How to open a beauty salon

Beauty salon - one of the most promising areas of non-production business. External attractiveness has long ceased to be the prerogative of the beautiful weaker sex. Being beautiful - both for women and men - now means demonstrating well-being, confidence and, most importantly, success.

In addition, maintaining a beautiful appearance requires constant effort. Haircuts, manicures, coloring - almost all beauty salon procedures need to be repeated regularly. And this means that satisfied clients will come back to you again and again.

How open a salon and what you need to do to keep your customers happy and your business thriving, we'll tell you in this article.

Beauty salon - first steps

First of all, decide on the type of business activity. It is possible to register both a sole proprietorship and an LLC. It is up to you to decide which to choose, but it is more logical to start with a simpler sole proprietorship and then switch to an LLC if necessary.

If you have not yet decided on the exact list of services that you plan to provide in the salon, it is time to do it now. Since on this, first of all, will depend on the taxation system. "Ordinary" hairdressing services covered by the UTII, Want to add to them cosmetology and the more medical services - in this case, you will be suitable for a simplified system of taxation.

And second, an accurate selection of services automatically answers the important question of licensure. A standard set, without medical procedures, exempts you from licensure.

Types of beauty salons

From the very beginning, it is necessary to decide not only on the types of planned services, but also on the class of customer service.

Let's take a closer look at each of them.

1. The "economy" or "standard" option. Here the minimum level is acceptable in everything - the repair of the room and the equipment used, the professional level of masters and the class of means used. The motto of this option is: "cheap, simple, affordable".
2. Business Option. The level goes up one or two steps. The room is no longer just renovated, but with an eye on the interior. Furniture, equipment, cosmetics are higher class and more expensive. Masters have a proven qualification (which is constantly improving). The motto of this option is: "inexpensive, high-quality, comfortable".
3. The "VIP" option, deluxe. The level jumps as high as possible. Absolutely everything must correspond to luxury - from the design of the salon to the coffee offered to visitors. And, of course, two main parameters - the class of masters and the level of service - are at the maximum height. The list of services offered is much higher. The motto of this variant is "expensive, exclusive, luxurious".

If you are just starting a business in this sphere, it hardly makes sense to claim "luxury" at once. It needs a kind of foundation - from funds for expensive repairs to inviting well-known masters. Usually such a foundation is built on the basis of simpler versions of salons and hairdressing salons.

Choosing a location for a beauty salon

The class of your beauty salon will not least depend on the location in which it is located. Agree, a luxurious VIP-salon on the working suburbs will look not only strange, but also unprofitable. Just like a cheap hairdressing salon in the area of expensive business centers.

An important parameter is the footfall of the place you have chosen. Are there a lot of people there during the day? Is there no other beauty salon nearby, which will "draw" potential clients to itself?

The best choice is the first floor and a convenient entrance. Directly from the street, of course. Finding an entrance from the courtyard will put off many potential customers.

There are a few more important nuances. The first concerns the opening of a salon in residential buildings. If you decide to open a salon on the 1st floor of a residential building, you need to collect written consent from all the tenants.

The basement is no good at all.

A former residential apartment can become a salon (and there are many such examples), but in this case, the cost of transferring the premises from non-residential to residential must be included in the estimate.

And if you want to open a salon in a shopping center, tempted by the high traffic - remember that not all of these people are interested in your services. You will not automatically get a queue of clients. In addition, it will be necessary to well calculate the ratio of the class of a particular shopping center and your salon - it is desirable that they were similar.

Even the most modest salon should not have a size of less than 14 "squares" of the main hall, plus 7 square meters of auxiliary and other premises. Other requirements: water supply and sewerage, separate entrance and separate ventilation systems, non-use of wallpaper for interior decoration, good illumination of workplaces (not less than 40 lux), division of the room into functional zones (locker room, hall, utility rooms, toilet).

A full list of requirements can be read in San PiN (2.1.2631-10).

