How to Stay Productive During Slow Times

As entrepreneurs and service providers, we all have slow times. I remember when I first joined the beauty industry, we had a guest speaker come to our school to share with us the ups and downs of cosmetology life. He shared an alarming fact that a large percentage of hairstylists do not make it in this industry because they cannot handle the slow times as well as the hard work that one must put into this industry to make it. He was so right. As the saying goes, anything worth having is worth fighting for and the beauty industry is not for the faint of heart. That’s for sure!

A seasoned hairstylist once shared with me that January was one of the slowest months of the year for a stylist because it was the beginning of the year and since the big holidays such as Christmas had just passed, usually everyone spent a lot of their money during December. This resulted in a decrease of clientele during the following month, January. Another stylist shared with me that the summer months tend to be the slower, which I have experienced and I can agree. The reason sometimes behind that is, a lot of clients are traveling, and going on summer vacations. Then you can just have a slow week for no reason. It happens.

With that being said, it can be discouraging and depressing to have no-shows, last minute cancellations, or just no appointments in general. Not to mention, nobody truly enjoys being slow, the days drag by and seem like they are never going to end, and as an independent salon owner, you are not getting paid when you do not have clients. So, what should you do during slow times? Well, there are a couple of things that I do when I am slow and they help me get out of “the rut” and I believe that it will help you too.

1. Get out and market. First, think about your demographic and target market that you seek to provide your service to. For example, if your “thing” is providing fly roller sets, then perhaps, your demographic is middle age to elderly. If so, head to the mall and start handing out your business cards and getting your name out there. Head to your popular grocery store, the park, your local farmer’s market and start there as well. Anytime that you are out and about, you should always carry your business cards no matter what! Click here for more on ways to network your salon.
2. Create a special offer for a particular day you are slow. It is always a great idea to review your books daily and weekly to check your productivity status. If it is looking like you are going to be slow on a particular day, you can plan to offer a special that will attract more clientele. One offer that I love to offer on Thursdays, is Thirsty Thursday. This is where you can offer a complimentary conditioning treatment if they book a service with you. People love relaxing, hydrating treatments! I like to do a lot of my marketing on social media so that new and existing clientele can view my specials.
3. Ride the wave. This is a mentality that I have adopted over time. When you have a business or you are a commission stylist, there will be weeks when you are crazy busy (peaks) and slow moments (valleys) and you just must learn how to ride the wave. Embrace the journey. One day you will look back and reminisce on your journey and you will have zero time to breathe. So, take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.
4. Take a continuing education class. You can never learn enough. Check out close hair shows or enroll in a nearby cutting or coloring hair classes to brush up on your techniques or learn a new trend. If you have always wanted to learn how to braid, you can always learn by taking a class. If there isn’t a class, grab a friend and practice on your own. Once you know how to rock a new service, you can start to market that to your existing and potential new customers!

Everyone has slow times and you are not the only one. So, turn that frown upside down, hold your chin up, and start implementing these tips to help you stay productive during those slow times.

About the Author: Demetria Gilkey

Demetria Brand Gilkey is a Bowling Green, KY native where she earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Marketing in 2008 from Western Kentucky University. After working in Corporate America, Demetria felt that her desire to attend cosmetology school was yet to be fulfilled. So, she enrolled at Paul Mitchell the School-Louisville. In 2012, Demetria received the prestigious BEACON award by participating in a national cosmetology contest. Shortly after, she opened her own salon, Hair by Demi B in Louisville, KY at Sola Salon Studios; later re-naming it Curly by Nature. She has built a huge clientele all by creating amazing unforgettable experiences with her guests.

www.thecurlycoach.com

Follow Demetria on Instagram

Follow Demetria on Twitter

Follow Demetria on Facebook