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Professional Hair Extension Marketing (part 1)
It's Time To Extend Your Potential With Unique Service Advantages!
By: Larry H. Oskin, President, Marketing Solutions,
Inc.
Professional salon hair extension
services are so hot, there are more hair extension companies exhibiting
at the professional beauty trade shows across the globe than shampoo
and appliance companies right now. Whereas several years ago there
were only 25 professional hair extensions companies here in North
America, today there are almost 150. There is good and bad news
with that declaration.
  Yes,
hair extensions are now much more main stream popular with everyone
from women, men and teens to the Hollywood celebrities. There are
competitive advantages and disadvantages. The good news is that
more people are now aware of the benefits of professional salon
hair extensions. The downside is that you really must stand out
by marketing yourself as a hair extensions expert. It's time to
not only get yourself and your entire team certified on hair extension
artistry, you must really learn how to create a terrific marketing,
advertising, promotional and PR campaign for this highly profitable
and specialty salon service.
 Hollywood
celebrities, musicians and high profile women are definitely helping
to make hair extensions the best and hottest new hair fashion trend
again this year. Just watch the Red Carpet. You will see them at
the Oscars, Emmys, MTV Awards and even on the Shear Genius TV Shows.
Stars like Nicole Kidman, Faith Hill, Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton,
Lindsay Lohan and others seem to magically go from smooth and sleek
looks to long voluminous looks overnight - while wonderfully taking
advantage of today's hair extension options. You should not be surprised
to know that many of the male actors and musicians also now wear
hair extensions From all reports and like creative haircolor, this
progressive new salon hair service trend will continue for many
more years to come. Today, professional hair extension services
are being promoted for much more than length. You can help your
female and male clients with new volume, texture, highlights, lowlights,
multi-dimensional haircolor and even fantasy hair fashion artistry.
Define Your U.S.A. With Professional Hair Extensions:
Do you have a salon service that you truly specialize in? Does your
salon have and promote a specialty? Do you know what your Unique
Service Advantages are? Today, there are great salons on virtually
every street corner, in every shopping center and mall across the
globe. Everyone may be good at haircuts and haircolor, yet now is
the time to take advantage of creating a special niche for yourself
and your salon with professional salon hair extension services.
The Advantages With Many New Choices: Most
salon clients do not really know to ask for a namebrand hair extensions
company, service or products. Some of the very best known professional
hair extension companies include SO.CAP. USA Hair Extensions, Ultratress,
Balmain, Cinderella, Hairlocs, Hairdreams, Great Lengths, HairUWear,
Dream Catchers and the list goes on. You should analyze the unique
benefits of each hair extensions' brand, before you will be able
to effectively market your specialty hair extension services and
products. They really are not all the same! If you do not currently
offer hair extensions in your salon, take the time to investigate
these companies, while researching what comprehensive marketing,
advertising and PR support they may be able to share with you. If
you already do have hair extension services in your salon, make
sure that your manufacturer and distributors are supporting you
with both national and localized education as well as marketing
programs.
Hair Extension Techniques ~ Clip On, Glued &
Bonded: You need to learn about all of the best hair extension
variables available, so that you may properly educate each of your
clients. With all of the recent national media attention, most every
woman understands clip on hair pieces and hair extensions today.
They are easy, inexpensive and temporary solutions with extremely
competitive pricing. Many clients buy these synthetic hair clip-ons
at their local drug stores, beauty stores and discounts stores,
so you may not want to compete at that level.
 Your
hair extension consultations should begin with an explanation of
the differences between clip-on, bonded and glued techniques as
well as the various Hot, Warm and Cold Fusion Hair Extension Techniques.
There are certainly plenty of options with synthetic versus human
hair qualities as well as with a variety of hair extension equipment
and bonding techniques. It usually stands to reason that the more
expensive the equipment investment, the better quality the hair
and equipment are. For example, SO.CAP. USA Hair Extensions offers
a very newly improved and unique Flat Ice Cold Fusion Technique.
This new bonding machine specially applies energy that softens the
100% keratin bond, forming a strong, invisible and long-lasting
hold. This occurs without using any heat, which is the preferred
method for attaching hair extensions to thin, colored or chemically
treated hair. It's safe to the hair and scalp of your client, while
also safe for you and your fingers. The bonds are stronger and the
service is heat free.