What documents are needed to open a salon

When the premises have been chosen, the issue of rent or ownership has been resolved, and renovations have been made, you can move on to gathering documents.

First, it is necessary to obtain a technical passport of the premises from the BTI, then register with the city/region administration; obtain permits from the SES; energy control, water supply company; fire department.

Documents to be submitted to the SES:

• medical books for each foreman and an agreement with a medical institution on passing examinations.
• documents for the ventilation system (transfer acceptance certificate and passport);
• A contract for garbage disposal (and medical waste, if applicable);
• logs: sterilization of instruments, records of disinfectants, etc;
• laundry contract.

Documents to be submitted to the county fire marshal's office:

• fire alarm paperwork;
• personnel briefing log;
• fire evacuation plan and employee action plan in the event of a facility fire;
• an order appointing an employee responsible for fire safety.

In addition, everything in the salon - equipment, instruments, consumables - must have passports/certificates and warranty service agreements. All devices must be authorized by the Ministry of Health of Russia.

Towels, negligees, underwear should be either disposable (which removes a lot of problems) or in triplicate, which will ensure their smooth and hygienic "circulation".

It is also obligatory to make a Consumer's Corner, where the following should be collected complaint book, a brochure with consumer protection laws, trade rules, copies of permits from the fire department and the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service, and some other documents.

The list of equipment needed for the actual operation of the salon is quite large. These are comfortable chairs and large mirrors, tables, a sink combined with a chair, shelves and racks, a water heater, an autoclave for sterilizing instruments.

Some masters have their own tools, but if not, then in the salon you need to buy a variety of combs and brushes, a cutting machine and scissors, brushes and tongs, hair dryers, towels, wipes.

How to choose a good name for a beauty salon

Just like a newborn baby, your business needs a suitable name. So while you are deciding on the important issues of premises and start-up capital, you can think about this important question in parallel. Here are the detailed instructions, how to choose a good name

First, about what you definitely can't.

Use the words "Russia" and "Russian Federation". More precisely, this is possible if you obtain a special permit. But how much do you need it for a beauty salon? That's right, you don't need it at all. In the same way, we avoid using the names of Russian authorities, as well as the names of other countries. In general, politics is separate, and beauty is also separate.

You can't use words that are harmful to morality, morals, or the public interest. And it is not in your interest to give your salon a name that repels normal customers.

There is no need to steal other people's - even very good - names either. Especially if they have already been trademarked.

There are very few restrictions on the name, and it is not difficult to fulfill them. It is much more difficult to take into account all the wishes that will make your salon recognizable, attractive, and therefore - popular and profitable.

So, wishful thinking points.

• The title should be informative. At the very least, it should be clear to anyone what field it is about. It is very good if the name also shows your uniqueness and difference from other beauty salons.
• To make the name unique, you can use your own name (or a derivative of it). The main thing is that it should sound harmonious, attractive and unusual.
• Sometimes you can add a geographical name to the name of the salon - a city or some locality. But here you have to have a very precise sense of proportion and taste. However, this applies to every wish for a name. It is such a responsible business - the name!
• The abbreviation will give mystery, and at the same time brightness and expressiveness to the name. It can echo some known set of letters, or it can have a completely new sound.
• You should be even more careful when using foreign words. Sometimes they can make the name expressive and unusual, but they can also repel by being pretentious and incomprehensible.
• Be sure to take into account the characteristics of your potential customers. Who are you targeting when planning a beauty salon? Women, men? What age, financial status?

Make up a few variants of names that you think are suitable. And start testing on friends and acquaintances, especially those who fit your client's profile. Conduct a poll on social networks. Ask what name people like best and why. Or perhaps your interlocutors will suggest their own variant?

Bear in mind: if you register a sole proprietorship, your beautiful name will not be reflected in the official documents - only your real name. That is, if you are Klavdia Petrovna Ivanova, then officially you will be called that - IE Klavdia Petrovna Ivanova. But nothing will prevent you from hanging a sign on your salon "Fatal Margot".

