Spa & Salon

Variations On a Theme: Customizing Templates, Part 2

04 Oct
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Marketing Ideas, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

Here’s our next installment in our series “Variations On a Theme,” which shows you the possibilities that are available with our fully-customizable templates. Hopefully this will inspire you to get creative using our online design tool!

Today’s template is another of our fully-customizable salon signs. This template features a wave background texture and also two white circle spotlights to feature 1) a sales message and 2) compelling images.

Say you like this template but it doesn’t quite fit the aesthetic of your salon. Simply edit the text, swap out the image, and change the color scheme, and now you have a totally different look.

Maybe you’re not a salon at all, but you like the elements of this template. That small white circle, for instance, can be used to create a fun birthday sign, like this one.

The background texture looks kind of like waves of grass. Change the background color to green, and add in a soccer ball image and you’ve got the perfect banner to promote a soccer tournament.

One thing to note in this last design is the usage of the transparency feature built into our design tool. To use the transparency feature, click on your image, and then in the left sidebar under Image Options will be a box which says “Transparent.” Checking this box will remove the white background from the image.

Keep in mind that this will not work on all images—PNGs are the best file type to use as they are designed without a background. If you’re using something other than a PNG, in some cases other white portions of the image may be removed as well (depending on how the file was created). You may have to try a few different images until you find one that works.

Like this template? Get started designing now!

Variations On a Theme: Customizing Templates, Part 1

21 Sep
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Marketing Ideas, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

At Signazon.com, we’re proud of our fully-customizable, professionally-designed sign templates. What we’ve come to realize, however, is that although our templates look beautiful, it’s sometimes hard to realize that they can be customized! We’re going to feature some of our great templates in our blog and show you ways they can be used to advertise different businesses. The purpose of this endeavor is to foster creativity and inspire you to create unique, compelling business signs. So let’s get started!

This new template, which was just released, is a great choice for urban or modern hair salons, at least at first glance. With a beautiful image and a stylized background layer, this template has just enough of an edge to be unique but still classic beauty that will inspire confidence in potential salon customers.

Hair Salon Signs - Signazon.com

At the very least, everything in this template can be removed or edited. So, with minor revisions, it could be used for a completely-different type of salon, such as this:

Hair Salon Signs - Signazon.com

That background texture is very interesting—it looks almost like metal or even wood. After removing the image and swapping the background color to brown, now we’ve got a perfect sign for a completely different company:

Flooring Company Signs - Signazon.com

Maybe you’re not a business owner, but you still like the template. Make it something completely personal, like a birthday sign. (In this case let’s assume the picture is actually of the birthday girl).

Happy Birthday Signs - Signazon.com

Stay tuned for more posts about customizing our templates. Like this template? Get started designing now!

7 Creative Salon Sign Designs

05 Aug
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

www.hairsite.com

www.behance.net

www.behance.net

…the results (www.behance.net)

www.behance.net

www.activerain.com

www.wanterings2010.files.wordpress.com

10 Best Resources to get your Spa & Salon Questions Answered

27 Jul
by Samantha, posted in Fun Stuff, Marketing Ideas, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

1. For everything spa, and so much more check out SpaWeekBlog.com for tip on running a business, hot new trends for for anything beauty, and fun business ideas.

2. Salon marketing can be tough. There is tons of industry competition and many advertising and marketing strategies to choose from. Check out WorldwideSalonMarketing.com for advertising tips and marketing strategies that might work for you.

3. Running a spa business or salon can be consuming. SpaRoveBlog offers just what you need for help with the management side of your business from choosing contractors to training and HR. Take it from this industry expert, starting your spa business is a group effort!

4. Got questions? Spatrade.com has answers. From trends to business questions, to community forums, this site offers everything a business owner could use for inspiration and tips.

5. The American Massage Therapy Association is about providing resources for massage therapists from small business resources to education and business tips.

