New business a bit of help please

[dukeofyork]

Hi guys this month i have moved from being employed as a manager in a large salon to renting a space at the back of a barber shop.

I know its really early days but i would have been open a month on Monday and i know businesses take a long time to develop but its just not getting going

I have a small client base and they have been great but i am struggling to gain new clients and my current base of clients won't be enough to keep me afloat in the long term

The shop sign is uni sex but is best known for the barber who opened the shop 3 years ago and who has mainly afro Caribbean client base (I don't do afro hair myself)

The previously bare window is now nicely presented with all my posters and offers and The a board outside has my offers on it

I have set us up a Facebook account that i update regularly and have organized Google places and all the directories i have leafleted had opening month offers just charging 15 pounds for a wash cut blowdry

But there just doesn't seem to be enough interest and people don't seem to know im here

Monday and Tuesday this week was good but i have only seen 2 clients since Wednesday and am sat here with no bookings and no walkins on a Saturday and only occasional bookings for next week

Am i doing something wrong
Have i picked the wrong place to set up

Sorry for rambling but i don't want to be here flogging a dead horse when i could possibly try another location/shop etc

Thanks geeks x
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[perkypatchy]

It is really tough at the moment and especially so if you do not have your own good sized client base. Customers are really strange and they like to flock to busy and sometimes expensive salons - they are like sheep!

Marketing can be expensive and ads take ages to work if at all. You could try flyers offering free introductory cuts for new customers. Do you have staff to help you with the marketing? Are you aimimg for men (barbering) or women - unisex seems a bit of a trap sometimes as the men seem to be swinging more toward barber shops. Location is very important as is competition - too many haidressers competing for too few clients is all to often seen nowadays. Don't make the mistake of getting into a price war with your rivals - result is that no one wins! Offer customer loyalty (6th haircut free if you can afford it) - treat your customers like royalty and give them a bit more than other salons if you can. No easy answers but don't flog the dead horse forever and move locations if necessary.

 

[Verve Designs]

A lot of people I speak to are experiencing something of a "lull" at the moment (not everyone clearly).

We've owned salons for nearly 15 years and this pre-school hols time is usually terrible.

I would suggest you spend this downtime putting together a good marketing plan. Do some analysis of your competition and then have a look at Lynn Bakers marketing thread and have a look if any of the Geeks ideas are going to suitible for you.

Incidentally- you mentioned the focus of the salon has changed. Is it wise to keep the old name? or start again with a re-branding to start with a clean slate and inject a bit of life into it?