The Link: The Tool You Need

From C-Suite to the Warehouse:

The Link Is On Everyone's Reading List

By Kelly Carson, Editor, The Link Magazine

Nothing feels better than knowing the work you pour your heart into actually makes a difference in someone's life. And it feels even better when the person singing your praises wants to tell others about it as well.

That’s what happened recently during a conversation with a vendor who said the American Hair Loss Council’s Link magazine is a “must-read” for every person in their organization.

Kim Flores, vice president of sales with the Carlsbad, California-based Jon Renau, spent some time on the telephone with us recently telling us why the Link is valuable to each of Jon Renau’s 60-plus employees, from the C-suite to the warehouse.

Since 2021, the magazine has been included in the company’s online education platform along with on-demand offerings including Jon Renau’s master class.

The variety of articles published in the magazine, Flores says, gives a window into the industry they serve.

“We use the Link to better understand our customers and their clients and how to serve them better,” she said. “It allows us to see what our clients deal with every day. They have an emotional connection with their clients.”

From the personal stories of salon owners and their clients to tips and tricks for better utilizing social media, Flores says Jon Renau team members see a benefit with each edition.

A recent piece on leveraging Instagram to grow the business was “super valuable to our team” because it shined a light on strategies to bolster salon owners presence online. As salon businesses grow, so do sales opportunities.

Flores also says articles that are more personal — about the people who drive our industry — help put a more human touch on well-known personalities. She specifically pointed to an article by Bernard Ory, owner of the Profitable Stylist in Slidell, Louisiana, published in the Winter 2022 edition of the Link.

While Ory is an acknowledged expert in hair extension and hair replacement, the article focused on stylists, not technique.

“Personal interviews,” Flores said, “let us better understand what they do behind the chair and see the emotional connection with the end consumer.”

And that really is what it’s all about, she says — understanding the consumer experience. The Link, she says, is the gateway to that understanding.

“We give ourselves two weeks to read the magazine,” Flores said. “We discuss the magazine in sales team meetings because it helps create more understanding of the industry.’

The articles also serve as a catalyst for connections, a conversation starter, so to speak. It paves the way for sales team members to reach out to salon owners and managers.

While the Link continues to offer compelling and useful articles for salons and vendors, we also serve as a clearinghouse for consumers looking for help. Our searchable online database, Find A Hair Loss Expert, lists experts by state helping to connect clients with salons. https://ahlc.org/ ahlc-member-locations/

This year we are building another helpful database of studios that offer support to those who suffer hair loss. If you know of such a group or host a support group yourself, please send your information to thelink@ahlc.org. (SEE PAGE 10 FOR MORE INFORMATION) Kim Flores, vice president of sales, Jon Renau