Help me choose a hair colour brand for my salon

classixuk

Hi everyone and fellow moneysavers!

I'm looking at where it's wise to save money in my business and where it isn't.

Before Christmas, we had loads of reps from colour companies coming in and each of them had a story about how using their products would either save us money, make us seem more professional, attract more customers etc.

So now I don't know what to do. LOL

I've worked out all of the costings etc. but I'm still undecided on the "customer impression" for each brand. Could you help me out?


All you need to do is imagine you are looking for a new hair salon to have your hair coloured at. You visit a few in your local area (or maybe see their adverts in the local press etc.) and they all use different products.

Then answer the following 5 questions:


1. Does the brand of products/colour that a salon uses/advertises as using, influence whether you will try them out? (If the answer is NO, please skip to question 4. Otherwise, could you answer the next 2 questions as well please.

2. If you went into a new salon that you hadn't tried before, which of the brands (listed at the end of this post) would make you more likely to have trust in that salon's expertise? Why?

3. If you were already using a salon that used your favourite branded products to colour your hair, and a competing salon began using the exact same products but charged 25% less than you currently pay, would your confidence in the product brand encourage you to try them out?

4. Can you rearrange the brand names (at the end of this post) into a list, starting with the brand names that inspire your confidence when a salon uses them and ending with the brand name that either makes no difference to you either way or might even put you off?

5. Can you list the brands you'd expect (and be happy) to pay more for in a hairdressing salon if they were used on your hair, followed by the brands that you don't feel would equal a higher price?


Many thanks guys!

Chris.

The Brands:

• Affinage
• Alfaparf
• Clynol
• Fudge
• Goldwell
• Joico
• L'Oreal
• Matrix
• Paul Mitchell
• Redken
• Revlon
• Schwarzkopf
• Tigi
• Wella

Sugar_Coated_Owl

I've never heard of Affinage, Alfaparf, Goldwell, Joico or Matrix.

I'm a great lover of Paul Mitchell hair products, two of the salons I used to go to used Paul Mitchell.

lostinrates

classixuk wrote: »

1. Does the brand of products/colour that a salon uses/advertises as using, influence whether you will try them out? (If the answer is NO, please skip to question 4. Otherwise, could you answer the next 2 questions as well please.

Yes. In the last few years I've chosen to use AVEDA salons, even though I prefer other styling products for home use.

2. If you went into a new salon that you hadn't tried before, which of the brands (listed at the end of this post) would make you more likely to have trust in that salon's expertise? Why?
I haven't heard of many of them, and yes, it would matter. Of that l'ist I'd be most likely to go into Paul Mitchel or Redken using salons (though that seems a litle old fashioned to me,)
3. If you were already using a salon that used your favourite branded products to colour your hair, and a competing salon began using the exact same products but charged 25% less than you currently pay, would your confidence in the product brand encourage you to try them out?

Yes. I have always thought I'd stick with previous AVEDA colourist but now go to another AVEDA salon that charges almost 1/2 what she does. I would not have gone there (new area and happy with her) had it not been AVEDA

4. Can you rearrange the brand names (at the end of this post) into a list, starting with the brand names that inspire your confidence when a salon uses them and ending with the brand name that either makes no difference to you either way or might even put you off?Not in a fair way: I haven't heard of loads of them. I use Tigi hair products at home, but have found salons using Tigi a hit and miss in the past.

5. Can you list the brands you'd expect (and be happy) to pay more for in a hairdressing salon if they were used on your hair, followed by the brands that you don't feel would equal a higher price?


Many thanks guys!

Chris.

The Brands:

• Affinage
• Alfaparf
• Clynol
• Fudge
• Goldwell
• Joico
• L'Oreal
• Matrix
• Paul Mitchell
• Redken
• Revlon
• Schwarzkopf
• Tigi
• Wella

Good luck.

The reason I like Aveda salons is rightly or wrongly I'm under the impression they have a high standard of training/continuing training through career. The dyes work exceptionally well in my hair, giving a natural colour. I have at least three colours put through my hair and the reds/coppers when I have them last...which is impressive! The ''facial for your hair'' is a luxury treat, but...by heck...it works!

Bronnie

classixuk wrote: »

All you need to do is imagine you are looking for a new hair salon to have your hair coloured at. You visit a few in your local area (or maybe see their adverts in the local press etc.) and they all use different products.

Then answer the following 5 questions:


1. Does the brand of products/colour that a salon uses/advertises as using, influence whether you will try them out?

Surprisingly, (as |I am pretty fussy about my hair and I have been having it salon-coloured to conceal the grey for some years now), I have never particularly noted the brand my salon used. My regular salon ( owner-managed) was one I regarded very highly for their expertise and like when I put myself in the hands of any professional, I expect them to know their stuff and use what gives the results (or pay the price and lose my custom). So no!


