Today, I want to talk to you about making your salon a big fish in a small pond. What do I mean by that? Well, even in small markets, competition can exist between salons, and if you are looking to have your salon grow (or even remain successful) you need to stake your claim in your market. In other words, become the big fish!

So, how can you be a big fish in a small pond? There are a lot of ways to do this. One tactic we us at my salon, Be Inspired Salon in Madison, WI, is sponsoring a local radio station. We sponsor the local station Life 102.5. This station is inspirational and uplifting, values we like to carry at Be InspiredSalon, and we know that our clientele listens to this station.

How does this make us a big fish in a small pond? We are the only salon in our area that sponsors this radio station. Our salon name reaches thousands of people each week because of the sponsorship, building up our brand recognition. And, it works! Be Inspired Salon is one of the top salons in the Madison area.

So my question for you is this….what can you do to make your salon a big fish in a small pond?  This doesn’t have to only apply to smaller markets like Madison. Let’s say you are a salon in a bigger city, like Chicago or Denver. You don’t have to compete with every salon in the big market, but focus on carving out your space in a smaller section of that big market.

Here are some ideas to help you become that big fish!

• Sponsor a local, popular radio program
• Sponsor a local sports league or popular event, such as a fun run
• Take out an eye-catching billboard
• Partner with prominent local charities or businesses
• Host a charity cut-a-thon
• Offer educational hair and beauty classes at your salon for the public

Do you have some ideas or tactics you are already using to become a big fish in a small pond? We’d love to hear from you! You can contact us here.

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