How beauty salons survive during the crisis. Success story: how I opened my own beauty salon from scratch. Let's take a closer look at the Luxury market

Any enterprise that provides services needs customers, including a beauty salon. It doesn't matter what services a company offers if people don't know about it. Do not neglect advertising and other methods of attracting customers, of which there are a lot in modern society. How to promote a beauty salon? Very simple. It is enough to follow certain rules.

Theory

A beauty salon cannot exist without clients, and if people do not show interest in it, then very soon this enterprise will be declared bankrupt. The director must think over the development strategy before starting work.

How to spin up from scratch? There is nothing complicated in this, and it does not require large expenses either. First you need to decide on the audience that will visit the salon. Which customers will become regular visitors.

It is also very important where the beauty salon is located. It can be a center, elite or Depending on this, it is possible to determine the further work of the enterprise.

It is desirable that the salon has a twist. His services must be original. If there are, then it is likely that customers will travel from other areas as well.

Promotion of a beauty salon via the Internet

How to promote a new one via the Internet? Very simple. To get started, just use social networks and launch an action. For example, advertising on a page in some network will offer a haircut at a big discount or a manicure for half the price. This method works great only at the initial stage and practically does not require any costs.

The next stage will already require small financial investments. Opening your own website will help to quickly promote a beauty salon. It is necessary to place detailed information about the services provided, it is also desirable to post a price list, photos of the masters and their work. A very effective method is the photo report "before" and "after".

It is worth noting that when developing a site, it is advisable to use the services of professionals who already know what a certain group of visitors wants to see.

The importance of flyers

How to promote a beauty salon in a residential area with simple leaflets? This method of advertising is inexpensive and very effective, but only if it is in a certain place.

When ordering flyers, special attention should be paid to their design. It is important that they are very bright, colorful and interesting. Flyers that are boring and tasteless can backfire and discourage potential customers from visiting a beauty salon.

It is best to order the development and production of leaflets from a printing house. Specialists will competently develop a design, coordinate it, and only after that they will put it into print.

Ready-made flyers are best distributed in places where there is a very large crowd of people. It can be shopping centers or large entertainment complexes. You can also arrange them in mailboxes, but you should not make this type of advertising too intrusive.

Don't forget word of mouth

Recently, word of mouth has become the most popular way of promotion. How to promote a beauty salon in a crisis? This method of advertising will help, because it:

• practically free;
• attracts only active customers;
• positively affects the reputation of the institution.

These are just the main advantages of "word of mouth".

This type of advertising spreads very quickly from a satisfied customer to a potential one. This means that, having come to the salon, a new client is already preparing for a positive result in advance, and if his expectations are justified, he will in any case advise him to his friends and acquaintances.

It is on the basis of "word of mouth" that most of the regular is formed. Visitors always come in a good mood, and this has a very good effect on the reputation and atmosphere in the beauty salon.

Customer Incentives

How to promote a beauty salon in a business center? Stimulating a potential customer base will help a lot with this.

If such an enterprise is located in some center, then you can organize the so-called sampling, that is, part of the procedure is free of charge, and if the client likes it, then he will have to pay extra for the rest.

Also incentive methods include bonuses, promotions and coupons. Especially for a business center, coupons are good, upon presentation of which some kind of discount is provided. The coupon not only serves as a source of a profitable offer, but also informs potential customers about the procedures carried out in the salon. Bonuses can be offered in the form of free treatments subject to regular attendance.

It should be noted that the salon in the business center almost never has a permanent base, but there are always a lot of random visitors. Therefore, attracting customers at this location should occur constantly. It is also worth paying attention to the quality of procedures. It is important that the specialists working in the salon are true professionals.

The main mistakes that are made when opening a beauty salon

It is not enough just to answer the question of how to promote a beauty salon. It is also important to analyze the main mistakes that are made when opening an enterprise, as well as take measures to prevent them. So, there are only seven main mistakes, namely:

• mistakes in business planning;
• mistakes at the initial stages of work;
• errors in management that arise due to the inexperience or lack of education of the director;
• advertising errors (lack of flow of new customers);
• errors when working with an existing client base;
• mistakes in hiring new employees that spoil the reputation of the salon;
• business development mistakes. Constant change of strategy and plans.

Any "miss" must be corrected. Before answering the question of how to promote a beauty salon, you need to think about possible mistakes that can lead to bankruptcy at any stage.

The Importance of Marketing Research

Marketing research is a very important stage in the life of any enterprise that earns on the provision of services. However, well-conducted research is usually very expensive and sometimes it is simply not justified for a small business.

How to promote a beauty salon and at the same time spend a minimum of money? Is it possible to save on marketing research? Here are some questions that aspiring entrepreneurs are interested in.

