Editor's comment: growing your business in 2017

While the tumultuousness of 2016 may finally be over, it’s left in its wake a new wave of business uncertainty. With the pound now weak, the cost of importing products is rising – an increase that’s likely to be passed on to salons and spas this year – and consumer confidence has also been hit.

So, many salons and spas will be taking a fresh look at their offer as 2017 kicks off to make sure their treatments and facilities are top notch, measures are in place to protect customer loyalty, and they offer that all important USP that will attract new clients. Take a look at our business feature in our January issue for the 10 priorities you should be focusing on for Q1 to get the year off to a good start.

We also take an in-depth look at the trends that are set to shape the market over the next 12 months in beauty, spa, nails and aesthetics, to help you stay ahead of the curve and decide which areas may be beneficial to invest in or branch out into. 

As 2016 came to a close, we also asked you which sector of the market you planned on investing in most heavily this year, with skincare, brows and lashes coming out high. However, compared with last year, when we asked the same question, nails and machines saw the biggest rise, perhaps due to the wealth of innovation we’re seeing in these categories. 

And for some inspiration on the types products and treatments that could help you grow your business this year, take a look at our preview of the Professional Beauty 2017 show in this issue, where we offer a sneak peek at the key upcoming launches from some of the biggest brands in our market.

With uncertain economic times in mind, this month we also take a look at how to get more out of your current equipment. As well as profiling the latest machines, our lasers focus in the Jan issue explores the new treatment possibilities for existing devices to help keep your client offer current.