Do you dream of opening a home-based salon? Many do, and it’s an exciting prospect! However, when it comes to the idea of working in a commercial property where overheads, outgoings and expenses will be taken into account, it can seem really daunting. So, most budding entrepreneurs look a little closer to home as a way of dipping their toes in the water. To help you run beauty services at home, we’ve compiled a list of important do’s and don’ts:
Home-based salon do’s
1 – Do treat your home-based salon like any other business; approached with a professional, proficient and business-like mindset. Just because the new business is run from home, doesn’t mean it should be any less professional than if you were opening up with a commercial property!
2 – Do ensure you are getting all the relevant checks done before opening up to clients. Check with your home insurer that you are covered to invite the general public into your home. Equally, don’t forget to inform your mortgage provider of your plans. They may request proof of insurance to ensure you are adequately covered should anything unfortunate occur. We discuss the different types of salon insurance and why you should have them here. You should also inform your landlord of your business plans if you are renting. As it stands, they would be liable, alongside yourself, for anything that may happen to a client on your premises.
3 – Do let the local council know about plans to open a home-based salon. You may need to apply for a change of use to your property. This could result in needing to pay business rates moving forward. You should also inform HMRC in order to pay tax and National Insurance. If appointed, an accountant will be able to do this for you.
4 – Do set restricted working hours. Clients will be coming in and out of your home on a daily / weekly basis. If you have a family, consider having strict working and opening hours that clients are aware of. Working from home provides the option to be flexible around other commitments, so factor this in before opening your doors.
5 – Do consider having a separate toilet facility for clients to avoid opening up your whole home. However, if this can’t be avoided, ensure that all areas where clients will be walking through are kept neat and tidy.
6 – Do write a business plan and marketing strategy. These will help you visualise where the business is going and how it can grow. As a business run from home, you won’t have the benefit of a commercial shopfront, so more effort will be required to market the business. Consider getting yourself a website with a ‘welcome offer’ for clients’ first visits.
Home-based salon don’ts
1 – Don’t be scared to make the commitment! You’ve been dreaming of this for as long as you can remember and now you’ve got the chance of opening your very own salon in the comfort of your home. Take the leap – you won’t know whether it will be a success until you try.
2 – Don’t just move furniture in the spare bedroom to one side and cram in all of your business materials. Create your own treatment room where clients can come and relax. It needs to be a home away from home for clients, but still needs to have the look and feel of a high street treatment room. You want clients to pay for your service, so show them a relaxing, calm and professional setting to have the best experience possible.
3 – Don’t let clients dictate your terms. Plenty of salons have fallen prey to no-shows and last-minute cancellations, and the same applies for a home beauty salon or hair salon. Armed with our advice on how to reduce no-shows and cancellations, you can let clients know what to expect to make sure such circumstances don’t impact your income and / or other appointments that day.
4 – Don’t forget about industry trends. Whilst they’re removed from the hustle and bustle of a commercial environment, you must keep up to date with the latest trends for your home-based spa business or salon. You should be actively working to learn new skills and update treatment / services lists to suit these trends. Potential clients already have a lot of choice, so give them a reason to come to your home-based salon over a bigger salon nearby.
5 – Don’t just rely on paper records! An efficient home-based salon or spa will still need to consider client details and preferences, including marketing, products, styles and more. It can be difficult to note this all down for every client, whilst at the same time knowing when their last patch test was or if they have any medical conditions that may impact treatments.
Salon by Premier Software® has be designed to manage your business so you can be more hands-on with clients. This includes maintaining client data with its GDPR-compliant system. Discover how Salon can help as you open your salon by booking a free presentation today.
