Creating A Winning Advertisement for Team by Estelle Carroll, The Zing Project

A very high percentage of our industry are looking for team right now. Commentary on social media will say ‘the team members (who we are all looking for) have either left the industry, started to work independently - either freelance work or set up from home.

Why is it that there is now a shortage of skilled workers?

Well according to the Australian Government Department of Jobs and Small Business reports there has been a shortage of hairdressers in Australia for more than 20 years. So, it’s possible that the shortage crisis over the last 20 years had us thinking ‘oh one day it will turn around ‘yet it hasn’t. And instead of proactively doing something about it - we find ourselves in this position.

At the same time salon owners are saying ‘they can’t find team’ there is still some - who can. So, what is it that they are doing differently?

As a Business Coach in the hair and beauty industry I have my head in lots of businesses so I can see patterns emerging. Let me break it down.

The reason a client comes to our salon is not too different to why a team member does. The two main reasons a client comes to our salon are for an expert and an experience. An Expert meaning the operator knows what they are doing and an Experience for a memorable happy experience. These two reasons are also the same for what a team member is looking for. Your new team member wants a salon to work in that has an emphasis on ‘expert and experience’.

When we place ads like we have been doing over the past 20 years like.

‘WE WANT YOU’ or ‘you must be reliable, trustworthy, show initiative’ - It says nothing about what is in it for them. Nothing that says this salon is an Expert and will offer a great Experience for them. Don’t worry - we have all done it. We keep pushing these ad formats out, and wonder why they are not working? It’s ironic in a way. Our ability to change with the times being in the fashion industry should have meant we were all over this - but no, we missed the mark. So how do we advertise now… Firstly, lets break down what Expert and Expertise means to a new team member.

EXPERT

To a potential employee it means the salon is committed to growth to level up their expertise of its members. And that it. - encourages growth of its team in skills, mindset, and personal development - has regular 1 on 1 meetings, monthly meetings, and planning days - Education budgets - Education planner for the team and the individual - Regular educators coming to the salon - Uses great products

EXPERIENCE

Things like. - Beautiful salon space - Team building activities - Great parking - The vibe is great - Great music, heating, cooling - Parking - Great pay - Great employee benefits like profits share, targets, commissions

So, if that’s what they want - how can we add that into your ad?

Let’s write the ad together now.

1) Make a list of ‘What’s in it for them’

Why should they leave their current job to work in your salon - what do you have on offer that would be appealing to them?

CULTURE

- Team birthdays - Salon birthdays - Team building days - Team meals out - Themed days - How you have fun - Conflict resolutions systems

COMMUNICATION

- 1 on 1 meetings weekly - Monthly meetings - Morning huddles - Team planning days - Annual retreat - Team values - Personal Profiling tools - Biannual reviews

TRAINING

- Team education - Education planner - Individual education plans - Personal development program - Outsourced educators - Industry events - In house education - Career pathways - Bonus structure

BALANCE

- Additional days off - Annual leave opportunities - Flexible working hours - No Saturdays - No late nights - Start late finish early

BENEFITS

- Pay offering (paying above award will sweeten the deal yes!) - Holidays - Birthday - Profit Share - Retail commissions - Retail discounts - Referral commissions

PERKS

- Large staff room - Private bathroom, lounge, kitchen, and lounge space - Close to shops, great walking tracks nearby - Cafes nearby - Parking

2) Create a ‘story’ AND a ‘short’ ad.

Create 2 ads? What do you mean and why would I do that?

A story ad would be a longer written ad that might tell a little story of the day in the life of working on your team. This adds character and gives the new team member a snippet into life in your salon. For those not interested in the position - they won’t read to the end, but for those fence sitters, getting a look into the salons vibe makes really helps their decision to jump ship and join your team.

The short ad might include a brief outline of what to expect and the role. Creating two ads means you can double your chances of ‘being seen’ by your audience. It also an interesting exercise to see which add gets the most views, likes, shares, comments.

3) Fire hose approach to advertising.

This means don’t just put an ad up once and wait. Put the ad up, put in on your stories regularly, make sure your social media pages, flyers, little business card signs on each station, on the front window, community notice boards (paper and online). If you want to get a new team member 0 let’s, put some real effort into spreading the word.

4) BOOST your profile

Make sure that at a glance a potential employee can look at your website, and social media pages and see - This is a beautiful space - These look like nice people (smiles on the

team members faces) - The work they do is beautiful - They use lovely products - They offer training (photos of you at events, in salon training etc.

5) Testimonials

Ask your team for written and or video testimonials to use on socials. Nothing says that’s a great place to work - than actually hearing it from a team member. Also ask them to write a testimonial for the Leadership team. The salon may look lovely, and the employers is too - but is the Team Leader aka Manager a dragon?

Put some passion and renewed energy into this Salon owners. These new team members we are wanting are giving us a challenge and opportunity here. If we were really nailing our Expert and Experience areas - our struggle to find team members will either be reduced or none. How do I know this - I’ve seen it. The salons that are nailing are retaining team members and attracting them too.

It’s time to take a good hard look at things. Would we want to work for us? Would we want to work for that amount? That environment? I’m up for the challenge of creating a space that exemplifies Expert and Experience. And I’m excited for the opportunities this will bring my team, the new members, the clients, and the business when all do. Will this mean as an industry the wages and benefits might increase - yeah probably, and in turn will this mean the prices we charge will too - absolutely! It’s time.

Estelle Carroll is a Senior Coach, Salon Owner, NLP Practitioner and Speaker.

Contact Estelle on 0428 443 404 or email estelle@zingcoach.com.au