As a barber, it is important for you to realise that people come to you for much more than just a hair cut.
Your customers also desire positive interaction and spend their time relaxing. So it requires much more than your cutting skills to manage your barbershop efficiently and effectively.
It is recommended to follow these tips to address different areas of running your barbershop successfully.
The Basics
First of all, you should address the basics to ensure that your shop is inviting and comfortable for your customers.
Maintain a Clean Shop at All times
There is no compromise to this aspect. Whether you have a hundred customers at a time or just a couple, someone should be sweeping up the hair at all times. The scissors and combs should also be kept clean. You can find more useful insights into maintaining a clean barbershop at hadviser.
Comfort Should be a Big Priority
It isn’t just about cushioned and ergonomic seats for all the customers. Comfort is also about the lighting. There should be plenty of light – to the very last nook and corner.
The air conditioning and heating system should always be in working order. Use organic disinfectants to ensure that your shop smells and feels great.
Live Call Answering Reception Services
Boost your customer service by setting up a live call answering system at your reception. All calls should be answered within 2 rings and directed to a human or virtual receptionist. A virtual system should allow you to take appointments, forward calls, send email notifications with messages, and do much more.
This will prevent the need for your barbers and stylists to take all the calls and messages. They can respond to calls and messages whenever they are free.
Promote Your Business
While there is so much about running your barbershop efficiently, you have to spend some time and resources on promoting it as well. Follow these tips to market your brand and drive more foot traffic
- Website: Create your online presence. A significant percentage of customers will search online for a barbershop in your area. Make sure you have a website and it ranks high in search results.
- Local SEO: Invest in local search engine optimization and even in pay-per-click advertising to get your brand in front of your target audience. The interesting thing about SEO is that it can be used by both small and large businesses.
- Social Media: Social media is an excellent platform for getting found and staying in constant touch with your target audience.
- Online Reputation: Make sure to invest some time or hire professional help to manage your shop’s online reputation. This specifically focuses on checking and managing your online reviews. Remember, many of your customers are going to review your business. The customer experience you provide them has a big impact on what they speak about your brand. Online reputation management also involves identifying any negative activities by your competitors and rectifying them.
Client Retention
A barbershop is a type of business that generates most of its business from repeat business. So it is important to focus on strategies that help maintain client retention. You are certainly going to have competitors in your market. You should be ready to take all steps to prevent them from stealing away your clients.
Your existing clients are your most important audience. Follow this simple principle in maintaining client retention – don’t let them forget about your brand and experience.
So how do you help them remember your shop? Get their emails and/or phone numbers. Send them periodic updates and special offers. Also ask them to follow your social media profiles and create special offers from time to time to keep them coming back. Another excellent option is to create a loyalty program.
It is recommended to get professional marketing help to build and run your marketing and retention program. As someone managing a barbershop, you are going to have your hands full at all times. So it makes all the sense to get help from experts.
So consider all these points when it comes to managing your barbershop. It is also recommended to invest in proven business management software. It can help streamline all your processes and make your business more efficient.