How-to Support Your Community Shops Right Now
Barbers, Makeup Artist, Stylist, & beauty professions
Updated: Apr 30, 2020
We weigh in on how you can help small businesses like Barbers, Makeup Artist, Hairstylists, and other professional beauty services impacted by the ongoing pandemic.
Attempts to slow the spread of the disease COVID-19, “Social distancing” is becoming our new norm. The virus that causes it, have led many barbershop, salon and beauty owners to close shop until April (at the very least) — a decision not taken lightly. Having to close businesses will have a great impact on professional beauty service industry, as they in the category of the Industry that could be without income for the in foreseeable future. State officials are ordering for closures of non-essential services like beauty salon.
The CDC has not yet made any official comments on whether haircuts and manicures should be avoided; however, social distancing measures would make appointments like these impossible.
For some, the financial mishap of not having an CASHFLOW outweighs the idea of possibly contracting the virus for many. There are desperate shops,salons and suite renters, worried about the financial impact of this situation.
In the response of Clients canceling because they’re scared. The industry professionals are scared too. They are dependent on that income on a day to day basis. If they are not behind the chair, they are not making money.
So as a client are you wondering what you can do to help these individuals, who spend their time and money taking care of you? Here is some advice to loyal customers who are concerned about their favorite salons:
1. Pick Up a Gift Card or Pre-Pay For Services
Paying upfront for services could be extremely helpful right now. If you visit a beauty business for your services, consider purchasing a gift card for future use, to give money to the salon immediately.
Prepaying for their services is ideal. If you had a planned appointment and cancelled, and you’re able, still paying for the service is appreciated
Also, before purchasing a gift card be sure to ask your go-to service provider before purchasing a gift card, as the gesture is great short-term, but potentially problematic for when they are able to take clients again.
We are truly appreciate those who are prepaying for their appointments because it allows us to have some cash flow while work is slow (or in some cases non existent).
2. Tip, and Tip Well
Gift cards tend to benefit the salons; they may not benefit the individual salon employee until the service is rendered. But some salons, also offering ways to support their employees directly. To sustain business and support their nail specialists, they are offering 20 percent off digital gift cards, with 100 percent of the sales going directly to their staff to help while they’re closed.
Call to inquire if this is something your salon or spa is offering. If you ended up cancelling your appointment, or your salon closed and cancelled for you, consider still tipping your professional as a donation, even if the service was not rendered.
3. Purchase Product
If your service provider has their own line or makes a commission from sales on their site, purchasing products is an easy way to help.
Products can still be mailed or left for customers outside of the building. Every beauty establishment usually has product lines that they sell. Business like PTB, LLC manufacture their own products from scratch that they distribute to many retailers, suppliers, salons and others. They also retail online to customers. The majority of beauty salons do not manufacture their own products but are retailing other lines. It helps to continue selling products for the clients and for the business owners.
One way you can support stylists who carry In Common products is by using their referral link. Stylists will receive [a] commission from every purchase made through their own personalized links.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record: before making a product purchase, ask your local salon or stylist if it’s preferred — many shop owners have expressed they have encountered issues getting to their stock to ship.
4. Online Consultations
Many providers are getting creative with solutions, from some pre-mixing hair color at a discounted rate and instructing their clients how to apply the color at home via visual mediums like FaceTime and Instagram Live, to helping people curate their skin, hair and makeup routines for a consultation fee.
Note: We plan to keep updating this section with more professionals.
5. Leave Them a Yelp Review & Share Their Content on Social Media
Most of us will have an abundance of extra time to spare. Leaving a Google review can help increase business in the future. Plus, many experts are offering free content on social media, from at-home face massage to hair care techniques. You can support your professional by sharing their content online.
6. Don’t Cancel, Just Reschedule
Most, if not all, professionals interviewed for this story were clear on one thing: Don’t cancel your appointment! Instead, reschedule it for the future to keep their books filled.
Even though, It has become very difficult for independent stylists or salon owners to be able to make their individual rents, make their commissions, pay their leases, bills, utilities, the overhead costs of buying color and products, supplies, insurances. And It is very scary.
We fully expect when everything has settled and gotten back to normal that a giant surge of clients will come back into the salon requesting services.
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