Of course, you can save money, but only the director of the salon should remember the responsibility and the risk of possible ruin. Most often, entrepreneurs choose one of two options:

1. Marketing research is not carried out at all. Business is going with the flow. It's completely free, and some salons succeed anyway.
2. Marketing research is replaced by peer review. A good expert can easily point out to an entrepreneur the strengths and weaknesses of his business. Of course, this is not a full-fledged study, but in the absence of extra funds, peer review can also help.

If the business is at risk

Sometimes, to save a fading beauty salon, it is not enough just to conduct marketing research or an advertising campaign. Sometimes the director decides to completely change the concept.

When one concept is replaced by another, it will be a completely new beauty salon. Sometimes it is useful to make repairs and even change the name and sign. Such actions will greatly help if the beauty salon has not a very good reputation, for example, due to unskilled employees.

Also, if the situation is not too neglected, it is good to gradually introduce new services, setting an attractive price for them. In this way, you can improve the situation and stand out from other competitors.

Element, not subject to crisis

Until the last moment, the beauty industry could boast of impressive progress in development. According to the marketing agency Webbolt, the global market for professional hairdressing and beauty services in 2008 amounted to $150 billion a year, which is comparable to, for example, half the US military budget.

In our country, according to official data from Rosstat, by the beginning of last year, there were about 30,000 registered hairdressers and beauty salons. The annual growth rate of this market was about 30%. At the same time, a trend began to appear towards the formation of network brands, for example, Persona, Monet. However, so far the majority of enterprises in this industry are representatives of small businesses, which are much more difficult to withstand in a developing crisis situation.

And customers are already starting to save money, and beauty salons are feeling a drop in demand, lower revenues and profits. But, despite the fact that this item of expenditure, at first glance, should be the most affected by consumer cutbacks, the experience of many experts who survived the 1998 crisis shows that the predicted market collapse did not occur then. The so-called “lipstick” effect is supporting the industry. According to him, in the difficult times of the recession, many are forced to deny themselves large purchases and spending. However, the need to distract and pamper yourself leads to an increase in the demand for products such as cosmetics, beauty salon services.

Connecting additional measures

But hope for effects, but don't make a mistake yourself. The crisis situation requires revision and optimization of working methods. And first of all, it is necessary to analyze the nature of the change in demand, as well as take a closer look at your clientele. If its core is still made up of a very wealthy public, little affected by the recession, then the salon can feel more free in terms of pricing policy. It may even be advisable to increase the cost of services. But as soon as it became noticeable that most visitors are starting to count money, you need to show loyalty to their problems and try to reduce the numbers in the price list. Thus, although shrinking, but survive the crisis, keep your own, and eventually lure some of the customers from competitors. It makes sense to expand the offer by adding services and products of different price categories to the list.

Also, new services, for example, elements of wellness procedures, SPA, can become an important anti-crisis measure. Indeed, in the past prosperous decade, the dictates of “model standards”, backed up by television and gloss, led to the fact that Russian women en masse were puzzled by tattooing, body shaping, skin rejuvenation, combating the effects of stress and cellulite. By 2008, the growth in demand for tanning salons and beauty parlors led to the fact that each square meter of their area began to bring three times more income than in a classic hairdresser.

According to Oksana Kupina, general director of Charodeyka LLC (hairdressing salon), among the visitors there were also previously unusual men, puzzled by the fight against hair loss, overweight and chronic fatigue syndrome. “I would not say that there are as many of them as they sometimes write in glossy magazines,” the expert says. - But the services of a cosmetologist are becoming more and more popular with the stronger sex. This could be a new direction for business expansion.”

Implementation

A separate issue is the implementation of anti-crisis measures. Changes, of course, must be comprehensive and affect internal approaches to work. Thus, expanding the range of services will first of all require the involvement of new specialists, which is not the most profitable step in times of crisis. An alternative measure would be to form the staff in such a way that it includes professionals of a wide profile, each of whom will be able to perform a wide range of jobs.

In addition, many procedures require specially equipped rooms. And investing in renting additional space is risky today. It should be noted that the crisis provoked a decrease in payment rates, so, according to the forecast of the consulting company Blackwood, in the first half of 2009 it will be about 25-40%. But since this cost item is the most significant in the cost of salon services, it would be a rational decision to try to use the existing space more efficiently.

“Many companies today are puzzled by the optimization of space,” says Mikhail Ermakov, Quality Director at Astarta Prestige, a manufacturer of partition systems. - Unlike offices in a beauty salon, the open space option, which allows for a more compact placement of staff work areas, can be used very limitedly. But with the help of mobile structures, the premises can be easily demarcated without expensive overhaul.

