Be honest: are you fully ready to reopen your salon space when your state gives the green light to throw open salon doors?
The temptation to rush back into the salon with a face mask, some hand sanitizer, and a pack of alcohol wipes and just figure the rest out later is so tempting, especially since we know clients are dying to get back into the chair…
But doing so could mean having to close back down again and risking your business, not to mention your and your clients’ health.
Instead, use this time to create your reopening plan.
And if the idea of a reopening plan makes you feel like you’re staring up the side of Mount Everest, wondering how you’ll ever make it to the top, we totally get it, babe.
That’s why today we’re taking you through the top five steps to create your perfect salon space reopening plan (even if you’re already back in the salon!) to help you overcome the overwhelm, resist the temptation to rush in headfirst, and fully jump start your business.
Check your area’s guidelines
You’ve probably seen chatter on industry message boards or Thrivers Society Facebook groups about what different states are requiring salons to have on hand to reopen, right? That info can be super helpful, but always check out your own state’s requirements.
Knowing exactly what your state requires from salons and stylists in your area is key, especially because each state is setting its own guidelines. So what might have worked in Georgia may not fly in your home state of Nevada. Most state boards are openly and frequently sharing this info online, but if you have trouble finding it, head to your state board’s website.
Once you find the official guidelines, take notes. Print the page out and make notes in the margins or pull out your phone’s notes app. Highlight, circle, mark, whatever you need to so you know and remember what exactly is required of you to stay safe when you reopen.
Gather your supplies
After you have read through the guidelines, you should have a pretty good idea of what supplies you need to purchase or stock up on. (Need a starting place? Download the free Return to the Salon Supplies Checklist!)
Some of these things – like hand sanitizer and face masks – are a little hard to find right now, so give yourself plenty of time to purchase what you need.
Thinking about doing a welcome back gift for your clients? Now’s the time to plan out, buy, and assemble those gifts. (Just make sure they meet your state’s – and general – health and safety guidelines!)
Plan your schedule
Chances are, at least one client (or two, or five, or ten) has reached out over the past weeks and demanded to be the first person on your books when you reopen.
Safe to say, planning out how you’re going to fit in clients from the past weeks is complicated.
Do you take the clients who have been waiting since March for their appointments? Or do you just open up your schedule and do it first come, first serve style?
There’s no right or wrong way to set up your schedule. Pick the best method for your business.
We dig a little deeper into optimizing your perfect schedule right here.
Be flexible
Let’s be real: reopening your chair might not go perfect.
One client will show up without a face mask and maybe another will bring along her kid or husband who just needs “a quick cut.” Maybe you and your fellow stylists won’t fully agree on whether everybody needs to wear a face shield in the salon or if a mask is enough…you get it.
The point is, something is gonna go weird and you need to be prepared to go with it.
How? Leave yourself some breathing room in between clients so you can get everything properly sanitized and also take some time for yourself. Don’t overbook yourself or take on more than you can handle in this place in space.
This doesn’t mean you have to waver on your prices, give that client a discount, or charge less than your worth. It means knowing there might be some small bumps along the way and being okay with that.
We are going through a huge transition, especially in our industry. Give yourself grace and permission to be flexible.
Take care of yourself
Have you had days before where you left the salon and felt like you could just fall apart right in your car in the middle of the empty parking lot?
It’s human, right? And taking care of yourself was important then…but it’s going to be even more important now.
Because if you are fully drained, you have nothing left to give. If you serve from an empty cup, you can’t grow a business, help others, or be the best for your clients.
Make sure to fill your own cup before you attempt to serve others. Keep a list in your phone of things that make you smile. Change your phone’s background to something that makes you happy. Take white space to fill up on inspiration and plan how you’ll use it in your business. Find time each week to do something that lights you up inside.
Whatever it is, give yourself permission now as you create your reopening plan, to take care of yourself.
Building a strong reopening plan is key to creating a stable, thriving business now and in the future. How you step back into the salon now shows the world what kind of business owner you are. So resist the urge to rush back in, take a deep breath to step out of overwhelm, and use this time to build your reopening plan.
Want a head start? Click here to download the Return to the Salon Supplies Checklist to start gathering your supplies!