As we say goodbye to the end of a decade, it’s time to say goodbye to a few small items that may need review, refresh or simply a recycle as we enter into the New Year!
1.Review Your 2019 Results
It’s easy to get swept up in the celebrations of a New Year and forget that 2019 even existed, however for the purpose of reflection, it’s always a good idea to sit with your 2019 results, measure your progress and congratulate yourself on another year in business!
Write down things that you accomplished, classes or events you attended, what you loved about the year and what your goals are moving into the next.
2. Develop Your 2020 Budget
One of our favourite sayings is ‘you cannot be, what you cannot see’ and this quote includes a financial aspect too. Developing your yearly, quarterly or monthly budget allows you to place strategic measurable goals that drive motivation in your retail and service figures. Instead of blanketing a 10% increase YOY, plan per therapist for growth and productivity, which will have you meeting more realistic goals.
3. Reflect on your values, mission and vision
This can take as little or as much time as you require. Sometimes along the hustle and bustle of the year we lose sight of our purpose and the vision becomes blurry, trailing us off into many different pathways we never imagined. Sit with your values, adjust them if you have outgrown them, or realign them should you have strayed.
4. Make a Promotional Calendar
Not just any promotional calendar, but a profitable promotional calendar! Pre-plan your promotions, marketing and advertising campaigns for the year, ensuring that if discounting, you’re still making profitable discounting decisions. Create a yearly calendar and block promotions in four weekly intervals at a time. This will keep you and your team consistent in marketing language, and your clients excited for the next months deal.
5. Update Your Website
Remember that thing on the internet which your clients click on to make their appointments that mayyyybe you forgot about half way through 2019? That is your website! Clients nowadays prefer to make their bookings online – in fact, the most active time for service based businesses is between 11pm and 1am. Ensure your website has up to date information about your business, it’s treatment menu and update any copy or content that may need a refresh. If you’re on socials, make sure your biography points to your website to make the conversion rate from platform to website seamless.
6. Declutter
No hoarding in the spa – say it with me ‘no hoarding in the spa!’. There’s absolutely nothing worse than a business that collects clutter. Throw away old wax pots which have are broken beyond repair sitting in the kitchen, empty out your staff fridge, give it a good once over and please, please tidy the cupboards and draws in your treatment rooms – clients can see in there too you know!
7. Review your treatment menu
There is generally at least one or two services that do not need to be on your treatment menu. Pull a report from your salon software program showing you the top 20 services and keep them on your menu. Now, pull a report with your bottom 5 services and cross them off. Simplifying your treatment menu will make your team and clients life so much easier when selecting a service and serving the clients.
8. Re-evaluate your stock
Back to the computer for more report pulling here my friend. Top 20 and bottom 20 moving products. Ensure you have a minimum of 5 of your highest sellers on the shelves at all times, and as for your slow movers, keep their numbers under 3 for the off chance that a client walks in and is seeking said product. These reports will help your business moving between months and stop product from sitting on the shelves between purchases.
9. Replace couch cushions
That old floral nanna looking cushion has to go! Treat yourself and your clients with some new comfy pillows. Ensure your brands interior styling aligns with your vision and values, and match cushion colours to essential branding items like your treatment menu, uniforms you wear and artwork in your space.
10. Replace your testers
There’s nothing worse than opening up a tester only to find it’s half spilled out product around the top is oily, leaking or crusty. Wipe newer testers down with a warm cloth, and scoop the inside of lids with a cotton ear bud. If the testers are empty, your client won’t be able to enjoy the sensory experience of opening, smelling and feeling the product – throw it in the recycle and replace immediately.
11. Clean your spray tan tent
After the influx of spray tans you’ve serviced over the silly season, your spray tan deserves a little TLC in the form of a wash. Turn some warm water on, get a coarse brush and give that baby a good cleaning. While you’re in there, wipe down anything that the spray solution has touched – which is basically everything! Fans, extractors, rails, chairs and everything in between needs a wipe in the spray tan room!
12. Recycle old towels
Oil stained, tattered heavy towles have got to go! Invest in some large lush bath sheets which complement the aesthetic of your space and really treat your clients. While you’re there, book yourself a little treatment, you deserve it after completing this list!
13. Review your team training analysis plan
Everyone knows there is no training to be booked between November and December, which means your team hasn’t been trained and no quality assurance has been performed in over two months now – eek! Review training that was completed in 2019, map out your training plan and therapist career goals for the New Year and book them into training sessions for both personal and professional development.
14. Register for any event
FOMO got you good in 2019 when you missed out on industry events? Don’t let it happen again! Take a look at industry events that are going to build your business and technical skills, enhance your networking opportunities and provide you with advanced education. Even better, should a friend or family member have failed to purchase you a Christmas present as of yet, point them in the direction of our events page and join the community fun in 2020!
15. Renew association memberships
Now that you’ve got a little more time on your hands, it’s great to renew your association memberships. Associations help keep you in alignment for good business practice and allow you a point of support contact should you require a quick call to a lawyer or insurance person.
16. Replace uniforms
Similar to towels being oily, stained and heavy – uniforms get like this too. Stretched fabric, worn through logos and fraying pants instantly create a negative first impression for any client about to have a treatment. Supply your team members with two fresh uniforms for full time therapists which will see them take pride in their presentation when returning to work after the holiday break.
17. Order name badges
No uniform is complete without name badges. Chances as between October and December you had staff either coming or going and now is the perfect time to welcome therapists you onboarded during the busy season into your business officially with a name badge.
18. Replenish your stock
Your team smashed out the retail sales during December and your stock sold like hot cakes – go you, but now the shelves are bare. Replenish stock levels so that your team can get back to recommending their favourite products, rather than having to substitute for whatever is left on the sad shelves!
19. Merchandise your shelves
Clear away the tinsel and glitter stars and make way for the New Year. Re-organise your shelves to showcase SPF, pigment blockers, and exfoliants all clients should be using during the Summer months and create a dedicated Christmas area for leftover promo packs that didn’t sell through during December.
20. Create your New Year word
An entire resolution is too hard and too much, we never stick to them – a New Year word however, easy to remember and simple to follow through. Choose the first word that comes to your mind when you think about 2020 and write it down. When heading into the New Year, take your word and use it to help you make proactive decisions in your business.
Get your team to help you complete this list when heading into 2020, or if you don’t have a team, space out each step across the day during down time and slowing tick them off. Doing so will help you feel calm, cleansed and bring you a sense of clarity about moving into 2020.