As an example, the expert of Astarta Prestige cites the design of the decoration of the Victoria beauty salon on Prospekt Mira in Moscow. Stationary transparent partitions here only enclosed the entrance area, and all other rooms were separated by blind mobile ones about two meters high. The client opted for such a design so that it would be easy to change the configuration of the premises depending on the current need - for example, in the summer months, you can slightly reduce the solarium area in favor of a beauty parlor.

However, do not forget that when planning the premises of beauty salons, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of SanPiN 2.1.2.1199-03. In particular, they suggest that in such establishments, rooms for manicure (at least 6 sq. m) and pedicure (8 sq. m), a beauty parlor (12-16 sq. m) should be isolated from the hairdresser's room, but it must be natural light through windows. It is also necessary to equip auxiliary, auxiliary and household premises (dressing rooms, rest rooms, bathrooms, storerooms, rooms for storing equipment, garbage, etc.).

“In addition to observing certain standards, when creating a project, it is necessary to achieve a competent organization of light, sound insulation, and also take into account the production cycle,” says architect Tatyana Romanova. - To do this, it is necessary to simulate the movement of clients and employees of the salon, and only after that calculate the area and location of individual zones. Otherwise, you can make a lot of planning mistakes that will cause crowding in the waiting area or unnecessary anxiety for clients during procedures.

In order to provide the required sound and smell insulation in certain rooms, according to Mikhail Ermakov, stationary structures are used. “For example, we installed glass partitions in the Arkhidea beauty salon,” notes the Astarta prestige expert. - A special seal that secures the glass inside the rails and profile has become a reliable barrier to noise and unwanted odors. At the same time, frosted glass was used to decorate more “intimate” rooms (massage rooms, manicure and pedicure rooms).

Perhaps beauty is indeed a terrible force that can withstand even a crisis. However, today you should not rely on fate. A number of business optimization measures will not only help protect the company in difficult times, but also earn additional points for the future struggle in the “beautiful” market.

Svetlana Topal,

expert of the company "Astarta prestige"

The beauty industry during the crisis turned out to be one of the most vulnerable business segments. Representatives of clinics specializing in plastic surgery note that demand has fallen by 30-50%. Salons that provide hairdressing and cosmetology services have lost almost a third of their customers. As anti-crisis measures, beauty centers plan to open their own cosmetics production, and also switch to Russian brands.

Permanent care

A spokesman for Frau Klinik, a Moscow plastic surgery clinic, said that over the past three months, the demand for all types of operations has decreased by 50%.

“Women have become half as likely to do mammoplasty (breast plastic surgery) and lifting (facelift), although these procedures are usually successful,” the clinic said. “The procedures are expensive, and the purchasing power of patients is not the same as before. However, we have not changed our pricing policy. Imported drugs (drugs, implants) have become more expensive due to the fall of the ruble, and the cost of operations has increased, so we cannot reduce prices.

According to Yuri Inshakov, a plastic surgeon and head of Enigma Medical Center in the capital, the demand for surgeries has fallen by about 25-30%.

“You can’t say that people refuse planned procedures,” he said. - But many transfer operations for which they signed up 1-1.5 months ago. Probably, people are waiting for spring, looking at forecasts for the ruble exchange rate.

According to him, demand usually changes depending on the time of year.

“For example, by spring there are more breast augmentations and liposuctions - after all, the beach season is ahead,” he said. “Then they are replaced by facelifts. And now I have more rhinoplasty (nose job) going on.

At the same time, there is a decrease in demand in general, and not for any specific operations. According to Yuri Inshakov, due to changes in prices for imported drugs and consumables, the cost of operations increased by about 25%.

In the center of plastic surgery "Estet Clinic" in Moscow, they said that they were just going to revise the prices for plastic surgery.

— The cost of the procedures will soon be revised due to the rise in the cost of consumables, — said the representative of the clinic.

Plastic surgeon Eduard Shikhirman also says that today the popularity of services for surgical correction of the body and face has not decreased.

“Now it is profitable to do operations, because the prices have remained the same for the time being, and when converted into dollars, plastic costs two times cheaper than before,” he said. - Stocks of consumables are still there, but new drugs have not grown much - indexation was only 15-20%,

Typically, services such as mammoplasty, complex facelift and nose job cost about 200 thousand rubles. Prices for liposuction of different parts of the body start from 20 thousand rubles.

elusive beauty

Well-known stylist Vlad Lisovets (owner of the Hairdressing Office salon in Moscow) said that recently revenue has fallen by about 20%.

“There is a slight outflow of visitors, but regular customers continue to go regularly, without refusing any services,” he said. - Standard set - haircut, styling and coloring. The only thing is that now clients take a longer break between visits, preferring, for example, to touch up at home.

