What is Your Brand Promise? | Sheona Will

It’s always been business first for Sheona Will. From starting her career at 15 as a Saturday girl to running a group of three thriving salons, Sheona’s astute commercial head has seen her grow a thriving business. In the last of her exclusive series for Pro Hair, Sheona shares her insights into how to run your salon like a boss. This issue, she asks you to consider exactly what your brand promise is.

When it comes to your business, your brand promise is the heart and soul of your salon; it tells both your team and your clients what to expect when they walk through your doors. It’s about living and breathing a set of standards, values and experiences that consistently reflect who you are as a business.

As your business grows, ensuring consistency in standards across multiple locations becomes even more vital. Your brand promise should act as a constant across all branches. Whether a client visits your flagship location or a new branch, the experience should be identical – high standards, impeccable service and the signature style you’re known for.

At the beginning of Bloom’s mission, I knew very clearly what it meant to me. However, whilst it has always resonated with me and some of the longest-serving team members, I realised it wasn’t really communicated to our guests, and it didn’t feel ingrained or practically useful across the rest of the team. And so recently, I decided it might be time for a refresh.

Consistency is Key

You must ensure your brand promise includes every element of your business, from technical expertise to the look and feel of the salon itself. When I embarked on an update of our mission and vision, this is what was essential to me:

• To remain true to my original statements.
• What had been important in 2019 was still important today.
• To speak to both the guests and the team.
• To describe our signature hair look. It was only when I reviewed the original promise, I realised there wasn’t enough ‘hair’ in it – there was too much business and not enough creativity or visual reference.

Involving your Team

A brand promise is not a solo act. Your team is central to delivering it daily, so involving them in shaping that promise is crucial. My team did an amazing job working together to refine it and ensure it would sustain all the way through – from recruitment, interviews and on-boarding to training sessions and everyday salon life. The promise will be there when the going gets tough, always helping the team to navigate those situations which might put them under pressure or the guest experience at risk.

Living the Promise

Once your brand promise is clearly defined, the real work begins – implementation and coaching it through. I used to think coming up with the ‘thing’ was the hard part, however, having been a bit of a ‘launch and leave’ culprit in the past, I know the toughest part is just about to begin. Surrounding yourself with a team whose passion and skills align with your brand promise is vital. The right team will help bring the promise to life, making sure that every guest interaction reflects the standards you’ve set.

Now, this is where many salon owners falter – they roll out a shiny new brand statement, but fail to ensure it’s truly adopted across every level. The key is coaching your team through the brand promise, consistently reinforcing it and ensuring it remains at the forefront of everything they do.

Final Thoughts

Your brand promise isn’t just nice to have, it’s a non-negotiable part of your salon’s identity. From the way your team delivers services to the atmosphere you create, it should be the thread that ties everything together. Get it right, and not only will you win the trust of your clients, but you’ll also build a loyal following that keeps coming back for more.