Winter Business Tips to Cut Costs in Your Shop

Whether you’re a big fan of the winter or find the weather disagreeable, the demands of the season differ greatly from the rest of the year. If you’re not careful, your barbering biz could suffer from cold weather mistakes, excessive heating bills, and lost products.

Thankfully, you can keep your barbershop humming along through snowfall, holidays, and frigid temperatures by being preemptive and making a few adjustments. After all, who wants the winter blues when you can live in a winter wonderland instead?

Must-Know Winter Tips for Your Barber Shop Biz

The challenges of winter are well-known, and we’re not just talking about Christmas dinner with in-laws or slipping on icy sidewalks. Keeping your barbering biz running right can face numerous hurdles—especially financial—when the cold weather comes calling. That’s why we put together this handy list of ways to save your barbering biz a bundle.

Use Space Heaters to Save Money and Spruce Up Your Shop

One of the biggest expenses barber shops face during the winter is exorbitant energy bills. If you want your clients and coworkers to be comfortable as you operate your shop throughout the winter, you need to keep your space at a reasonable temperature. Unfortunately, that often translates to consistently running the heat (and a tab with your power company).

An efficient alternative to your building’s heating system is space heaters. Not only can they potentially draw less power and save you a significant amount of money, but they can also be aesthetic, adding a positive visual impact to your shop. By investing in space heaters that you can use each year to spruce up your shop and keep it comfortable when the temperatures drop, you can save your barbering biz money in the long run.

Store Equipment and Products Correctly

You rely on equipment and products to keep your shop running smoothly. From sanitation products and equipment you use every day to retail products that bring in a little extra cash for your shop, making the most of your investment is key to finding financial success.

Winter can be especially hard on your equipment and products. The cold can negatively affect certain products, causing them to separate or spoil. If stored in the wrong containers, the cold could cause them to burst. Even your equipment can wear poorly if not stored correctly.

If you want to ensure your investments stay working as intended, usable, and even fit for retail sale, taking the time to store them properly is an absolute must.

Avoid Disaster When Freezing Temperatures Arrive

The slow drain of a heating bill adding up or some products spoiling due to poor storage can certainly hurt your barbering biz, and they should be taken seriously.

Plugging those small holes in your winter plan and related budget can go a long way toward helping your business thrive in the colder months.

There’s another danger of winter, however, that can have a more catastrophic toll on your barber shop and your livelihood. That’s right; we’re talking about burst pipes.

While this can happen any time the temperatures drop below freezing (it’s a very common cause of property damage during the winter), it is most likely to happen in spaces that are unheated.

Before you think your shop is in the clear, consider any spaces in your building that may not receive proper heat, such as basements and attics. If there are pipes in these areas, they are more likely to freeze.

Thankfully, you can take a few small steps to lower the risk of burst pipes.

• Insulating pipes that are at risk of freezing is easy and inexpensive—simply buy properly-sized insulation from your local hardware store.
• You can also leave a faucet on—just a drip will do—to keep water moving and prevent it from freezing in the pipes and causing them to burst.
• If you plan to take time off or close up shop for the holidays, remember to leave the heat on at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

The winter can be beautiful and full of excitement, but it can also be frigid and frustrating. If you want to protect your barber shop and your resources, you should consider taking preemptive action, starting with the steps above.

For more helpful hints and barbering insights, be sure to visit our regularly updated blog. We cover everything from the latest haircare trends to protecting your shop with liability insurance to how to best adapt to the rapidly changing marketing landscape. No matter what your interest is, if you’re a barber, you’ll want to be the first in the know by subscribing to NAOB.