There is no secret that during this heated election year the economy is going to play a major role in not only the election but in many of our lives. We have already seen increases in our everyday necessities such as gas and food. This is a difficult economy and because of the higher costs of business we are faced with the necessity of raising our prices. Now understand that we are not raising them anytime soon but this week we thought we would pull back the curtain and discuss the many factors involved when a salon determines prices for services.

We will start with an old saying "location is everything". That couldn't be truer when it comes to salon prices. Rent is one of the biggest factors that has to be considered. A prime location with great parking or heavy foot traffic is going to have higher rent than a small place on a side road with no exposure. Additionally location determines what the market will bear when it comes to prices. A celebrity stylists such as Ted Gibson in Manhattan can get over $900 for a haircut because his celebrity clientele is not as effected by the fluctuations in the economy that we might experience out here on the island.

Another part of the equation in salon prices is the product used. A salon that does not compromise its values will only use the highest quality products when it comes to professional color products and the shampoos and conditioners it uses during treatments. These quality products tend to cost more than inferior products. For instance Spa85 only uses Schwarzkopf professional color products. Because of the proven results our clients have experienced after switching from salons that do not use these products we have found that higher cost far outweighs compromising our quality.

Advanced education is extremely important. A hairstylist that takes their craft seriously is always attending advanced education. Advanced classes could range from $50 to $3000 and investing in continued education is key to a stylists success and develops them from a standard stylist into a specialist. And just like any professional that graduates with their masters degree, the more these stylists attend greater education the more sought out they are by clients because their work is that much more precise.

This brings us to reputation and the role it plays in pricing. A reputable stylist is usually booked way out into the future because their work stands above the rest. Their clients understand that when they leave the salon their hair doesn't have an expiration date.

Unfortunately everything cost more now than it did when we opened our doors 8 years ago. When you stop to consider that Gas is over $4/gal but not because it is any better than the gas you bought at $1.80 or that the milk you now pay $3.95/gal is not any more improved than the milk you bought when it was $1.50/gal you begin to look at the quality of service you are getting wherever you spend your money. If you haven't experienced it already, you are going to see a lot of salons increasing their prices over the next few months. What's most important is that you to recognize the difference between a salon that is committed to providing you the best quality service while charging accordingly and a salon that is charging strictly based on their ego. If you begin to feel that you are paying much much more but getting the same or less than it might be time for a change. And there is no shortage of salons on Long Island to choose from. That is the beauty of competition, Salons that are passionate about the work they do will quickly outshine those that are looking for the quick buck.