Success Story: A Canadian Conversion

By | August 31st, 2016

Success Story: A Canadian Conversion

Gen_NitronNews_ SuccessStory_083016

A total team approach resulted in the conversion of Salon Ascension in Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Keune. In this case, Keune’s power team included Shauna, Regional Salon Specialist; Carole, Distributor Sales Consultant for Modern Beauty Supplies; and Belvia, Keune Academy Trainer. As a result of their combined efforts, Ascension now uses Keune Tinta, Semi and So Pure Color, plus all of Keune’s retail lines.

Carole, who worked as a stylist for 25 years before moving to the sales side, tells the story of how the conversion came about: “Ascension, a boutique salon that does beautiful work and invests heavily in education, had been a Goldwell salon for years. A year ago, when Modern Beauty Supplies brought in Keune, I fell in love with how the color applies, feels, looks and covers gray. I told Ascension’s owner Iman that I truly believe it’s one of the best lines out there. We spent three hours together so I could share Keune’s story. Iman was willing to listen and he immediately saw that it was a good fit for his salon. The following week, he decided to go 100-percent Keune.”

Iman runs the salon with his wife Dalida. The duo both work behind the chair and have a salon team of five who specialize in cuts, color and styling hair for weddings. “We’re a family business in an elegant salon, so it was a perfect match. Keune fits with what we stand for,” explains Iman. “We had our previous line for 12 years, but I thought that Keune could be the solution to our identity crisis. Unbeknownst to Carole, once she mentioned Keune, I bought color at Modern Beauty’s store and started to test it on clients without telling them. We achieved the results we were looking for. As a bonus, the cost per application is less than most other lines!”

Ascension’s team also loves Keune’s retail. “Keune’s products demand respect when you see the packaging on the shelf, and the selection is very broad,” Iman says. “There’s something for everyone, regardless of their style. I know that focusing on Keune will help us increase our retail. ”

Carole adds, “When Iman committed to Keune, I removed all of his color and retail on a Sunday. Then, I delivered his Keune products and set up all the retail. Now, I drop in once or twice a week to make sure they are receiving the attention they deserve. I expect them to buy $4,000 to $6,000 per month in Keune.”

In conjunction with the conversion, Iman and Dalida gave the salon a makeover, including installing custom retail shelves. While Ascension has always offered men’s and boy’s cuts, they’ve added a barber section featuring Keune Man.

“In a nutshell, Keune completed our identity as a salon,” Iman says. “Our team and our clients love the brand, and we are already creating a Keune cult.”

Interested in the tricks of the trade? Shauna offers this advice when working on conversions:

  • Work closely with your Distributor Sales Consultant and make sure you both know exactly where the salon is in the conversion process. Salons really like it when they see the manufacturer and distributor working closely together as a team to support the salon.
  • Remove every piece of old product from the salon so the stylists can’t revert back to their old habits.
  • Education is key. Set that education in stone during the conversion, so the salon team feels like they have the support they need to convert to the new color successfully and with confidence. In this case, before the conversion, Shauna did the first product knowledge class, and then Belvia conducted a full-day balayage class. That class was the final trigger in Ascension’s decision to convert.

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