4 Genius Tips To Attract Upscale Clients

Want to take your salon to the next level? Making a few changes to your business can mean raising your prices, getting a more upscale clientele and…making more money! We went to SEVEN salon, a space that defines luxury located in Seattle’s poshest mall (it’s next door to Tiffany’s and across from a Tesla dealership!) to get the deets on how a few small details can add up to an impressive and exclusive experience.

Learn SEVEN’s business strategies and get technical education at the DEFINE: ELEVATE, Las Vegas 2020 Event! Join SEVEN at Caesar’s Palace, March 1-3, 2020. Click here for details.

1. Create a luxurious ambiance.

The more upscale your environment, the more upscale your clients will be. These details make the salon experience at SEVEN super luxurious:

• SEVEN employs a DJ who adjusts the music according to the vibe in the salon.
• An on-staff barista serves up made-to-order coffee drinks.
• Before services, guests duck into changing rooms to put on silky robes.

Takeaway: Create custom playlists on Spotify for different times of the day. Invest in a nice coffee machine and have flavored syrups on hand. Give guests the option of wearing something comfy for their appointment. Little details create a sense of luxury!

2. Join forces with upscale brands.

• Because SEVEN is in a mall with high-end brands, it behooves the salon to build partnerships with nearby stores.
• Cross-promotions such as gift card sales benefit both parties.
• Giving store managers comped haircuts spreads the salon’s name and ups their luxe factor.

Takeaway: Find the coolest store in your area and offer to do a manager’s hair for free. Contact a cute bistro or boutique and propose a promotion—for every gift card you sell, the customer gets a gift card to their business for free, and vice versa. Partner with businesses in the area that reflect the type of clientele you want!

3. Don’t offer discounts.

The stylists at SEVEN don’t do discounts. Why? It devalues their brand, and that’s a no-no when serving an upscale market.

• Discounts mean discount clients—people who are always looking for a deal.
• Instead, SEVEN stylists are encouraged to hit the streets and find the type of clients they want, then offer a free hair cut to get that client into their chair.
• This almost always results in the stylist taking home a generous tip and the first-time customer being open to spending more on retail or add-on services, not to mention the guest becomes a loyal client and tells all her friends.

Takeaway: Discounts may seem to build books, but might not deliver the upscale clientele you want. Consider letting stylists give comp cuts to fill their books—at a minimum, they stay busy behind the chair, and it can only help build their clientele, plus they can hand-select the type of clients your salon wants.

4. Make retail part of the upscale experience.

Retail at SEVEN is serious business—the salon pays its rent on retail profits ALONE from selling its own product line (SEVEN haircare). What’s the secret to their success?

• The gorgeous retail area at SEVEN is clean and bright, and the staff is expert at suggesting products that offer both immediate results and long-term benefits over time.
• For example, SEVEN’s SATARA® OPTI biotin supplement is a high-value product because clients see immediate results and must return to SEVEN to repurchase a new bottle every two months (helping boost rebooking potential!).
• SEVEN’s KENTE® BOND system not only delivers results immediately, but hair improves with use over time—meaning the client who uses KENTE® BOND will need to return again and again to stock up!

Takeaway: Look to upscale stores for ideas on how to display retail. Train staff to explain both the immediate and long-term benefits of products so clients know they’ll be getting their money’s worth.

Products Used

Supplements

SATARA® OPTI Biotin Supplement

SEVEN haircare

Conditioners

KENTE® BOND

SEVEN haircare