3 How To Start A Home Salon Business (Complete With Pictures)

doylc.com - How To Start A Home Salon Business - Opening a home salon requires attention to detail, but there are many benefits. You are your own boss and working from home is convenient, creates an intimate atmosphere for clients and reduces your expenses. Start by registering your business, getting insurance, and obtaining permits. Acquire gear and products, and set up the space to be functional and comfortable. Acquiring customers can take time, so offer a range of services to expand your customer base. With a little hassle, you can build a successful business from the comfort of your own home.

• How to setting up salon

Register your business with your local government. Choose a catchy name and the legal form of your company. Register your business with your state or province, and then apply for a federal tax identification number.

You could name your salon after yourself, refer to your neighborhood in the name, or name it after things you enjoy. For example, if you love camellias, you could name your salon Camellia Beauty.

Remember that there are limitations when choosing a company name. For example, a name might not be available, or your state might ban some words.

Consult a lawyer or accountant to choose the best legal form. A limited liability company (LLC) is the best choice for many small business owners because your assets are protected should your business face a lawsuit or bankruptcy.

Obtain licenses, permits, and insurance required by your city, state, or province. Your requirements depend on your location. So check your local government website for business licensing and insurance information. In addition, you may need a cosmetics license or licenses to perform other services such as nails or hair removal.

It typically takes between 9 and 12 months to complete a cosmetic program. Special programs such as nails usually last 6 months.

Other requirements may include a business owner's insurance policy (which covers general liability and commercial property), a general business license, a home use permit, a sign permit, and health and safety permits.

Search online for "Cosmetology Board" and your state or province. Visit your local authority's website for information on how to legally run a home salon.

Renovate the room to comply with local regulations if necessary. Depending on the existing layout of your home, you may need to make adjustments to meet local regulations. Many jurisdictions require a permanent wall between the salon and the part of the home where you live. In addition, the salon may need a separate entrance and public toilet.

You could apply for a business loan from your bank, open a line of credit, or find a silent partner to fund renovations and other opening expenses.

If you don't own your home, you must obtain permission from your landlord to operate a business and make any necessary renovations.

Set up a wet station. A wet station is a large ceramic sink for shampooing and conditioning clients' hair. Some clients expect a wash to be included with a cut, and access to water is essential if you offer additional services like dyeing.

While an ordinary sink or tub might work, you have a better chance of attracting customers if you have a professional salon sink.

Decorate and set up the room. Your salon should reflect your taste and create a calming, comfortable atmosphere. Light, soft tones of green and blue are good choices for wall color, and plants are great decorative elements. Brainstorm potential looks by creating a mood board with colors, images, and design elements that inspire you.

In addition, large mirrors, comfortable chairs or a bench for reception, and shelves for storing equipment and displaying it in retail are indispensable.

Buy a chair, products, cutting and styling accessories and other equipment. A salon chair is a basic requirement, and you can find one online or at a cosmetics store for $100 to $300. Stock up on scissors and razors, and stock up on shampoo, conditioner, toner, hairspray, hair gel and mousse. Remember that you need to replace your product inventory on a regular basis.

Look for branded hair products that your customers are familiar with and trust. You can buy hair products at a cosmetics store or online.

If you offer hair coloring and extensions, you need to stock up on products for those services as well.

Set up a website and social media profiles. Your website should contain pictures of your premises, your address and contact information, and information about the services you offer. Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms allow you to promote your services with before and after pictures, hashtags, and unique or quirky statuses that reflect your personality.

Update your social media profiles daily to engage your customers. If you're just starting out, ask your friends, family, and other members of your social network to like your page.

Post before and after pictures on Facebook and Instagram with your customers consent. Encourage them to mention you on social media and use your company's hashtags.

• How to offer great services your salon

Price your services competitively. Base your prices on your overheads, your competitors' fees, and your location's median income level. Add up your operating expenses (including products, equipment, mortgage or rent and utilities), taxes, costs of maintaining permits and licenses, and any outstanding credit. Find out how much money you need to make to cover these costs and maintain a profit margin of at least 10 to 20 percent.

