Salon Nuvo IMC Plan

By: Miranda McArdle

Overview of Salon Nuvo

“Our Story”: As daily downtown life rounds the corner of Pittsburgh’s 6th Street
and Penn Ave, we’re a smile and a seat away from updating your elegance.

Services:

● Haircutting and styling

● Color
● Chemical texture services
● Additions and extensions
● Braiding
● Nail services
● Waxing
Overview of Salon Nuvo

Location: 607 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15222 second floor (Downtown Cultural
District)

Owner: Rebecca Paul

SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
● Standing clients/appointments
● Number of services
● Strong image & reputation
● Positive Google reviews
Opportunities:
● Downtown location
● Special promotions
● Gaining clientele by stepping
up the Instagram
● Cutting and styling training
events
Weaknesses:
● Poor social media presence
● Hair does not keep up with current
trends/styles
● Second floor location is not
beneficial for walk in appointments
● Website is outdated
Threats:
● Other salons in the area
● COVID-19: being shut down again,
and lack of people downtown
● Competitive pricing in other salons
● Lack of parking
Situation Analysis: Present Market

The present market, or target audience, is men and women who frequent
downtown Pittsburgh. Many clients either live downtown or work/have worked
downtown.

Also, many clients tend to be those just passing through. This includes people
who are downtown temporarily for work conferences.
Situation Analysis: Future Market

The future market, or target audience, consists of the current market with the
addition of a very important target audience to focus on as well.

The younger crowd. This includes college students and young adults who live
and/or go to school downtown, as well as those who live/go to school in the
surrounding city neighborhoods.
Situation Analysis: Publics Involved

The Customers:

They are the number one target and priority. The changes being made are
targeted toward them. In order for this IMC campaign to work, we need full
participation and awareness from the customers.
Situation Analysis: Publics Involved

The Staff:

Full participation and willingness is needed from the staff. As far as educational
training events, employees NEED to go and learn from them. The salon will not
evolve if the staff refuses to move with the times and learn.

They also need to work on bringing awareness to the salon themselves. This
means sharing the salons social media posts, as well as learning the brands
voice so they could help participate in posting their own work to the salons
social media as well.
Situation Analysis: Competitive Climate
Situation Analysis: Competitive Climate

How are those two salons the biggest threat to Salon Nuvo?

● Both offer up to date hair styling and cutting

● Many new clients coming in and out
● Great representation on social media
● Websites clearly represent them as a salon
● All employees work to bring awareness through social media and word of
mouth
Situation Analysis: Competitive Climate

Where does Salon Nuvo stand as far as competition? What do you offer that they
do not?

● Hair pricing is the cheapest out of the three salons, while still being
competitive.
● Salon Nuvo offers all nail services. Twelve27 does not offer nail services,
and Cardamone’s only offers manicures when a technician is available.
● Nail services are top quality compared to other nail salons.
Situation Analysis: Competitive Climate

What does this mean for Salon Nuvo when it comes to expanding the team?

● Stylists will likely try to go to the competition first once they see the
differences simply in the social media and websites. Our goal is to
change/avoid this.

Side note: When hiring, Salon Nuvo hires stylists based on experience and a built
clientele. Look to hire stylists who have this, but are also experienced in current
trends in order to make a worthy addition to the team.
Research: Follow Up Survey

Follow up survey sent to each client after appointment, including…

1.) What made you choose to come to Salon Nuvo rather than other competing
salons?
a. Google
b. Word of mouth
c. Social media
d. Location
e. Other (please specify)
Research: Follow Up Survey

2.) Are there any services that we do not provide, that you wish we did?
a. Yes, I wish Salon Nuvo provided… (please state service)
b. No, I am happy with the amount of services provided.
Research: Follow Up Survey
3.) What is your age?

a. Under 12 years old

b. 12-17 years old

c. 18-24 years old

d. 25-34 years old

e. 35-44 years old

f. 45-54 years old

g. 55-64 years old

h. 65-74 years old

i. 75 years or older
Research: Follow Up Survey

4.) Please select your gender…

a. Female
b. Male
c. Other (please specify)
 Research: Follow Up Survey

5.) Where have you seen or heard of Salon Nuvo advertising within the last few
months?
a. Social media
b. Google/Internet
c. Local newspaper
d. Flyers
e. Word of mouth advertising
f. I have not seen or heard of any Salon Nuvo advertising within the last
few months
Research: Personal Feedback

Host a friends and family event

● Each stylist/technician invites one friend or family member that is in the

desired future demographic (younger crowd/college aged students… ages
18-30)
● What will be done? Each stylist/technician will be completing a desired
service for their personal “client”
● At the end, their personal client will give them honest feedback regarding
their work. This includes what they liked, and what they wished would have
been done differently.
Research: Personal Feedback

What will the friends and family event accomplish?

● Stylists will receive honest feedback from someone who they are open and
comfortable listening to
● Friends and family want to see you succeed. They will give you honest
opinions knowing you are open to receiving them
● Stylists/technicians have the opportunity to learn from this feedback, and
apply it to their regular customers
Research: Personal Feedback

How a NEW client feedback event

After the salon staff takes part in an educational training event, repeat the event,
except with new clients. Stylists/technicians will use their existing and new
knowledge to their advantage.

How will this work?...

Research: Personal Feedback

How will it work?

