Does your business stand out from the crowd?

By its very definition Commercial Awareness is simply staying updated on the developments in the beauty industry and business that we are in, it is very simply achieved but how many of you are doing it?

This is an ever changing industry, not only with new treatments, techniques and brands but also with new salons and businesses. There is competition everywhere; the High Street is filled with more and more salons these days, not to mention department stores and supermarkets often offering salon services, as well as mobile therapists and home based salons working within your area, all trying to attract the same clients that you are.

We are in an industry that is becoming quite saturated and unless we are aware of our competitors how can we ever properly compete and make ourselves stand out from the crowd?

Check out the competition 

When was the last time you went to another local salon or spa to have a treatment and see what they are offering and how it differs from your business?

Salon owners can be guilty of setting up their business and being so consumed by running it on a daily basis they rarely step outside the door to see what else is going on.

It is vital for the success of your business for you to have a good understanding of what other businesses in your area are doing and how you differ. Clients have so much variety these days with regards to where they can get their treatments and products that, in order to achieve client loyalty, you need to know where they can go, what is available there, and why they may prefer to.

Visiting other salons and therapists is a great way of experiencing treatments as a client again and seeing things through client eyes. What would attract you to a salon?  What do you notice when you are in the treatment room?  What makes your treatment more memorable or luxurious?  Is it the service you receive from the therapist? Her client care? Is the couch heated? Is the treatment room beautifully decorated? Are you offered a variety of refreshments etc etc? This will be a great way of picking up some ideas along the way that could be implemented in your own business.

Some of the ideas may be very simple but it is often the simplest things that we miss when we are in the same environment every day. Equally you may visit other salons and it may remind you just how fabulous your salon is and what a good job you and your team are doing, either way it will be a positive experience.

I tend to visit new salons in my area as they open, and visit other local salons where I am not known, just to see what the competition are up to. If they know me I send a friend in on my behalf and get them to report back to me how their experience was.

Research online

I also make sure that I keep up-to-date with their price lists and view their websites regularly, just to keep aware of their promotions and any new treatments they may be offering.  I search the internet every month or so for beauty salons in ‘ X location' or beauty therapists in ‘Y location' to see if there are any new people operating in my area and what they are offering at what price.

Remember, everyone is a competitor and clients will travel further for good service and experience. I have clients who travel from all over to come to me for treatments. I have five clients in particular who drive 20 miles – across a major city – passing at least 21 other beauty salons to come to me for treatments all because they enjoy the experience and service.

As well as visiting other businesses it is essential to keep updated with industry trends and techniques. Company representatives are a good source of information for this in relation to their specific brands that they supply your salon with.

The importance of trade shows

I also can't express enough just how important trade shows are; they allow you to see everything under one roof, you can experience new treatments, discover training opportunities, learn about new brands and talk directly to the company representatives to find out more.

They are a really informative and fun day out and can be very motivating for you and your team and spark lots of new ideas that you can implement in your business. There are several beauty shows a year dotted all over the country making it easy for you to visit at least one a year regardless of your individual location.

I attend at least one trade show a year; my personal favourite is Beauty UK at the NEC because it is such a great location, easy to get to and has a good variety of brands and services.

By increasing your Commercial Awareness and making it part of your business you will see both the industry and your individual business in a different light, more importantly you will see ways to develop your business which will only lead to business growth, making it more profitable for you!

Marie-Louise Coster is a Beauty Therapist, Trainer and Business Consultant, with over 20 years' experience in the industry. All About Mi Beauty & Holistic Training School is ABT-accredited.