Brief: If you want to start a barbing salon in Cameroon and don’t know what to do, this is for you.

A barbing salon is a place where men and boys go to cut, groom, style and shave their hair or beard. Such salons are specialized in cutting men’s hair, shaving beards, neck and face. They’re also locations where people go to socialize around the neighborhood especially the young.

Start a barbing salon in Cameroon

1. Go for training

Before you start any business, you need to have some skills and experience that will help you to build the business successfully. Most owners of barbing salons in Cameroon are the barbers themselves. However, you have investors who are not barbers that I will recommend getting a basic knowledge of the sector before they venture into it.

In Cameroon, barbers are not required to attend a barbing school and obtain a certification. However, you are required to have had at least 1 – 3 years training or apprenticeship in a barbershop.

If you are a barber and the owner of the business, you may need to take a basic course in business management or hire a consultant to guide you on how to manage a small business. Strong knowledge in business will be beneficial.

In addition to that, customer relationship management is very important in this business. Take note that this is highly a social profession that obliges you to connect with people of all backgrounds. Getting some background knowledge in that area will do much good.

2. Plan your business

You need to come up with a plan for your business that will help you map out certain specific needs for your business. You need to know

• Your startup cost – the amount needed as investment capital for the business;
• The running cost – the day-to-day expenses like utility bills, marketing, maintenance of shop and barber equipment, payroll, taxes, etc.
• Target market – barbers make money by charging a fee for the services they offer. It is certain that most of your clients will be males and to an extent, young girls of primary & secondary schools. There are many schools that oblige both boys and girls to keep low hair. Even women nowadays keep low cuts. In this case, your client base will be those that are convinced of your skills as a barber, the coziness of your shop, the social atmosphere and your friendliness.
• Marketing strategies – how much will you spend in marketing your business? Most small barbing salons in the neighborhood do little or no marketing at all. However, to be successful as a high-end barbing salon in Cameroon, you need to put in place a marketing strategy that will attract quality customers to your business.

3. Choose a business entity and register

A barbing saloon needs to have a legal status which determines the tax system and the taxes they have to pay. If you establish your barbing salon in Cameroon as a limited liability company, it will prevent you from being personal liable for the debts of the business. Refer to the previous post, how to start a barbershop in Cameroon to see the other business structures you can choose from.

4. Register for business license

After you incorporate or register your business in Cameroon, you need to obtain a business license latest 15 days after the start of activities. To get a business license, you need to register for your taxes. Your tax regime will be determined by the expected yearly turnover declared.

5. Set up an accounting system

One of the most important things in running a business successfully is to set up an accounting system. Most barbershops in Cameroon, especially the small ones have no accounting system put in place.

Recording various expenses and incomes is very necessary in order to understand the financial performance of your barbing salon. Your annual tax filing is easier once your accounts are well-kept and accurate.

6. Market your brand

If there is one thing that barbing salons in Cameroon have respected is their names. They usually have catchy names on boards or the walls of their shop usually in paint or graffiti. However, such brands rarely go out of the area where the shop is located.

In order to build and market your business, your brand must represent what your business stands for and how the public perceives your business. If you have a strong brand, you will be able to outsmart your competitors.

For you to make your brand stand out from that of competitors, you will have to promote and market your barbing salon. You can introduce yourself in the locality where your business is located by

• Organizing a grand opening event;
• sharing out fliers in homes and businesses in the neighborhood;
• use social networks to advertise;
• offer special promo services;
• look for blogs that your client base can read and advertise on them;
• use word of mouth – it should be noted that in this sector as well as other service businesses, word of mouth has been one of the strongest marketing tool;
• offer discounts to patrons if they refer their friends.

7. Be present on the Internet

Nowadays, having a website for your business is very important as it allows your clients to know more about the business and the services that you offer. Your website serves as a virtual shop that is open 24/7 and a marketing tool to help your barbing salon attract new clients and stand out from competition.

Having a website for your barbershop ensures that your business gets to meet the audience that may need your services. It helps to build confidence and creates trust as it showcases your expertise. This will make it possible for your potential customers to gain your confidence and demand for your service.

Your website is a cost effective marketing strategy for your barbing salon. Startups usually have a tight budget so going in for traditional marketing options may be too expensive for them. Having a website of your own will be cheaper and will always be accessible at no extra cost all day round.

Get an already designed content-ready website

If you plan to start a barbing salon in Cameroon that will attract clients from far and near, then you certainly need a website. Are you looking to buy an established website for your barbershop? You can find out from our list of websites for sale. You may want an already designed website to launch your business immediately. Why not get an established search engine optimized website with high quality content from Nexus Digital.

What you need to do is to buy a domain name and hosting and in less than 48 hours, your website will be up and running. Your barbershop’s website is an extension of your brand. It’s what sets you apart from your local competitors.

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