Ron Cardillo, president of SO.CAP.USA Hair Extensions,
notes, "The newest innovations and improvements in Cold Fusion
technology represents the most innovative and advanced equipment
in the field of professional hair extension bonding. When the applicator
is closed, a signal is sent to the main unit that activates the
release of energy waves only for the duration that is needed for
that specific application. Perfected in Italy, this newly designed
applicator has a handle that is very comfortable and helps produce
the best bonding results. The newest cold fusion bonds are much
more likely to last longer for your salon clients than traditional
bond application methods, because they are perfect every time, while
reducing the risk of human error. Your client's hair extensions
will easily last for up to 6 months or more with proper and professional
care at home as well as during salon visits. This new bonding machine
is also sleek with a low profile body, so it's not only functional,
it's quite attractive too."
 Hair
Extension Marketing Basics: It's time to become respected as
one of `THE top hair extensionists' in your town, through a well
supported marketing, advertising and PR campaign. If you already
offer professional salon hair extensions, you now need to ensure
that your local community knows this. Properly marketed, hair extension
artistry will definitely make you and your salon highly respected.
It will enhance staff and client recruitment. It will also make
you much more profitable. You will need to create an annual hair
extension marketing plan that is complete with advertising, promotions,
printed merchandising materials, special events and media relations.
Hair Extension Brochures & Service Menus:
Hopefully you already have a traditional salon service menu. If
you do, make sure you add one full section or page on your professional
hair extensions when you update it next time. Like specialty haircolor
services, you may even want to consider creating a separate menu
dedicated to your professional hair extension services and expertise.
This service menu should explain the many benefits, options and
variables with your salon hair extensions. It should explain what
to ask for, what to expect and how your client's should take care
of their new hair extensions at home between salon visits. We suggest
that you show off some of your best before and after hair extension
makeover photographs.
Service & Pricing Strategies: Hank Williams,
President of SO.CAP. USA Hair Extensions - Mid-Atlantic recommends,
"You need to analyze your own marketplace, before you begin
to successfully promote hair extensions. We work with many salons
from New York to Georgia and throughout our Mid Atlantic Region.
Start small. You do not need to only think in terms of selling full
heads of hair extensions to your salon clients. There really are
so many variable options to consider, when consulting with your
clients. You may want to start with a portion of their heads while
adding multi-dimensional haircolor accents, lowlights or highlights.
In fact, we recommend that you do not try to 'sell' hair extensions
to someone. Instead, take your time by analyzing all of their personal
needs and haircare desires during your preliminary haircare consultations.
First, try to find out their current challenges. Then, you will
best be able to offer customized hair extensions as the perfect
solution to their personal hair challenges. For example, if their
hair is too fine, thin or thinning, suggest hair extensions to add
exciting new volume and texture. If they want permanent haircolor
and highlights, yet do not want bleach you can safely add multi-dimensional
haircolor with hair extensions. If they have short hair, yet need
long hair for a special event or their wedding, you will still have
the solution."
 Williams
continues, "You really do not need to worry about anyone else's
hair extension service prices. You can price your hair extension
services in competitive manner like you do for your haircuts and
haircolor. By competitive, you may even want to offer a premier
price, if you are one of the best or only hair extensionists in
town. You really do not need to offer low prices or discounts with
hair extensions. Don't try to undercut anyone else. You need to
value your time and talent."
Today, a full head of professionally bonded human
hair extensions by a salon professional may be offered at anywhere
from $1200 to $5500+ across North America. The reality is that an
average full head of salon facilitated hair extensions today should
sell between no less than $1500 to about $2000. Many salons are
currently at the $1500 mark. $800 to $1000 is usually much too cheap,
when you consider the actual costs of the hair, the required equipment,
educational certifications, inventory, your personal artistry, marketing
support programs and most importantly the value of your time. There
are many top hair designers that sell their haircuts at $65 to $85,
haircolor highlights at $150 to $250 and their hair extensions at
$2000 to $3000+. The choice is yours! Today, many professional salon
hair extensionists make well over $100,000 to $200,000 by specializing
in this popular service.
Click
here to read part 2: Marketing & Advertising
Strategies!
note:
Larry H. Oskin is president of Marketing Solutions, Inc., a full-service
marketing, advertising, graphic design and PR agency specializing
in the professional beauty industry. Clients include salons, spas,
medical spas, distributors and manufacturers from across North America.
Headquartered in Fairfax, VA. For more information call 703-359-6000,
Email LOskin@MktgSols.com or visit www.MktgSols.com.
Pictures by: The Hair Extension Guide and So.Cap.
USA.
For more information about SO.CAP.USA Hair Extensions or to attend
an upcoming Hair Extension Certification Seminar, call 877-855-4247
or 914-423-6545.
Visit them on the web at www.SOCAPUSA.com
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