The Phorest Blog

Do you ever reach out to your salon retail sales rep to tell them about what you’re putting forward as the product of the week? Do you ever let them know how successful their products are or how clients are reacting to them? If you don’t, it’s probably time you should. But how do you do that? How do you develop that strong relationship? Who wrote the article? Zoé Bélisle-Springer is an award-winni...

As a business owner, it is vital to know about the inner details of your business. Salons can be complicated businesses to run. They are one of the only industries that combine creativity, leadership, retail, customer service and admin work, to name a few. Trying to juggle such a multitude of skills can get messy, so organisation is key. Salon reports are a quick and effective way of staying on to...

Holidays. It’s one of those words that excites and irritates. If you employ a person to work for you – whether it be part time, full time, casual, fixed term, zero hours in your business or home – you are obligated to pay holiday pay. But what exactly are the legalities around salon staff holiday entitlement? Who wrote the article? Joseph L. Bolger is Managing Director at  ESA Consultants . For mo...

Contrary to popular belief, writing press releases isn’t all that hard. However, there is a certain format to it. Master the craft with our 5 easy steps and ensure your efforts are seen, shared and clicked on! Who wrote the article? Zoé Bélisle-Springer is an award-winning salon industry writer, podcast co-host/producer (Phorest FM, Phorest Blog podcast) and speaker known for helping salons grow t...

David Barnett walked on stage with the intention of getting people to think and leave the Salon Owners Summit 2019 buzzing with ideas they could implement in their salon as soon as they got back home. In  his presentation , he talked about how he and his wife created a 7-figure business with multiple 6-figure stylists and how they focused on culture and recruitment to build a business that every s...

It’s one thing to dream about owning your own business, but converting those dreams into reality takes careful research and planning. Underestimate the costs of running a business, and there is no profit left. A salon/spa business plan helps to clarify your thoughts and ideas and can act as working document that you refer to (and tweak) during both the initial set up and the day-to-day running of...

After teaching on all the main stages of North America, travelling internationally, and completing hundreds of private tutoring and classes with stylists and salons across the world, native of Utah and owner of  Intrepid Studio Salons , Christina Kreitel was more than ready to  speak at the 2019 Salon Owners Summit . The topic of her talk? Getting the perfect clients, becoming more profitable and...

You can't be in your salon 24/7... that's why mystery shopping visits exist! How do you go about them? Who do you get in? What should you expect from them? Who wrote the article? Valerie Delforge has been in the beauty industry for over 25 years giving her a strong understanding of the various challenges owners and managers face in their businesses. As a  Business Strategy Consultant , she has est...

At the 2019 Salon Owners Summit, Ryan Holiday gave attendees a snippet of his wisdom and a new perspective on dealing with adversity. Inspired by a set of philosophical principles used by icons from John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart and Steve Jobs, his talk made attendees take stock of their lives and careers through the timeless lens of stoicism. Who wrote the article? Zoé Bélisle-Springer is...

While one salon flourishes, the other flounders. Could you spot common warning signs of failing salons? Get the fixes before the cracks become crevices. Who wrote the article? Susan Routledge has been involved in the beauty industry as a salon owner for over 30 years. As a consultant, she specialises in helping salon owners to achieve cash rich businesses, which give you ultimate freedom. Winner o...

Jo Fairley is an entrepreneur best known for creating the Green & Black’s chocolate brand in 1991, which she ran with her husband before Cadbury bought it in 2005. Today, a lot of her work focuses on her recent ventures which include an organic bakery, natural food store and a nine-room salon and wellbeing centre. Also a brand consultant, award-winning author and journalist, Jo has written for a w...

From looking at the data from the 5000 clients using Phorest, it is clear that salons who rebook their clients on the day tend to outperform those that don’t. And sometimes, it’s the small things that make the biggest difference. Introducing the predictive SMS Rebooking feature. Who wrote the article? Ronan Perceval is Phorest Salon Software's founder and CEO, a UK/Ireland-based salon software he...

