1. Use the lockdown time wisely. Now is a great time to step outside of your business and think about how you can take it forward when you reopen. Usually salons are caught up in the hectic day-to-day running of the salon, so use this valuable time to take stock and think about your business from an outside perspective. You can formulate a future business plan, look at new ideas and service opportunities and think about making interior changes to invigorate your business. 2. Research and plan. When you start to formulate ideas and a plan of action, use the lockdown to research and start attaching some numbers to your ideas. How much investment do you need to make? How long will your ideas take to implement, and what’s the return going to be? Sometimes simple changes make big differences and are easier to implement than you might think. Example: Adding traditional wet shave services requires a modest investment in equipment but it elevates the service experience and enables you to charge a premium price. Similarly, salons can easily and quickly introduce Spa Mist II that upscales treatments and colour processing services, as well as delivering improved outcomes. As well as creating a spa-style experience, it also enables hand-conditioning treatments to be easily introduced with minimal training. 3. Keep your customers informed. At a time like this your clients’ won’t want to be forgotten. Maintaining a level of communications on social media, and via email and/or text, lets them know that you’re thinking of them. Why not offer advice and tips on hair care at home to get them through a period when a visit to the salon is off limits? If you happen to have products that they’ll need you can always offer them online and deliver to their home. 4. Think soft-marketing. At a time when household incomes might be stretched, keep your marketing on the soft side. You could use the time to create post-lockdown packages too. As soon as you’re allowed to reopen, it will encourage your clients to take a more indulgent package to return their hair, colour and condition to immaculate whilst boosting your financial recovery. 5. Think interiors. During the enforced downtime, you could look at making interior changes to refresh and upgrade your salon or barbershop. As you can’t open to clients, it’s actually a perfect time to get in and tidy up, refresh tired paint and even look at making some design changes to wow customers on their return. For advice on equipment planning contact [mailto:hairdressing@takara.co.uk] or visit [www.takarahairdressing.co.uk]