Why Your Brand Should Be Offensive

Our resident salon pro/lawyer/branding and business expert Christopher Matthew, owner of Dillinger’s Hair Company, is back with another lesson in building your brand. This time, he is going to explain why it is important to create a brand that is…offensive. It sounds risky, but when you read his reasons why, it makes absolute sense. How about we let this 2018 Faces of Sola representative explain!

“So often fear causes us to be vanilla in our branding and marketing,” Chris explains. “Don't be afraid to offend. In fact, you should aim to offend 50% of your market. Offend in a way that turns off anyone who is not your ideal client. In hair and beauty, a client is anyone who needs a haircut or color, and that is a vast customer pool. You want to weed through that pool and pick out the clients that you want. You do this by speaking to your people and offending everyone else.”

Offend With Your Price

“Price is part of your marketing. The price point you pick says something about who you are as a brand. If your prices are higher than those in your area, you will likely ‘offend’ people who think you charge too much. That’s great! When they see your menu on SolaGenius, they won't book or bother to try to negotiate a lower fare. This leaves more time for the folks who get it.”

Offend With Your Focus

“By focusing on specific services you love and excel at, you will avoid being booked for stuff that you dislike. Instead of being a hairstylist, try narrowing your services to focus your craft.  For instance, Ashley Lewis aka @the_blondologist, is not only exclusively a colorist, but also only does Balayage services. Instead of doing cuts and colors and everything in-between, she excels and markets one thing. This helps people to find you when they are searching for a specialist and offends those who think you should be a one-stop shop. Either way, your brand wins.”

Offend With Your Content

“Once you decide who you are, let the world know in no uncertain terms. Give your potential clients a snapshot of what to expect from authentic copy and content. If your salon is more for mimosas and girl talk than moms and couples, tell your clients to ‘put the men and children to bed’ before they come in. If you cant stop swearing in your shop, don't try to paint a modern-day Mother Teresa in your content. Whoever you are, there are people looking for someone just like you. This all but eliminates any (unpleasant) surprises when guests come in.”