6. Cosmetics range from makeup to body care to baby care. Cosmeticsbusiness.com has resources for every step of the way. From formulation to distribution and marketing tips in between, this cosmetics site is #1.

7. Looking for inspiration? Webdesignschool.com has created a list of the best makeup artist blogs on the net. Browse around for some great blog designs and see whats so popular about what these stylists offer.

8. Hair stylists unite and visit HJi.com for a guide to everything hair and everything business. Hairdressers Journal interactive (HJi) offers everything from style guides to salon marketing and branding with help from some of the very best stylists in the industry.

9. Find the voice of everything salon at SalonGeek.com. This community forum and business strategy site helps with every kind of salon from hair to tanning to waxing. Get a group opinion about your next big promotion or sign strategy for peers and experts with the same questions.

10. Whether you are a spa or mobile massage therapist, its important to stay up to date on your massage industry news. MassageToday.com can help with upcoming legal changes, industry news, and new research trends so you stay informed.

 

Design Ideas for Different Styles of Spas and Salons

20 Jul
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

We’ve already identified some of the different types of spas and salons and what kind of signs you should order for them. Here are some great designs to get you inspired when creating a sign for your business.

Glamorous—These types of salons are all about being over-the-top, so your design should reflect that. This design uses bright, bold colors, a dramatic image that features an elegant hairstyle, and a unique textured background that makes everything “pop.” This one’s sure to make a statement!

Classic—This spa template is a great choice in that it’s neutral enough that it will attract a large variety of customers, but it’s visually-interesting enough that they won’t get bored when viewing it. It’s certainly a safer choice than something bolder, but the color scheme and font selection conveys a sense of luxury and professionalism.

Modern—Modern design is all about minimalism and simplicity. This grand opening design uses very few colors, simple fonts, and an interesting but clean design. The look is unique, but clear and focused. Modern salons and spas cater to a younger, more cutting-edge crowd, so your design should reflect that aesthetic.

Avant-Garde—Some salons and spas aren’t afraid to think outside the box and dare to be different. A design like this stands out from the crowd and makes a statement. Avant-garde isn’t for everyone, but you know that, and you’re okay with some people being turned away—they probably won’t like what you have to offer anyway.

Men’s—Men’s grooming is a tricky market. It’s growing like wildfire, but you have to be careful when marketing to men. They want to be pampered (even if they won’t admit it!), but they also want to be respected. This design is simple, dignified, and enticing—give men a great deal and you’ll have them as a customer in no time!

Children’s—Kids’ salons are about two things: fun and value. If you can create a design that shows a fun, light-hearted spirit, you’ve won over the children. If your design shows that you are affordable, you’ve won over their parents. Combine the two, and you’re hard to stop!

Signs to Fit Your Salon Style – Part 2

19 Jul
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Marketing Ideas, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

Signs to Fit Your Salon Style – Part 2

The style of your salon creates your customer experience and set your salon in the industry. We visited a few common salon styles, like glamorous, classic, and modern, but what if your style is different. Your salon windows offer insight into your salon style and set the expectations for the experience. Here is a list of some of the more revolutionary salon styles that are hitting the industry today.

Avant-Garde Salons

Avant-Garde styles include the radical, captivating, visionary, and artistic salon ideas. This anything goes salon style incorporates unique designs and signage that leaves a memorable impression.  Your salon windows set the first impression for your salon experience, so make sure they replicate the overall theme.

One-Way Vision can create a full-color scene on the windows that can easily incorporate artistic pictures and designs. The film will block visibility into the salon, adding intrigue, but clients inside can still see out and keep natural light. For a more unique approach, create intricate designs using clear vinyl decals. These start as a transparent film that can print full-color, solid designs. You can add characters, imaginative designs, graffiti art, and murals that look like they’re painted directly onto the windows. Inside your salon include window clings on your mirrors as a border that replicates your window theme. Add wall decals to your salon walls and door and even wrap your reception desk is die-cut decals that tie your entire theme together.

