Creating Your Salon Suite Experience

How To Invest Wisely and Prioritize the Client

When you’re first starting out as a salon suite owner, it can be easy to overspend. The excitement of having a space that’s truly yours can open some serious money floodgates at a time when you really want to be watching your outgoings. So what can you do to create an environment that reflects you while sticking to a budget? Here are our top ideas:

Customize To The Customer

The best part about a beauty suite is that it’s truly a one-on-one environment. Your space is a place where your client can come to relax and unwind without the noise of a traditional salon. Think about your clientele and what will make them feel truly comfortable. A lavender neck pillow or a luxurious scalp massage will go a lot further than spending a ton on lavish decor. 

Create an Ambiance

With a salon suite, you get to create whatever vibe is appropriate for your brand and your customer. Keep it simple with items that will enliven the senses such as delicious smelling diffusers, refreshing drinks, and great music. Simple, personal touches will make your space become exactly what your client needs - an escape from the everyday. 

Be Prepared

There is nothing worse than making a client wait. Build out your schedule accordingly and don’t try to squeeze too much into one day - your clients will feel it and so will you. Also, be sure you prepare yourself mentally for each person that walks through the door. What’s important to them in terms of their hair or other beauty goals? What do they have going on in their lives that you can ask about? Small, personal connections are important and say a lot about you as a professional and as a business owner. 

Think Long-Term

Forget fads and fast trends, focus on an environment that’s going to go the distance. A few comfortable key furnishings is smart but don’t go wild investing in pricey art or top-of-the-line technology. Spend your initial budget on the tools you need to do your best work and then revisit decor ideas once you’ve spent time in your space and know what you need. 

Embrace the Quiet

One of the things clients love most about visiting a salon suite is that there’s no whir of blow dryers, deafening chatter, and overpowering hair color smells. The suite experience means it’s just the two of you, and you get to set the tone for their experience. We love asking clients what kind of mood they are in as they arrive so we can create something that’s relaxing or upbeat with music, scents, and refreshments. For most people, a hair or beauty treatment is a luxury, so embrace that and create an environment that feels like it was created just for them. 

Talia Horta is the co-founder of BriAry Salon Suites, a collection of boutique luxury spaces designed specifically for beauty business owners. BriAry Salon Suites offers rentals as well as business mentoring and coaching to help stylists, aestheticians, and technicians navigate the world of entrepreneurship. www.briarysalonsuites.com