Our Blog

It’s Never Easy Telling What Women Want—From Their Hairdressers

Hair salons are a safe space for some women, while a place to unwind for others. Every month, your loyal clients are back for their usual. They enjoy the service you provide them with and enjoy the company of your staff.

On the other hand, you may notice some clients drift away. You probably wonder where you’re going wrong.

Clients are first drawn to your salon for any of these reasons: your location is convenient for them; they’ve heard great reviews about your stylists; affordable prices.

On the other hand, what makes your customer stay?

The quality or your services is no doubt an integral part of the equation but equally important is the relationship built with the client. Here are some aspects to look into to help you figure out what your client wants:

The Golden Rule: The Client’s Always Right!

 

Hospitality plays a major role in building a relationship with your client. If your client isn’t satisfied with the service they paid for, it’s highly likely they’re not coming back. Let’s say your client wasn’t too happy with the blow-dry given to her; maybe the weather just wasn’t right, and the desired result couldn’t be achieved. You could offer to give her an up do or a half up hairstyle instead. Also, explain to her that the weather was just too dry on that day; you tried your best to give them their desired volume.

When a client sees the extra effort you put in for their satisfaction, they are more likely to come back. That extra mile you go to please your client is an investment not an added expense to you. Having loyal clients is an asset to your business—an asset for years to come.

Giving Them What They Want

Clients usually walk into your salon with a vision in mind. They expect you to recreate that. In order to understand what they want, you’re going to have to ask some questions too.

You need to inspect if their hair can handle those products and whether or not the look can be achieved. Often, clients see an image and immediately decide that’s what they want.

As a professional hair stylist, you know there’s much more to that. Hair thickness and texture is an important factor to consider. Often clients with fine hair bring in hair inspiration pictures of hairstyles done on much thicker hair.

Hair undertones are also an integral factor to consider when it comes to dying jobs. Some clients will have hair with cooler undertones while others have warmer. The warmer undertones don’t look as good when lightened. They turn brassy very soon! If your client’s hair has the tendency to go brassy, you should let them know beforehand. A couple of washes later, they may feel cheated when their hair doesn’t look the way they envisioned it.

Hair coloring techniques have been reworked in recent years. Bleaching the hair out for a new color is no longer necessary. However, the newer techniques aren’t very long-lasting. If your client is opting for such products, be honest with them. Give them an estimate of how much the maintenance will cost and how often it needs to be done.

Have A Keen Ear For What Your Client Is Saying

You’re the professional hairdresser, no doubt, but when it comes to the salon, your client is the expert on her hair’s “personality” so to speak.

Pay close attention to what they’re saying. They know their problem areas and how their hair reacts to things like humidity, heat, cold, etc.

If your client has mentioned that her hair is prone to frizzy-ness, make sure to use the best anti-frizz products on her. If she has dry hair, deep condition it after a balayage to minimize dryness and damage.

Understanding Their Preferences

Once a client has been coming to your salon for a while, you tend to understand which direction they sway in. Make your client’s experience more than just mimicking a celebrity’s look. Give them tips on how they can own the look too.

In future, when your client comes to you and is unsure of what to have done, you can give them options you know they will love. They will trust your taste and therefore your choices should be in line with their hair type. In most cases, they will just blindly agree to your suggestion.

Being creative really sits well with clients. Keep in mind your client’s previous looks and suggest a style in line with that but always give it a creative flair. Even a subtle hair color change or some lowlights can really help boost your client’s confidence.

Show Clients Your Appreciation

With salons, in particular, the interaction between your staff and the client must always be as polite as possible.

Give your client an atmosphere that doesn’t feel like a business transaction; rather a place where their well-being is catered for. Proactively show your clients that you appreciate them. It won’t cost you much! Offer them a freshly squeezes juice or a bottle or body oil.

As a salon, you get a lot of freebies; it doesn’t hurt to share once in a while! Such gestures take clients by surprised and they leave your salon with a big smile on their face! Instead of a generic birthday greeting, send them a handwritten note; throw in a discount for them to get pampered on their day too!

Keep It Personal

A friendly smile and asking your client how their day is going is a great conversation starter. As a hairdresser, build rapport. Connect with them. Entertain such interaction, not because you want to know about their life but because they are looking for an outlet. That kind of trust is invaluable.

Refer to them by their name; human beings react positively to someone who is familiar with our name. Ask them where they are headed, how their weekend was, what their plans are for Christmas, etc. 

In the end, ask them if they are happy with their staff’s services; are there any suggestions for your team? Did they like the massage treatment? Was the pressure appropriate and comfortable? Do they feel relaxed? Be involved. Be polite. Show that you value their experience and feedback!

Not only will you better able to gauge your team’s skill but will have positively impacted your client too. Clients are more likely to come back to a salon that is actively trying to improve itself. 

Is Your Salon Making Its Mark?

Salon Income Booster is an online platform created to benefit all salons. Our e-book is a guide on how to make it big in the industry.

We share marketing strategies that are guaranteed to increase your beauty salon revenue. Get in touch with us or check our blog to hear more from our experts.