ASK THE Experts

What is the new science behind aromatherapy and how can this improve my guests’ wellbeing?

There are many chemical constituents – such as terpenes, esters, aldehydes and alcohols – that make up an essential oil, and each oil and each harvest may have a variation in the levels of its component parts. In recent decades, much work has taken place in extracting specific molecules under detailed laboratory conditions, identifying what properties these molecules and compounds have, and what impact they have on the body’s health and wellbeing. Clinical trials have taken place globally, and plant compounds such as limonene, alpha-pinene, beta-caryophyllene and many more have revealed their positive therapeutic properties.

The more we research, the more we discover the wealth of untapped plant compounds that are found in nature for us to use. Those of us in the position of formulating with nature’s riches are reminded that these sources must be respected and nurtured, not over-harvested and depleted. We must remember to replenish these plants in order to benefit from them for future generations.

Terpenes, for example, are the largest group of aromatic chemical constituents found in essential oils. They have medicinal properties varying from anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, analgesic, antispasmodic, astringent and diuretic qualities.

Terpenes are widely recognised as valuable potential natural plant remedies and have been used in traditional medicines for many years. Their medicinal properties have been tried and tested through many medicinal testing criteria including the use of in vitro studies. Limonene is just one terpene found in many plants but most commonly in citrus fruit oils, and is a perfect mood lifter. It is also a strong antimicrobial ingredient and can be used in spas and clinics as a preventative measure by diffusing citrus oils high in limonene.

Esters are another common chemical component found in aromatic oils and plant extracts. Esters are oxygenated hydrocarbons and are anti-fungal, calming, antispasmodic, gentle in action, non-toxic and incredibly easy to use. Esters tend to be very fragrant, fruity and are named after their constituent parts, so ending in “yl” and “ate”.

Examples of these valuable chemical compounds are linalyl acetate, found in lavender and clary sage, and ethyl cinnamate, found in cinnamon oil. Anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and topical vulnerary therapeutics make esters a perfect ingredient for remedial facial serums and creams. Esters are also used a lot in perfumery and signature fragrances because of their wonderful aroma profiles.

Clients will benefit immensely from these raw materials being included in treatment protocols for use in spa and at home. At Trelonk Wellbeing, we harness the power of these chemical constituents in the advanced botanical solutions we offer our spas – natural solutions for everyday conditions supported and managed by plant raw materials.

Kim Lahiri is an expert formulator and aromacologist at aromatherapy brand Trelonk Wellbeing.

What is the best route to increasing the number and regularity of sales enquiries for my salon?

Sales enquiries are the lifeblood of your business’s potential future success. Here’s what I mean: if I went to visit a friend in a hospital and they were hooked up to a heart monitor, I can look at the ECG lines and see if they have a pulse and whether their heart rate is consistent and steady.

When a salon owner is receiving 20-30 new sales enquiries per week, I consider that to be a good indication that their business has a steady heartbeat.

Conversely, if they are receiving less than 10 enquiries per week, the ECG line on the heart monitor is inconsistent, slow and in some cases, completely flatlining.

A steady flow of sales enquiries coming into your business consistently is the best indication of your current and future bookings. Not all enquiries will convert into paying customers. One of my favourite sayings is “volume negates luck”, which means the more enquiries you receive, the less lucky you need to be at converting some of those into paying customers.

Sales enquiries can arrive in many forms, including DMs via social media, email, filling out a form on your website, walk ins or referrals from existing customers.

The easiest way to engage with new customers and generate enquiries is social media, specifically Instagram, Facebook (yes, it is still the number-one platform) and the new kid on the block, TikTok.

The mistake most business owners make is thinking that organic posting on your news feed is the quickest way to generate interest. Five years ago, throwing up a few hashtags and creating engaging videos would have helped you to grow your customer base. However, with over 2.9 billion users across Facebook and Instagram and the newsfeed/story feed having limited availability, times have changed. Facebook has spent the past 18 years harvesting data from its users.

Today, the quickest and easiest way to generate an endless stream of new customer enquiries is paid advertising.

Facebook has thousands of pieces of information on each of its users, including age, location (work or live within a certain distance of your business), parental status, hobbies/interests, holiday destinations, income, job title, and a lot more.

As business owners, we should ask ourselves “How can I use this information to reach out to my ideal customers?”. It is the number-one strategy to ensure your business’s heart rate is strong because you will have opportunities every day to speak with and book potential new customers.

We work with over 200 salons, clinics and training academies and every single one of them uses Facebook’s paid advertising tools to generate 20+ sales enquiries per week from their ideal customers.

On September 25, I will be speaking at Professional Beauty North, sharing the secrets of how to use targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram to generate an endless stream of customer enquiries.

Kris Trinity is the founder of the Aesthetics Marketing Institute, which helps clinics and salons grow their sales. Find out more about his talk at PB North via professionalbeauty.co.uk/ northbusinessskills

How can add-on services benefit my salon business?

Add-on services can position your salon business as the place to go for a variety of treatments and services that cater to a diverse clientele.

One approach is to highlight your add-on services to ensure you tailor treatments to individual client needs. Treatments can be mixed and matched according to your client’s current skin concern and adapted within a course.

Add-on treatments will enhance a client’s experience. They can be marketed as standalone (as a lunch hour or express treatment, for example) or as part of an extended treatment.

Add-on services are cost-effective as they help to increase your revenue without compromising on treatment time. Work out your costs carefully – for any add-on services, make sure you calculate the costs at time and a half.

To market your add-on services, capture your audience appropriately. More mature clients may be less tech or social media savvy. Therefore, they will require a different strategy – like direct mail or a phone call – when it comes to communicating promotions and add-on treatments that may be of interest to them.

Always ensure your messaging is personalised and inclusive.

Offer a complimentary taster session for clients to experience an add-on treatment without commitment – think of it like test-driving a car. As Apple founder Steve Jobs famously said, “A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them,” so it’s important for salons to make add-on services attractive to their customers.

Choose an aesthetics systems brand that continues to focus on developing new add-on attachments that fit previous models. This will make it cost-effective for salons because you can offer clients new treatments using new attachments without having to purchase a new machine. It gives the salon a new add-on treatment to promote and provide an additional revenue stream without requiring large capital outlay for a new machines.

With add-on services, clients can experience the different technologies that one space-saving system can deliver. CACI Synergy, for example, offers a range of targeted advanced treatments, such as a jowl lift using the Quad Probes, a lip boost treatment using the Wrinkle Comb, and eye revive treatment with our Eye Revive rollers, which can be delivered in addition to a signature facial.