Top tips to take the worry out of salon price rises

As food and utility bills continue to rise and family budgets get squeezed, you may feel that now is not the time to increase your prices.

But put on your business head and think again.

First of all, do your sums

It’s a simple calculation: if you are only just breaking even or, worse, making a loss, you need to increase your salon prices.

But how will my clients react?

• Don’t forget – your clients come to you because they love your salon and the high-quality services you provide.
• They’ll know that rent, rates, energy bills, product prices and wages all go up on a regular basis and that you’ll need to increase prices to cover your business costs.
• Be open and honest about the reasons for your price increases and keep your explanations clear and concise (at the moment this is easily understood by customers due to high energy prices)
• This will ensure that your clients understand you need to cover your costs – and that you’re not simply trying to make more money out of them.

Top tip: Make sure all your team can clearly explain the reasons for your prices increases. The vast majority (probably all) of your clients will understand and be willing to pay the extra. After all, who wants to go looking for a new salon when they’re more than happy with yours? If any of your team aren’t confident about explaining price increases, try some role-play sessions with each other first.

Prices that reflect your star quality

Salon clients will pay for a quality service. That’s always the bottom line.

Your long-term clients already love what you do and are happy to pay your prices.

But what about new and occasional clients?

The Good Salon Guide star rating system celebrates and promotes the outstanding quality of service provided by our Member salons, so as a Member your prices will accurately reflect your status as an independently star-rated Member of the Good Salon Guide.

Members: Don’t forget, you can call for free information and advice from our industry experts about all aspects of running a successful salon business.

Top tip: If possible, the best time to increase your prices is at the start of each financial year. This will make sense to your clients and long-term loyal clients will know what to expect.

Tiered pricing

If you have a mix of experienced and newer staff in your salon, consider offering tiered pricing depending on the team member’s level of expertise.

This may help to attract new clients who want to ‘try you out’ but are wary of booking an appointment at the higher end of your price list.

Top tip: Always give clients plenty of warning about price increases - especially if they are booking a future appointment that will cost more than they are used to paying. Make sure your price list is clearly displayed online and in your salon.

Members: In the current climate of rising bills and increasing inflation, balancing the books has never been more challenging. Take advantage of the savings on offer to Good Salon Guide Members including an average of 20% off business insurance.