News

Marketing Strategies for Salon Mats in the 21st Century

Ergonomics has become familiar word in the salon  mat industry.  The “buzz” word has set a new standard in which salon mats are viewed as part of the overall package in a salon station. They are just another “tool of the trade” seen by salon owners as a cost effective safety and health advantage for their stylist. 
This acceptance of salon mats as “standard equipment” for the stylist is just one of the many factors that have changed the way the beauty supply distributors should market their product.   In today’s market there are several new considerations for selling salon mats.  Among these considerations are the aging workforce, the view of standing as a healthy work activity, the use of the internet for advertising and sales, educating salon owners and stylist on quality assessment.

Today’s market has to consider the impact of the aging workforce on the salon industry.  According to the  U.S. Department of Labor, it is estimated that in the U.S. that 25 million people left the workforce between 1998 and 2008 and that over 38.5% of the workforce is over 45. Older workers want to continue working for various reasons, needing health benefits, staying mentally and physically active; however, due to the economic crisis being dumped on us by Wall Street and Washington, most are facing shortfalls in retirement benefits. Pre-retirees expect to work on average a full decade longer than those already in retirement with 70% saying they plan to continue working past the age of 65.

Older stylist whose skills and experience are difficult to replace, are performing physically demanding work. Since they are highly valued by their employers, it is in the best interest of the salon owner to help them avoid physical problems so they can continue to work. By providing the stylist a safe and comfortable salon station that includes salon mats, the savings in lost productivity are obvious.  While salon owners and stylist do not need to be convinced of the benefits of salon mats, they are eager to find a way to help their stylist stay on their feet and keep working. This gives the salon distributor a great opportunity to meet the needs of salons who are trying to help their stylist   stay on the job.

Another important consideration in today’s market is the new viewpoint of the standing worker.  This view sees standing as a healthy activity that improves circulation and relieves pressure on the lower back.    Standing as part of a healthy work position still includes sufficient rest periods and a salon mat to make sure there is sufficient circulation and foot activity. This positive view of standing in the workplace also provides the needed emphasis on quality.

The biggest change in the market is the use of the internet for advertising and sales.  In the past salon  mats were primarily sold through salon distribution catalogs. Catalogues offered opportunities to show photographs or drawings and a few  specifications, but very little opportunity to communicate information about the benefits and quality of the product.  I have seen catalogs with only 20 words to describe the benefits of salon mats. With the internet, it is possible to have more complete information about the product and help the customer to make a more educated decision. Through the use of the internet for sales and advertising, a direct line of communication is established with potential customers and this link enables them to ask questions that pertain to their particular situation.

The market of today has salon owners and stylist convinced of the need for salon mats, but who are not necessarily knowledgeable about the quality of different mats.  It is important to avoid the pit fall that comes with the purchase of look-a-like products that try to capitalize on a quality product’s success.  It is also important that our industry distance itself from the sub-standard products and not compromise our quality by trying to compete with them. One way to do this is to encourage customers to insist on a full size sample or demo mat from their DSC, that helps them see the quality of the finished product. Additionally we must learn how to walk the fine line between what we consider a mat with the optimum anti-fatigue properties (compression/deflection) and what we call Pivot Point ease. By considering all aspects of the quality of our mats, we can continue to offer superior products and help our stylist to recognize them.