Is your salon due for a brand makeover? Whether your current salon branding feels outdated or you’re ready for a complete rebrand, timing is everything.
As we dive into 2025, more salon owners are discovering innovative ways to market their salon and refresh their brand identity without derailing their busy schedules (and thank God for that).
Play the short…
…and watch the full episode 41 of Marketing 100 where salon marketing experts Kayle and John break down the smart way to refresh your salon’s brand while keeping costs down with a design contest.
Continue reading below for our step-by-step walkthrough of running a design contest, including real costs, practical tips, and how to make the most of your new brand assets.
Why Your Salon Branding Matters
Your branding is more than just your salon logo design – it’s your business’s first impression and a crucial part of your salon marketing strategy.
Research shows that brand consistency can increase revenue by 10-20%, and strong brands generate three times the sales volume of weaker brands. In fact, 60% of consumers avoid businesses with unappealing logo designs, even if they have good reviews (Bynder).
Today’s consumers interact with brands through multiple channels – from physical locations to websites and social media. Each of these touchpoints shapes their perception of your salon. A cohesive brand identity that unites both your physical salon space and your digital presence is crucial for creating a memorable and reliable customer experience (newtarget).
From your logo to your website, social media presence, and in-salon materials, these elements work together to tell your story and attract your ideal clients.
But hiring an agency or freelancer traditionally involves countless meetings, back-and-forth emails, and the risk of getting locked into a direction that isn’t quite right.
The Challenge with Traditional Salon Branding
What a lot of business owners try to do is they try to make it work. They’ll come in, it’s not exactly what they wanted, and they’ll try and iterate on it again and again. You end up going through all these revisions and taking all this time for somebody that maybe wasn’t right for you in the first place.
This is a common challenge – recent studies show that updating marketing assets is the most difficult part of rebranding for 47% of businesses, followed by communicating the rebrand to audiences (42%) and achieving creative alignment (36%) (Bynder).
This is exactly why many salon owners get stuck with branding that doesn’t truly represent their business – they feel committed to seeing it through, even when it’s not the right fit.
A Modern Approach to Salon Rebranding: Design Contests
There’s a smarter way to rebrand your salon business: branding contests. This innovative approach lets multiple designers compete to create your perfect salon brand identity, giving you more options and control over the final result.
How It Works:
- You create a brief describing your salon’s vision and needs
- Multiple professional designers submit their concepts
- You review various options and provide feedback
- Choose your favorite design and receive your complete brand package
When you stick to local talent, you’re limiting your options. Opening it up to a wider pool of designers through contests gives you so many more possibilities – it’s simply a better way to find something that truly works for your salon.
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Why Choose This Salon Branding Method?
This approach is particularly valuable for busy salons because:
- You’ll see multiple design options without committing to a single designer
- The process is entirely online. Fast, easy, no in-person meetings needed.
- You can explore different styles you might not have considered
- There’s no need to settle for “making it work” with the wrong designer
Investment vs. Return
While a branding contest requires an investment ($500+ minimum, it’s worth its weight in gold. Think of it as creating lasting digital assets for your business. These materials will serve your salon for years to come across various platforms and for various uses:
- Social media templates
- Business cards and promotional materials
- Website design elements
- In-salon signage
- Marketing collateral
Tips for Success in Salon Branding (and Rebranding)
When creating your design brief, remember this golden rule: keep it high-level.
Focus on the bigger picture – what are you trying to achieve? What challenges are you facing? What core principles define your brand? These are the questions that will guide great design.
Some key elements to include:
- Your salon’s values and personality
- Target client demographics
- The feeling you want to evoke
- Examples of styles you like
- Your business challenges
Remember, keeping your brief somewhat open allows designers to surprise you with creative solutions you might not have considered.
Making Your Investment Count
Think of your rebranding as an “evergreen” salon marketing solution. Unlike one-time marketing expenses, your brand assets will continue working for your business over time.
Think of this as a long-term investment. You create these brand assets once, and they keep working for your business year after year.
Where to Use Your New Brand Assets:
- Create engaging salon social media content
- Design eye-catching window displays
- Develop professional email templates
- Update your website design
- Create branded service menus
- Design staff uniforms or name badges
- Develop promotional materials for special events
Start Your Salon Rebranding Journey
Ready to rebrand your salon? Start by gathering inspiration from salons you admire and thinking about what makes your salon unique. Platforms like 99designs offer structured contests that make the process straightforward and professional.
Remember: your brand is an investment in your salon’s future and a key part of growing your salon business.
Looking to dive deeper into salon branding? Our free salon brand strategy course covers everything from creating your brand vision to working with creative professionals.
P.S. For even more proven salon marketing tips, don’t forget to check out the rest of our Marketing 100 series.
