Opening a salon or studio? What to prepare, from brand to first booking

The space is painted, the chairs are ordered and the Instagram account is set up. A few weeks before the opening, suddenly everything is needed at once: a logo for the window, a price list for print, photos for the website, a description for Google, the first post about the opening. If each thing is handled by someone else at a different time, the result looks pieced together and some things get done twice.

A business that customers perceive as one whole does not happen by chance. The individual outputs build on each other, and the order matters. This article is a practical guide to what to prepare and in what sequence, from the offer to the first booking.

1. Offer, clientele and what sets you apart

Before a logo is created, it has to be clear what you will do, for whom, and what makes you different from the salon down the street. That is three sentences, not a business plan: the main service, the typical customer and the reason to come to you. The name, visuals, prices and tone of communication all follow from these sentences.

2. Name and basic identity

The name affects the signage, the domain, social media profiles and company registration. It is therefore worth checking it before anything is ordered: whether the domain is free, whether another business nearby already uses it, and whether it is easy to say and spell. Then comes the identity: colours, typography and the character of the brand.

3. The logo in real use

Customers will not see the logo on white paper, but on the window, the price list, a cup, packaging, a towel or a uniform. When designing it, we therefore test straight away how it looks at small sizes, on dark and light backgrounds and with different printing techniques. If the brand needs several forms, for example a full logo, a monogram and a symbol, it is better to design them together as a system.

An example of such a system is the brand of the hair atelier VELUNA. We created a wordmark, a VA monogram and a radial emblem for it, so that it has a suitable form at every scale, from a wax seal and hair clips to a shop-window poster and the website.

4. Photos and videos before the opening

The website, the Google profile and social media all need photos, and most of them are taken in the space. The ideal time is after the interior is finished but before the opening, when the space is clean and ready. Plan shots of the interior, details, the team and examples of your work, and a few short videos for social media. Photos should be taken before the website is finally filled with content.

5. Website, list of services and the path to booking

For a salon or studio, the website has one main job: help the customer choose a service and book an appointment. It needs a clear list of services with prices or a price range, information about what the customer can expect, contact details, a map and a visible path to booking on mobile.

Booking can be handled by an existing booking system connected to the website or by a simple booking form. For VELUNA, the bilingual website includes a price list of services and a booking form, so customers can view services and prices in Czech or English and send a booking straight from the website. We write more about the options in the article From enquiry to booking: what your website can handle for you.

6. Google Business Profile and consistent details

Many new customers find you through maps. Your Google profile should be ready before the opening: the correct name, category, address, opening hours, photos and a link to the website. It is important that contact details are the same everywhere, on the website, on Google, on Instagram and on flyers. A different phone number or a differently written address confuses both customers and search engines.

7. Social media and announcing the opening

It is good to prepare the Instagram profile before the opening: visually aligned with the identity, with a clear bio and a link to booking. Before you open, you can show the space, the team and the services and invite your first customers. For VELUNA this included Instagram visuals, posters for the city and a short video, all in the same palette as the print materials and the website.

8. Gift vouchers

If vouchers are part of the offer, prepare them straight away in a consistent design, in printed and digital versions. Customers can buy a digital voucher online and give it immediately. We designed a gift voucher in the same style as the other materials for Golden Glow Studio, for example, together with a price list, Instagram templates and a Google profile.

9. Care after the opening

The work on the brand does not end with the opening. Regularly add photos and news, update prices and opening hours, and ask happy customers for a Google review. Genuine feedback builds trust better than any advertising copy.

Checklist before the opening

• The offer, typical customer and what sets you apart written down in a few sentences.
• A checked name and a free domain.
• Logo and identity finished before signage and print are ordered.
• Window, price list, business cards and vouchers in a consistent style.
• Photos of the space and team before the website is finally filled.
• A website with services, prices and a path to booking.
• A Google Business Profile with the same details as the website.
• Instagram ready with a bio, a link and the first posts.

Where the order matters

There is no universal schedule. It depends on the scope, the production of signage, the printer and how quickly you make decisions. Some dependencies always apply, though:

• Name before signage. Changing the name after ordering a window graphic or an illuminated sign is expensive.
• Identity before print. Print business cards, price lists and vouchers only once the logo and colours are final.
• Photos before the final website. A website with temporary images will need reworking.
• Details before registrations. Settle the address, phone and opening hours before entering them on Google and social media.

We can prepare the brand, website and materials together

If you are preparing an opening, we can take on the whole process, from brand and logo through the website to photos, graphic design and print. You can also start with a single service.

Discuss preparing your opening