Small Gatherings Create Big Glitz in Luxury Marketing - [read]
While online marketers serve up personalized ads to Web surfers, some luxury marketers are trying to get closer to potential customers by hosting small gatherings for people who have money to spend. Some marketers are making even the stodgiest informational sessions feel like a glitzy night out. - forbes.com

While the recession is replete with bad news, there is good news for small business: what works to engage consumers now are local, community based events that bring resources, networking opportunities, and business opportunities together.

Salon Services has an exclusive resource for you:
12 Months of Marketing for Salon and Spa.
This publication has more than 100 pages with thousands of specific promotion and cross-marketing ideas for you to create your own small gatherings, networking and cooperative marketing events and promotions to grow your business. Visit your nearest showroom or call 800-251-4247 today to obtain your copy.

NEW FEATURE! Featured Salon: Switch, Salt Lake City, UT - [read]
Do you compulsively Tivo Split Ends? Find yourself suckered into watching marathons of Shear Genius? It’s only natural as an artist to wonder what others – friends, coworkers, competition – are up to. Thus, Salon Services has decided to give you a voyeuristic glimpse into one featured salon a month. This month, meet Alberto Ruiz, owner and creative director of Switch in Salt Lake City. - salonservicesnw.com/blogs

Why Female Entrepreneurs are More Prolific — and More Successful - [read]
The success of women entrepreneurs is a dynamic trend. Perhaps a hybrid of Baby Boomer work ethic, 70s freedom, and the great women in business boom of the 80s and 90s, they're an inspiration of drive, ambition and an anything-is-possible mind set. What's interesting is that it goes beyond the business world into every corner of their lives. They have rich social lives and good friends, husbands, great families, and live comfortably. They love style, looking good, support social change, and most of all, are happy. - seekingalpha.com

Do You Offer Hair Insurance? - [read]
Fostering the perception of some type of assurance to jittery buyers is valuable, even if few consumers ever actually cash in on the programs. Now is a good time to offer some reassurance to your clients for hair and skin care services and products. Offering a buy-back or money-back guarantee might be the tipping point needed to spur additional revenues in today’s economy, when clients are evaluating every expenditure closely. - brandweek.com

It's Time to Make Work Fun Again - [read]
There's a dirty little secret most of us in small business rarely admitted: we were enjoying ourselves. But with the recession, those of us who own our businesses have hunkered down. We've kept our nose to the grindstone, bogged down with administrative tasks, juggling expenses, stretching income, demoralized when we've had to lay employees off. Well — it's time to get serious about having fun in your business again. - usatoday.com

Hitting the She-Spot - [read]
Women make 83% of the consumer decisions, are the majority of voters, give more to non-profits, and volunteer more than men. Men are indeed a minority to market to. The authors of "The She Spot" want marketers to ditch the women niche and understand that women are the market for making the world a better place. - openforum.com

NAHA Winners: Find Out Who Won - [read]
Congratulations to the Northwest’s own Tribe Hair Studio in Portland, the winner of the Salon Design Award. Find out who else took home the honors at NAHA and view collections online.
- probeauty.org

“Could a greater miracle take place
than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?"
- Henry David Thoreau