M ST WANTED RAW AND UNPLUGGED
STAYING AHEAD in THE CITY
OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY
PASSION FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
SUPPORTING
BEST LOCAL SALON
STAYING
AHEAD IN THE CITY J
ayne Prigent, founder of JAS Hair, knows what it takes to keep ahead of the game in the Cathedral City of Salisbury a city boasting of recent Royal visits. Jayne and her teams bring their commitment, support and love to the local community, simply because they care.
The three salon Group have always been at the heart of the community in the city, plus over 70% of her 35 strong sta attended local schools. Their commitment to supporting local causes and people has never been greater.
‘Caring for you, your hair and the community’
Caring for the community has always come naturally to JAS Hair, with its conviction for success, whether through fund raising for local causes, collaborating with local business, personal involvement in community based projects to help improve the local environment or creating working partnership with schools and colleges to help young people with their choices, when starting a career in hairdressing.
Our vision for the future is to keep strengthening our business in the community, its team, as well as continuing our relationships with local businesses and organisations. We still believe that using the services and products of local businesses, where possible, is not just for convenience but also knowing that you are contributing to the local economy. Of course, it is important for us and the local business community to thrive.
I
n this interview with Jayne she shares the ways in which her local Salisbury salon plays its part in the bigger community picture. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SALISBURY TO OPEN YOUR SALON ? All of my family, as well as past generations, were born in Salisbury and we still live here to this day. After training and working in local salons it made perfect sense to start my very own business in the heart of the city.
WHAT DOES SALISBURY COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS ? Loads... We very much look towards the community in three ways. In people, charity and our local working and living environment. We are hugely grateful for the area we live in with lower than average unemployment and beautiful countryside, however there are people we help and support back to work, a local hospital charity we support and an environment project which we are passionate about. HOW DO YOU GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES? We think that the local business community is a great way of growing each others businesses, so we have created some innovative marketing ideas to promote one another. A highlight for me last year was the launch of the ďŹ rst ever Salisbury Fashion Fortnight. This really worked fantastically well in getting local retailers collectively working together. In the process we have become great mates and are looking forward to a bigger and better Fashion event this year.
TEAM
JAS supportive, f o p u e d a ly m ith the eam, entire our te to n w als. Along w o u d id is iv s d s in e c c te u of Our s nd passiona reat team a g g a in e v ir a p s h in e l, cture, w professiona ty gement stru a n a m onists, beau ti m p a e c te l re a , n rs io e tradit s, train ts, graduate s ri u wners. lo o c , rs hands on o cutte h c u m ry e v nd two therapists a they ve the look ie h c a ts n e li our c ndly lax in a frie d to helping re te a to ic d m e e d th re g We a t allowin r hair, whils ir e th m o fr t wan sphere. family atmo am one of our te h it w t n e ed to, pointm will be listen in for an ap y g e in th m t o a c th n t e Wh nďŹ den possibilities ts can be co d n n e a li c s , a rs e e id b mem d explore t advice an rt e p x e e iv e rec ices. ll of our serv a t u o h g u thro st with our late to p u re a e ts. what w ased projec lways know b a y ts it n n e u li m c m h S JA d along wit tions and co e s ti li e ti p u m ll o a c , s all gle+ are collection uTube, Goo sletters and o w Y e r, n te il it a w m T e , onthly Facebook d website, m te a d p u y rl ssies. our regula ress and glo p e th in R P the local h other, our c a e r fo e il extra m JAS am go that suring that n te e g y in it n rk u o m w m f cal co The close making all o ork in the lo d w a r u re o th r e fo th d ery m that is clients an ourse for ev c It is the tea . f w o d ro n g a to m s he t for th continue ly for us, bu n o t o n , n e this happ lients. one of our c
BACK TO WORK WORKshop 1 In 2011, under the initiative of the Government to support and focus on the 18-25 unemployed JAS developed, ed, in partnership with the local College and Job Centre, two workshops. A 2 day training workshop for newlyy qualified or returning hairdressers designed to help guide perspective es of applicants through the various stages finding employment, applying and developing their confidence to give each ng the individual a better chance of securing right job. Focussing on the perfect CV, job nd a searching using various mediums and practical session dedicated to assessing and advising on how to develop their hairdressing skills. The Job Centre and local College interview and recommend our course.
WORKshop 2 Our second workshop was developed on the back of us running a successful session on interview tips at the local job centre for a group of long term unemployed. It is a one day workshop for any person who is unemployed and wants to learn and build their confidence in job seeking. Topics include CV writing, interview techniques and role playing. Majoring on what questions employers ask in an interview and what they are looking for in responses, this workshop offers them an insight into what employers look for from an interviewee perspective.
