How to Open a Hair Salon: A Step-by-Step Guide

Due to the coronavirus, there were restrictions on beauty therapy treatments and services in Ireland. Now that these restrictions are gone, the market is healthy for business.

According to the National Hair & Beauty Federation, the 45,000 salon owners made a total of about €8 billion in 2019. In the meantime, the industry is expected to grow by 16% from 2020 to 2023.

This article explains how to establish a hair salon and where to obtain help.

9 Steps To Open A Salon

1. Decide the Name of your Salon

Choosing a name for a new salon could be one of the most interesting parts of opening a salon. The name you select for your business will represent who you are and what you offer clients.

Think outside the box and develop original ideas for a hair salon that will help you create the atmosphere you want.

When people hear the name of your salon, you want them to have an idea of what kind of place it is and what kind of services they can expect to get there just from the name. Choose a name that fits the image you want to give off, whether it’s that of a sophisticated place to relax or of a fun salon for younger people.

2. Write A Business Plan

Getting a business up and running takes a lot of careful planning and organisation. You need to determine where the business will be based and what kinds of services it offers. You must also figure out how much money you will need to get started.

Here is a list of things you need to talk about in your business plan:

• A synopsis is a short summary of the whole plan, including the goals, the location of the target, and how much money will be spent.
• A description of the type of salon you want to open, the services you want to offer, and what makes your salon different from others.
• Market research is a way to show what you know about your target market and what has worked and what hasn’t worked for local businesses that are in direct competition with you.
• A marketing plan that analyses how your salon will compete and how you’ll advertise.
• A financial plan with several pieces of information about money, like a projected budget and an estimated one.

3. The Requirement to Open a Salon

In Ireland, you can become a salon expert without meeting any legal requirements, and you can also learn on the job. Even though these things are true, most people who work in the industry will get qualifications recognized by the industry before they start working.

Also, if you want to work in a salon, you will need some certification unless you want to become an apprentice. You can get these credentials by attending college or working in an apprenticeship program.

When opening a hair salon, you should also consider whether you need to register your business with the local government. This is needed so the council can check to see that you follow all health and safety rules.

4. Choose Your Treatments

At this point, you probably have a general idea of the treatments and services that your company will offer to its customers. Now is the time to give the matter some serious thought. Some beauty salons only do hair, while others offer a wide range of services.

Here are some examples of the kinds of services salons usually offer:

• Tanning Services
• Hair Removal Treatments
• Haircut and Color
• Professional Make-up and Makeovers
• Specialist Hair Treatments – Extensions, Chemical Straightening
• Manicures and Pedicures
• Massages
• Conditioning Hair Treatments
• Eyebrow Shaping & Grooming

5. Explore Funding Options

To start a salon the same way as any other business, you need to put some money down. If you don’t have enough money to start a business all at once, you might need to get bad credit instant loans in Ireland from a bank or look into other ways to get money.

If so, consider how much money you’ll need and how you’ll repay it. Think about what tools and supplies you’ll need, how much it will cost to rent or buy a place, and if you’ll have to pay any bank fees.

You can opt for a government-supported Start-Up Loan in Ireland. It can range from €500 to €25,000 and comes with free mentoring and coaching to help you write your business plan.

6. Choose Your Premises

The location of your hair salon and how much space it takes up could greatly affect how much money it makes. If you choose a place with a lot of foot traffic and a steady flow of people coming in and out, you will have a much better chance of getting new customers. Some salons can be successful even if they are hard to find.

7. Buy Equipment and Furniture

Before you can do anything else to get the business going, you’ll need to ensure that your salon has all the necessary tools, comfortable chairs, and high-quality goods. You can also find various small money loans in Ireland for buying furniture if you’re struggling with money while opening.

Find suppliers you can trust and who are good at what they do. They should be able to give you everything you need and offer discounts on bulk orders.

8. Get Business Insurance

If you want to protect your finances in case someone claims your business, you must have insurance coverage. Running any business has risks, so you must have insurance coverage.

The following are the kinds of covers that hair salons usually have:

• The employer’s liability insurance protects the company from claims made by employees who get hurt or sick because of their work.
• Personal accident insurance pays the business owner for lost income if you can’t work because of an accident-related injury.

9. Market Your Salon

You need to start marketing your business immediately to set your salon apart from others in the same field and build a name for yourself.

At the very least, you will need a professional website that tells people how much your services cost, where they can find you, and how to get in touch with you. It should be easy to find your way around, work well on mobile devices, and be set up for search engines.

In addition to this, having a presence on social media will help make people more aware of your brand. Choose two or three channels you will focus on and make it a point to post about your salon on those channels regularly.

Conclusion

Accepting that you will always have something new to learn is an important part of running a salon well. You owe it to yourself to promise always to learn more and think of new ways to help your company grow.

Some people might get lazy when they’re successful. However, only the best salon owners will keep growing and improving their businesses even when doing well.