Lisovets stressed that the prices for services will remain at the same level in the near future - the salons do not want to scare away the remaining customers. So, a haircut with styling costs from 3.6 thousand rubles, coloring - from 5.4 thousand rubles, manicure - from 960 rubles, and makeup - from 5.5 thousand rubles.

According to the forecasts of the stylist, you should not expect improvement in the beauty industry market until the end of summer.

- Everyone took a waiting position, looking in which direction to move on. Most likely, the situation will be stable in the next six months. A small decline is also possible - by about 5%, he said.

Lisovets also said that the crisis had a negative impact on the atmosphere of the salon.

“Everyone is talking about economic difficulties, layoffs, fear of losing a job,” he said. - It is unpleasant that this is reflected in the psychology and mood of the employees and clients of the salon.

The network of salons "My Fair Lady" said that revenue decreased by 3-4%. The company is currently negotiating with suppliers to curb the rise in prices for hair dyes, cosmetics and other materials.

“Our anti-crisis measures are a change of service providers (laundress, cleaning, security, etc.), which raise prices,” said Olga Stolbova, general director of the network. — We also try to support our customers with discounts that will be valid until the situation stabilizes. We refused to raise prices for our services.

After the sharp fall of the ruble, the company thought about switching to Russian cosmetics.

“After the analysis, it became clear that there was nothing to replace imported cosmetics,” said Olga Stolbova. — We were negotiating with ten Russian partners, but we did not choose anyone, because there were practically no savings. After that, we thought about creating our own branded products.

The NogotOK network of manicure and pedicure studios also noted that Muscovites have become less likely to use hand care services.

“If earlier our regular visitors did a manicure about once every eight days, now it’s no more than once every two weeks,” said a representative of the network.

The network of manicure and pedicure salons "TaEl" confirmed that saving has become the rule for many customers.

“Now clients think what is more important to them, for example, care or coverage, although they used to do a full range of procedures,” they say in the salon. “Visitors refuse complex care, strengthening nails with biogel, and for some, shellac coating becomes too expensive.

Who lives well in a crisis

Mikhail Kuznetsov, head of the Academy of the Beauty Industry, which provides consulting services to "salon businesses," said that the companies that charge the most for the brand or "mythical craftsmanship" have the biggest losses. In those salons where the ratio of price and quality is normal, the situation is more or less stable.

“Now salons are reviewing relationships with suppliers and are looking for more favorable conditions,” he said. - In connection with the fall of the ruble, many suppliers have greatly increased prices.

According to him, it is not possible to select domestic suppliers of products for all services. The most obvious example is the ability to replace foreign hair cosmetics with the Russian Estel, which many salons already work with. But in the nail service it is almost impossible to find a replacement.

- If you use Russian cosmetics, the savings will be 30-50%, - said Mikhail Kuznetsov. “At the same time, our brands are usually in the middle segment, so for those who are used to luxury brands, there is no replacement.

The expert clarified that salons are still looking for a solution - someone is switching to domestic cosmetics, someone is reducing margins, someone has decided to pay more attention to staff motivation.

The Unicosmetics company, which produces Estel cosmetics and has two factories in St. Petersburg, confirmed that the demand for products is growing during the crisis.

— Even before the crisis, we were the No. 1 brand in Russian salons, — said Lev Okhotin, CEO of the company. - In total, there are about 70 thousand salons in Russia. Until July 2014, approximately 40-45 thousand of them used our cosmetics. For six months, the growth was about 10%. The situation may differ depending on the region. For example, in Moscow and the Moscow region there are approximately 10 thousand salons. Before the crisis, 5 thousand people worked with us, now another 1 thousand have been added - that is, an increase of 20%. And in the city of Vologda, 240 salons and 230 work with us - there is nowhere for demand to grow.

According to Lev Okhotin, demand is growing so fast that the company does not have time to train those who wish to use the brand.

“It takes two days to show one salon how to use the products,” he said. — On average, it turns out that our proposals are two times cheaper than those of foreign companies.

Some salons are beginning to use domestic products in cosmetology.

Igor Fedotov, chairman of the board of the Golden Locks chain of salons, notes that the savings for a client when switching to Russian brands can be significant. He believes that the effect of the proposed domestic cosmetics does not appear as quickly as from imported ones, but there are also pluses - it has more natural ingredients and the effect can be longer.

Igor Fedotov noted that demand for expensive cosmetic procedures in his network fell by about 30%. At the same time, those customers who always came on the eve of the holidays - New Year, Tatyana's Day, February 23, March 8 - did not come this year.

“Before, before the holidays, our demand increased by 5 or even 10 times compared to ordinary days,” said Igor Fedotov. “Demand is increasing very little right now.

beautiful far away

According to Alexander Zharkov, chairman of the Moscow city branch of Opora Rossii, demand in beauty salons could drop by up to 50%. Along with restaurants, they are the most vulnerable business segments in the crisis.

