How to Start a Hair, Beauty or Nail Salon and Make a
Profit
Hair styling businesses, nail salons, spas and tanning salons can all provide consistent monthly income
from repeat clients. By giving your customers a service they like at a good value, and you can have an endless
source of repeat customers and referrals.
Becky Johnson, owner of Bangz Hair Salon in Rockford
Michigan, opened her own salon just a few years after high school. She even says herself that she would
never have predicted she'd have her own successful salon at such a young age.
Johnson attributes her success to simply keeping prices affordable and creating an atmosphere that is family
friendly. Starting a salon doesn't have to be as hard as you might think. All you need to do is start, and you could be living your dream just like Becky.
In addition to providing a service, salon owners can generate more revenue by selling specialty salon
products and hosting events or beauty parties. See also: beauty salon business plan templates.
The beauty business is growing strong, as demonstrated by Ulta's profits increasing more than 80 percent
from 2009 to 2010. Keep in mind, this is when other industries are going downhill.
What is the Cost of Starting a Salon?
The costs to start a beauty salon include salon equipment, supplies,
styling chairs, signs, insurance, business license, a building lease and
advertising. Start-up costs vary widely, since you can
choose how much to spend in each of these areas. When you are investing in your business, think about the
profits that these investments can potentially bring you - and decide how much you want to spend.
Start-Up Resources | Salon Supplies | Salon Marketing
How Do You Get More Clients to Come to Your Salon?
Build and keep your clientele base by being different from the other beauty salons - offer a variety of
services, a unique atmosphere, more convenient hours, special events, etc. Get expert instruction and guidance
from beauty professionals - those who already own their own businesses can truly save you lots of time and
money with their insight.. Simply follow their tips, and your salon can achieve success in a faster period of
time.
You'll find several salon start-up guides, business plans and tips below to help you maximize your
profits from your beauty business while minimizing your risk.
3-Step System: How to Start a Hair or Beauty Salon
You may be surprised to find out how much money is being made with basic hair salons. Add your own
creative flair, and you can drive up profits even more. You don't even need to be an experienced
stylist!
These step-by-step guides break down and explain everything from licensing to the equipment needed to
financial management to day-to-day operations.
- Get Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Start: financing, budgeting,
licensing, finding a great location,
hiring employees, interior design tips and more.
- Resources You Can Use to Save Money: paying less on equipment and supplies, increasing
revenue with additional product sales.
- How to Get Customers and Turn a Profit Quickly: from effective marketing materials to
attracting clients with free publicity.
Step 1
Hair Salon Start-Up Plan
or Day Spa Start-Up
Plan
How to Start a Nail Salon
It's amazing to watch how much business a
well-run nail salon can do in just one hour. Design your business to conveniently work around your
lifestyle. Plus, you can run a fast-paced business or create a relaxed atmosphere depending on how you
like to work. Have fun!
See how other nail salon owners have successfully launched their shops, and how you can do the same.
- Learn from top nail salon owners and nail consultants from Los Angeles, Austin Texas, Carmel California
and more on how to turn a regular salon into a money-making dream.
- See how a cocktail-themed salon and a "green" salon turned manicures and pedicures into a whole new
experience, bringing in extra money in the process. By adding a few simple features, you can make your
salon "The Place" people want to get their nails done!
Start a Nail Salon Business
Salon Start-Up Resources:
Beauty Salon Supplies:
Salon Advertising: How to Get More Clients
Get Free Publicity:
Save money by writing a press release to your local paper announcing the grand opening of your
new salon - or (if your business is not new) an event that you're holding. You can quickly reach lots of
customers within days.
Hold a contest or drawing with a prize that salon clientele would want - for example, a
free product or service that you offer, or gift card to use at your salon. Make it a unique or big enough prize
that it gets people's attention, and that your local paper will want to write a story about it. Make the
contest or drawing very easy to enter, so that you can generate lots of leads.
You could also host a beauty-related workshop that your clients would be interested in,
such as easy hair styling techniques or natural skin care tips. You can either present the workshop yourself or
partner with other business owners interested in promoting their companies - like an image consultant or salon
product manufacturer.
Your press release can be short and simple, and you can find samples here: How to Get Free Publicity
Postcard Marketing:
Do a postcard mailing to introduce your company to potential customers in your area - and remind clients to
return back (without tedious phone calls!). Using low-cost online services makes this an easy marketing task.
First, decide on a special offer or hold a grand opening sale. Second, design your postcards online using
professional postcard templates with VistaPrint (you can get 50% off here). And third,
get targeted leads from a lead generation company like Resource Nation.
Coupon Advertising:
Advertising with coupons is a "feel good" form of marketing, since you are giving a gift to your customers for
visiting and purchasing from your salon. It's a way to get customers to buy... without having to sell. Even if
a coupon is not redeemed, you get the benefit of prospects viewing your coupon in the newspaper, magazine,
online or in a coupon mailer. If your coupon was memorable, this could mean readers think of your shop the next
time they need a haircut or manicure.
Get a Website:
Develop an online presence. Register a website domain name (tyically your company name) and use a website host with
salon website templates
to quickly create your website for less than $100. Professionalize your business image with a beauty salon logo, which you can design
yourself online and use on your site, marketing materials, ads, stationary, store signage, business cards
and more.
Business Cards:
Give them to people in your neighborhood, network with people you know, leave them with stores, offices and
other places that busy professionals tend to hang out. With over 300 professional business card designs
and easy-to-use templates, creation is a snap, and printing is done for you. Click here:
Free Business Cards
Local
Search Directories
More and more people are looking for local businesses online (instead of the traditional yellow pages) - and
you don't want to miss out on this market. Local Search sources that are affordable and receive substantial
traffic include: Google Local, Yelp, Super Pages and Insider Pages.
29 More Ways to
Attract Salon Customers
Proven customer-attracting strategies explained step-by-step. Low cost and specifically
designed with the small business owner in mind.
More Beauty Business Opportunities:
Business Plans for Beauty Businesses:
If you want to know how to organize and plan your business, using a professional business plan "template" is
the easiest way to get started. Get information and access business plan instant downloads for beauty salons,
nail salons, hair salons, tanning salons and day spas: Salon Business Plans
