Marketing is often thought of in terms of customers: how to attract them, how to retain them and how to keep them coming back for more. However, I believe there’s another – often overlooked – group you should be marketing to just as diligently: your own team. As salon owners, we’re constantly focused on the guest experience, but what if the secret to better marketing lies within the four walls of your salon?
I have always been intrigued by marketing practices, particularly when it comes to consumer behaviour. After developing a busy column as a hairdresser in my twenties, I went back to study and completed a business degree. For me, the most inspiring part of that business degree was always marketing. It was actually the part of the course I found the easiest too, most likely due to my experience with clients in the salon.
During my time owning and managing the Bloom Salons, I have implemented many changes in the businesses – some of which have worked better than others – and I’m a strong believer in recognising that mistakes are normal. Without these small failures, how would we ever learn?
It was only until very recently that I understood which factors could ensure a greater chance of success. It came to me gradually… and then all at once! Moving from two salons in Scotland into a third in London at The House of Keune by Bloom was a steep learning curve in terms of starting something from nothing. It was during that journey that I discovered perhaps the most vital lesson of all: the success of any marketing campaign for your salon’s products or services is wholly dependent on first marketing it to your team. Realising this has completely changed how I now launch or update anything across the whole group of salons.
Think of your team as the ambassadors of your brand. They are the ones interacting with your guests day in and day out. If they aren’t excited or informed about a new product or service, how can they effectively sell it to your clients? Engaging your team in the marketing process not only makes them feel valued, but also directly impacts the success of your campaigns.
I began to see this value in first ‘selling’ the idea to my team. To bring the idea to life, I used a framework that I’d learned during my studies. It revolved around four key questions:
Why? – Why is this important to me, the team member and my guest?
What? – What exactly is the product or service and what consumer question does it answer?
How? – How will the guest experience this and how will it fit into a typical day or appointment?
What If? – What if this is a success and what does that mean for me as a team member?
By answering these questions, I could craft a narrative that made sense to my team before we even considered going to market.
Once answered, these questions serve as the foundation of the team’s communication. I never present a fully completed campaign. Instead, I leave room for adjustment based on the team’s insights. This approach ensures that every team member feels heard and part of the decision-making process. The results? Higher team engagement and a greater rate of success for our marketing initiatives.
I’ve used this framework often and find that now, versus my previous experiences, team engagement levels are higher and more of what I implement is successful. This shift in approach has made a noticeable difference in my salons. By marketing first to my team, I’ve seen more buy-in, and ultimately, more successful campaigns.
Remember, marketing to your team isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement. As salon owners, we have a unique opportunity to build a culture where everyone feels invested in the success of the business, so when your team is engaged, your guests will feel it too.
