Do you need a pep talk about salon price increases? Because SAME!
Jo Haywood shares her advice.
Since April last year there have been so many changes when it comes to costs- and they just keep on coming. Now, I don’t watch the news (it’s so depressing that I steer well clear) but even so it’s hard to not have heard about the big changes going on within the government. I’m not going to pretend I understand it all or know all about it, but what I do know is, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to run a profitable business.
National Insurance contributions have gone up along with the minimum wage, the cost of products and many more things- the list is endless. Everywhere we go the prices are going up, take the local coffee shop for example, they have increased their price of a coffee from £3.20 to £3.90, an increase of 70p. Of course 70p doesn’t sound like a lot but that is an increase of 20%. The thought of putting up our services 20% seems extortionate as it’s more like £20-£30 extra depending on the service.
In an article I read around the time of the April 2025 budget it said that 82% of hair professionals were raising their prices because of this. April 2026 is now just around the corner and so price increases are on everyone’s minds again. The salon I work in is no different and I’ll be honest, it fills me with anxiety about what the clients will think. We all value our clients and don’t want to feel that we are ‘ripping them off’ or pushing it too far. We don’t want them to leave and find someone cheaper and watch our clientele slowly dwindle after years of hard graft to build it up.
However, this is not the mindset to be in. It’s not helpful or productive, instead we need to value ourselves and get some perspective. So here comes the pep talk…
Ultimately your clients come to see you because they like you and what you do, they value you. It’s time to value yourself. Your landlord, Tesco, or the coffee shop down the road aren’t worried about upsetting you when they raise their prices are they? No. But, because we have such a personal connection with our clients we feel guilty. But it’s time to get real! If around us everyone is raising their prices and everything is becoming more expensive, you can’t afford not to. Sadly, it’s the way of the world and we either join them or get left behind.
Maybe you work in a salon and the price increase is out of your hands. On one hand, great all of the hard decisions and calculations have been done for you! However, on the other hand if you don’t agree with it, or worse still feel like it won’t go down well with your clients, you’re the one who has to deliver the news- not so great. Delivery is key. If they can tell you’re not on board or you are explaining the price increase in a way that shows you feel guilty, they’ll join you. If you say confidently that the prices are going up and keep explanations to a minimum with a smile on your face, it’ll land so much better. Ultimately, people are hearing this everywhere they go so they’re not going to be shocked. As the article said, ‘82% of hair professionals are putting their prices up’ we are all in the same boat! If you’re worried your client will leave and go to another salon, feel assured they’ll probably find the same thing there too. So use that personal connection we have to deliver the news in a way that’s going to highlight the value of what you do and why they always come to see you.
Speaking of value, if this is all really stressing you out then focus on the value you’re giving. Think of all the things people spend their money on. Nearby the salon I work at, people can spend £50+ to get a manicure that lasts 2 weeks. Ok, the price of a haircut may be double but a haircut lasts at least 6 weeks- let the girl math commence… they’d be spending £150 for 6 weeks of nails compared to £100 for six weeks of a haircut. People buy a coffee every morning, as we established earlier it is now £3.90 at my local coffee shop. Girl math = 6 weeks of a morning coffee every day (that lasts for 15mins?!) would come to £163.80. Compare that to a £100 haircut that you wear all day every day for 6 weeks. Now are you starting to see your value? I hope so!
Now you might be thinking, ‘this is all well and good but I know at least a few of my clients won’t be having it!’ and what can I say? I feel the same! I guess we just have to think that ok, maybe we will lose some people but really we only want to have clients that value us and help us succeed. Hopefully, the extra that will be made through the price increases will offset any losses we notice until those gaps are filled with new clients- clients that value your time, experience and the expenses we face as an industry. It’s a tough time for everyone at the moment, so be kind, give people grace, but never forget your value.
I’d love to hear what’s happening in your salons and how you’re feeling about it all, let me know in the comments.
Jo Haywood x
INSTA @Salon_Business