Men’s Salons

 

Men’s salons offer sleek but manly experience that should be different from typical salon. From adding sports themes, to a barber shop razor-edge style, it’s important to create a comfortable masculine environment. Use dark, neutral colors like rich blacks, blues, and chocolate browns accented by a metallic silver or barber shop red. Vintage inspired vinyl decals on salon windows can bring a masculine grunge look to window signs. If vintage barber shop isn’t your style, consider a modern steel inspire design, with sleek etched glass lettering on the storefront and brushed metal signs with hard black fonts. Use canvas art pictures to bring together your look with images of groomed men, sports memorabilia, or sleek artistic design in rich dark colors.

Children’s Salons

An intriguing children’s salon can turn a nightmare experience into an entertaining one by creating a salon style that young children can associate with and enjoy. From toys and games, to bright colors and fun designs, a kid-focused salon should set the style starting from the front door. Window signs should be about fun, bright colors and exciting patterns. Start the fun with window clings that can be interchanged with images of the newest cult characters used to promote your products or even your hairdressers. Use vinyl decals to line your windows with a fun border and decorative elements like different shapes. Wall decals like ez-stick fabrics and window clings can turn each hairdresser’s booth into a different adventure from princess to Nintendo to safari. Cut window clings can put a child in the jungle when they look in the mirror, and wall decals can continue the theme and label the booth. Wall decal can also be used for theme elements around the entire salon and to wrap the appointment desk.

 

Signs to Fit Your Salon Style

18 Jul
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Marketing Ideas, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

Your salon style sets you apart from other salons and makes you unique and interesting to customers. To maintain a professional, but unique salon style you need to make sure your style is conveyed through every aspect of your salon for the chairs to the bathrooms to, of course, your signage. Here are sign ideas to fit your salon style:

Glamorous Salons

With a focus on dramatic style and glamorous accents a sultry salon needs alluring and seductive signs. Rich colors with deep contrast and dramatic designs are ideal for your signage. Starting with your salon windows add vinyl lettering in a rich color and bold, stylish font that offers a dramatic appeal. Your front counter is your first opportunity to impress and inform your clientele so add a lavish service menu behind your receptionist or in the waiting area using brushed metal to offer a 3-dimensional resonant look. Add wall decals using reusable fabric decals cut like elaborate chandeliers and filigree wall patterns so your stunning style can flow from the front door to the very back.

Classic Salons

Classic, traditional salons offer simplistic style with a timeless flair. Simple, elegant signs throughout your salon create an image that can appeal to all ages and genders with neutral colors and simple effective signage. To appeal to customers, add classic images to your storefront of fresh faces with modern but conventional styles on vinyl decal film. Place window clings in your front windows for promotional signs that can emphasize your more specialty services and styles. Use white vinyl lettering in simple fonts for a classic approach to list your services and store hours so your salon can relate itself to your targeted market.

Modern Salons

Modern salon styles are about a minimalistic combination of shapes, clean lines, and monochromatic colors. Use patterned window signs on your salon to build salon image. Perforated vinyl’s, like one-way vision, can create a full color plaid or striped pattern that can cover your entire window. Vinyl decals can be printed in neutral colors and cut to patterns to add striped and shapes along your storefront and throughout the inside of your salon. Design your salon name and promotional text using simple serif fonts for an unobtrusive look. Print them on vinyl lettering for a simple, clean look that blends with the theme.

How-to Brand Your Spa and Salon Signs

13 Jul
by Samantha, posted in Design Tips, Featured, Marketing Ideas, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

Branding is a concept that often gets ignored when running a small business like a spa, salon, studio or boutique. It’s easy to get caught up in paying the bills, keeping customers happy, and managing the employees, so if any marketing is done at all it’s quick and easy. The purpose of branding (creating elements that represent your business and build a cohesive identity) is to simplify the marketing process, but it does require some initial work up-front. Here are the most-important brand elements you should define:

• Business Name: Obviously you already have a name, but it’s the most-important element of your brand as it gives customers a window into your business and what you provide.