I have actually recently changed salons to a cheaper salon my daughter had discovered and was pleased with. I don't know which brand they use either. I must admit, the first couple of times I had my roots done, I wasn't 100% pleased with the coverage, however I was happy with the stylist and she has got to know my hair now and also tweeked the shade and now colour and coverage is good and natural -looking , exactly what I want and less ££ too! (Which may not be what you want to hear, although having your regrowth coloured is not exactly cutting-edge anyway in terms of complex colouring techniques, I know!)

vixarooni

No, I go to the hairdressers to get my hair styled. I do my own hair colouring, i had it coloured in Rush, and to me, it was no different to me wacking a £10 bottle over it!!

Brands are important, sure, but i think when it comes to hairdressers most people are guided by price and the quality of the cut and colour/service offered. Its taken me years to find a good salon where i live and now im sticking! I havent got a clue what hair colour brand they use!

Good luck, i hope you make the right choice for your business!

ali-t

Then answer the following 5 questions:


1. Does the brand of products/colour that a salon uses/advertises as using, influence whether you will try them out? (If the answer is NO, please skip to question 4. Otherwise, could you answer the next 2 questions as well please.

Yes, I feel that if a salon uses premium brands there is an expectation on my part that there is an ongoing committment to training and investment in new ideas and techniques. This has been my experience in salons using premium brands.

2. If you went into a new salon that you hadn't tried before, which of the brands (listed at the end of this post) would make you more likely to have trust in that salon's expertise? Why?

see answer to q4

3. If you were already using a salon that used your favourite branded products to colour your hair, and a competing salon began using the exact same products but charged 25% less than you currently pay, would your confidence in the product brand encourage you to try them out?

It would depend on the competency of the stylist rather than just the products. I have quite 'difficult' hair and good products alone are not enough, I also need a great stylist.

4. Can you rearrange the brand names (at the end of this post) into a list, starting with the brand names that inspire your confidence when a salon uses them and ending with the brand name that either makes no difference to you either way or might even put you off?

I haven't put them in order but if I was looking in the phone book and the advert showed fudge, TIGI, loreal or Paul Mitchell I would be more inclined to use it than the others

5. Can you list the brands you'd expect (and be happy) to pay more for in a hairdressing salon if they were used on your hair, followed by the brands that you don't feel would equal a higher price?

see above


Many thanks guys!

Chris.

The Brands:

• Affinage have never heard of this
• Alfaparf have never heard of this
• Clynol usually seen in cheaper or back street salons where I live. I associate this with blue rinses and older lady salons
• Fudge used by quite fashionable salons
• Goldwell similar to clynol
• Joico Haven't experience of this.
• L'Oreal Rarely the only product sold/used by a salon but I have had good experiences with some of their ranges in salons
• Matrix - I haven't used it
• Paul Mitchell Haven't had any colours by them (if they do them) but products are good. In my area, these are used in salons that were fashionable 10 years ago. Good quality, reasonable prices and I would feel happy in a salon using these
• Redken Good quality
• Revlon Haven't used these in a salon but seem quite average, not particularly fashionable or boundry pushing
• Schwarzkopf - 1985 wants its products back!
• Tigi again this brand would indicate investment in staff and quality high end products
• Wella similar to revlon in my view

Dawning

I had my hair coloured at my salon every 5-6 weeks for 10 years. I haven't got a clue what brand they use for their colourant. I have recently had to start colouring it myself at home because of financial reasons. However, I still go to the same salon for a cut every 8 weeks. I think the products they sell for using at home are Wella Professional, but I'm not sure. I rarely bought products at the salon even when I could afford them.

I go to an upmarket salon in an affluent town. I choose to go there, and pay around 30% more than I would at some other salons nearer to where I live simply because my stylist cuts my hair better than anyone else has before her. The service is great from reception to the juniors.
I'm not really persuaded in any way by the products they sell, although I do like some Aveda products (when I can afford them), but I wouldn't switch to an Aveda salon just for the products.

classixuk

I'd just like to thank everyone for their responses so far. It's really helping me to paint a good picture of what needs to be done. I'm looking forward to reading other responses too.

Bronnie wrote: »

classixuk wrote: »

All you need to do is imagine you are looking for a new hair salon to have your hair coloured at. You visit a few in your local area (or maybe see their adverts in the local press etc.) and they all use different products.

Then answer the following 5 questions:


1. Does the brand of products/colour that a salon uses/advertises as using, influence whether you will try them out?

Surprisingly, (as |I am pretty fussy about my hair and I have been having it salon-coloured to conceal the grey for some years now), I have never particularly noted the brand my salon used. My regular salon ( owner-managed) was one I regarded very highly for their expertise and like when I put myself in the hands of any professional, I expect them to know their stuff and use what gives the results (or pay the price and lose my custom). So no!


I have actually recently changed salons to a cheaper salon my daughter had discovered and was pleased with. I don't know which brand they use either. I must admit, the first couple of times I had my roots done, I wasn't 100% pleased with the coverage, however I was happy with the stylist and she has got to know my hair now and also tweeked the shade and now colour and coverage is good and natural -looking , exactly what I want and less ££ too! (Which may not be what you want to hear!!)

The bit I bolded Bronnie is exactly what I wanted to hear. :beer: Can I just ask whereabouts in the country you are by the way?