“I think that the mainstream segment will suffer the most,” he said. - Expensive salons will be more stable - wealthy people go there, who will save less. Low-cost institutions that are affordable for low-income people can qualify for social entrepreneur status and receive low rents.

Alexander Zharkov noted that many centers may still have a stock of imported funds, so they can still keep prices down. When the stock runs out, the market will start to shrink.

Member of the Board of the Guild of Marketers Nicholas Corot suggested that the release of their own products has already become a trend for many salons, and this trend will gain momentum due to the crisis.

“During the last crisis, some marketing moves were successfully tested, which can be applied this time as well,” the expert said. - For example, these are tours of famous figures in the beauty industry. Only regular visitors are invited to them, meetings are held in a club, closed format. But this, of course, is a trend for the premium segment. The middle segment can offer a "block of services" at cheaper prices. That is, the cost of a “package” of services will be less than if these services were sold separately. But it is better to tie these promotions to some date or holiday - otherwise, after the crisis, the "wallet memory" of customers will not allow them to forget how much cheaper these services used to be.

The beauty industry itself is already rocked by scandals. Thus, employees of the capital's luxury beauty salon, which is part of the Dessange International Group, are now preparing a large-scale picket. They argue that the employer does not pay in full the wages laid down by law, violating the Labor Code of the Russian Federation.

In the trade union of beauty salon workers, Izvestia was told that it all started with the fact that on January 1, 2015, employees of the Camille Albane salon at 16A Leningradskoye Shosse, owned by the Dessange International Group network, went to work, but ended up at the closed doors of the salon. The Russian employer, represented by a management company that has a multi-franchisee license in Russia, simply did not consider it necessary to comply with the law and officially notify the entire team that had worked for many years in this network that they were now left without their jobs.

After long promises, delaying time, issuing various kinds of orders “backdating”, as well as attempts to impose unequal work in other salons, the employer has not yet paid employees in full the wages laid down by law for January and February 2015. Now the employees have notified the employer in writing about the suspension of work until the debt is paid off.

Main points of the interview

• Occupation: Manicurist and extension, make-up artist
• Location of business: Russia, Bryansk
• Occupation before entrepreneurship: schoolgirl
• Starting date of business activity: 2014
• Organizational and legal form of doing business: individual entrepreneur
• The amount of initial investment: 100,000 rubles.
• Source of initial capital: own savings
• Payback period: several days
• Formula for success: Love beauty and aesthetics, treat customers kindly, be demanding of yourself and your own work.

Hello Julia, tell us how you got the idea to open your own beauty salon?

I had the idea of ​​starting my own business a long time ago, since my school days. The beauty industry attracted me the most. After graduating from school, she graduated from the courses of a manicure master, and began to develop in this direction. After working for six months in a beauty salon, having studied this area from the inside, I decided that in the future I would open my own salon.

Why did you choose this direction?

This direction completely coincided with my interests, from childhood I was engaged in drawing and constantly watched programs for changing images for girls and women. Then I began to try different versions of nail art, I was good at drawing patterns, mixing colors and decorating my nails with sparkles. It seemed to me a magical and creative activity!

In what field of activity did you work before nail extension?

I started doing nails right after school, I didn’t work in another area and didn’t have much desire.

How long did you provide in-home services before you decided to open a salon? What prompted this?

Before opening the salon, I worked from home for 5 years. It was the perfect work schedule for me. I liked that I can allocate my own time myself, I don’t need to depend on someone, obey someone else’s rules, at any time I can eat or relax in the windows between clients. Working from home gives good inclinations for doing business in the future, you get used to relying only on your own strength. Plus, I clearly understood that the salary goes straight into my hands, unlike work in the salon, where you give part of the money to the employer.

To receive clients, I equipped a separate room, hung the diplomas there, beautifully arranged accessories. Almost always, clients watched interesting films during the procedure, so the time flew by quickly and unnoticed. It is very important to create an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere, especially if you work at home, no one likes to go to the master, who meets visitors in the kitchen or bedroom with a half-made bed. If you decide to receive clients at home, then you should allocate a separate corner for a mini-salon!

What prompted you to start your own business?

In my work, I increasingly had to work with such material as acrylic. This is a fairly durable material, nails do not need correction for a long time. But many craftsmen know that acrylic has a persistent specific smell. At home, it became difficult to work with him because of the inability to constantly ventilate the room. The smell accumulated, ate into the wallpaper, my head often hurt, and my relatives constantly complained. Thus, the idea of ​​changing the working premises arose.

What services are available in your salon?

