If you manage the salon between your own clients, business tasks tend to land in whatever time is left. Check in on these 7 pillars of salon management regularly to see what needs attention, then use the 5 tips to keep burnout at bay.
What is salon management?
Salon management is the business and admin work that keeps a salon running day to day. It might fall to you as the owner or to a team member who handles management alongside their own clients.
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When you hire, look for stylists you trust to protect your brand identity and deliver work that meets your standards. These habits can help you find and support the right people:
Post openings on job sites like Indeed or industry-specific sites like SalonJobs, and share them on your salon's social channels.
Pair the interview with a working trial, so you can watch how a candidate talks with clients and completes services.
Train, then train some more. Even an experienced hire needs time to learn your salon's standards, so give them clear training materials.
Ask team members which skills they want to learn next, and look for ways they can grow within the salon.
To keep good stylists, watch what nearby salons pay, and ask about each person's personal and professional goals so you can support their long-term plans. Mangomint's staff management features give each team member an account to see their schedule and appointments on their own device, with permissions you set.
Pillar 2: Make your finances and budget work for you
Beauty salon budgeting
If your monthly revenue isn't leaving the margin you want after expenses like rent and payroll, it may be time to raise your service prices. Our guide to raising salon service prices covers how to share the news with clients.
Accepting beauty salon payments
Do you accept the payment options your clients prefer? If clients ask to pay by tapping their phone, make sure your checkout can take Apple Pay and Google Pay. Mangomint's integrated salon POS includes a Front Desk Display that works with both.
Should you offer cash discounting? We've found it rarely works for salons, though you know your business best. Instead, we recommend pricing your services to reflect your quality of service and your costs, including card processing fees.
Before you add a card fee or cash discount, check with your payment processor, because the rules vary by card network and state.
Payroll and tax management
Unlike rent, payroll can change every pay period, and calculating commission and hourly pay takes time. Salon software with payroll can handle pay calculations and payroll tax filings for you.
Payroll is also one of the biggest expenses you'll track for taxes. A payroll report from your salon management system keeps that data in one place for tax season.
Pillar 3: Build a leadership mindset
Salon management takes creative problem-solving, which is harder when self-doubt is holding you back. Check in on your mental health, and ask which habits or negative thoughts you could let go of. Leaning on your strengths and treating mistakes as lessons can help you build the confidence a leader needs.
Pillar 4: Keep the right salon management tools on your side
Salon management software can take some of the front desk and admin work off your plate with features like these:
Online booking can collect a deposit or full payment when clients book, and you can require them to accept your cancellation policy.
Client Self Checkout texts clients a link to tip and pay from their phone, which can help keep the front desk moving at busy times.
Express Booking™ lets you book a client on a quick call, then text a link where they review their details and add a card.
Virtual Waiting Room lets clients check themselves in when they arrive and alerts your team that the client is waiting.
Inventory management helps you track backbar and retail products, so you can reorder before you run out.
Intelligent Waitlist tracks who's waiting and notifies you when an opening comes up, so you can offer it to them.
Get more for less with Mangomint
Our new pricing includes Forms, Express Booking™, and 5 more features at no extra cost.
Among beauty & wellness businesses using Mangomint, 32% of appointments were booked online, and staff entered the rest. If a large share of yours comes through the team, the Express Booking™ flow above can help keep those calls short.
Pillar 5: Keep clients coming back with your services
Is your service menu keeping up with what clients ask for? Update it whenever stylists earn new certifications or your prices change. Then fine-tune it for each place clients see it:
On your website and in your booking system, make add-ons and upgrades easy to find so clients can add them while they book.
In the salon, use a menu format that's easy to update as your services change.
When clients ask for services you don't offer yet, prioritize training and certification for your team so you can keep pace with local competitors.
Rebooking is the other half of keeping clients coming back, so check how often it's happening. In Mangomint's business reports, you can track prebookings as a leading indicator for client retention and staff member performance. The Client Retention report also specifically shows how many clients from a selected period came back within 90 or 180 days.
If either number dips, revisit when and how your team offers the next appointment.
