There are no excuses and no shortcuts to success with in-salon experience enhancing music.
Many customers will be in your salon for extended periods, some hours if they are having extensions, or colouring for example. So, for example how many surprise tracks, how many repeats, is too many?
Not only that, but customers may be returning pretty regularly; do you want them to keep hearing the same music week after week, month to month?
Creating in-store music for Debenhams or River Island is one thing, but in a salon environment you have the customer necessarily (and sometimes literally) captive – for some hours – so listening to the music will inevitably be the central focus for some of that time!
A handy guide to dos and don’ts with your Salon music:
DON’T: Just plug in Spotify / a CD / an iPod – you risk a fine from the PRS/PPL inspections. Take a look at the following link to make sure you listen to your music legally:
Warning – streaming services; what you need to know
DON’T: Have less than three hours before a track repeats
DON’T: Use unreleased, untested tracks – unless you know your customer is expecting it
DON’T: Ruin a pleasant experience at the salon – that’s priceless
DO: Keep ringing the changes with something fresh & apt
DO: Mix several genres to find your unique style
DO: Use the original artiste’s track if the song is well known
DO: Play through a good quality sound system
DO: React to feedback – the good and the bad – be prepared to change the record!
If you let things stand still; or even worse, get it wrong – customers could decide to try your competition. Before you know it they could vote with their feet!!
Finally: watch out for the quiet ones – if a particular customer is not saying much, ask them for feedback – they’re probably listening to your music!