There are many challenges to opening a new salon or spa. You need to put a competent team together, build a name for yourself, get your first clients and then build a loyal clientele… I mean, the list goes on. In fact, poor planning and preparation is part of why so many new businesses fail. A well-prepared salon owner would have checked their start-up options,  have a business plan , did a market...

Don't treat salon customers who complain as a minority. They're just open enough to give you feedback. Master your online reputation and get them back in! Who wrote the article? Connor Keppel heads up marketing for Phorest Salon Software. Over the past 6 years he has helped thousands of salons to grow; advising them on marketing tactics that help them get their clients back more often, spending mo...

In an ultra-competitive climate in which  78% of customers don’t come back because they perceive an attitude of indifference in the service they receive , you need to consider that all the small things matter. First and foremost, acknowledging a client in your salon reception area is crucial – and in some cases, body language speaks louder than words. Who wrote the article? Zoé Bélisle-Springer is...

Employee bios posted on your salon’s website – along with an ability to book online – are a great way to initiate that first contact. In fact, based on our data, we know that one of the most popular features our Salon Branded App is the Staff Profiles section. But apart from making them short and sweet, what should you be writing in these bios? Who wrote the article? Zoé Bélisle-Springer is an awa...

When you hear the business and entrepreneurial buzzword ‘culture’, you might think of Google, Facebook, Apple or literally any company where everyone is happy and can bring their pets to work, right? Well, if there’s one thing you should take away from this post, it’s that you don’t need to be a huge company to develop and implement a great working culture. You don’t even need the fancy perks you...

There are plenty of opportunities to bring in extra revenue – even with the most straightforward Valentine’s Day promotion ideas. The key is to be creative and give plenty of added value to the client. Special days like these can be an excellent opportunity to bring in new clients, pamper your existing ones all the while increasing that till float. Here are some of our top last-minute Valentine’s...

Opening a salon is exciting – especially if it’s your first – but it’s important to get it right from the very start. Too many salons open up only to go out of business within six months to a year. Find out what essential things you must think about before opening a salon. Who wrote the article? Gloria Murray is a Glasgow-based triple award-winning accountant who has also been awarded the Most Inn...

How do you define happiness? When do you know you’ve found it, and what can you do to maintain it? Significant events such as getting a promotion, a new job, going on a holiday – they all bring you moments of joy, but they’re also proven not to last, as we often overestimate the emotional impact of future events. So - what’s the secret? Building habits? Carpe diem and living in the now? Who wrote...

A stylist or therapist who’s thinking of leaving your salon will scatter breadcrumbs without realising it. If you can catch them doing so before they’re too disengaged, you’ve got a chance at turning things around. The following nine signs aren’t by any means a foolproof way of telling if someone’s about to quit, but they certainly should be a cause for concern. Who wrote the article? Connor Keppe...

Have you ever asked yourself why you keep professional products in your salon? Or why it's important for your business to sell retail? There is a simple answer. It's because you have a responsibility towards your clients. A duty to ensure that you have access to the best salon retail products, which in turn allows your clients to be able to take care of themselves when they leave your premises. Se...

With the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR in effect in the EU, businesses are facing a much more concerned and ‘private’ customer. However, many business owners are now using GDPR to build trust with both existing and potential clients. Tune in to hear about what exactly they're doing to turn adversity into an advantage. Who wrote the article? Zoé Bélisle-Springer is an award-winning sal...

Tune in and get Phorest Salon Software's top 10 tips and strategies to effectively minimise the impact of raising your salon prices and ensure clients stay with you! Who wrote the article? Zoé Bélisle-Springer is an award-winning salon industry writer, podcast co-host/producer (Phorest FM, Phorest Blog podcast) and speaker known for helping salons grow through her educational contributions to Phor...

Working with a little and large spaces can be hard; but smaller rooms will often seem crowded and overstuffed so they tend to be challenging for most people. Your salon’s interior decor should take into consideration the type of rooms you have. And to help you navigate it all, we have 7 decor tricks to make your reception look and feel spacious. Who wrote the article? Zoé Bélisle-Springer is an aw...