The COVID-19 outbreak forced the salon industry to grind to a halt. Overnight, salons and barbershops were shuttered up and told to cancel appointments indefinitely. As an industry that relies on close personal contact with customers, it’s no surprise that this salon was hit by a disease that is spread by close contact.
As the UK is slowly emerging from lockdown, many customers are wondering when they’ll be able to visit their favourite salons again. And while provisions are being put in place to be able to reopen again from the 4th July, this will be far from “business as usual”.
Social distancing will still need to be maintained, and for those who are sheltering, they might still be reluctant to return to public spaces. This means that we could see a spike in demand for mobile salon services. If you’re working in the beauty industry and looking for a new challenge, this could be the ideal opportunity to grow your mobile hair salon.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the essential steps you need to take to be able to grow and develop your business in a post-COVID-19 world.
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Every successful business starts with a business plan, and mobile salons are no exception. Define what you will be offering and how much you will charge. Think about the area you will cover, the services you will provide and what hours you can expect to work. As a mobile business, you’ll also have to think about transport. And if you’re thinking about opening your mobile salon while COVID-19 is still a threat, you’ll need to consider how you will keep yourself and your customers safe.
Building a website is the best way to get online and let people know about your services. Salon Iris will help you build a professional website with ease.
Once you have a website, you can start advertising your services, establishing your following and filling up your bookings. Make sure you choose the right salon booking software for your needs. It should be flexible and easy to use. Any software you choose to use should always make your life easier. As a mobile hair salon, you should look for something you can easily use on a mobile device so that you always have your salon software in your pocket. See our Solo booking software, perfect for the independent user.
Social media is one of the best ways to get the word out about your business. You can rely on word of mouth referrals from friends and family, or you can pay for inexpensive advertising. This will allow you to reach people in your target area to let them know about your services.
While Facebook and Instagram are great for building your profile and letting people know about your services. Get inspiration and establish yourself as an industry leader.
Once you are able to get up and running, it’s time to show the world what you can do. The first few months of running a business are crucial for building momentum. Use this time to take before and after pictures, ask for reviews and create a strong online profile.
Get into the habit of asking customers if they mind being part of your portfolio and then follow up with them to ask for a review. As a growing business, your customers will likely be more than happy to help you.
Running a mobile hair salon business is about more than just great haircuts. You’ll also need to take care of things like marketing, accounts, ordering supplies and making sure everything is compliant. In a post-COVID-19 world, this might include some additional regulations that you need to be aware of.
Joining a regulatory body can help you to stay on top of these developments and ensure that you always have the right advice and support. You could look at joining the National Hair and Beauty Federation, or the Freelance Hairdressers Association.
As a self-employed business owner, you will be responsible for your own self-assessment tax return. This means that you will need to set aside some of your earnings to pay your tax and national insurance bill at the end of each financial year. Your tax return and payment will be due in January following the end of the tax year. So for the tax year April 2020-April 2021, your tax due will be due in January 2022.
If you aren’t very confident with numbers, the best step is to hire an accountant to help you manage your expenses. They can help with everything from budgeting to identifying ways to reduce your tax bill.
