SALON SMART 2016 – DAY TWO (MORNING)
After a short intro by Creative HEAD publisher Catherine Handcock, the second and final day of Salon Smart 2016 got off to a stylish start.
Mitchell Wilson and Nick Clark from Laundry salon in Sheffield stepped up to the mic to share the story behind their beautifully branded business. Nick, who works at design agency 93ft and partnered with salon owner Mitchell to create the space, explained that 12 people from the design branch of the business brainstormed ideas that related to washing the accessory you wear day in, day out: your hair.
“The rabbits/hares in the logo came from associations relating to their fluffy tails,” he added. “That kind of cotton-freshness… and the open space inside the salon itself, filled with clean concrete lines is inspired by the design of Washaterias.”
Mitchell also told the audience that their in-house coffee and juice bar had become integral not just to the brand, but every client’s Laundry experience itself. “It’s different, that something extra,” he said, showing the attention to detail on the coffee cup stickers on the big screen. “You’ve got to make it memorable… plus, you can’t buy a coffee online!”
2014 It List It Guy Richard Phillipart was the first to step into the spotlight as part of the new Famous 4:5 slot on the main stage. He shared his passion for both his salon in Cheshire and session work (that even saw him stand outside Somerset House in the rain, hoping to catch someone with a free hair team slot during London Fashion week), and told attendees how his win transformed his career.
“In January 2014, I approached both Guido and Eugene Soulieman, telling them how desperate I was to assist them at Fashion Week and heard nothing. Then that September, all that had changed was having the It Guy title on my CV, and they both accepted me onto their teams. It provided such a boost to my profile.”
Next up was LWPR’s Sofie West and Laura Glazebrook, who shared their ten top tips for promoting your salon. Their DIY advice covered everything from approaching local press to creating a seasonal activity calendar, with detailed breakdowns of how to write a press release and which media outlets to target first.
“Social media and shouting about your expertise is vital for raising awareness of your brand,” Laura told the audience. “One thing I always recommend is joining in with #hairhour – every Wednesday from 8-9pm on Twitter.”
It was then onto Most Wanted Innovation Award winner Phil Jackson, who chatted to Catherine about his awards experience and his new book. After his wholly unexpected win, Phil distilled his knowledge of standing out from the competition to produce business guide ‘The Hairy Book of Innovation’ – and even included his entire winning entry in the appendices!
The workshops were an opportunity for attendees to stretch their legs and head into two different talks: one on making the most of online PR and one on decoding the world of social media marketing. The former saw Mira Madhvani from Goldwell stress the importance of understanding the impact of online activity on clients. “You need to understand who that person is you want to be speaking to,” Mira explained. “Plan your campaign based on that profile – you want to capture their attention online and maybe even collaborate with other businesses on their radar, but be strategic!”
Ciara Lynch of KMS California discussed all things social media, including the pros and cons of each platform for salon owners and how to measure the success of your efforts. “Ban vanilla!” she enthused. “You need to always add value and provide something new with your posts, so think about your salon’s personality and how you will make an emotion connection with clients.”
The second Famous 4:5 slot saw Katie Mulcahy – reigning Most Wanted Colour Expert and brand ambassador for Rusk – walk the audience through her career journey so far, including her life-changing 2015. After discovering a passion for colour (fuelled by the mentorship of Lisa Shepherd), Katie explained how there was to be no stopping her as she worked tirelessly towards her goals. Then, 2015 delivered satisfaction on multiple fronts: “I got married, I won at Most Wanted… it was amazing!” “The hair industry may feel massive,” she added, as she encouraged attendees to take chances in life, “but networking days like today prove it’s really intimate.”
Salon Smart perennial, and Creative HEAD business columnist Ken West from coaching experts 365, was up next, and began by telling the audience he was going to tackle one of the industry’s trickiest subjects head on – training. “It’s time to stop looking for 16 year old trainees,” he said of the dwindling talent pool among young people. “Older trainees know what they want, are more focused, more flexible, keen to learn and more relatable for clients,” he added. “We need to start to think differently… nothing is as certain as change.”