Pillar 6: Improve your daily operations
Daily routines, like opening and closing, are easy to set and forget, which can mean missing chances to improve them. These questions can help you spot what to tighten up:
Which processes are most important to your business? Are they prioritized accordingly within your salon’s routine?
Do staff members know, with certainty, which of these tasks or routines they are responsible for?
Are there any tasks that can be automated or improved to save you time?
How are you ensuring nothing slips through the cracks?
Are your processes, like sanitation and booking requirements, clearly communicated to staff members?
Pillar 7: Grow your business with marketing
Start with the marketing ideas that fit your salon:
Email campaigns and promotions can encourage current and past clients to book again. For inspiration, browse these marketing ideas for spas and nail salons.
Community events, like sponsoring a local sports team, can help you connect with potential clients in your area.
A Google Business Profile can help local clients find you. Keep it updated, and add your online booking link so they can book from Google.
Social media like Instagram and TikTok gives clients an easy way to see your work.
Service bundles and gift card promotions can help move sales when business is slow.
Memberships and packages can help encourage repeat visits and build more predictable revenue.
5 tips for mastering salon management without burnout
A monthly or quarterly check-in on each pillar can help keep the business on track, but it also adds to an already full plate.
Tip 1: Make time to work on the business
If you're still working behind the chair on top of managing the salon, burnout can build quickly. Block time on your calendar for business tasks, and protect it the way you'd protect a client's appointment. Use it for whichever pillar needs the most attention right now.
Pro tip: Many of the owners we talk to block off full admin days, so they don't have to split attention between clients and business tasks. Figure out what schedule works best for you and stick with it.
Tip 2: Don’t be afraid to delegate
Delegating is hard when you've already figured out the fastest way to do everything, and watching someone take the slower route can be painful. Holding onto every task still means doing more than one person can. Start with small tasks and work your way up, and you might find your salon's next leader along the way.
Tip 3: Vocalize your concerns
If you manage the salon but don't own it, speak up when the workload grows beyond your capacity. The sooner you raise it, the more time the owner has to find a solution.
Tip 4: Make the most of your tools
If a task keeps eating up your time, ask your software's support team whether there's a faster way to handle it. The answer might be a feature you haven't tried yet, like one of these 7 Mangomint features. If your salon management software isn't improving, consider switching to a new platform.
Tip 5: Stay connected in your community
Build a support system outside the salon, starting with friends and family. Other salon owners know the job firsthand, so look for them in online groups, like those on Facebook and Reddit, or at industry events.
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Mangomint brings the software side of these pillars into one place, so you can spend less time switching between tools. If you're thinking about switching, start a free trial or schedule a demo to see how it fits your salon.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is salon management?
Salon management covers the business tasks that keep a salon running, like supporting your team and tracking your finances. This guide groups that work into 7 pillars you can check in on regularly.
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What does a salon manager do day to day?
A salon manager handles the business work that happens around appointments. Typical responsibilities include hiring and training stylists, tracking the budget and running payroll, keeping the service menu current, overseeing routines, like sanitation, and planning marketing and promotions.
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How do you manage a salon without burning out?
Start by blocking time on your calendar for business tasks and handing small jobs to your team. Then let software handle repetitive front desk work, like finishing phone bookings and checking clients in. Outside the salon, other owners in online groups or at industry events can be a useful sounding board.
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How often should you review each part of your salon?
Aim for a monthly or quarterly check-in on each pillar. Pick the cadence you can keep, and block the time ahead so client appointments don't squeeze it out.
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What should salon management software include?
Look for software like Mangomint that handles these everyday tasks in one place: online booking that can collect deposits, payments with client self checkout, staff accounts with permissions you set, and payroll and reporting. Before you switch, test it against a real day's work, like a busy Saturday at your salon.
Emily Holzer is a Content Marketing Manager at Mangomint. She has a master’s degree in English and a passion for helping salons, spas, and other local beauty businesses thrive. When she is not writing, you can find her playing chess or tending to her houseplants. Fun fact: Emily has donated 8 ponytails (so far) across 5 hair loss charities in the U.S.
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