● Invite 18-30 year olds on social media to make an appointment for a free
service (tips appreciated) on (example…) February 1st, at 6pm.
● Basic services ONLY such as haircuts and nail services for this event.
Nothing to the extent of braiding, where it is time consuming and unfair for
the stylist to do for free.
● Schedule each client with a certain stylist/technician based on
services/specialties
Research: Personal Feedback

How will it work (cont.)?

● Each stylist will only have 1-2 clients for this event
● After the service is completed, as a form of payment the client is expected
to complete a survey in the waiting area before leaving
● This survey will consist of questions such as
○ “Who was your stylist/technician?”
○ “How satisfied are you with the services you received?”
○ “How would you rate your stylist/technicians level of friendliness?”
○ “Did your stylist/technician accomplish the look that you were asking for?”
○ “Is there anything about the service you received that you wish would have been done
differently? If yes, please specify.”
○ “How likely are you to schedule another appointment with us in the future?”
Segmentation: Personas

Primary persona #1 example: Natalie

● Point Park University junior

● Lives in downtown apartment with 3 roommates
● Part time employee at Hello Bistro
● Loves anything to do with self care
● Always looking for deals and promotions (college student on a budget)
● Enjoys neutral, easy and manageable hair and nails
Segmentation: Personas

Secondary persona #2 example: Rachel

● 48 years old
● Successful business woman
● Works in downtown Pittsburgh
● Lives in the suburbs
● No kids
● Enjoys pampering herself
Objectives: Accomplishment Desired

Update representation, and build reputation!

● Outsiders should recognize your name

● Your work should be desirable
● Media (social and website) should be professional and sleek
● Consider the salon’s story to “update your elegance” with everything you do,
not only for the clients
Objectives: Time Frame

Completely transformed by the end of 2021!

❏ Transformation begins the first week of January

❏ The look of the salon on all medias will be noticeably changed by mid-March
❏ After going through the strategies to come, there should be a solid and
known difference by mid-summer
❏ By the end of the year, the representation and reputation of Salon Nuvo will
be drastically turned around for the better
Objectives: Accomplishment Desired

Work done inside the salon is brought up to date!

● New techniques are learned

● Available services can expand
● Bring in a larger demographic
● Become more of a threat to our competitors
Objectives: Time Frame

Offerings should be expanded by the end of 2021!

❏ Salon takes part in first learning class by March (virtual or preferably in

person)
❏ Salon takes part in second learning class by July (preferably in person)
❏ Stylists/technicians experience/knowledge is more up to date for new and
current clients by August
❏ New clients are attracted by your new offerings by the end of the year
Strategies and Tactics

Social Media:

1. Start Instagram with a clean slate

2. Update main info: Bio, profile picture, highlight reels
3. Posting the best work, that clients will like to see
a. Hair & nail transformations, available products, current promotions on main page (2-3 posts
a day)
b. Hair & nail photos shared from clients, videos of salon, available appointment on story (at
least 3 a day)
4. Make sure social media voice and color scheme is as consistent as possible
5. Good quality and lighting for all posted photos
Strategies and Tactics

Updating Knowledge

1. Educational classes/shows to stay up to date with the current trends

a. Attend at least 2 a year
b. Implement work learned into the salon, and share on social media
c. All employees who are there more than one day a week must participate
2. Virtual classes and demonstrations are also available throughout the year
a. For example, if clients are looking for curtain bangs, attend a specific virtual class about
curtain bangs
Strategies and Tactics

Website

1. Reconsider color scheme

2. Update services
3. Update products with prices available
4. Replace gallery with an “Our Work” tab, including pictures from the updated
social media
5. Add information to the “Our Team” tab. It would be nice to include a photo of
the team member with their years of experience and specialties
Strategies and Tactics

Promotions

1. Market towards target audience and time of year

a. Ex: Special Christmas promotions
b. Ex: Discount on a manicure or pedicure the first week of spring
2. 20% off college student discount all year
3. Client perks
a. Occasional promotions where if client shares 3 posts, they receive 15% off their next service
b. Referral discounts
2021 Timeline

1.) Start social 2.) Revamp website 3.) First educational

media fresh jcd event

4.) Begin running 5.) Begin sending 6.) Second

hiiiii promotions clients follow up educational event
surveys

7.) Perform end of year salon evaluation, to see how these changes have affected
the salon and it’s clients
Costs

Cutting & Styling Classes/Shows

● Virtual classes: $20-$30 a person

● In person event (usually 1-2 days): $90-$100 a person
○ Many events are out of state for larger events. Many can be found around the area, no more
than 1 hour away as well.

Promotions

● No direct money spent out of pocket. It attracts people, and in some cases
the discounted price is in exchange for their word of mouth
advertising/shares.
Costs

Website

● Estimated roughly $500 for a re-design

○ This price can vary. The core of the website is already made, but a major redesign is needed.
In some cases, the price could be higher.

Social Media

● Free of cost
○ Many salons run their own social media. This is highly recommended, and is easy to run
once a brand and voice is established.
Monitoring

Website & Social Media

Take a look at the number of visits and interactions before any changes are
made. In March, three months after changes have began to be made, check
these numbers again. Do this every three months throughout the year to monitor
your progress and what types of things your clients are looking for.
Monitoring

Salon client progress

Following the three month evaluation. At least every three months, count the
number of appointments in that month. Expect this number to go up from the
beginning to the end of the year, but if it does not, think about is there something
you began to slack on? Do people want something you can’t offer yet?
Thank you!
~Miranda McArdle~