business, but don’t know how or where to start, investing in a coach might be the right option. Whether it’s marketing, sales, general business skills or a lack of confidence that’s holding you back, finding the right coach can answer your questions and put you on the right path.

This year, prioritise time to invest in yourself first. Allocate time for holidays into your schedule. It’s important to make space for this, and allow your brain to recover and get reinvigorated and re-inspired.

Taking breaks allows you to come back revitalised and raring to go, and your salon and team will thank you for it!

Don’t feel guilty taking mini-breaks, too. Schedule in monthly spa visits or simply do something that lights you up.

Use the slow period to set yourself up right

Take time to reflect, re-evaluate and set fresh goals for 2020. Often, getting ahead requires you to take a step back, and spend time working on the business, not just in it.

When you’re in the early stages of business you wear many hats – and frankly, you have to, as you often cannot afford to hire other people quite yet.

But once you’re more established, your job should be running your business. Once you have a good handle on this, and start delegating, your business will grow. Delegating gives you more time to do what you need to be doing. Whether that’s taking a course, refreshing your business plan, or investing in some self-care, it will all feed back into a more productive, more successful salon.