Why are bridal clients a good market for salons to tap into?
The bridal market is a fantastic service to offer within a salon and a great market to be in. A wedding day is one of the most important days of a girls life, so to be able to offer the most exceptional hair services to bridal parties up and down the UK is something vitally important and that will set you aside from your competitors. Every bride wants to ensure their day runs smoothly and they are receiving the best possible service, so to offer an in salon service or on location service is something all salons should consider – it opens up your potential market and allows you to reach a new clientele.
What makes a good bridal service?
To offer a bridal service you must ensure you cater to each brides individual need. Every individual will want something different for their big day, therefore you need to ensure you and your team have the knowledge and experience to offer them what they want in order to create their perfect look. It’s all about the client, so ensuring you have every area covered is absolutely necessary. It’s also important to ensure you can quickly adapt from one bride to the next. One day you may be doing a simple waved look and the next you may be tasked with a creative up do – having the skills to quickly change to suit the bespoke request is a must.
How do you cater for this market?
Catering for the bridal market is a specialty and something that needs extensive planning and research. You need to ensure ,firstly, that you offer the services that will appeal to brides the most – research shows that hair, makeup and nails are the top three must haves for brides. If not providing all services under one roof, connect with the other artists so you can communicate and ensure everyone is on the one page!
Secondly when dealing with a bridal party, whether this be a set package or tailored package, you must ensure you are able to deliver what you have set out for them. As the hair team will be required in the run up to the wedding, ensure you have enough staff on the salon floor to allow for the hair team to be out on the wedding day with the bridal party. It’s all about planning and organization – this is key!
What does your salon offer brides in terms of preparation, planning and service on the day?
Within Siren, we want to ensure the preparation and run up to the big day is flawless and as relaxed as possible. When a bridal party visits the salon for a consultation, they are greeted by one of our fabulous team members and I will then take them to a quiet area and discuss all the fine details and begin the bridal process. Firstly we discuss all needs ie. wedding date, dress details for both the bride and bridal party, hair inspiration, beauty and makeup. It is essential I know every fine detail to ensure everything ties in with what the wedding theme is. I then put together a bespoke bridal plan for the party, detailing how many trials are required, any colour appointments, and requirements for the big day. On the day I offer the bridal party our salon as a base, which provides a relaxed and calming environment, and allows them to enjoy some fizz and nibbles while enjoying their appointment or I can travel on location to the party themselves. I try to accommodate all requests – it’s all about making the party feel at ease and ensuring they are happy at all times.
How do you ensure that your service stands out from others in your local area?
Within our local area and the bridal industry as a whole, myself and the team at Siren are known for our fantastic bridal services, a reputation that has been built up over 20 years and something we are very proud of. We created a bespoke and unique bridal service within the salon and put every effort into making this as special and memorable as possible. We have also worked with many of the other makeup artists, nail artists, photographers and venues and have a great relationship with them all, who continuously recommend us. We can help them during the entire process and can often help them source their bridal team.
Where can stylists get inspiration for their bridal hairstyles?
I would advise stylists to look at the runway shows from Fashion Weeks across the globe. The catwalks set the trends for the seasons and you can tailor each look for your clients preference and make it more consumer friendly. Shows such as Dior or Philip Lim are great for creating bridal like styles and provide incredible inspiration. I take inspiration and then always implement my own twists on the styles, creating something bespoke for the bride and her party.
How can they ensure that they offer the best service on the day?
Offering the best service on the day is all about organisation and knowledge – this is the number one thing to remember. Preparation is vital to ensuring the day runs smoothly and exactly as it has been planned. Ensure all plans are in place for the day and all members of the team are aware of the ongoings and their job roles on the day.
As well as this be prepared for change – you may have to change something on the day at last minute so being prepared is the best way to ensure you are offering the best service. My kit is full of added extras to cover any ‘just incase’ or ‘last minute’ moments. There is nothing better than a flawless service.
How can salons promote their service to potential brides?
Promoting services to potential brides can be done in many ways. Firstly, put together your packages or services and ensure information is on your website and that it is all up to date. The first thing many brides will do is a google search for bridal services in their area so ensuring you are at the top of the ranking is essential. Secondly, I would suggest getting in touch with local wedding fayres or perhaps holding an open evening within the salon, doing demonstrations and offering information to potential bridal parties. It gives them a chance to see what you are capable of and if in the salon allows them to experience the environment. And of course, I would also suggest including information upon your social media pages. We all use social media these days so having information available is essential as this has become a salon window for many. Show off your incredible skills and link in with other local businesses and media outlets, encouraging them to share your services!