Ways To Make Productive Use of Downtime

While there is no doubt that we are in an uncertain time, salon closures should not get in the way of continually building your business. 

In fact, there is a silver lining. This situation is setting aside downtime for salon professionals, which presents a unique opportunity to refocus attention on the business side of things. While marketing tends to fall by the wayside amongst busy schedules and day-to-day hustle, you can take this step back as a chance to build a stronger foundation for your business. 

Here are several tips and ideas for channeling time at home into powerful marketing improvements: 

Communicate with your clients: This article is written to assist you in communicating clearly and effectively with your clients during the coronavirus outbreak. Sending out any messages of comfort and compassion will go a long way in keeping your community connected. We put together some simple communications for your to copy and paste into your messages to keep your clients at ease. Copy and paste these into your text or email blasts with SolaGenius or post on your social media channels. 

Update your website: The Sola Pro app offers each of our Sola professionals a beautiful, customizable, FREE website! The basics are in place for you, you just need to add in your photos, hours, bio, and booking links. You can brand it to fit the vibe of your unique salon. Your website is easy to use and includes all of the important info a client might be looking for. If you are paying for an expensive website with lots of upkeep, now is the time to transition to something easy, free and made just for you. Click here to download the Sola Pro app and start customizing your website today.

(@wb_upstyles)

Switch to online booking: If you have ever wanted to switch to online booking, now is the time. SolaGenius is a powerful, user-friendly and convenient booking system that features the industry’s lowest credit card processing rate, and a flat monthly fee of only $20. This cutting edge app is designed to streamline and supercharge your salon business. Using the complimentary White Glove Service which will transfer all of your information into SolaGenius quickly, so you can begin accepting bookings 24/7, manage clients and track their history, streamline your personal calendar, build a following, accept payments, get analytics, run reports and more in no time. Try SolaGenius for 30 days free today, made for Sola, by Sola.

P.S. Did you know that SolaGenius now offers client gift cards? Click here to learn more!

(@trueskinandwaxing)

Promote your work on social media: How many times have you said or thought that you wish you had more time to spend strategizing and posting on social media? As a salon professional, your photos are some of your greatest assets and if they are just living in your phone, they go unseen. Many of you have saved beautiful photos that highlight your skill and expertise. Organize, edit and post them to build your web and social media presence, and to provide a digital record of your work. Use this time to showcase your talents and build up your following so that you are teeming with clients when business reopens soon. 

(@colored.in.chaos)

Boost Client Reviews: During this time, many people are asking small businesses what they can do to help with the business closures. One way that we can all support local business, is by writing reviews that will boost the business when things reopen in the future. Because remember, when you can't work, they can't get their hair done. There will be so many people coming out of quarantine with a serious need for a trip to the salon. Take the time to request that your clients review your salon to help keep energy high in your business during the off-time. You can request reviews by providing clients with links via email, social media or SolaGenius text messages. Collect testimonials to add to your website and request Yelp reviews to keep building your business profile, even when doors are closed. When you return to business, you will be so happy to have built up a good online reputation that attracts new clients and attention to your salon. 

(@houstonheightshairstylist)

Read The Sola Blog: Stay informed, inspired, educated and resourced during your time out of the salon. There are HUNDREDS of amazing articles, resources, and guides that are specifically catered to help you thrive as a Sola Professional. Read them all on the Sola Blog.

Write a Business Plan: A business plan is a blueprint for success with your business. It states the goals and operations of your business, tallies the financial inputs and outputs, and outlines what steps you’ll take to turn services into revenue into profits. While day-to-day operations often prevent us from taking a step back to look at the big picture, this downtime is a perfect opportunity to make a master plan. That way, when your business re-opens, you will be able to execute your plan for better business results. Get ready to go back into business with a bang. Follow this guide on how to create a business plan for your salon.

We encourage you to utilize this time as an opportunity to lay the foundations for a strong and healthy business. This too shall pass, and when it does, you will be happy that you put in the work to build up your business when you had the time. 

We are so inspired by the strength and resolve that we are witnessing in our Sola community. We are grateful for each and every one of you for staying flexible and strong. We hope that when we all return to business as usual, our foundations will be stronger than ever. 

Want to learn more ways to work on your business when you can't work in it? Watch a webinar hosted by Sola!

Alone we are strong, but together we are #SolaStrong 💙