Once you have decided on a name and location, the salon needs good, visible advertising. First of all, it must be there. On the salon itself - necessarily, on remote billboards - preferably. It is also worth thinking about how to notify potential clients not only about the fact of the existence of your salon, but also about the main benefits of his visit. On a billboard or in an announcement at the entrance you can place information about what will certainly attract the client - discounts, promotions, unique offers.

Step-by-step instructions for writing a business plan

Beginning businessmen are often frightened by the unknown "beast" called a "business plan". How should it be drawn up? Why does it need it at all? Isn't it easier to do without such complex structures? Is it necessary to calculate all the costs before opening a salon, and after its launch? Experienced businessmen believe that a business plan is necessary, and to make it will help to step-by-step instructions for writing a business plan

Meanwhile, a business plan is an excellent assistant to the businessman himself, a kind of navigator in the boundless sea of entrepreneurship. It will help not only to create a clear understanding of the structure of your business, its internal and external relations, but also to describe its financial component - what investments at what stage will be needed, their sequence and possible options. In addition, this financial justification (indicating the reality of your plans) will certainly interest the bank - in the event that you decide to resort to borrowed funds for the development of your business. And not just interest - without a quality business plan, the bank will not deal with you.

Of course, making a good business plan is not an easy thing to do, and to a novice businessman it may seem too difficult a task. In this case, there are two solutions. The first - if funds allow, hire a specialist. The second is to figure it out yourself. Yes, it will require some effort. But how many benefits! You can learn a new business, put your own plans in order, get a clear plan of action, and save money.

Let's start with the simplest option (you can refine and expand it as you go along).

1. Make a resume - the most general description of your project. It is desirable that it be brief and understandable even to a person who is completely ignorant in this business.
2. Spell out the goal - your ultimate desired outcome.
3. Write out objectives - specific items whose fulfillment will lead you to your goal.
4. Outline the structure of your future salon. This includes the staffing table - what positions you envisage, the responsibilities of employees in these positions, their interaction.
5. Draw up a financial plan. It includes a full description of all monetary calculations, starting from the costs of starting a business, continuing with the estimate of current expenses and price list, and ending with the calculation of the payback period of the project. This point of the plan will look closely at the bank, if you decide to resort to borrowed funds. Accordingly, your calculations should look convincing to lenders.
6. Create a marketing plan. If you have the opportunity to hire a professional marketer, hire one. If not, you will have to determine the marketing policy yourself. Who are the people who will use your services? How will they find out about your salon? How will you promote yourself and your brand? Who are your competitors, how will you interact with them, how will you use their experience? Are you planning promotions, and if so, what kind of promotions? In general, marketing is a whole art, and mastering it depends on how far and high you build your business plans.
7. Create an organizational plan. This is your vision business structureswho works in parallel and who reports to whom, plus the responsibilities of each employee.
8. Outline the personnel policy. Here you define for yourself the principles of working with personnel, ways of attracting renowned masters, and training young specialists.

If you responsibly and conscientiously work out all of the above points - consider the simplest version of the business plan you made.

Ready-made business plan for a beauty salon

Let's make an approximate financial calculation within the business plan of a certain beauty salon in an average Russian city. You can also look at ready-made business plan for a beauty salon.

Suppose you open a middle-class beauty salon in a medium-sized city (not in Moscow or St. Petersburg). In your salon, the client is offered: haircuts of all kinds, hair coloring, manicures, pedicures, eyebrow and eyelash care, waxing.

The total area of such premises will vary from 60 to 100 square meters. Repairs can be put at 150 thousand roubles, monthly rent will cost 20-40 thousand roubles.

Furniture for the reception desk will cost from 60 to 70 thousand roubles. For a hairdressing salon - 70-80 thousand. For a manicure/pedicure room - 40-50 thousand. For the staff room - 20-30 thousand.

So, at the initial stage, at least about half a million roubles will be required. If you are opening a large salon or are talking about a metropolis with expensive rent, the start-up costs will be higher.