Raw and Unplugged JAS Hair has developed a unique scheme Raw and Unplugged. It is geared towards attracting young people to the hairdressing profession with no strings attached and it has been an amazing success. Evening sessions are advertised, with youngsters from the age of 15-18 invited to the JAS Hair salon to try their hands at hairdressing. They are allowed to cut, colour and blow dry their chaperone’s hair under close observation from the JAS Hair trained professional to see if hairdressing is something they might like to pursue as a career. The sessions are advertised through local media and social networks . Due to the success JAS Hair works closely with Wiltshire College and Sarum Academy to help support young adults with their career choices. A typical evening starts with an introduction to the JAS Hair team, an overview of what will be expected from them over the next couple of hours, plus an explanation of the health and safety factors. Each youngster brings with them a 'chaperone' whose hair they cut, colour and blow dry on the evening. They also 'buddy up' with a JAS Hair graduate and a senior member of the team who supervises the whole project. Beside being a real insight into hairdressing for the young people who attend the sessions, they are also motivating for the JAS Hair graduates as the evenings give them an opportunity to show other people what they have learnt.
SALISBURY HOSPITAL OUR CHOSEN CHARITY STARS APPEAL
A
s with most businesses, giving back to the local community is important and as a company we are no exception. Last year alone we raised just under £10,000 for the local charity Stars Appeal, which we have supported raising a total amount of £20,000. The charity Stars Appeal, raises money for new projects within the local hospital making it a better place for patients and family to stay, including cancer care, funding a keyhole surgery suite, equipment and facilities worth £1million, greatly enhancing the new Children’s Unit - part of the ‘Caring 4 Kids campaign’ and several more campaigns. The team have really enjoyed being part of this and meeting those involved with its developments and more importantly meeting the people it is designed to help. Our chosen charity was selected out of personal experience. This was a charity close not only to our hearts but also to team members. We all really made massive efforts to raise money by involving ourselves. To name a few... sky diving, staying overnight in the second most haunted house in England, pub quiz, wear a wig to work and the usual cake making. Each year our fund raising is a combination of local fund raising events and one annual large project. In 2011 we doubled our efforts to reach our goal of raising £10,000, the largest amount raised by us in one year.
THE SAHARA DESERT TREK In 2011 by far the most exciting challenge for us was taking a team of five to the Sahara Desert. Trekking 100km across the desert over 7 days. Each team member who took part had to self fund their trip and get sponsors. The effort we all put into raising money was stunning and creative. We were all put through preparation class and endured a strict fitness regime to prepare us for the difficult challenge ahead. Walking for 8/9 hours per day in heat of 40 plus degrees it certainly was not without its casualties including agonising blisters, lost toenails, sickness and extreme exhaustion. By pulling together as a team we all completed and finished this gruelling challenge raising an amazing £6,000 towards the Stars Appeal Fund and taking with us some very positive experiences.
Face of 2012 Our very own model competition which is a massive success with over 80 entries and 200 plus in the audience for the live final. The face has now become an annual event, 2011 being its second year. This event is not only good for business and searching for a face for our salon group, but also a fund raiser for Stars Appeal. We work with local media partners with the event, local radio, and papers, to give us maximum press coverage. The biggest nightclub in Salisbury holds the final night, again working strongly with other local businesses. The grand finale itself is an X factor style event complete with a judging panel. The Face has really grown and we are surprised by its popularity, raising £1,200 for Stars Appeal.
Making Hair Better A strong relationship has grown between the Stars Appeal and JAS Hair due to our support in the community. We wanted to thank the doctors and nurses at the hospital for their work and how critical they are in the lives of the sick children who depend on their skills. So we organised the event ‘Making Hair Better’ where nurses and doctors received some care and attention including, of course, great hair, colour cut and beauty. This is really an excellent way of saying a massive big thank you for their dedication to the care of patients.
SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE Wilton Eco Park Co owner Neil Prigent is one of the driving force of six founder members of the Wilton Eco Park Association. Wilton is a market town situated on the western edge of Salisbury and is the location of one of its salons, the JAS training academy and head office. Safeguarding the town and its community is very important to us, Wilton Eco Park is an exciting proposal for a completely new kind of development situated between Salisbury and Wilton. The United Kingdom Land Forces HQ site which was recently vacated by the army after 50 years was put up for sale last year by the MOD. This site is earmarked for up to 450 houses. When the site was vacated there was a large impact on the local businesses and community. With over 400 people working on the site and many living locally this impact was disastrous. Passionate about the local community where Jayne, Neil and family live and work, Neil recognised that as a local resident he had a huge opportunity to get involved in how the land was to be developed.