My salon provides hair treatment services, all types of hairdressing services, manicure, pedicure, gel polish, nail extensions, makeup and eyebrow correction. We can also choose and create an evening or wedding look.

What equipment did you need to open a salon?

Often the equipment was already in stock - lamps, disinfectors, vacuum cleaners, cars and manicure tools. It was necessary to purchase only furniture and equipment for hairdressing and pedicure.

How much money did you spend on opening? Was it cash or credit?

It took about 100 thousand to open. These were cash.

We use almost all types of advertising - we lead a group ( https://vk.com/miledibryansk) and pages in social networks, place ads in newspapers, order banners, advertising signs. We always give each new client several business cards so that she can distribute them to friends and relatives.

How do you attract clients? What benefits can you offer them?

We already have an established customer base. They choose our salon for the best value for money.

Advantages - work on conscience, inexpensive, stylish and high quality! Also in the salon "Milady" there is always a friendly, friendly atmosphere, customers come and relax, laugh, tell interesting life stories. Sometimes you go to premium-class salons, everything is incredibly beautiful and fashionably done, but too strict, there is no warmth.

Do you have any promotions?

Approximately once every three months we arrange drawings for a free manicure, we provide discounts for all types of services.

We also often offer our customers small pleasant bonuses, for example, a free SPA treatment for hands, we can draw a flower or cover several nails with rhinestones, not including this in the price. It is important to emphasize that the procedure is intended specifically for a particular client. A trifle, but visitors are pleased!

How many people did it take to start the business?

Now I have two manicurists and a hairdresser. They have been with me from the very beginning. One girl is my friend, I taught her extensions and manicures.

What difficulties did you encounter when opening the salon and in the process of work? What worked right away and what didn't?

Probably the only problem is the lack of finances at first. I was worried for a long time that I could not purchase all the necessary furniture and appliances. I wanted to immediately furnish the salon as cozy and comfortable as possible, I was kind to the opinion of each client. But then I began to perceive it easier, the main thing is to maintain cleanliness and order.

Now much of the furniture and accessories have already been bought, when free money appears, I spend it on the missing things for the salon.

What organizational and legal form of doing business have you chosen?

How many people do you serve on average per day? Is there seasonality in the beauty industry?

An average of 10 people. In summer, the demand for nail services is, of course, greater than in winter. A sharp influx of customers is observed before the New Year and other major holidays. The decline is noticeable in autumn and January.

What goals and objectives are planned for the future? Are you planning to expand, introduce new services?

In the near future, I want to find a good beautician, as well as provide

a full range of services for the treatment and restoration of hair.

How long did it take you to reach self-sufficiency?

Self-sufficiency came almost immediately.

How do you position yourself in the price segment?

Economy, in which quality does not depend on price. We provide services at the level of a premium salon, but at affordable prices.

Anyone can learn nail extensions?

Not everyone, it is important to have an increased sense of beauty and aesthetics, to be able to draw well. Making beautiful nails is half the battle, they must last until the next extension, which is 3-4 weeks. Sometimes you have to correct the work of other masters, and you immediately notice how carelessly and unprofessionally the manicure was done.

What courses do you need to take, what certificates do you need to get for a future highly qualified hair extension master? What achievements do you have?

To become a sought-after master, you need to have a lot of theoretical and practical knowledge. The main courses that any professional should master are nail extension with gel, acrylic, nail design, painting, manicure, pedicure, gel polish. I mastered these courses at the very beginning of my activity.

Of course, only theory is not enough, true mastery comes with age. It is often said: "To work in the field of beauty, you do not need a great mind." But why do clients constantly go to one master, and bypass the other? Why do professional nail extensions last for a month, while poor-quality extensions can deteriorate in a week? It's all about the skills and experience of the master, for these qualities clients choose him and are ready to pay money.

Also, a few years ago I received certificates of an eyelash extension master and took courses as a makeup artist, but my main path is nail extension and design.

There is a chance for a beginner to immediately achieve success in this business, how to understand that you can move to a new level?

A beginner has very little chance, the beauty industry is now replete with many offers. To open your own business, you need to be well versed in this. Just visiting beauty salons is not enough, you need to work in this area personally, study everything well. It is important to develop a client base, earn trust and firmly establish yourself in this market.

I would recommend that beginners practice on their girlfriends for a while or hold promotions at discounted prices, since in the case of poor-quality service, you can earn notoriety. Be sure to ask if you liked the result, mark your mistakes. Evaluate the quality of the manicure in a week, if the nails look perfect, no errors are visible, then it is done well.

Now the difficult economic situation in the country, people are trying to save on many things, and on beauty too. Does it affect the number of clients?

Yes, the crisis is taking its toll. Compared to last year, there are significantly fewer customers. But it is difficult to say exactly the reason, the time period can also affect, autumn is not the best time for beauty salons.

