Austin, TX -- (SBWIRE) --05/26/2011 -- Austin’s Urban Betty owned by Chelle Morrison recently was named to the SALON TODAY 200 by SALON TODAY magazine, the top business publication for salon and spa owners.

The magazine’s 14th annual SALON TODAY 200 issue profiled the selected salons in its January 2011 issue. 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.

The magazine honored applicants in 12 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. Urban Betty was honored in the following: Growth, 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 2011 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, 2008. 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 2008; 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 2011 issue, SALON TODAY profiled 200 individual salons, although these salons could be honored in more than one category. The 2011 SALON TODAY 200 honored 100 salons in Growth; 26 in Compensation and Benefits; 25 in Retention and Referral Programs; 23 in Customer Service; 21 in Recruitment and Training; 25 in Advanced Education; 25 in Marketing; 27 in Environmental Sustainability; 20 in Philanthropy; 27 in Retail and Merchandising; and 25 in Technology.

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