To be or not to be....

I just had lunch with two former employees.  They both are still in the industry, so I asked them the standard "How is life in the salon?"

One lit up and shared a funny experience with a client I remembered seeing in her chair three years ago.  The other shrugged and admitted that she was thinking of changing jobs.



 

Schedule'em online appointment books


 

As I  left there that day I thought to myself about their talent and why each had come to this place in their careers.  The difference between these two professionals is that one developed deep experience through trial and error, success and celebration, and the other simply repeated their 1st year over and over again.

Always be willing to learn, try something new, ask questions and improve.  Keep the skills and people that are working well for you and give everything else the boot.  Resist mediocrity.

Youtube.  Sales consultants.  Product education. Hair shows.  Observe the chair next to you.  Use your free time in your schedule to hone a skill that will continue to make your chisr the best place your clients have been yet.

What do you do to keep your skills fresh and up to date?


 

 

Keep the passion for your job alive by learning something new today.

The simplest trick to grow your business and save time

Pre book.
It is such a simple but overlooked process for making your books bulge with happy clients!
Look at every mentor you have.  Their loyal clients always know when the next time they are scheduled.  Busy stylists generate that success by making sure that each and every client that sits in their chair knows they will be back.  Here is how some talented people build their practice.

Here is a great note about the importance of re-booking from the Massage Toolbox:  http://www.massagetoolbox.com/2011/04/05/ideas-for-re-booking-clients/
Re-booking clients at the time of service allows you to:

• Be efficient with your time.
  • The more people who re-book when leaving, the less time you have to spend booking them later in the week or month.
  • This frees up your business day to attend to new clients who will be booking via phone, text or e-mail (depending on your scheduling allowances).
• Encourage the client to establish a habit of regular appointments.
• Fill your day with people who are genuinely interested in the work you provide.
• Decrease no-shows.
  • Which, subsequently, allows for you to see more clients who may be in need of your services in a given week.

Schedule'em appointment book

If you aren’t used to re-booking clients, you may have to get comfortable with this.  Here are some skills that I find work for me.
1. Talk about their next visit today.  "I won't have so many questions next time I see you..."
2. Talk about their LAST visit today.  "Last time you were here we tried ____ .  How did that work for you?" 
3.  Use the NOTES in your client file to write down some things that will help you next visit like the formula, what you did for the cut, and anything you learned.  This will build trust that you are consistent, and can meet their needs next visit too.
4.  Write notes about what you talked about, things that interest them.  A relationship with you as their hairstylist makes them more loyal.
5.  ALWAYS OFFER to re book their next appointment before they go.  They may turn you down, but may be that they have never tried regular appointments before. 
6.  Genuinely coax then into making time for themselves. "You like having your hair done every six weeks.  Lets make that appointment now.  If you can't make this appointment, all you need to do is let me know if you need a change.  I'll be here."
7.  Deliver the invitation to rebook as if it is standard operating procedure.   (Because starting today, it is!  Right?) Invoke the confidence of knowing that you will be here when they need you.

So lets get started right now.  Today you need to ask every person that you work for to make a follow up appointment.  Make yourself a sign that you see as you take their money at the end of the service.  Put up a visible sign asking your valued clients to make their next appointment before they go.  Consider making it a promotion that they will receive a savings of $X for making and KEEPING the appointment to help them make a habit with you.

What have you successfully done to build business?

Before long, your client won't let YOU forget.  They need you!