The Barbering Tips You Need For Success—Tools, Equipment, and Beyond
Okay, barbers, spoiler alert—this article is not going to be a guide to buying the perfect brand of razor or scissors or clippers. In other words, no, we’re not just talking about actual tools here. This article right here, well, it’s about a little bit more than that.
Don’t get us wrong. We understand the need to advise and provide insight on tangible tools. Because, yes, you need some serious hands-on barbering gadgets to lead you down the path to success. But those aren’t the only tools of the trade that are a must for aspiring barbering businesses. In fact, there a ton of intangible tools that are just as important.
Sound overwhelming? Don’t worry about it—we’re here to help. Keep on reading to get a better idea of what we believe to be a few of the essentials every barber needs to have to run a successful shop.
Go-To Equipment
We’re not going to sit here and check off the long list of tools your barbershop needs to be successful in the long-run—because that’s a long damn list, you guys. But, we do believe that every barber worth his or her salt has a few quality tools that are absolute musts, whether they’re just starting out or they’re seasoned barber pros.
In other words, whether you’ve got a whole shop full of fancy equipment or you’re working with the bare-minimum basics, these types of tools should be 100 percent on your list of go-to equipment.
- Straight Razor—because the perfect shave doesn’t just happen.
- Shears—picking the right pair doesn’t have to be insanely hard.
- Electric Clippers—yep, we’ve got a guide for that, too.
- Duster Brush—c’mon, you don’t want to leave spare hairs all over your clients.
- Hair Comb—a barber staple if there ever was one.
A Firm Grasp on Your Brand
One of the best tools you can have for your barbershop development is your own, personal, one-of-a-kind brand. As simple as it sounds, this is actually a fairly tricky concept for some people (no matter what industry they’re in) because it incorporates both concrete, physical aspects as well as intangible, emotional factors, too.
Your brand is the unique way that your audience perceives your business through tangible factors (like environment, visual marketing, color schemes, fonts, etc.) as well as through intangible factors (like mission statements, goals, message, and purpose).
Your brand is what helps distinguish you from other barbershops—it’s that little hint of razzle-dazzle that helps a client look at something and say, “Oh, yeah, they got their hair cut at XX shop). Your brand is what sets you apart from your competition.
You need a cohesive brand and brand message to ensure that your marketing is on point, you’re reaching your target audience, and that you’re instilling a consistent, reliable business for your clients to not just buy into, but trust, too.
Having a strong grasp on a solid brand is one of the biggest marketing tools you can have—so it’s vital that you add it to your repertoire.
Marketing Strategy
You don’t need to be a marketing expert with a degree and a ton of know-how to create an effective marketing strategy—you just need a few simple tips to get started. Your marketing strategy should include things like top-notch social media, content marketing plans, engagement plans, a deeper understanding of your target market, and digital marketing tactics.
Check out our full-fledged guide here for a crash-course in setting up your own effective marketing strategy.
Professional Liability Insurance
Yeah, yeah, we can hear you grumbling already—we get it, we’re an insurance company, so you probably think we’re trying to squeeze our pitch into this post to sell you on our insurance. But, here’s the reality of it—we genuinely, wholeheartedly, and without a doubt believe that you do need insurance that protects your interests, even if that doesn’t mean us.
Like it or not, this is literally the million-dollar barber tool you need for success—no matter how great you are at what you do. Ultimately, the best of the best will invest in liability insurance because they love their career and they’re not going to let anything—allegation, claim, or error—get the best of them.
We could sit here and tell you that the latest equipment—like the shears, the clippers, and the straight razors—are what make the man (or woman). But ultimately, if you’re not incorporating those quality ingredients with other tools—like a solid marketing strategy, professional liability insurance, and a brand plan—you’re never going to set yourself up for success.
So, yeah, invest in the good, tangible barber tools you need to give your clients what they know they’re after—a great cut. But, invest in the other, intangible aspects so you can give them what they didn’t even know they were looking for—an exceptional experience.
Have more barbering tools you think we should add to this list? Good—tell us! We’re all about using your feedback to advance and enhance the barbering community we all know and love. Drop us a line in the comment section and share your input with us.
Looking to stay in the loop on other essentials in the barbering industry? Keep up with our regularly updated blog for all the insight, advice, and inspo you need to run a badass barbershop your way!
