Most people would like to make more money

Whether you own a business or you're an employee, you're probably curious about how to make that happen.

Maybe you've tried a few things that seemed to work for someone else. Perhaps you're stuck, paralyzed, and overwhelmed.

Today we're going to tackle a few things that will help. 

I want to start by identifying what people do and don't want. 

The "best" is not something people want. So often, hair pros think, "If I just take one more class, I'll be better and more people will come to me!" But that's not what people truly look for when choosing where to get their hair done. 

Besides, "best" is subjective.

Think about your dream car. The best, right? Now, look outside. Why isn't everyone driving that car? 

First, because not everyone agrees they're the best, and second, a single car manufacturer can't provide cars for everyone.

Same with hair. 

Another thing people aren't looking for is discounts. At least not in the way that will help your business grow.

I tried to run a deal through a local advertiser when I owned my gym. They promoted businesses at deep discounts and kept a percentage. The approach was they get people in, and it's my responsibility to keep them.

In the first month, I had around 20 new people show up. 

You might think, "Wow, that's amazing!" but it wasn't.

The type of person attracted to my gym through this was a coupon chaser, not my ideal avatar.

So when the next deal popped up at the next gym a town over, everyone who was into chasing deals left. 

Not only that, but I had disrupted my loyal clients by taking time away from them to work with new people. People who weren't even staying with us. 

It was a good lesson. 

So what do people want?

For starters, they want consistency . Consistency will allow them to relax. Coming into a new salon is stressful. People aren't quite sure what to expect, and that creates uneasiness. When you deliver consistency, you remove that. 

People are also after a solution to a problem. 

"My hair is getting too long."

"My hair is fine, and I wish it were fuller."

"I wish my hair was a different color."

These are all problems people have that require a solution. Be their guide and solve their problems.

People also turn to businesses for the emotion that they offer.

Confidence, happiness, pride, and excitement are all emotions that people may be looking to experience. Provide those.

Simple is another thing people want. We live in a world that celebrates busyness. It's easy to become frustrated when things begin to pile up. Make life easier for others, and they'll appreciate it. 

A quick example is online booking. One, have it and two, make sure it's SIMPLE for people to use.

And now, let's dive into some thoughts on increasing business.

Know your numbers.

The very first step is to know your numbers and know them well. You must know what it costs you to run your business. This one isn't negotiable. 

The next step is your ability to focus and your mindset .

If you're not willing to focus and put in an honest effort, no advice will help. 

Equally important is your mindset needs to be positive. If all you can focus on is the negative and what might not have worked, you won't make progress. 

Pricing.

Most hair pros aren't charging correctly. I know because the average profit for salons is ridiculously low. Profit needs to be accounted for in the pricing, and it's often not. If it were accounted for, more salons would be profitable.

This example goes back to knowing your numbers. I know you're creative, and math isn't your thing. The problem is then neither is business. Effectively running a business requires both sides of your brain.

Current clients.

Another way to increase business is to focus on your current clients. Check out a book called The Pumpkin Plan; I'll add a link below. 

You'll focus on creating the best experience possible for your best clients. Then work on attracting more of those types of clients. 

Marketing.

You should learn the basics of marketing. You need people to know, like, and trust you. There are many different ways to achieve each, and I've already broken them down in many places. Check out some past blogs and podcast episodes for the details.

Follow up.

How often are you following up with clients?

There is so much valuable information that you can gain simply by reaching out and asking. People want to help. Let them. 

What are you doing well? What areas could you improve?

Be open to honest feedback!

Reduce costs.

While reducing costs isn't increasing business, I wanted to include it because keeping an eye on money going out is essential.

Do you have a bunch of redos? You need to figure out why.

Do you have a subscription to something that doesn't provide the expected ROI? Consider trying something else.

Other things you could think about are hosting events or creating education. 

Hopefully, this article helped you to take a different look at how to increase business.

Many people use the "If I build it, they will come." plan. That may work for a time. But it will never optimize your business.

Don't guess.

Create a plan and then a strategy for implementation. 

Try things, measure, and assess. 

Reevaluate.

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The Pumpkin Plan