1. Evaluate Your Environment

A salon filled with feminine décor, images of women’s haircuts and a wall of pastel-colored retail is not going to scream, “Welcome, men!”

Pryor says his salons feature neutral décor so everyone feels at home.

“We look more like a finished, modern, cool apartment with a Zen feel in one of our locations,” he says. “The other location feels more like an old factory.”

A modern, neutral décor is great, but first you need to get men in the door. To entice them, make sure you have visuals or signage visible from the street or sidewalk that lets them know you cater to men. Whether it’s a window display of products, or images of current men’s looks, these visuals tell men you cater to them. That makes them feel more comfortable about walking into your business.

The retail area is another key space where you can welcome your male guests.

At one time, Pryor created a men’s domain for products and watched his clients head straight there every time they came in.

“But we eventually spread their products across the salon so we could cross-promote male clients into skin and body care,” he says. “We didn’t want them to be too pigeon-holed.”

The Aveda products Pryor carries make it easy for him to retail to men, as the scents and product design are gender neutral.

At Source, male clients will also find an array of magazines to interest them, lookbooks and imagery of men’s cuts.

“We make our own lookbooks for men and make sure they are cleaner looking,” says Pryor.

2. Mind Your Marketing

You’ve got your signage, a men’s menu, stylists who are retailing to their male clientele—your salon is a haven for guys, right? It’s not as simple as, “If you build it, they will come.” Men need to be lured in with ongoing marketing efforts, just like your female clients.

Featuring men on your website and social media is key to building your male business. Invite clients to join your salon’s social networking sites, enticing them with special offers, promotions or events that let him know you are targeting him specifically.

Pryor also uses male clients for before-and-after shots on his social media pages. He says sometimes they have to be nudged a little more than female clients to participate, but a great cut is a powerful tool on Instagram, so he encourages his stylists to ask their clients permission to use the images.

Speaking of female clients—they’re another great marketing tool to get men through your doors. Invite women to purchase men’s services and products for Father’s Day, birthday gifts, and Christmas. Once you’ve got him in your chair, make him a client for life. Men are more loyal than women, so treat him right and he’ll stay.

Pryor and his staff say to their female clients, “Send your husband in so you can be the ‘hot couple.’ You don’t want to be better looking than your husband!” In the South Florida area where they are located, this always gets a great response.

Special events for men are another great marketing tool. Focus in on the weeks around Father’s Day or even create a holiday event for him. Offer gifts he can buy his significant other, as well as special deals to take home for himself.

3. Speak the Language

Communicating with your female clients is second nature, but how are you conversing with your male guests? Are you changing your language during the consultation?

Pryor recommends keeping your vocabulary male-friendly so the man in your chair is completely comfortable.

“Don’t say ‘bangs’ or ‘fringe,’” he says. “Say ‘perimeter’ or talk about the geometry and structure of the haircut.”

He also advises using male celebrities as examples when trying something new, in order to give guests a visual. It’s important that both the stylist and guest are very clear on what is going to happen.

As for thinning hair, Pryor approaches the topic with a matter-of-fact attitude.

“I always say ‘we,’ or ‘our hair thins as we get older’ when talking about bald spots or thinning areas,” he says. “It’s important to have a good vernacular so they don’t feel like you’re pointing out a flaw.”

4. Retail and Services

What does your service menu look like? Is it filled with a long list of color treatments, mani/pedi specials, and blow-out prices? That’s enough to make any man turn around and walk out of your salon before he makes his first appointment.

Create a menu just for your male clients, and display it front and center so any guy who walks in off the street can see right off the bat that he’s welcome.

Not sure about the latest trends in men’s styles? Bring in an educator to get your staff up to date.

A service menu for men is a good start, but male clients also enjoy a little extra attention during their visit. Complimentary services can be a lure for male clients, and free services like beard trims can bring more opportunities for retailing and explaining how to duplicate the style at home.

Pryor has found a great retailing opportunity in every male service. Source stylists do a consult, shampoo, cut and then a rinse and hot towel at the bowl where they also use a facial toner.

Most men have never used a toner before, love how it feels and—drawn to the earthy scent of the Aveda product—tend to buy it.

When his clients are ready to check out, pre-booking is a breeze.

“Men want the same time and same day all the time,” says Pryor. “If they have a nice, tight, clipper cut they come in once a week or every two weeks.”

5. The Color Conversation

Depending on what part of the country your salon is in, color may or may not be a service your male guests are interested in.

But regardless of where you are, remaining sensitive to the fact a color service may make a man uncomfortable is key—they should be discreet, quick and subtle.

“If you don’t know how to make hair color neutral to ash, don’t do it,” says Pryor. “You CANNOT let any gold show in a man’s hair color. It has to look completely natural.”

In South Florida, which Pryor jokingly calls “one of the vainest places on Earth,” Source sees a lot of men getting regular color services.

“We do it at the station, but while they’re processing we have a little waiting room that’s off to the side away from the windows, so they can go have coffee, make calls, etc.,” he says.

While not all salons see as many male color clients as Source, Pryor says that is changing. Source is seeing more and more men, from lawyers to bankers to boaters, coming in for fashion-forward looks and hair color. This is good news for the whole industry.