For example, if you want to make $52,000 a year to maintain a 15 percent profit margin, you need to make $1,000 a week. If $80 for a women's haircut and $40 for a men's haircut are reasonable prices in your area, you must book enough appointments at those prices to fill your weekly quota.

While reasonable pricing and discounts can build your customer base, you need to charge enough to cover your overhead and make a profit. If you undercut your services or offer too many discounts, your profits could suffer.

Offer basic services targeting your local market. At a minimum, your services should include cuts, washes, and styling. High-end services such as B. a precisely shaped $200 cut, work well in affluent areas. In less affluent areas, however, you should focus on inexpensive basic pieces.

You might focus on cutting and styling a specific gender or hair type. Consider the needs of your local customers and, if necessary, expand your skills to build a larger customer base.

Add coloring and extensions to expand your client base. Hair coloring and extensions can add variety and help you book more appointments. You need to keep an inventory of all the necessary materials that you can buy at beauty stores. Remember that your local jurisdiction may regulate the use of chemicals or require additional permits.

In the UK, for example, hairdressers are required to carry out a patch allergy test before coloring a client's hair.

Offer additional services such as facials, makeup styling and hair removal. Additional services allow customers to patronize your business between cuts, giving you more opportunities to make money. If necessary, invest in a course to develop these skills yourself, or hire staff to help you provide these services.

You can start with basic services first and then see if adding more services like facials, makeup, and waxing makes sense for your home business. They can be good options if you're not getting as many hair clients as you'd like or if you want to try different skills on your clients.

Display and sell retail products. Retailing is a quick and easy way to generate revenue. A business license allows you to buy products from wholesalers, which you can then sell at an increased price.

Most retailers use a 50 percent markup. If you bought a product wholesale for $7, sell it for $14.

• Growth of your business

Offer a rewards program to attract loyal customers. Hand out punch cards offering a free cut, makeup, or facial after 10 visits. You could also offer your customers points for every dollar spent. Be sure to let your customers know about your rewards program on their first visit.

If you use a POS (point of sale) program, it may be able to track how much individual customers are spending.

If not, you could create a quick spreadsheet that tracks customer spend. List customers in the first column, enter their purchases in the next columns, and total their expenses in the last column.

Offer a perk when they reach a milestone, such as B. 10% off their next cut when they spend $100.

Create a customer referral program. Word of mouth is the primary method most small businesses use to grow their customer base. Offer clients a one-time discount when they refer a friend, family member, or colleague to your salon.

Ask your customers to share your business card. Give your happy customers 2 or 3 business cards with your contact details. Ask them to give their friends a card or your phone number.

Make the exchange memorable by adding a personal touch. Let's say your business card lists your salon's landline number. If you enjoy using your cell phone for work, write your cell phone number on the card by hand. Your customer will feel like a VIP and will be more likely to remember receiving your card.

Join a professional organization for salon owners. Search online for "Professional Beauty Association" in your city, state or province. Becoming a member can provide access to professional development, guidance and support, and make owners feel more comfortable knowing there are other owners out there like themselves. These organizations also allow you to network and meet with other salon owners.

Some professional organizations charge an upfront or annual fee to become a member. For the Professional Beauty Association, the largest professional organization, membership fees for emerging businesses are $175 per year. The Emerging Business membership tier is recommended for companies with 1 to 5 employees and less than $100,000 in gross annual revenue.

Add chairs and shampoo stations as your customer base grows. Once you start maximizing your space's income potential, expand your equipment to allow for more appointments. For example, with multiple stations, you could do a men's haircut or other quick job while another client's texture or color treatment is set.

As you expand your premises, you should also consider hiring additional staff.

Hire staff or rent chairs. Depending on your volume, you can hire someone to handle specific tasks like facials and waxing, or add a full-time employee who can perform all services. You could also rent a chair if a barber with their own client base is paying you to use your space.

When hiring employees, you must pay them an hourly wage or commission, file tax and identification papers, obtain supplemental liability insurance, and meet other national and local requirements. When renting out a chair, all you have to do is sign a contract with your renter.