Neil wanted to ensure that it was sympathetic to the environment but also that it would not become just another housing estate and that it could be developed in a way inclusive to Wilton but with an identity of its own. Through the Wilton Eco Association the local community has the opportunity to be able to ensure how the site is developed. The Wilton Eco Park Association has financial backing to purchase the 13 hectare site and to provide homes and jobs for local people to the very highest environmental standards. Through the Wilton Eco Park Development Community Association, the ownership and control of some of the land will remain in the hands of the people for many generations to come. From the work of its 6 board members the Association has benefited from some specialised Government funding and is confident of the backing of several major bodies. The issue of the best future for the site and the intentions of Wilton Land Trust were put forward for debate in the House of Commons by our MP John Glen. The Association and its 6 trustees have just this month had the application agreed to become a Land Trust which is the first of its kind in Wiltshire. Having become a Land Trust, the Association can now legally act on behalf of the community and its bid for the MOD land has become a reality. It now has financial backers and London based architects specialising in this type of project working for it – watch this space. This is really putting the Government's initiative of localisation into action.
OUR
LOCAL
COMMUNITY SALISBURY
FASHION
FORTNIGHT Salisbury’s very own fashion shion highlight... It seemed that almost every city in the country had its very own fashion week, so we thought maybe it was about b time Salisbury did too! With the recession biting hard we wanted a way of keeping Salisbury independent retailers showcasing their shops and this seemed a really positive and fun way to get together with other businesses to help promote the City Centre as a shopping destination. Although we originated the idea and its format we needed a partner who would be able to work with us to promote the event. We approached Catherine Dunning, owner of local events company ‘Ladies Who Love’ with our idea and she was immediately very keen to be involved. 2012 sees the second year of the event. With some careful planning and leg work we managed to get many fashion based businesses in the city (both local and national) involved and supporting it.
The Fashion Show launch took place in a newly opened coffee shop with thirty models using its upper floor as a runway, walking between tables filled with a packed audience. The show became a cool platform to publicise up and coming dates we had planned over the next two weeks, which included workshops covering personal styling, how to wear a hat, several in-store fashion soirees and a finale show and fashion market held at Salisbury’s Guild Hall which was attended by over 250 people. Salisbury Fashion Fortnight turned into a huge success for us and for everyone who participated. It generated positive press and PR for all businesses and individuals involved whilst creating a living legacy for Salisbury. This success is due to be repeated this year as it is certainly a major crowd puller for the City. The local media are already on board and this years event will definitely be bigger and better.
i–teen Recognising that teenage clients were demanding more of our services more frequently – they are clients of our future but alas the pocket money wasn’t stretching – we decided to help keep them looking great by launching i-teen, an exclusive loyalty membership scheme for 13-19 year olds. To us it seemed a natural way of helping grow and secure our business and involve and promote other businesses in and around Salisbury, whilst portraying a positive message. Every signed up i-teen member benefits from a lower priced menu of services at our salons. The really cute thing about the i-teen membership is that they get a small discount all year round, from many local retail partners, saving money on fashion accessories, clothes and the most popular one – milk shakes!! They also collect loyalty points so save even more money on their hair and beauty. We have an exclusive i-teen members’ webpage accessed through a QR code on their loyalty card where members can read up on the latest trends and give feedback. We also put out a strong message and support the-don't-talk-to-strangers-no-matter-how-cutethey-are policy. With a big take up of members we are now getting enquiries from new retailers keen to sign up.
i-teen participants The Strawberry Fox Nikita Sablier Shirley Snells Regent Tailoring Hana Rebdi Shakeaway Parkwood Health & Fitness Annies Just Jane Stonehenge Cycles Anokhi Salisbury Chocolate Shop The India Shop
OUR
LOCAL
PARTNERS Marketing in Partnership with local businesses With our industry becoming ever more competitive and having the desire to continue to grow our business, finding unique or direct ways to market our business has become paramount to our continued success and prominent position as a regional brand. Our marketing plan encompasses many other ways to continue to provide brand profile and market our services. In 2011 we engaged in a relationship with local health and fitness club Parkwood. Being the Premier club in Salisbury the membership mirrored our clientele profile As a business we wanted to do more than just venture on a short lived campaign, so after meetings with the Directors of the club we secured a relationship where we would promote each other’s businesses. Our company has banners displayed in and around the health club. In return we offer discount to their members and staff, display visuals within our salons, whilst our clients receive a discounted rate on club membership. Also all new client packs for both businesses are filled with each others promotional material. In the late summer of 2011 we held a personal styling workshop with an audience of Parkwood members. The workshop was headed up by one
of our senior team who compered and facilitated, giving advice on hair. Supported by two professional fashion stylists advising on how and what to wear. The evening was a huge success and generated new business for our salon – we are currently planning two more events for 2012. We have High Street partners too, mainly made up of fashion goods retailers who we work with on joint marketing campaigns including promotions and floor space swops. These involve the retailers displaying goods within our salon in return for us displaying banners, posters or bag drop flyers in their establishments. We have found this to be particularly strong as it is as close as it gets to a personal recommendation and has helped cement closer relationships with local businesses.