Then there are the monthly expenses.

Let's assume that you can afford a salary fund of 80-100 thousand roubles. Then there are utilities - 8-10 thousand rubles, the purchase of consumables - 15-20 thousand, advertising - from 10 thousand rubles. Total monthly minimum costs will be 130-150 thousand. Plus rent (in the start-up costs we counted it only for 1 month) - another 20-40 thousand. All in all, 150-200 thousand rubles.

How long will it take to recoup the investment and move on to profit? If your salon will be visited by 20 people a day with an average price tag of 500 rubles, then a month the salon will earn 300 thousand rubles. So, the initial investment will pay off in just 2 months. Further salon will bring profit of 100-150 thousand a month.

Of course, these calculations are very conditional. They must be adjusted on the basis of specific conditions. But it is extremely important to carefully calculate costs before starting a business. And one more thing - analyze your competitors. Information about the work of other beauty salons in your town can help you build your business correctly.

How to choose staff for a beauty salon

There are no strict requirements for salon staff - here everything depends not on diplomas and "crusts" (although any education, courses or training is a plus), but on the professionalism of the master. If he has a name, there is a satisfied clientele - then the salon will not be empty. Find such masters - the main task of the owner of the salon. After all, no matter how you look at it, clients come for a quality service, the "magic hands" of a master who will make them beautiful, not for a chic interior or impeccably served coffee.

Another thing is licensed services. Here the "crust" is also important - so, a cosmetologist can be either a doctor of certain specialties, or a specialist with secondary medical education. But they have the right to perform different types of services.

Of course, the salon, in addition to the masters, will need other employees: an administrator, an accountant, a cleaner. As the business expands, this list will increase.

Secrets of effective staff motivation

Knowledgeable executives know secrets of effective staff motivation. There are two areas that are equally important for motivating good staff performance - tangible and intangible. With material everything is clear - it is necessary to implement a system in which the employee who brings in more income receives more money.

It is desirable to include in the financial part of the project an item for training of masters. The art of beauty is rapidly evolving, new trends, new opportunities, devices and materials are appearing. In order not to be in the rearguard and be if not ahead, then at least at the same level with competitors, you will have to constantly keep your hand on the pulse of all the novelties.

An effective way of material motivation is a system of fines. Penalties should be justified and clear to all employees: lateness, leaving work before the end of time, conflicts with customers.

The second area of employee motivation is non-material, and it is less clear, especially to those who are just starting a business and have no experience. So let's dwell on it in more detail.

Money is an important but not the only incentive in any person's work. There are many other needs that an individual needs to fulfill. For example, a sense of self worth. Some people have it in such short supply that they are willing to do a lot to satisfy it. What can be done? Have a competition with non-material rewards. For example, putting the winner's photo on a special a stand that says "Best Employee", or introduce a nominal position - in cases where this is appropriate.

It is important to recognize the merits and praise the employee. People are quite strange - they are always ready to scold, even to shout. But when another person has done something good, we tend to keep silent, as if that is the way it should be. We behave the same way with our loved ones. Husband didn't take out the trash - yell for half an hour. Cooked dinner - you'd think that's the way it's supposed to be. But no. A person is always offended if others do not notice the good that he did. So if you are a business owner - make it a rule to praise your employees. Family members, by the way, too. And you will get a lot of bonuses in return, which, we note, you get completely cost-free.

Be attentive - find out at least the most general information about employees. And if you ask in time - how the child is doing in the sports section, and whether the employee's mother has been discharged from hospital - you will be thanked. And good work.

To open a salon seems difficult and expensive, but in fact with this task can cope with any novice businessman. You need:

1. Make a business plan
2. Find a space and make renovations there,
3. Process all necessary paperwork,
4. Buy Equipment,
5. Come up with a name
6. Hire staff,
7. Run ads
8. Start taking clients

The idea of opening your own beauty salon can be successful and promising if you have carefully calculated all the costs, potential income and risks. If you are confident in your abilities, go ahead!