Featured Article Go Green and Save Some Green! USA Today reports a growing wave of companies in all sectors — technology, financial services, energy, retail, manufacturing — are embracing environmentally safe practices, otherwise known as going green! Read on to find out how you can go green in your salon. (By: Nicole Eicks)

Other Articles

Avoiding the Salon Dead Zone We all know it and we all dread it - the Dead Zone. It is that time between one and four in the afternoon of any week day in salons and spas across North America . . . what if you no longer had to fear this slow time? In fact, what if you could coach your team to some easy and proactive behaviors that could eliminate the Dead Zone from your salon or spa entirely? Read these simple steps and take action and turn your Dead Zone into your B.U.S.Y. Zone! (By: Stephanie MacFarlane) What is your EQ? Use It To Make Intelligent Offerings to Your Guests! Why not strive to be the smartest? Every guest who leaves your salon should leave thinking, "these are the smartest group of beauty professionals I have every met!" In fact, why not teach them something about the chemistry of color? Or provide a thorough skin analysis that includes a simple anatomy lesson? Using your intelligence to make authentic guest offerings is not only powerful, it is fun! (By: Heather Bagby) Building the Team: A strategy for successful charitable marketing In the best economies, marketing your business can be stressful and expensive. In the current economy any wasted dollars and efforts are magnified. The stress can come from the uncertainty of who what and when to advertise, and the expense from unsuccessful strategies, i.e. billboards, radio, print and television. Instead of making all these decisions alone, rely on the power of a team to help ensure your marketing success. (By: Thomas Miles) Getting Real About Growing . . . Color! (Part One) If you have ever struggled to grow your color business, you know that getting strategic about business building is crucial. We know that to truly get our business from working harder to working smarter we have to build our clients from cuts & styles to chemical services. Part One of this two-part article covers strategies for Levels 1 and 2. (By: Stephanie MacFarlane) Beauty Schools Abroad: Sharing our Skills to Create a Better World In the spirit of the season, we bring you two inspiring stories about extraordinary people in the beauty industry who are sharing their expertise with those in need in order to create a better world. Jennifer and Jason Culverhouse, owners of Urban Eve Salon & Boutique in Lake Jackson, TX are on their way to Cambodia, and Kate Bugglen is on her second mission to Rwanda. (By: KRS Consulting Group LLC) Do Not Panic! How to Stay Focused in Troubling Times The country and the world are in a financial crisis. With all the bad news that keeps coming at us on a daily basis it is easy to go into a panic mode. You cannot control the environment around the country and world but you can control how you react to it in your everyday life. Staying focused on what you can control will help you get through this financial crisis. (By: Mike Kimble) Beat Inflation - Tips and Solutions It's a fact: prices go up and down every day; sometimes faster than others. Sooner or later, the inflationary adjustments of our correcting economy are going to affect your business in a negative way. Are you proactively taking steps to combat these truths so that they don't continue to lessen your cash flow negatively affect your profit margins? (By: Gavin Salsbery) Understanding Inventory It all comes down to tracking your inventory. Know what you are selling in order to know how much to purchase and keep the salon/spa inventory at the appropriate level. (By: Mike Kimble) Strategic Planning PART II: The Nitty Gritty Strategy is your declaration of intent. Unfortunately, your declaration of intent may not permeate your salon culture. In other words: are you on the same page as your staff? In the second article on this topic, delve into the details! (By: Heather Bagby) C.A.R.R.R. What is your dream car? Your ability to understand how important the client consultation is, and to incorporate it in your practice as a hair dresser, nail artist, skin care specialist and massage therapist is a powerful tool. (By: Nicole Eicks) Start Getting Serious About Growing . . . Color! (Part Two) If you have ever struggled to grow your color business, you know that getting strategic about business building is crucial. Part Two of this two-part articles covers Levels 3 and 4. (By: Stephanie MacFarlane) Protect Your Data in Case of Disaster! What will happen to your data if disaster strikes? Fire, flood, lightning and theft are just some of the things that can quickly wipe out your computer's data and cripple your business. Do you have a backup plan in place? Are you or your employees backing up your vital data every day? Are you 100% confident it is being done correctly? How much will it cost your business if an entire day, week, month, year or more of data is lost? (By: Envision)