Moving is stressful, regardless of whether you are changing apartments across the street or moving your business across town. There are countless factors to consider when it comes to packing everything, finding a box truck, and settling into your new digs.
Moving can become even more complicated if you are a business owner. While moving to a new salon location is exciting, you also need to make sure your business can operate within a few days of reaching the new space.
There are a few secrets to ensure you have a smooth move. Follow these tips to increase your chances of success.
Decide what you want to move with.
If you were to move out of your personal home, you would sort through your belongings to decide what you want to keep and what isn’t worth bringing. The same process can be done with your salon. Look at every piece of furniture, all of your equipment, and even your decorations to see what is worth bringing along. Many salon owners use these moves to rebrand and wow their clients. Your old salon chairs might not cut it anymore.
Consider selling your old equipment and investing in new items. Look into a pipeless pedicure chair to help clients relax or a portable pedicure chair that you can move from place to place. Your new furniture can impress new customers while exciting returning customers about your new location.
Book your truck rental in advance.
If you have a hard move-out day, you can’t leave certain parts of the moving process up to chance. You likely have several pieces of heavy equipment that can’t fit in the bed of a standard truck. As soon as you have a moving date planned, book your rental.
Commercial truck rental is often done by the day. You may want to set up a system where you keep the truck for two days or at least pick it up the night before you move. This gives you extra loading time to help with equipment while giving you a buffer period in case anything goes wrong.
You also want to make sure you find the right truck to move. You need to feel comfortable driving it but also have to make sure there is enough space to store all of your equipment. Otherwise, you could end up making more trips and extending your reservation to complete your move.
Build a marketing plan around your move.
Instead of focusing on the stress of moving, consider the opportunities that this change presents. Develop a marketing plan to alert existing customers that your salon is closing while you move locations. Encourage each customer to make a reservation for hair and nail care with their favorite technicians before you close your doors. This can give you a little extra cash to help with the move, as customer demand will increase ahead of your closure.
Once you finish moving in, it’s time to celebrate! Host a Grand Opening party for old and new clients alike. Create a “welcome back” special for clients who are willing to travel to your new location. Celebrate new customers who are eager to sit in your chairs. Yes, moving costs money, but you are in a better location now and can share this positive experience with your clients.
Even if you just need a rental truck and some friends for your move, you want to have everything in order before you start packing up. Good organization means you can open your doors again faster and get your nail technicians back in their chairs. This is good for your business, and a smooth move can help you make money even faster than you planned.