APAN launches 5-Point Strategic Plan as part of the VICTORIAN Salon RECOVERY PROJECT

As the situation in Victoria has reached a crisis point it is important to know the power of one strong voice with the Government, as too many voices diminish power and becomes confusing.

This message must be clear, strategic, consistent, and backed by evidence and numbers.

APAN interacts with over 36,000 salon and clinic owners around Australia. As an industry body our voice is strong in representing your collective needs.

Furthermore, we are very strategic in how we approach the Government as currently any aggression is not tolerated and such approaches are immediately ignored.  There is a skill to how you speak to the Government and this also requires persistence and patience.

Who Are We Speaking To And Why We Need Your Support?

To all the brave colleagues and business owners in Melbourne doing it tough right now. We thank you for your courage and feel your pain and anguish over the recent lockdown measure. As an industry body, APAN has not been complacent. Behind the scene, we have had several extensive discussions and correspondence with several government departments, including:

• Daniel Andrews – Premier
• Dr Martin Foley – Victorian Health Minister
• Georgie Crozier – Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council
• Dr Matthew Bach – Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Council
• Karen Andrews – Federal MA Minister for Industry, Science and Technology

At this stage these discussions are on-going. It is vital to continue to trust us to represent your needs. We need to approach these challenges as a collective voice as the Government has indicated that they prefer to deal with one organization representing its constituents’ needs.  We have the experience and we have the strategy.

Here is how you can help us.

The most urgent priority is to convince the Government to remove the need for clients to wear a mask in the treatment room, as this severely restricts most therapists from performing their services and this measure is severely impacting businesses financially – we need to prove this.   

The way you can support us is to urgently complete the Industry Poll so that we can bring evidence-based information to Governments.

Over the past few days, we have sat together with our team and reviewed the current status. As a result, we are pleased to report that we have developed a strategic roadmap for recovery which we have registered as the VICTORIAN SALON RECOVERY PROJECT.  Here is a brief outline:

APAN has devised a clear strategic roadmap to recovery for all our Victorian businesses. This includes:

• Immediate short-term plan
• Long-term plan to protect businesses in the future.

IMMEDIATE SHORT-TERM PLAN

As part of the VICTORIAN SALON RECOVERY PROJECT, the immediate short-term plan includes Five strategies. Below we have outlined each strategy and its aims. Please read these carefully and support us in whichever way you can.  This initiative is not about us it’s about YOU so we need your support and engagement.

STRATEGY 1:  INDUSTRY POLL

Please respond to the industry poll in the previous post.  There are just three questions.

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AIM:  You support by completing this poll will greatly help us to provide the Victorian Government with evidence of the volume of businesses that have been impacted and help us to pursue the request to allow clients to remove their masks during their treatments.  Please ensure to respond to this poll no later than the 12^th of November.  Please also get your staff to take this poll.

STRATEGY 2:  MEDIA RELEASE

We will be launching a massive media campaign appealing to the public to urgently support their local salon and clinic as part of the VICTORIAN SALON RECOVERY PROJECT.  We are launching SALON HUB VICTORIA as a separate website where salons and clinics can register their businesses with their details for consumer to access them through a directory.

AIM: To create extensive community awareness of the urgency of supporting their local salon/clinic business to ensure their survival.  We have a huge media database and we will undertake this as a focused strategy.  However, we need the “masks removal victory” first.

STRATEGY 3: INDUSTRY BODIES, BUSINESS COACHES AND SUPPLIER SUPPORT

As part of the recovery program we will be approaching the government, suppliers and business providers as well as industry bodies to contribute in specific ways:

• Government Recover grants and other financial support e.g. lower interest rates etc.
• Suppliers offer a 5% discount on all orders from Victorian Salons during November and December as well as any special offers.
• Business coaches offering free 30-minute coaching including industry bodies
• Legal firms offering free advice and support
• We will appeal to numerous organizations to put forward a way that they can assist businesses to recover.

AIM: Provide tangible discounts and value for Melbourne salons and clinics supporting their recovery. We will make available a directory through the Salon Hub Victoria website where consumers can access salons and clinics near them. The business will also be able to offer special offers, advice, plus more.

STRATEGY 4: WHY WE NEED POSITIVE DECLARATIONS?

Neuroscience tells us that what we declare and believe shapes our destiny. The power of positive declarations is important right now as a daily habit/practice. In a bid to support motivation, mental and emotional health APAN will re-introduce start the day with a good thought as a daily motivational/inspirational through to help support emotional agility and survival. These statements will be featured on the APAN Facebook page DAILY.

AIM: Mental attitude is key to survival.  These are difficult times and we want to stand with you on a DAILY BASIS offering you a positive though to help start you day with hope of recovery and survival.

 Prayer Chain

There is power in the Prayer of agreement. For all who believe in the power of prayer, we would like to invite you to join with us and agree to pray each day and address two specific areas that we can stand together, speak out, and believe through an international prayer chain.

• The quick lifting of the “client mask” restrictions allowing businesses to freely provide facial services.
• Courage, peace, and abundance for all who face the challenges of recovery.

AIM: We are standing together reminding business owners and their staff who are facing hardship that they are backed with prayer support and individuals from every state are standing with them to gain strength and overcome their day-to-day challenges.  They are not alone.

As we come together with this 5-point approach we believe our collective support and contribution will help businesses gain much-needed support and courage to move forwarded and survive knowing their industry is behind them. 

Our long-term plan will be presented separately.

Please do not forget to review the above five steps and don’t forget to complete the Poll. Thank you for your support.