You see, the thing is, in our salons we've always tried to offer our clients the best value for money that we can. Unfortunately though, some of our existing customers are finding their finances a struggle so are stretching out the times between appointments, or have resorted to colouring their hair themselves. We've no problem with this, but it does leave appointment gaps open that could be filled with new clients. We're hoping to fill them with the people who can no longer afford £80-£90 for a colour at their existing salon, but aren't quite at the home colouring stage of financial cutbacks.

The responses here are helping us to decide in which direction we need to go. :j

classixuk

ali-t wrote: »

Then answer the following 5 questions:


1. Does the brand of products/colour that a salon uses/advertises as using, influence whether you will try them out? (If the answer is NO, please skip to question 4. Otherwise, could you answer the next 2 questions as well please.

Yes, I feel that if a salon uses premium brands there is an expectation on my part that there is an ongoing committment to training and investment in new ideas and techniques. This has been my experience in salons using premium brands.

2. If you went into a new salon that you hadn't tried before, which of the brands (listed at the end of this post) would make you more likely to have trust in that salon's expertise? Why?

see answer to q4

3. If you were already using a salon that used your favourite branded products to colour your hair, and a competing salon began using the exact same products but charged 25% less than you currently pay, would your confidence in the product brand encourage you to try them out?

It would depend on the competency of the stylist rather than just the products. I have quite 'difficult' hair and good products alone are not enough, I also need a great stylist.

4. Can you rearrange the brand names (at the end of this post) into a list, starting with the brand names that inspire your confidence when a salon uses them and ending with the brand name that either makes no difference to you either way or might even put you off?

I haven't put them in order but if I was looking in the phone book and the advert showed fudge, TIGI, loreal or Paul Mitchell I would be more inclined to use it than the others

5. Can you list the brands you'd expect (and be happy) to pay more for in a hairdressing salon if they were used on your hair, followed by the brands that you don't feel would equal a higher price?

see above


Many thanks guys!

Chris.

The Brands:

• Affinage have never heard of this
• Alfaparf have never heard of this
• Clynol usually seen in cheaper or back street salons where I live. I associate this with blue rinses and older lady salons
• Fudge used by quite fashionable salons
• Goldwell similar to clynol
• Joico Haven't experience of this.
• L'Oreal Rarely the only product sold/used by a salon but I have had good experiences with some of their ranges in salons
• Matrix - I haven't used it
• Paul Mitchell Haven't had any colours by them (if they do them) but products are good. In my area, these are used in salons that were fashionable 10 years ago. Good quality, reasonable prices and I would feel happy in a salon using these
• Redken Good quality
• Revlon Haven't used these in a salon but seem quite average, not particularly fashionable or boundry pushing
• Schwarzkopf - 1985 wants its products back!
• Tigi again this brand would indicate investment in staff and quality high end products
• Wella similar to revlon in my view

That was an amazingly insightful post!!! Thank you so much!!! :T

P.S. You're not a hairdresser by any chance are you?

Dawning

classixuk wrote: »

I

Unfortunately though, some of our existing customers are finding their finances a struggle so are stretching out the times between appointments, or have resorted to colouring their hair themselves.

Exactly what happened to me. When I didn't have financial worries, I was at the salon at least once every 6 weeks getting colour and cut, and usually getting a blow dry in between appointments on an average of 2 weekends. I'd get highlights done every 12 weeks.

Now I have to make my cut last for 8 weeks - I have difficult hair and this is a problem. I have to colour it myself and I can't remember when I last had highlights. And going in on a Saturday morning before a night out for a blow dry is out of the question these days!

classixuk

Dawning wrote: »

Exactly what happened to me. When I didn't have financial worries, I was at the salon at least once every 6 weeks getting colour and cut, and usually getting a blow dry in between appointments on an average of 2 weekends. I'd get highlights done every 12 weeks.

Now I have to make my cut last for 8 weeks - I have difficult hair and this is a problem. I have to colour it myself and I can't remember when I last had highlights. And going in on a Saturday morning before a night out for a blow dry is out of the question these days!

I really feel for you, I do.

We're trying to help as many of our clients who are in financial difficulties as possible, but the seasonal increase (comes every January) on our stock (colour, products etc.) plus the VAT rise on top this year is going to force a price increase. We can't absorb it, as much as I would want to.

So far, we've helped out clients who have birthdays or weddings etc. to go to by doing their hair and letting them pay us when they get paid at the end of the month. I don't really want to keep doing that though incase any of them find themselves not being able to pay when they thought they would, and then they feel they have to avoid us or something. We're in a small village and to think that they're walking the long way home with the kids to avoid coming past the salon would make me feel bad.

We've launched a few bargain price cut and blowdries at our quietest times which seems to be helping some of the clients. The way I see it is if they are now out of work and can make it on Wednesday at 9.30AM for their haircut and blow, we can afford to offer it at a reduced price compared to Saturday 4pm when we are overrun.

Hopefully, I'll use the responses in this thread to decide which company reps will be getting a call tomorrow to get the rest of the spaces filled.