If you own a hair salon and are looking for ways to grow your business or if you’re considering starting a new hair salon, you will need to be very clear about who your target market is and who isn’t.
Sure, everyone needs a hair salon, but your hair salon may not be for everyone!
So, who will you target? Men? Women? Both? What age group will your target market be? What income level? Will there be any specific types of hairstyles or haircare that you will specialize in?
These are questions you will have to think deeply about before launching your business or before launching marketing campaigns to attract new customers to your existing salon.
In this article, we study the target market for hair salons by analyzing it from a very different angle – customer motivation. We will try to understand what motivates someone to go to a hair salon. Remember, it’s never “just to get a haircut”. There is always a deeper motivation, a true need, that makes people go to a coiffeur or a hairdresser.
Let’s try and understand these motivations.
Keep reading!
Understanding the Target Market for Hair Salons
One of the best ways to understand the target market for hair salons is by analyzing the reasons that people have for going to a hair salon as opposed to cutting their hair themselves or asking their spouse or partner to do it.
Based on this segmentation criterion, we can divide the target market for hair salons into the following market segments:
- People who just want to look good
- People who would like to acquire a certain hairstyle
- People who have a big event coming up
- People who have special hair needs
- People who need to get their hair colored
- People who need their hair treated
Let’s try and understand the motivations of each of these segments of the target market for hair salons.
1. People who just want to look good
Most people go to a hair salon because they want to look good and having a professional hair specialist do their hair is the best way to achieve that goal. This segment of people is mostly concerned with looking presentable and they want to make sure that their hair looks its best.
People in this segment of the target market for hair salons can range from those who just want to get a simple haircut to those who want to get their hair styled for a special event.
So, in that sense, this market segment is actually the superset of all other market segments to follow.
2. People who would like to acquire a certain hairstyle
This market segment comprises people who either want to acquire a certain hairstyle or those who want to change their existing hairstyle.
Most of us are born with hair that has a certain texture and color and that flows in a certain natural way over our heads. As we age some of these aspects change naturally.
Still, many of us will likely want to try out different hairstyles or colors that may better suit our personality or the image we want to project rather than what comes naturally.
For example, someone with curly hair may want to go to a salon and get their hair straightened for a change. Similarly, someone with straight hair may want to get a perm. Or someone with short hair suddenly wants long hair and doesn’t have the patience to wait. So they could go to a salon to get a hair extension.
People in this segment of the target market for hair salons are often looking for a specific hairstyle that they either saw on someone else or found in a magazine or a movie. They may also be looking to change their hairstyle because they are tired of their current one.
So, if you specialize in certain hairstyles that are less than common, you could address the niche market that is actively looking for a hair salon for exactly one of your specialties.
3. People who have a big event coming up
Most of us have been in situations where we have an upcoming big event like a job interview, a first date, a wedding, or any other such event where we want to look our best.
For these occasions, people usually go to a hair salon and get their hair done so that they can make a great impression.
This segment of the market is relatively easy to market too. You could publicize your hair salon by running targeted ads aimed at those with an upcoming birthday or an anniversary or, even better, a wedding.
In this case, it’s much better to target those who are existing customers of your salon because most people are unlikely to take a chance on a new salon for an upcoming important, big event.
4. People who have special hair needs
Some people have hair that needs special care. For instance, they could have dandruff, dry hair, oily hair, or a sensitive scalp.
This segment of the target market for hair salons is usually looking for a salon that can address their specific needs and help them solve their hair problems. They may even be looking for a salon that specializes in natural hair care and only uses natural hair products.
If you have a team of experts who are trained to deal with such special needs then you should make that known. Write about it on your website, mention it on your social media channels, and get your existing customers to talk about it.
You could even consider holding special events to target this segment of the market. For instance, you could invite a dermatologist to give a talk on dandruff and its causes and treatments.
People in this segment are usually looking for long-term solutions and not just quick fixes. So, if you can offer them a real solution then you’re sure to have loyal customers.
5. People who need to get their hair colored
This is another segment of the target market for hair salons that is relatively easy to identify and target.
As we all know, our hair color changes as we age. Some people like to cover up the gray hairs that are starting to show while others may want to add some color to their hair to make it look more vibrant or simply to change their look.
Of course, these people could color their hair at home but everyone knows that the results are not the same as when they go to a professional hairdresser.
If you offer hair coloring services make sure you target customers in the right age bracket. Clearly mention your services on your website and in your salon. You may also benefit by showing pictures of your existing clients (with their permission, of course) with different hairstyles and hair colors. For instance, “before and after” pictures can be great in convincing someone to start coloring their hair.
6. People who need their hair treated
Some people have hair that needs special treatment. For example, they may have damaged hair due to over-processing or exposure to the sun, chlorine, or saltwater.
Or they may simply have very dry hair that needs extra conditioning. Either way, these people are looking for a salon that can help them restore their hair to its former glory.
If you offer hair treatment services, make sure you let people know. You could even offer a free consultation to potential customers so that they can see for themselves what you can do.
Summary
While there are many ways to segment the target market for hair salons, one of the most effective ones is based on the potential customers’ motivations to go to a hair salon.
Most, if not all, people go to a hair salon because they want to look good, and getting their hair done by a professional is a sure-shot way of accomplishing that objective.
But “looking good” can mean different things to different people. And so, some people go to a hair salon to acquire a certain new hairstyle and replace the one they already have. People who have a big event, like a wedding, coming up often head to a hair salon to look their best.
Then there are people who have hair that needs special care or specific treatments. These are best gotten at a hair salon. And finally, people prefer to have their favorite hairdresser color their hair rather than take the risk of doing it themselves at home.
So, when starting your hair salon or trying to expand your existing salon’s business, ask the question “Why?”. “Why do people go to a hair salon?”
By understanding why someone looks for a hair salon, you will be in a better position to offer the right products and services and craft marketing strategies and communication campaigns that resonate with your target audience and draw them to your salon.
