COVID-19 changed the world dramatically in 2020, and small business owners everywhere bore the financial fallout from the pandemic.

Salon owners found themselves with just a few days to shut down their businesses indefinitely. Some closed for weeks, others for months, and some California salons are were still closed as of January.

But owners persevered, and as the vaccine brings a light at the end of a tunnel, salons look forward to rebounding in 2021.

At Serious Business in January, Barbara De Laere, Aveda Global Brand President, shared five consumer trends owners should tune into and tap for growth in the coming year.

“The world has changed, and we’re figuring out the new normal,” she said.

Understanding your consumer is the first step to successfully marketing to them. Here are the trends De Laere says salon owners should watch in 2021.

1. The Sanctuary of Home

Source: Serious Business Instagram

“Home has become synonymous with safety,” De Laere says. “It’s where people do everything—work, exercise, teach, shop, etc.”

All this is made possible via online platforms, and the forced adoption of technology during the pandemic has opened the eyes of the digitally reluctant.

“The world now knows about telehealth, virtual grocery shopping, online workouts and more,” De Laere says. “It has allowed for a more convenient, streamlined life. People who’ve never visited a fitness studio in person are booking online workouts with them.”

For small businesses like salons, this means digital capabilities are no longer just nice to have—they’re a crucial, non-negotiable part of the business.

Owners must embrace and lean into online tools to recruit new team members and guests, enable curbside pickup, communicate with guests, book appointments and reviews.

“Online is where the guest learns about you,” De Laere says, “so think about how you can bring the guest there. Do you have a blog on your website? Are you using trending search terms? Are you continuously talking about safety protocols on social media? Are you reaching out to clients via direct message? Do you have online reviews?”

It’s time to take your business from brick and mortar to an inspirational hub of online content for your guests where you can post tutorials, how-tos and before-and-after photos, as well as offer online personal consultations. Offer a virtual place to gather, like a chat room on your website or a Facebook group for clients.

“Then find ways to create a connection between the salon and self-care moments at home,” De Laere says. “Create things that are special and relatable, for example a self-care box. How will your salon lean into this connection?”

2. Health & Wellness

In a recent Welltodo report, 61 percent of respondents said they value health and wellness practices more than ever, and 57 percent care more about cleanliness than they did pre-pandemic.

Source: Mary Katherine Creative Photo

Innovating and updating your salon’s safety protocols isn’t optional—it’s a necessity. Communicating these precautions with your guests across all platforms and in each of your locations is key to keeping them, and your staff, feeling confident about your business’s safety and sanitation.

“Health, wellness and beauty are coming together, and the world has awakened to it,” De Laere says. With this merging comes a challenge for salon owners. Consider how you can incorporate health into your salon. There are so many opportunities, such as reinventing your rituals of renewal, creating a walking club for guests, or even communicating the health benefits of essential oils.

De Laere says retail data shows that now more than ever, consumers are also looking to salons for solutions for another health issue—thinning hair. “From April to June 2020, salon sales were down 60 percent,” she says. “But thinning hair retail and services were up 20 percent.”

Marketing your thinning hair products and services should be a priority.

3. Sustainability and Social Good

Consumer expectation is high when it comes to who they do business with. In fact, 80 percent of consumers want brands and businesses to help solve the climate and societal problems. And they are proving it with their wallets.

“There’s a powerful surge in sensitivity to carbon footprints, veganism, and responsible sourcing,” says De Laere. “How will you communicate your support as a business? As an Aveda salon, you are already ahead of the curve. You can easily speak to 100% cruelty free, vegan, recycled products. Make sure your clients know you’ve made a conscious choice to align with an environmentally conscious company.”

Consumers also expect businesses to live their values. Is your salon all about inclusion and diversity? Then your stylists need to know how to cut/color/style all hair types.

Any client who walks in your salon should feel comfortable and confident she will get the best possible service.

The population is evolving—by 2042, the minority in the US will be the majority. Are you ready to meet their beauty needs?

4. High-Performance Natural Products

Source: Aveda

In 2020, sales of meat alternative products almost doubled every month. COVID-19 has accelerated the trend towards clean ingredients in food and beauty products, and Aveda was ready for it. As of January 2021, all Aveda products are made with vegan ingredients only.

“Now, consumers want high performance – which is why they come to your salon — as well as proof that your products are made with clean ingredients,” De Laere says.

Aveda products continue to deliver on performance and show clear proof of sourcing sustainably and responsibly.

“We recently launched our online ingredient glossary,” she adds. “And we will continue to set the sustainability standard for the entire beauty industry.”

5. Ultra-Personalized Experience

Everyone spent last year at home, and now they’re craving deep, immersive experiences. “But to get people out of their homes, they need to be enticed by the experience,” De Laere says. “Otherwise they won’t get off their sofas. Elevate your consultations, use questionnaires or quizzes, and provide bespoke or tailor-made beauty.”

Now, more than ever, salons need to over-deliver on expectations. Are you prepared to rise to the challenge?