Before you sign on the dotted line, you should know that opening a salon suite isn’t right for everyone. Before diving in and doing something drastic like signing a lease, ask yourself these four questions:
Do You Consider Yourself a Hard Worker?
As a salon owner, your job will be very different from what it was as an employee in a commission salon. You will be working alone and can’t rely on other people to help keep the business running smoothly. Moreover, you are responsible for all aspects of the business: marketing and client acquisition, sales, customer service, and retention. Therefore, if you want this to be profitable, you need to be able to manage all these things effectively.
Are You Able to Handle Finances?
You will be responsible for managing your own finances. This means you will need to keep track of income and expenses, including how much you spend on advertising. If you’re not good at math or don’t have any experience with finances, it might be better to hire an accountant or bookkeeper who can help you with this. However, if you decide to handle your own books (or if there’s no one else available), ensure you keep good records.
Do You Have a Good Reputation Within the Community?
Another factor to consider when researching the viability of a salon suite is your reputation. Are you known for providing excellent customer service? Do you deliver on what you promise? Do people trust you, or are they skeptical of your integrity? If people in your community haven’t heard of you or don’t trust the name attached to your business, it will be much harder for them to become regular customers.
Can You Generate a Steady Flow of Clients?
As a salon owner, you will need to be able to attract clients to your business. You can not just sit and wait for them to roll in; they won’t just appear out of nowhere. You need to have a strong marketing strategy that helps you create buzz around your salon and builds awareness about it.
It is vital that you have a solid online presence, too. This lets people find out more about what you do and who they could contact if they want more information or want to book an appointment. Besides, you should also have a referral network where past clients can recommend others.
If You Answered Yes to All of the Questions, A Salon Suite Is Right for You!
A salon suite is ideal if you answered yes to all of these questions. However, if you are not sure, then it is not suitable for you. If your answers were mostly no or undecided, we recommend you take some time to think about your business and how it will be affected by adding another location.