Tips from Toronto

As some of you may know, two weeks ago I left the cozy confines of Chicago and my great officemates at Modern to take up residence in Toronto.  My first morning here, I was walking our dogs around my new neighborhood and as I wandered in my half-asleep daze, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a hairdresser chatting and doing highlights on a client. It instantly gave me a warm jolt of familiarity in this new city. At the time, I didn't realize what a common sight this was going to become on my thrice-daily dog walks.

Map of Yorkville area, with salons represented by a red dot, according to Google search. Green marker is Yorkville Avenue. Courtesy: maps.google.com

Turns out my new neighborhood, Yorkville, is salon central. You can't walk more than a couple feet down the block without tripping over a salon or spa. In the guidebook furnished by the condo building we're living in, it lists 103 salons and spas in this very small neighborhood. 103!

I had to dig further, so I started calling up some of the salons on my street to speak with owners about how they survive and thrive in such a crowded climate.

At one end of Yorkville Avenue, we have the two-year-old Salvatore Leonetti Salon, co-owned by Salvatore Leonetti (he does the hair) and Wendy Cho (she handles esthetics).

At the other end, there's Raffaello Marello Salon Spa, which has been in business since 1968. Owned by Raffaello Marello, his two children, Christopher and Mellissa, have also joined the family business.

So what's the big secret to doing business in high-end Yorkville? I was waiting to hear a great, amazing answer that I could share with you. But the truth, all three owners said, is customer service. Here are some of their tips.

#1. Build up a strong cliente.
"Being competitive has to do with your clientele," says Marello. "I've seen a lot of salons come and go. It's hard to do business without a strong clientele." Marello knows customer loyalty-he has one client who has been coming to see him since 1963. "You have to treat people like human beings, give them great service and great work. It's a never-ending quest to do things right."

#2. Pay attention to the details.
"Customer service has to be key," says Cho, of her salon. "One thing that helps is not skimping on assistants. We make sure clients are constantly being catered to." This includes even smaller details like offering a wider variety of drinks, including hot chocolate, cappuccino and sometime champagne. They also make sure to update their collection of magazines each week to make sure they're the most current.

#3. Make your location work for you.
The best thing about doing business in Yorkville, which is filled with upscale retail stores like Prada, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, is also the greatest challenge according to Leonetti and Cho. "There's always something going on here, there's constant traffic, we're in the central location for the Toronto International Film Festival. It's a prime location," say Leonetti. The harder part, says Cho, is living up to new clients' expectations because it's a Yorkville salon and the price point.

#4. Keep the clients coming back for more.
One of the keys to success for Salvatore Leonetti Salon is finding ways to get more face time with clients. To that end, many of their clients come to the salon for everything – cut, color and facials – seeing three different providers. "We find that we hold onto clients longer when they are coming back for multiple services," says Leonetti.

The stylists also encourage clients to come in for hair treatments, a 30-minute, $35 service that puts clients on a two to three week treatment schedule. The services, which treat a variety of conditions including oily scalp, dandruff and thinning hair, have become so popular that about half of the clients have them done.

Are you in a location filled with other salons and spas? How do you stand out and remain competitive in a crowded marketplace? Post below to share your ideas or e-mail mhill@vancepublishing.com.