Every 6 weeks, I visit my favorite salon for a cut & color with the best stylist in the world. I have two small children at home, so carving out two hours for pampering is such a treat.
When I arrive at the salon, it’s typical for my stylist to be wrapping up with the client ahead of me, sometimes creating a 10 minute wait. Additionally, during the process of having my hair done, I may be sitting for 20-plus minutes as color processes during my visit.
The salon I go to has gone out of their way to make that wait time comfortable for me. They have cozy chairs, a beverage bar with coffee, teas, water, and frequently cookies or snacks. There are magazines throughout the salon to help the customers pass the time as well. But, I noticed my eyes were drawn to one element of their waiting area above all else: their Retriever digital sign.
As I waited, I got to see some of their best work showcased in front of me. Most people go to the salon with an idea in mind, but it’s hard to know if your stylist can recreate the beautiful hair you’ve seen on Pinterest. Seeing the work of the stylists at my salon made me excited for my haircut, and confident that what I would ask for would be achievable.
I also learned about some of their product specials while I waited. Great hair products can be expensive, so being informed about sales and upcoming specials definitely helped me to plan my product purchasing for the coming months.
One thing I didn’t realize was that my salon offered classes on cutting men’s hair! When it comes to my husband’s hair, I’m far and away the pickiest person (he couldn’t care less). I plan to sign up for one of these classes soon so that maybe next summer we can avoid the “buzz cut” he’s defaulted to in summers past.
In 10 minutes, my salon was able to entertain and educate me before I even greeted my stylist. And, the pressure for up-selling the salon was not my stylist’s responsibility, allowing us to casually chat without an agenda. I really think more salons would benefit from this type of advertising in their waiting area, and I’m glad my salon is utilizing it so well.