What advice would you give to those who want to open a beauty salon during a crisis, should they try it?

I think it's worth it, it all depends on the person himself, and not on the crisis and other circumstances. If you take a responsible approach to business, you can highlight the advantages of the salon, there will definitely be customers. In addition, some companies are now closing, making room for others.

What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

You should not go into the beauty industry, considering it fashionable, in demand, or with the opinion that you can earn good money this way. It must be really interesting for you. It is also important to understand that nail extension is not only a beautiful result and sparkles, but painstaking and often monotonous work day after day. Dust constantly flies, you have to breathe harmful paint, your fingers and back often hurt, but these are minuses, of course there are more pluses!

Also, I would advise not to save on the necessary equipment for processing nails, the necessary equipment greatly simplifies and speeds up the work. And the issue of time is important for many clients, no one wants to sit for 4-5 hours on the extension procedure, if it can be done twice as fast.

What is your formula for success?

If you decide to become an entrepreneur, stop thinking and start acting, and if you do, then go all the way!

Some salon owners have already shifted the increase in costs to consumers, admits Roman Gorelkin, director of the Union of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists of Russia. It is clear that this state of affairs will not last long. Both premium-class establishments and economy-class hairdressing salons will fall under the rink of the crisis. Gorelkin predicts that by 2020, only half of the three thousand Moscow salons may remain.

Until recently, it was possible to get a haircut or a manicure mainly by appointment. Today, there are no ceremonies. If, passing by the salon down the street, you feel a desire to immediately put yourself in order, feel free to come in: the chance to get to a free master is very high.

Hairdressers are located at every turn. They are usually divided into premium-class establishments, "middle peasants" and economy barber shops. Luxury hairdressing salons in the capital can be counted on one hand. One of them is located in its own separate building on Novy Arbat.

Although "barbershop" is said too modestly. Naturally, we are talking about a chic beauty salon. The interior in rich black and pink colors looks so expensive and stylish that you can take tours. Few can afford such a luxury.

You understand what the situation is now, - says administrator Anna with a perfect smile. - It is clear that now some of the clients have left, but we hope that this is temporary.

Anna says that there are people for whom status comes first. “And they are used to our hairdressers, so we can say that everyone has their own personal master. We do not need to lure a client, ours will stay with us, and a random person from the street is unlikely to come here, ”says Anna.

Not everyone really dares to come here: visiting several masters can result in a monthly salary of a simple saleswoman.

There are noticeably more people in the barbershops of the middle class. Of course, here they take not by luxury, but by prices. As the visitors themselves admit, being among the usual jars and tongs is much more comfortable for them than in pretentious luxury salons. Employees of hairdressing salons are skeptical about the news about the closure of half of Moscow's establishments.

Most people will not walk with overgrown hair, but they themselves will not cut their hair evenly, says Ekaterina, an administrator with 15 years of experience. - If you like informal torn or uneven haircuts, you can take up scissors yourself. But for well-groomed hairstyles come to the salon.

Hairdresser Maria, looking up from her haircut for a moment, said that she worked somehow in an economy salon. But she didn't last long. “They save on everything: there are no craft bags for processing tools, disposable devices are used several times. If we dye a girl blonde in our salon, then we get a white color, not yellow, ”the master shares with us.

We already had eight clients today, we also have an appointment for the evening, - the administrator calculates. With us, people really call the hairdresser and sign up for procedures.

Each salon has its own “chips,” the girl shares. - We give accumulative cards to regular customers, we make discounts on birthdays. We try to find our own approach to everyone.

And this, by the way, is a very important point. Anna, a freshly cut girl, told us about her bad experience of visiting cheap places: “I liked short haircuts, and at first the economy salon master coped with the work. But when I asked to change the look of the hairstyle a little, I was surprised to get the same haircut as after the previous procedures. There was a strong feeling that they know two or three standard hairstyles and literally cut everyone one size fits all.

We go to those same economy class salons. Many of them employ visitors from Central Asia. At first, about 15-20 years ago, such establishments opened illegally on the territory of the Vietnamese and Chinese markets in order to cut “their own” for symbolic money, or even for free. But gradually migrated "to the city". We came to one of the cheap hairdressing salons, located on the ground floor of an ordinary residential building.

In a modest but clean room, half the seats are occupied. A pensioner is waiting on a couch in the hallway. “Mostly visitors come here,” the woman shares with us. - Occasionally I meet old women like me, they also usually get their hair cut in the morning, there are discounts for pensioners until 12 o'clock. For my short hair, just 100 rubles comes out. And you can't drag my granddaughter here on a lasso. She basically does not go to such places. Not even because it's not prestigious. He says he is afraid of lice and some other infection to pick up.

