Perhaps you are already seeing that the prices you pay for salon supplies,
including shampoo, treatments, hair color, lighteners and developers increased
during 2022. Stay tuned! More price hikes are on the way!
Insiders share that during February and March, 2023, additional increases
are on the way! While I understand that this is necessary, the rising costs of
doing business truly do affect our income. It's no longer a matter of the revenue
you bring into your salon business. The amount of income you are able to KEEP after expending your hard work, talent and energy is shrinking because the cost of
doing business increases regularly. OUCH!
I'm sure you have noticed price increases for food, clothing, household items and more.
Clearly, the cost of raw materials, labor and transporting goods has impacted the price
of just about everything. And these costs are not "fixed". They can continue to fluctuate
upward as time goes on. Our world faces many challenges.
So, here's THE "Uncomfortable Discussion" you might be thinking of (perhaps this keeps
you up at night) :
With regret, I believe we might/must consider planning a price increase for the
services we provide at our salons. It no longer costs "just a few dollars" to shampoo, condition or color your clients' hair. We need to find the right words to convey the
situation to our clients -- who will not enjoy hearing what we have to say.
But, let's consider what it costs to perform the following color service:
GRAY COVERAGE with Highlights: OK. Let's review what this service costs:
Cost of the color used. Cost of the developer used. Cost of the disposable glove
you use, Cost of foil or mesh you need, Cost of the lightener used. Cost of any glaze or color conditioner you use, and Cost for the doses of shampoo you need when removing product.
This does not figure in the "fragmented" breakdown of costs including washing the towel(s), opening the salon, turning on the lights A/C or heat, paying salon insurance, providing salon maintenance, serving coffee, tea or bottled water, driving to work in a car which requires
fuel and maintenance, or public transport which costs more this year. ... I could go on...
It is NEVER OK to tell a client, "Oh today we need to charge you more because our costs
for products has increased". I've learned that posting a properly formatted, large print, framed announcement at your station, or at the salon desk is the best way to convey this
this necessary information without apologizing: Here is a sample:
TO OUR VALUED CLIENTS. SALON PRICE MENU EFFECTIVE. (provide future date).
List services this column List new price this column
We continue to dedicate ourselves to creating the best possible professional beauty services.
Our price adjustment has become necessary due to the rising costs of salon supplies and
overhead. We thank you for your understanding, and remain so very thankful for your
patronage and friendship.
Gratefully yours,
Signature
... Many people will understand. Some might become nasty or threaten you. The best (although "not fun") way to respond is to say: "I understand completely, and I wish this
was not necessary. Frankly, like all businesses, we must respond to the higher costs
associated with staying in business.
Do YOU have any thoughts on this subject? if so, share them here. We are delighted to hear from our members.
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