Three ways to grow your client base

Hey friends so I’m so excited to share with you my 3 believes on how to be successful behind the chair when starting out and sustaining a growing business:

•EDUCATION 

•SHOW AND TELL  

•WOWING

When you put these three ideas on the front line of how you operate your business it will catapult you from a beginner stylist into a book to stylist. 

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EDUCATION: There is so much more to learn after school. Seek out companies and classes that will help you better yourself as the artist that you dream of becoming. Whether you are obsessed with styling hair, hair color, or you want to be a rockstar 😎 make up artist. After school the homework does not stop, but don’t think that that is a bad thing.  Think of it as your 🔐 Key to success!

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SHOW AND TELL is taking your education and utilize it behind the chair and with your clients.   Show off those new techniques and educate your customers. SHARE WHAT YOU LEARNED. We need to talk about the trends, Healthy beauty,  and the latest ingredients that are on the market used in our hair products or make up products that are beneficial to our skin or hair. Consumers love to here when their personal beauty provider is kicking butt in the industry.  Give them something to brag about!  Consumers are educating themselves through google so be ready for the savvy consumer too. 

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WOWING the client every time.  Have you ever been to a really nice restaurant? I love food and trying new places!  Let me paint you a picture. 

I enter through a door and I’m greeted by a friendly hostess dressed in a clean ironed shirt and smile on her face.  She walks us over to a clean booth with a candle lit  and cushioned seats.  I immediately notice the aromatic smell of food! The music in the background, the ambience, the attitude, the design and feel of the menu, down to the description of the specials from the waiter.  The description makes your mouth water 🤤.  Waiting for the order the drinks are always full.  Our meal is displayed artistically on the plate and is as delicious as it looks. We were thanked for visiting their restaurant and was given a complimentary dessert to finish our meal.  Our experience  👏 WOWED us.  I mean FIVE STARS ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ So, how can you wow your guest like this in your business??

How to assist a star stylist and win them over

So you finally have that chance to go to your dream salon and you have the opportunity to assist/shadow 👏

You’re nervous, excited and feeling unsure of how to assist? 😮🤔

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I feel you! I have been there before and now I’m on the other side so I’d love to share my perspective! 

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I love having interns come into the salon and to assist me.  I am quite particular on how I like to be assisted.  The last thing I need is when I’m super busy and swamped with my guests is a NEW STYLIST staring at me 😳 like a deer in headlights, OR asking way too many questions! Hairdressing is not rocket science and neither is assisting.   Here are a few key points to pay close attention to when you are at your dream job when you are assisting a stylist. 

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 Pay close attention to detail of maybe how they’re treating the client their personality I think it’s important to mimic the personality of your stylist.  If she is being very serious then you need to be on the same wavelength as her/him. Yes, we all have different personalities, but when we are working with the customer they always comes first.  Most of the time an artist wants you to be more shadowing or in the background, not in front of the client taking over the conversation or their appointment. 

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I believe asking the right questions are important, such as: what is your expectation.  Understanding what that artist needs from you.  Maybe they want you to hold foils or maybe they want you to wash their make up brushes.  Maybe they want you to see what they do and then do just that for the next person such as shampooing and detangling somebody’s hair.   Questions not relative to the service should be asked after client has left or at the end of the day. 

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Pay close attention to the details to wow the salon.  If something falls on the floor pick it up and throw it away.  if there is there a towel that dirty throw it in the laundry.  Take initiative and act as if you’ve been there for a while, bring your A game, dress to impress,  put on a smile.  The purpose of doing this internship/shadow is to learn, grow, and hopefully get your foot in the door so you can land your dream job 🙌

If you like this read and want to hear more on Assisting check out my podcast episode here

In this episode I share with you my ideas on how you can create an opportunity to shadow or assist with an experienced artist or at your dream salon that will help you land a job and build your network.

Visualize before you begin

When selecting a place to start a career in the beauty industry there are a few things to visualize first before committing.  Now it doesn’t need to be your entire career but a place that you can grow and thrive for 3-5 years.  If you bounce around too much it will be difficult to create consistency and build a business. 

1. What type of work do you want to do

2. Who will you work with

3. What is the career path 

What type of work do you want to do- this could be men’s haircutting, bridal, makeup, etc..  Choose an environment that these clients would be drawn to visiting.  Is it a masculine place, a spa like environment, or maybe it’s being onset doing a Photoshoots or fashion shows. You will need to do your homework, visit these places, and don’t be afraid to be selective.  

Who will you work with?- You can get a good sense of attitude during a visit or phone conversation if it gives you a welcoming vibe or not.  You are the equivalent to 5 people you spend the most time with.  So if these worker bees are not successful and loving life then ...you won’t be either 😳

What is the career path?-

  Continuing education, tracked goals, increase pay.  All of these will contribute to your end goal of why you should work harder/smarter.   If you don’t hear about these things in your interview then I would immediately put up a red flag 🚩CAUTION!  Continuing education in my mind is the key to success and staying in the game.  Make sure your team holds this as a high value and believe!

Hopes this helps as I always hear from new artist starting in their career.  I’ll share a few ideas for those starting a suite too but we all start somewhere and I do believe a good salon with continuing education will be an amazing stepping stone for most! And believe me the hardest part is the beginning!