How to Scale Your Brand and Manage Multiple Locations Like a Pro

The tips and techniques you need to grow your business

So you’re ready to open a new location. That’s great! Or maybe you simply want to level up your management skills. Either way, we have you covered with Part II of our Salon Manager’s Handbook.

The important thing to remember as you scale your business is that you are your brand’s most essential asset. You set the tone, make the decisions, and grow the business. Supporting yourself with the tools and tips you need to manage multiple locations will make a huge difference. 

In our guide, you will learn how to elevate client experiences, focus on convenience, and choose technology that supports your unique goals, as well as how to maximize your efforts to turn your burgeoning brand into a beauty behemoth. 

Download the guide now, or keep reading for some highlights.

(Missed Part I? We got you.)

Elevating the client experiences

The most important thing to remember is that client happiness is the key to your success. If the clients aren’t happy, your business will not grow. 

That’s why asking yourself how to deliver amazing client experiences is the number one thing to keep in mind. Your goal should be to keep clients coming back, no matter their preferences or the location they visit. You achieve this goal by building consistent, elevated client experiences across all of your locations.

Here’s how:

• Maintain client profiles: Keep track of client preferences so that you can impress your clients no matter which location they visit. 

• Build loyalty with memberships and gift cards: Memberships and gift cards help you encourage clients to try new services. Just be sure your offers extend to all locations to avoid confusion.

Delivering luxury through convenience

Clients (especially younger clients) are willing to pay more for convenience. That's why streamlining your booking, rebooking, adding services, and contacting your business will lead to enhanced profit. Plus, these luxuries save your staff time they can use to help ensure a satisfying client experience on-site.

• Keep booking and rebooking simple: Meet clients where they are. Offer a “Book now” button on your socials and website. Make sure the option to book is everywhere you list your services. Just make sure your booking process is quick and easy!

• Keep clients in the know: You can reduce cancellations and no-shows by sending quick confirmation emails and texts, including a reminder about the specific location your client is booked at. Combined with an online client portal, where clients can make changes to their appointments, this will help your staff stay focused on providing an excellent client experience. 

Embracing tech that supports your goals

Your technology should help you achieve your goals, not get in the way of your ambition. Make sure you’re using tools that will empower you to deliver the best client experience possible. 

• Make work feel less like “work”: You and your staff’s time is best spent caring for clients. Free up more of it by automating tedious day-to-day tasks like inventory management, check-in, checkout, and sending appointment reminders or confirmations. 

• Double down on client retention: Prebookings play a huge role in client retention. Your technology should make it simple to upsell and book the next appointment at checkout. Bonus points if your software also helps you with asking for reviews and referrals.  

Boosting your bottom line

Anything that isn’t bringing in money is costing you money. And anything you are actually spending money on should bring you a positive ROI. Analyze your bottom line to keep your expenses in check and your profits on the rise.

• Optimize your bookings: Self-booking is a blessing and a curse. While it’s helpful to free up your front desk’s time to care for clients, self-booking can lead to painful gaps in schedules or — even worse — overbooking. Tools like Boulevard’s Precision Scheduling™ recommend only the “best” times to keep your calendar stacked, accommodate for special timing or durations, and assign resources to keep your staff organized and productive

• Automate your marketing: Recurring clients lead to lasting, recurring revenue. Build those relationships with automated marketing emails for special events, special offers, or to request reviews. The opportunities are limited only by your imagination. 

Simplifying data, streamlining results

Data can be daunting. Don’t let it get the better of you. Your data has a story to tell, and you would do well to hear it. 

Data can tell you how well different locations are performing, or if something is working at one location but not another. Use your data to keep small problems from becoming bigger ones, or to turn what works at one location into a winning strategy for your brand.  

• Drive more recurring revenue: Your reporting can tell you which clients are returning and why. As our Client Retention Report showed, the second visit, not the first, is the most important in turning a visitor into a long-term client. So make sure you’re doing everything you can to get your first-timers to book that second appointment.

• Get creative with custom reports: Your reports give you the opportunity to dig deep and find insights that will help you grow your business. They should be customizable to allow you to use them as you see fit.  

Stay true to your brand and vision

Remember: Your vision and grit got you this far. Believe in yourself now. Managing multiple locations comes with its own set of challenges, but you’re up to the task. Just don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.