Three top barbers share what it takes to run a successful profitable business with excellent client retention.
It takes hard work and passion to get to the top of the UK barbering industry. From taking time to listen to customers to keeping up with changing technology, we speak to three business owners to get their tips on growing your client base and earning good reviews and ratings.
MARK MACIVER
Owner of SliderCuts, an award-winning barbershop in London
Spreading the word
You need to promote yourself on Google and social media such as Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. You may be a great barber but if you don’t get the word out, you won’t build up clients, as nobody will know who you are. Your business needs to be where everybody is.
Be willing to invest
You need to run your business like a business, which means doing all the important things that go into running it. Th is includes paying for the help around you. I’ve invested in a team to help me grow my business, including a publicist, and two receptionists who work on the shop floor and help with reposting my content on all the different social media platforms.
People read reviews
People do look at reviews when they’re buying something or going somewhere, so getting good reviews for your business is important. If someone leaves a bad review, we ask what went wrong with their experience and we work hard to resolve it. Sometimes it may be a misunderstanding, and other times it can be a mistake on our behalf. In that case, we would refund the customer and sometimes compensate them with a free haircut as well. It’s important to be honest when you’re at fault and to rectify a problem when it arises.
TOP TIP: Don’t be afraid to pass costs onto the client. You shouldn’t have any guilt about running a business to make money. When I first became VAT registered, I didn’t feel comfortable adding this to client’s bills. In the end, I sent an email to existing clients to explain that I was putting prices up.
ANDREW CANNON
Co-founder of Ruffians, five award-winning barbershops in Edinburgh and London
Look after your staff
It’s important to make sure everyone in the team is challenged, motivated and rewarded. This will push everyone to come up with new ideas that benefit the business and clients. If staff are having fun doing what they love and they’re working hard, then everything will flow from there. Your clients will keep coming back as they will enjoy the experience.
Focus on the client perspective
Sometimes we get members of the team to sit down in the client seat so they can see what the client is experiencing. You never really get to sit down in your own barber chair and see what looks right and what doesn’t. If something is wrong, then you can fix it.
Continuing to evolve and grow
We’re not here for Instagram fame – we’re not here for anyone apart from ourselves and our clients. We’ve stayed true to that, which has helped us to grow and be recognised. There’s a real authenticity, desire and pride to do what we do. We want to continue to evolve and push the boundaries – I don’t think we’ve made it yet. In the future, I want to create a legacy and be a source of pride in British hairdressing.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
It’s good to be brave and give things a go. If it doesn’t work out, dust yourself down and move on.
TOP TIP: Be true to yourself. Don’t look at what everyone else is doing. Think about what you want to do and achieve, then go for it.
PAUL MCGEORGE
Owner of Barnwell Barbers, a top-rated barbershop in Cambridge
Understand each client’s needs
To get to the top, you need to provide great customer service. This means listening to each of your clients and building a rapport with them. Get to know them on a personal level and gauge what they want. For example, some clients want to talk and others want to have their hair cut in peace and quiet. Tailor the service to each person.
Offer walk-in appointments
Men often prefer to walk into a barbershop rather than book appointments, so it’s good to off er both options. We get about 500 to 600 walk-ins a week, alongside our booked appointments. Th is has helped us to build client retention and stopped us losing business if a client who has booked an appointment doesn’t turn up.
Increasing your ratings
If you’re only on one star, you need to identify what’s going wrong and up your game. And if you’re on four stars, you need to improve what you are already doing, making sure every client goes away happy. Ask them to write a review to help bring you up to five stars. If I get a bad review, I deal with it straight away – I phone the client and try to rectify it. If you do get a bad review, don’t let it get you down but resolve it with the client.
Don’t give up
If you learn from your mistakes and move forward, then it’s okay. You only fail if you give up on something. We all make mistakes – after all, we’re only human. One of the mistakes I made when first starting out was not being organised. I’ve since learned that it’s important to do stock checks and plan your time carefully.
TOP TIP: Move forward with technology as it’s constantly changing. For example, invest in new razors, clippers and hairdryers.
TOP TIPS: DOS AND DON’TS FOR SUCCESS
DO:
‘Do take advice and be open-minded, as it can stop you from making mistakes that you didn’t necessarily need to make’ – Andrew Cannon
‘Do maintain high standards of cleanliness and work hard to keep clients safe during the pandemic’ – Paul McGeorge
DON'T:
‘Don’t get caught up in the hype. You see barbers become celebrities and they can forget they’re there to serve the client. It’s important to stay grounded’ – Mark Maciver
CHECKLIST: KEEP UP YOUR FIVE-STAR SUCCESS
- ‘Look after your clients, get to know them and make sure they’re happy’ – Paul McGeorge
- ‘Remember you’re there to serve the customer. They’re paying you for a service, so focus on delivering it well’ – Mark Maciver
- ‘You’ve got to love and have pride in what you do. If your team is happy, then your clients will be satisfied’ - Andrew Cannon