Salons are falling into a common trap warns Harvard Researchers Here's the trap...

"Instead of finding ways to innovate, create dynamic growth and change,
most salons tend to stick to what they know EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT WORKING!

Why do owners, stylists and entire salons keep doing the same thing even when it's not working? It's really simple according the Harvard Researchers... Fear of Change.

It makes sense because none of us want to get screwed when we try something new by wasting our time and money. We've all done it before. And we've all beat ourselves up because we feel like we failed! So what do most of us learn when this happens? We learn that staying with what doesn't work is safer because we won't feel bad when we make a mistake trying something new. That's a false belief we created for ourselves.

Instead the lesson must be "So I made a mistake. What can I learn from it?" What needs to be learned is how to find top quality education. How do you do that?

In order to be fair and unbiased, we hired a an independent research company (Empire Research Group at a substantial cost) to investigate the challenges facing today's salons and stylists. One of the challenges they found was finding top quality education.

Here's how they recommended finding Top Quality Education: It must:
• Contain innovative content that creates value and produces dynamic growth.
• Be created and delivered by experts with real-world experience.
• Have delivery methods that ensure optimal learning.
• Be proven effective.
• Come with a satisfaction money back guarantee.

We at Coastline are proud to say that all of our education meets those requirements for top quality education and is why we've become the educator of choice!

The Insanity Loop

The clinical definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing, over and over again, expecting a different result? Has the education you've been getting been working? How do you know it's working? Simple. Sales are increasing and you and your staff are making more money. If that's not happening then why do you continue to get the same old education from the same places? The Harvard Researches already gave us one reason: Fear of Change.

Here's another: You've been led to believe that the education is working. How does that happen?
Well, most education comes from big name, branded companies. You may carry their products, you see them in all the industry magazines and they're at all the major hair shows. You've become familiar and comfortable with them. Many salons and stylists have become "Brand Brainwashed". In a survey we did last summer, when consumers at random were asked: "How important is the brand of hair color your stylist uses?", 99% said it wasn't important. A follow up question on products asked: "What products do you buy in the salon you go to?", 95% said "Whatever my stylist recommends". 95% also said that they had no loyalty to a particular salon brand, that they would take the recommendation of their stylist.

To justify our decisions and not appear insane, we RATIONALIZE, make EXCUSES and BLAME. The easiest thing to blame right now is the economy. Other commons excuses are "I don’t have the time"; "I don’t have the money"; "The staff just won't use what they’ve learned" ,"I can’t find any classes close by" and "I have free education from my points". Is that "free education" really worth it? Are sales and profit increasing?

So how can these companies teach education that doesn't meet the criteria for Top Quality Education? Can it be that their education is intended to mostly be focused on their products and color and how to get you to use and buy more? Many salons we're familiar with will say that’s what they've come to learn. If you've been taking classes and you're sales and income aren’t increasing, the education your getting isn't working! Isn't it time to get off of the Insanity Loop?

Industry Results

Salon retail sales have declined every year for the past EIGHT YEARS! (Our clients increased retail sales an average of 22%!) Salon hair color sales grew a paltry 1 1/2% in 2009 while at home hair color sales increased 4.3%. (Our clients increased color sales an average of 20%!). If the industry's education is working why are the results so poor? By the way, L'Oreal and Proctor and Gamble sell most of the over-the-counter color. Areyou supporting those brand in your salon? That sucking sound is your salon color business going to them!

When's the last time you really MEASURED your results? Many salons have salon software but most don't use the reports that show them what's happening with their sales. All they know is their income is either going up or down. It's a fair indication of how your "education" is working. How's you're income been doing? Are you making more money? If not, isn't it time to try a different approach? You've got nothing to lose since what you're doing now isn't working!