However, we did meet one young woman in the economy hairdressing salon.

I once came to a similar salon and got to a wonderful master, - she says. - He is an Uzbek by nationality, but he cut his hair exactly the way I wanted. I have thin hair and it's hard to handle. Then he moved to another salon, I followed him. Then in the other - I'm there. He just lived and worked illegally, so he ran back and forth. After some time, the guy completely disappeared, I never saw him again ... I have no hostility or prejudice towards migrants. If only they worked well and took inexpensively. I myself am not a Muscovite, I came from Siberia ...

A sharp reduction in the number of hairdressers and beauty salons in large cities in the coming years is really highly likely, - says Timur Nigmatullin, financial analyst at FINAM. - On the one hand, the difficult economic situation and the fall in real incomes of the population will have an effect. On the other hand, the financial performance of businesses with low margins in the service sector are now under pressure from the growth of tax deductions, high rental rates (due to the transition of landlords to pay real estate tax on the cadastre) and high market saturation. I don't think economy cabins have an advantage in this regard. Most likely, the market will more or less evenly decrease due to all segments.

Of course, planning until 2020 in the current circumstances is quite difficult. But in general, I have to confirm: the trend towards a reduction in the infrastructure of offers on the market of personal services, in particular cosmetic and hairdressing, is pronounced. There can be no doubt, - says Dmitry Nesvetov, chairman of the consumer services committee of the Moscow branch of OPORA Russia. - We made our measurements based on the results of the first quarter of this year. The drop in revenue and turnover is quite significant - up to 25%. And the structure of the proposal changes approximately in the same volumes. In the sense that the company begins to either reduce the points of presence in the market, or move into cheaper segments of this area.

What are the reasons for this? First, despite the assurances of the federal and regional authorities, the tax burden on small businesses is increasing, and costs are rising. The calculation of rental rates from the cadastral value of land and real estate results in considerable amounts. Authorities say these burdens do not apply to small businesses. It's true - not directly related. But the bulk of hairdressing salons - experts call the figure 95% - is located in rented premises. And they are forced to either move to less prestigious areas, or go out of business altogether.

I know many cases when an enterprise that worked for several years in a high-traffic shopping center - luxury or premium, it does not matter - was forced to move deep into the block, to some residential building, - Dmitry Nesvetov continues. - And this is especially noticeable in beauty salons, as well as dry cleaners and laundries.

Another reason for the unprofitability of the business is the use of mainly imported equipment and consumables (up to 70%). And the ruble has devalued almost twice in a year. It is clear that enterprises are looking for cheaper options, but it is no longer possible to return to the previous prices.

Some high-end salon owners have begun to lower the bar for potential clients. So there is another trend: premium salons are gradually becoming mediocre hairdressers. “This is already visible in Moscow with might and main,” the expert says. - It started in February-March. And now it has become a mass phenomenon. When costs exceed sales volumes, no economy will survive.”

According to Rosstat, the fall in effective demand will be at least 10% by the end of the year. However, economists suggest that this figure is too low. The general unstable economic situation is changing the priorities of consumers. People save primarily on household services.

Most of all, according to the masters, the demand for hair coloring, manicures and facials has decreased. Unlike haircuts, these procedures can somehow be done at home, saving a lot of money. Let's calculate: even if you do a manicure with a resistant coating not every week, but twice a month, a service in a beauty salon will cost an average of 4 thousand rubles. Hair coloring or tinting - another 2-3 thousand rubles. Face mask - 1.5–3 thousand rubles. Runs 7.5-10 thousand rubles. For many Muscovites, this amount is 15-20% of income. An unaffordable luxury these days.

Analysts also talk about moving the consumer services sector to the illegal market. Salons are closing - but people need to work somewhere. And they are forced to leave the legal market. More and more masters, without officially registering, do manicures, pedicures, and haircuts at home.

On the one hand, costs are growing, on the other hand, effective demand is falling, and hence turnover. Enterprises are in this vice. It is absolutely clear that it is necessary to change the fiscal policy - playing with new taxes will not lead to good, - sums up Dmitry Nesvetov.

Meanwhile

The decline in purchasing power was reflected in the automotive market. Russians buy new cars less often, and therefore have a higher need for repairs than before, as the statistics show very eloquently. According to a study by the city information service 2GIS, the number of car services and service stations has increased significantly throughout the country.

The most significant increase in auto enterprises was noted in Krasnodar: since the beginning of the year it has amounted to 45.7% (now there are 376 services in the city). Yaroslavl is on the second place: there are more service stations in it by 43% (143). Moscow closes the top three, where the number of car services increased by 39.2%. However, in absolute terms, the capital is ahead of the rest of Russia - now there are as many as 2882 car repair enterprises in the city.