A survey found that globally, 91% of consumers are likely to switch brands to one associated with a good cause if it is similar in price and quality (according to the 2013 Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR Report). This may not be directly transferrable to the hairdressing world, but your salon is still a brand and you still offer a product (cut, colour, style) and so being associated with a good cause can only help.
A lot of salons will already do charity work. Whether it’s donating prizes to raffles, volunteering at charity events, local hospitals and care homes, or taking part in a sponsored event to raise money; the key is to make sure your clients know that you’re doing it.
Be open about it and communicate it to your clients by putting any pictures or videos from your charitable work on your website or display them in the salon. If the event was covered by local press then get a copy of it and add it to one of your press frames, share it on social media and remember to save everything for your records.
You don’t want to come across as being arrogant or a show-off about supporting charity, so don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. But there is nothing wrong in using the good work you do to help strengthen your salon’s image. Maybe look at creating strong links with a charity that is close to your heart, that way you can form a stronger long term relationship with them.
If you support any good causes, let us know how it works out and how you link it to your salon.