A barber giving $3 haircuts to the unemployed, a doctor giving 50% discounts to patients, and a salon giving discounts for 401(k) losses. From Kare11: The 401(k) Haircut: Uptown Salon Offers Deal for Tough Times. Excerpt:
A Twin Cities hair salon owner has his own economic stimulus plan for building growth.John Charles, who owns ‘The John Charles Salon‘ in Minneapolis’ Uptown, and his business partner, Craig Weitz, came up with the idea.
Here’s the deal: New customers will get to trim their salon bill by using their 401K statement.
They’ll get to cut the percentage lost in their retirement fund for haircutting or coloring services.
Customers can take off up to 50 percent from their bill.
All you need to do is bring proof of the 401K percentage loss and show it to the Salon’s cashier.
It will be deducted from your bill… no questions asked.
More here.
It is doubtful that folks will want to drag out their 401(k) statements and take them into the salon to get this discount, or that they would even want to divulge this info to their hairdresser (Only my hairdresser knows for sure. . . remember that adage?) However, it does present some wonderful food for thought about how we might all work together to get through this.
And, if perchance, this is a marketing ploy (as salons appear to be hurting in this downturn), what a great one:
(1) It enables the salon to gain a “competitive edge” in this environment.
(2) It will give the salon free marketing for days to come.
(3) And, by offering services at a discount and keeping stylists busy, it will enable the salon to meet its overhead.
(Hat Tip: Plan Sponsor.com)