• Colors: Colors are tied very strongly to perception, so choose one or two colors to use throughout all of your marketing that fit with the look and feel that you provide in your spa or salon. You can decorate your storefront using these colors, and even incorporate them into your advertising. This helps customers identify your marketing when they see it.

• Tagline/Slogan: Spas and salons don’t necessarily need a “slogan,” per se, as they can be a bit corny. However, a tagline used in conjunction with your business name can set you apart from the competition. It helps customers see how you position yourself in the industry (i.e. price leader, highest-quality, full-service, etc.).

• Website: In today’s world, every business, especially spas and salons, should have a well-designed website. Many customers will visit your website before visiting your actual site, so the two should match-up. Offer unique services like online appointment booking, list your products and services, etc.—whatever makes your site unique and useful.

• Logo: If you are incorporating products into your business, or if you have a chain, it can be useful to have a logo, which is a visual representation of your business. This can be useful for signage, for ads, and for packaging as it’s easy-to-identify and doesn’t have to be read to be understood.

Market Your Salon at Spa Week

11 Jul
by Samantha, posted in Marketing Ideas, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

Spa Week is a bi-annual event in Spring and Fall geared to make spa luxury available to everyone, with a special $50 luxury spa treatment focus. It is an extravaganza for consumers and a perfect opportunity to get your spa noticed by consumers and colleagues in the industry.

Your best bet is to have the most eye catching booth, sometimes pairing this with a giveaway or other type of contest is a good idea to gain attention from customers long enough to hook them by your product. You want an attractive backdrop or a banner showcasing your logo, beautiful pictures of your location; giving your customers a glimpse of what they have to look forward to when they make reservations.

Have attractive brochures, business cards and other materials about your services at the ready, for potential customers to stuff in their bags for future use. Insider tip: If you offer discounts exclusive to visitors of Spa Week, you can easily determine how effective your booth was later to improve on your delivery or compare it to your other marketing efforts.

After the event is over and everyone has been home and long since forgotten Spa Week, how does your customer remember that they stopped by your booth? Get magnetic business cards to put in the bag with your information, with a nice picture in the background of your Salon, your phone number and the business name — who doesn’t need another fridge magnet for the new school photos for the kids this year? As Mom goes to the fridge for her yogurt on Saturday between the soccer game and gymnastics, she’ll see your magnet and daydream and before long – she’ll be ringing you for a reservation!

Photo credit: http://www.tradeshowemporium.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/arch_mercedes_benz.jpg

Summer Beauty Trend Round-Up

08 Jul
by Samantha, posted in Fun Stuff, Spa & Salon   |  No Comments

Every season brings new makeup colors, new polish and new fashion to the forefront with fashion shows, television shows and of course, the award shows that go on year round.  We are constantly looking to our Hollywood counterparts, if you can call them that, for guidance on the latest looks and trying to mimic them.  I decided to save you some time and round up the best of the best…..why?

The best don’t ask why, they just take advantage; read on:

Rosy cheeks and berry colored lips are the latest and greatest on all beautiful faces, dare we ask, can there be too much pink on a girl?  Show me how to look like that!

Brightly colored nails are always in fashion in the summer, rethink that same shade from last year and try a blue, or the new crackled polishes.

Every morning, it’s the same question…what should I do with my hair? The top ten styles are here to save the day, now if only we could all look like Gwen Stefani.

You remember what your mom used to say because she didn’t want you to wear makeup?  Boys love the natural look… maybe mom was right?

There are lots of tips here but did I read that right?  We can have eyebrows again?  It is so nice to be trendy on accident!

I encourage you to play with your makeup and experiment with the colors that work best for your complexion and hair, the last thing you want to do is try to look like Jennifer Lopez if you look like Ally McBeal.

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