How We Bring in New Guests & Keep Them!

It’s Spring! It’s time for NEW beginnings, NEW looks and NEW Guests.

Spring is a time of year we prepare for the influx of new guests. It is important to realize what it takes to attract new guests to walk in and use our services and how to keep them coming back. At Forbici, we want our salon to be successful and we are invested in doing whatever it takes to make that happen.

What it does it take to attract and keep customers?

We understand that not everyone is our customer and we try not to make the mistake of thinking we have to be all things for all people. We also know that there are certain standards that today’s clients expect from all salons/spas…

4 Things Clients Expect from Their Salon Visit

1. The Experience. More than anything, guests prioritize the experience and they seek an engaging, fresh experience in store and online. We are continually finding ways of changing it up so our clients are nearly always getting a new experience. A good presence online gives our potential client access to who we are as a brand as well as a team and builds that connection that brings traffic into our salon.

2. Personalization. Guests want us to understand their individual needs and base our offerings on that. Essentially, guests want to feel special.

3. Consultation. More than 90% of NEW guests say they’ve never had a personalized consultation! When guests feel like the salon is the same old experience, they won’t really care to return. Our consultations are tailored to the guest in the chair at that moment.

4. A Clean Professional Environment. When a guest walks through our salon doors, we want that first impression to be favorable and we want it to continue until that guest walks out the door. Details that might seem minor can have a make-or-break effect on client retention. At Forbici Salon and Spa, creating a high-quality client experience is our top priority and now, our guests will be able to see that for themselves! Did we mention our complete salon and spa renovation?

Customers can go anywhere to get their salon needs met, but at Forbici they keep coming back because we provide what they need from their salon and we continually work to meet that need. Knowing our customers and targeting the right customers, rather than trying to appeal to everybody, is what makes the Forbici difference. Our staff makes a huge impact on the success of our brand as they are a crucial part bringing in those all-important new clients.

We walk around the neighborhood and have a total understanding of the people who live, work, and spend time in the area. We see our clients in coffee shops, grocery stores and bars, so we have a general sense for community and what they really need and want from a salon in their neighborhood.

As a NEW GUEST we look forward to getting to know you! Visit our New Guest webpage and a member of our guest services team will reach out to you with an appointment /stylist recommendation. Our first time guests will also receive a very special discount to apply to any of our salon and spa services!

Don’t forget that our returning guests receive discounts for referrals and that ALL of our guests are eligible for our Loyalty Rewards Program where you earn points to use toward your future services!

Embrace or not to Embrace Gray Hair?

It used to be a thing to be a “thing” to avoid gray hair at all cost, but today, people are going gray at a much younger age and even intentionally seeking out that silvery coolness as a fashion statement.

Whether you have traces of gray or you feel you are in need of serious camouflage, there are plenty of options out there and it’s important to understand exactly what type of hair color techniques are best for dealing with your unique coverage goals.

There are essentially two different types of color your colorist will use to cover gray hair—demi-permanent or permanent.

Demi-permanent hair color options, deliver non-permanent pigment that will gradually fade over time. “Demi-permanent colors don’t cover the gray so much as they color it, making gray hairs blend in more with the overall color and look almost like a highlight,”. The big difference with this option is the maintenance, because the grow-out process is much less noticeable, and you’ll be able to go longer in between salon appointments.

"When you want that immediate satisfaction of leaving the salon and no longer seeing any grays whatsoever, permanent hair color is the way to go" explains Redken Artist Jason Gribbin. Permanent color often requires a single process hair color service. Not sure what that is? With a single process service, your colorist will apply the color, let it sit and process, then rinse it off and you’re good to go.

Talk to your stylist

Not sure about whether you want color at all? You may wish to transition slowly. Have an honest conversation with your stylist about how long your transition will take, and ask about dimensional color services to blend into your gray hair gradually. Depending on your natural hair color and skin tone, adding brighter and lighter shades might be a route for you to get used to your new regimen.

Other gray services

1. Root touch-up

This is the classic root coverage, designed to disguise gray regrowth coming through.

2. Express touch-up

While traditional root touch-ups cover the entire root area, an express service uses the same products with a partial application method that focuses on the parting and hairline.

3. Gray blending

Low on commitment and high on the natural look, a little gray blending will seamlessly camouflage minimal regrowth using demi-permanent color. This is a great option for men hoping to blend their grays. We have dedicated services just for men so be sure and check out our Services Designed For Men!

Don’t forget the right products…

Because gray hair is always more coarse, wise to use conditioning treatments and using hair masks for extra shine. Ask your Forbici colorist for one that will work especially for you!

6 Things You Should Know About Forbici's Owner, Jackie Lewis

1) What inspired your decision to open a hair salon/spa business?

A wonderful opportunity presented itself! I had been working at a small salon down the street, and the owner (who was retiring) provided the option to purchase the salon. My two brothers had already started their own businesses, and they felt it was very important for me to be in business for myself. I was fortunate to have my family's support and decided to go ahead and purchase the business. I brought in a salon consulting firm and put many systems in place to help further employee growth in our industry. Since then, I have relocated and expanded. We have been in business for 29 years and have grown from 6 employees (2 of them are still working at Forbici) to 40 employees. As an owner, you can never stop building or growing your business. If you do not continue to grow and evolve, the business will fail.

2) How would you describe the culture at Forbici? What type of people tend to really thrive here?

We have a very team oriented environment. The primary focus of our staff is truly to help our guests look and feel the best that they can. That passion translates in the work that they do. I do not advance team members who are not committed to ongoing education along with dedication to our guests and our team, as it is imperative for our success.

3) What are some of the toughest challenges you have faced over the years?

There have been two: 2011 was an incredibly challenging year financially. Many of our busiest employees left to do other things and we lost about 25% of revenue. Looking back on that time taught me a great deal. It is unfortunate that we have to go through things like that in order to grow and learn, but it certainly provides perspective and gratitude for how far we have come. The other challenge has been dealing with the Covid pandemic. Closing the doors on my business for nearly 3 months without knowing how we would survive was incredibly difficult emotionally. We had just achieved our best year in business, and then we were instantly faced with whether we would have staff or guests when we returned to the salon. We have also had to navigate the ongoing challenge that people are not as patient as they used to be, and at times, this has taken the fun out of our job.

4) What do you believe differentiates a good salon from one that is really great?

The simple answer is the colleagues. You can have the nicest, state-of-the-art equipment, but without the commitment from leadership and the team to continue to grow their education and passion for their craft, the guests will not return and the business will not be successful. Everything is tied to the team that works together.

5) What do you like most about working at Forbici?

Growing my team members. The most rewarding thing I get to do is to take a recent graduate from cosmetology school, teach them business acumen and technical skills and within a few years they are able to purchase their own condo. Having the ability to help make these young people independent and financially secure is the most rewarding thing I get to do!

6) How will you measure the success of the salon going forward?

Financial growth is imperative to stay in business, especially in this unpredictable economy. But truly the biggest indicator of business success is the continued growth of employee and guest satisfaction. If a team isn't evolving, happy and fulfilled, there is a ripple effect. The guests will ultimately feel it, and the business will become stagnant.

Forbici has been fortunate and committed to standing the test of time. Our dedicated leadership and team keeps looking to the future while ensuring we do our very best to keep our long standing guests feeling and looking their best. We are in the business of self care and during these crazy times, people are seeking spaces to prioritize and take care of themselves.