Elle Marie Hair Studio Named to the 2012 Salon Today 200 by Salon Today Magazine

    BOTHELL, WA, March 07, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Elle Marie Hair Studio owned by Colleen Buck, Jody Bossert and Lorry Green recently was named to the SALON TODAY 200 by SALON TODAY magazine, the top business publication for salon and spa owners. It was Elle Marie's third recognition in as many years.

The magazine's 15th annual SALON TODAY 200 issue profiled the selected salons in its January/February 2012 edition. The 200 salons were selected for their best business practices from applications submitted by SALON TODAY readers, who represent the 25,000 top-producing salons and spas in the country.

"We take great pride in our ability to stay on the cutting edge of the industry, not only with regards to hair fashion, but with our salon business practices as well," says Bossert. "Being named to the Salon Today 200 with so many other amazing salons is an honor and confirms that our strategies are consistent with the most elite salons in the country. We continually review and update our salon strategies with the goal of providing our guests with the ultimate salon experience and a hairstyle that has them brimming with confidence as they walk out the door."

The magazine honored applicants in 11 different best practice categories, including Compensation and Benefits, Retention and Referral Programs, Customer Service, Recruitment and Training, Advanced Education, Marketing, Environmental Sustainability, Philanthropy, Retail and Merchandising, Technology, and Sales Growth. Elle Marie Hair Studio was honored in both the Growth and Marketing categories.

"Each year, Salon Today 200 awards are presented during a reception at the Serious Business salon conference in New Orleans," says Bossert. "Since this was our third year for the award, we elected to make the investment to travel across the country to meet some of the other winners. We are so glad we did. Not only did we meet and share ideas with so many other amazing salon owners, but we realized there are a number of additional categories we excel in as well. In addition to Growth and Marketing, next year we look forward to applying for categories such as Customer Service, Recruitment and Training, and Technology."

"Our editors recognize that strong business leadership requires the mastery of a number of different best business practices," said Stacey Soble, editor-in-chief of SALON TODAY. "The salons named to the SALON TODAY 200 for 2012 not only proved they excel in one or more of these areas, they also have created rewarding environments for their staff members and standout experiences for their clients. Their willingness to share their success offers our readers important business benchmarks and fresh, sales-building ideas."

For a salon to be named to the SALON TODAY 200, it had to meet the following criteria: 1) The salon or spa opened on or before January 1, 2009, 2) The salon is a provider of professional salon services including one, or more, of the following: hair care, nail care, skin care, body care or spa treatments, 3) The salon or spa generated annual service and product sales revenues of at least $250,000 per year since 2009, 4) The owner provided statistical information about his or her business and completed at least one of the Best Practice category essay sections, and 5) The applicant submitted documentation to verify financials if he or she competed in the Growth category.

In the commemorative January/February 2012 issue, SALON TODAY profiled 200 individual salons, although these salons could be honored in more than one category. The 2012 SALON TODAY 200 honored 100 salons in growth; 27 in Compensation and Benefits; 27 in Retention and Referral Programs; 25 in Customer Service; 29 in Recruitment and Training; 21 in Advanced Education; 24 in Marketing; 35 in Environmental Sustainability; 27 in Philanthropy; 17 in Retail and Merchandising; and 28 in Technology.

Salon Today is a division of Modern Salon Media, which is owned by Vance Publishing Corporation in Lincolnshire, IL.

Elle Marie Hair Studio is a Redken Elite hair salon that opened its first location in August of 2006 in Bothell, WA (near Mill Creek), a second location in June of 2010 in Lake Stevens, WA (near Snohomish) and has plans in motion to open a third salon this summer (location to be announced shortly). Elle Marie features the Redken, Pureology and Sexy Hair product lines as well as So.Cap. and Hotheads hair extensions and Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy.

Website: http://www.ellemariehairstudio.com

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