Are You Connecting with Your Clients?
Welcome to the Aspiring Stylists Podcast with Tracey Franklin. Where to begin, grow and aspire to become the best stylist you can be. Whether you're thinking about becoming a stylist opening a salon, or developing your skills as an experienced stylist the next step of your beauty career starts here. Each week we'll discuss strategic ways to design, plan and execute on becoming a stylist that excels behind the chair and above the bottom line. Here's your host, Tracey Franklin.
Are you really connecting with your clients? I really feel like the first impression, the first minute of your interaction with your client really sets the tone for the entire appointment. So are you walking up to your client with a really big smile, even though it's 5pm, and you're super exhausted, I certainly hope so. Because your 5pm client definitely deserves the same level of excellence that your 9am client gets, I'm a big believer in energy transfer, every client is going to require a different type of energy from you, your first client of the day might have just got a new job. So you're super excited, and it's up here. It's way it's high, right energy is high, we're happy, right? And then the next client comes in, and she's experienced a death in her family. So now the energy drops, were there for them were supportive. But the energy's a little bit lower. And then your next client comes in babies on the way your next client comes in, they're going through a divorce, you can see where I'm going with this, right, it's this huge rollercoaster of energy. And that's going to require a lot of dedication on your part to cleansing in between your clients. So make sure that especially on a day where you've got a lot of clients coming in that you're taking a 15 minute gap in between your appointments to just cleanse your palate a little bit to make sure that you're walking up to that guest with a big smile on your face.
And you're giving them a really good first minute of interaction so that they know that your time with them is going to be well spent. So in my little 15 minute break in between my clients, I like to go take a load off, right, I like to rest my legs a little bit. Sometimes I'll distract myself by responding to text messages or getting on social media. And just thumbing through my feed a little bit, whatever it takes to kind of take my mind off my previous situation and prepare myself for my next one. Here, stylists are one of the most trusted people in their client's life. I mean, we hear it all. And that can feel really good. Sometimes it feels really special to be such a big part of their life. And then sometimes it can also feel really, really heavy. But connecting with your clients is as important as turning out good work, it will get you through those less than desirable results, because you're not going to nail it every time it doesn't matter what kind of stylist you are, you might be exceptional, but you're not going to nail it and get it perfect every single time. But if a connection has been established, then it's sort of like a buffer for those situations that may not have turned out perfect. So that connection is really, really important. And it is just as important as turning out good work. Connecting with your client definitely requires for you to read a situation. So your client comes in and they're on their phone or they're thumbing through magazines, it's really important that you give them that time and space to kind of just disconnect and decompress and relax a little bit. Your next client may come in and be super chatty, and like loving all the busy energy in the salon and they're talking to the clients next to them and they're loving, you know, the conversation with the front desk, like you just really have to be prepared to meet them wherever they are. So when does the client experience begin?
When does it actually begin?
Well, in my opinion, it's the first point of contact, the first time they scroll and find your social media page the first time they pick up the phone and call the salon and hear the receptionist voice, I think it's instantly it's that first impression that still really, really matters. Clients are finding their stylist differently than they used to.
You know, in the past, it was a salon that had a great reputation or business cards, or God forbid the Yellow Pages. Now it's online, it's Instagram, Facebook, your website, like we are speaking to our clients in a much more advanced language than we used to. First impressions still matter how you present yourself matters. And it's really going to help you attract your ideal clients. So it's super important that you're balancing your professional image with your personal one, because people want to feel like yes, I'm gonna go in there and I'm gonna get a really great color and cut service. But they also want to feel like I'm going to enjoy this three hours that I'm going to spend with someone.
So make sure that you're presenting yourself in a way that makes a really positive impact on that client in the first few minutes. Does your professional image really support the type of stylists that you are or want to become?
Is your client coming in prepared to spend hundreds of dollars on their service with you? And if so, then do you look like you fit that profile in is your hair a mess? Are your clothes dirty and color stained, like make sure you're presenting yourself in a way that says, I'm worth it, you're about to come in here and spend some time and some money with me. And I'm looking the part and I'm going to produce the results, you're going to see a lot of clients and it will be absolutely impossible to remember details about their life. For me, I've got to see a client three times before I can look at my book and know who they are. And it takes even longer for me to remember certain details about their life. But those details matter.
And it makes a really good impression on a client when you remember little details about their life and makes them feel special. So maybe they really liked dogs, maybe they don't have kids, but their dogs or their kids, or maybe they really love to travel or love the theater, there are little things about clients that make them unique and special. And when you can point those out at future appointments. Wow. I mean, that's impactful. They're like, wow, they remember things about me. So however you keep track of your notes with your clients, usually these days, it's digitally like your software will have some sort of area for you to go in and type in your notes, I encourage you to take the time to do that. And don't wait, because you'll forget to try to make a really strong connection during the color service so that while they're processing, you have time to go back into the break room sit down and log those notes while they're still fresh in your memory. It's a small step that yields huge results. Referrals are still the most trusted form of marketing word of mouth is still king, your clients being impressed with your work and telling their friends about it is literally the most powerful and flattering way to get a new client. So I want to give you an example of a conversation that I would have with a guest when I'm seeking referrals. So that would look something like this. Hey, Susie, I just want to thank you again, for so many years of loyal service. I absolutely love the time we get to spend together during your appointments. So step one, we're going to flatter the client.
Okay, Susie, I'm trying to grow my clientele. And I definitely want more people like you and my chair. So I'm going to hand you two business cards. And I'm going to ask you to take a moment to think about two friends or family members that you have that might be in search of a new stylist. Is that something you can do for me, Susie? So now what I've done is I've enrolled Suzy, in the process, I have asked her to do me a favor, and I'm here, I'm here to tell you that your clients will never mind, they will never mind to do you this favor. I'm going to then hand Suzy the referral cards and my referral cards have a place on them for Susie to write her name. And Susie will hand these two referral cards, hand these two referral cards out to her friends and family. And then the new client will come in and receive a 20% discount, and then Susie will receive a 20% discount for sending me that brand. So it's a win win. Now I will say this is the only time I offer a discount. I do not believe in discounting your services. But in this situation, it's actually going to help you grow your clientele. And not just any clientele it's going to help you grow your ideal clientele. So in this situation, I absolutely advocate for a discount for referrals. One of the best gifts that you can give your client is a comfortable space to critique you like you want to know how you can improve right like we always want to keep growing and learning.
Consistency is key. Don't knock their socks off in the first visit and then drop the ball the next time they come in every visit should feel familiar but not identical. have standards that you don't waver on No, no matter what the circumstance is.
If you were running a few minutes late, don't shave off a few minutes off of their appointment make up the time somehow that doesn't feel like you have short handed them somehow the guests should know what to expect when they come in your services should always be consistent. Connecting and with your client is so important. I believe a client will leave you for one of three reasons. Your price point, your lack of availability or lack of connection. It is so important that they feel connected to you well beyond the services that you provide. And lastly, I believe that if you put good out into the world good will come back to you be a compassionate and caring stylist and improves your business. People will like you and want to be more loyal and will bring a ton more joy to the Chair.
Thank you for joining us on this episode of The Aspiring Stylist Podcast with Tracey Franklin. If you enjoyed listening and you want to hear more, make sure you subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts. The Aspiring Stylist Podcast with Tracey Franklin is a Morgan Franklin Production. Today's episode was written and produced by Morgan Franklin editing and post production by Mike Franklin.
Want to find out more about Tracey and the Aspiring Barber and Beauty Academy go to aspirebarberandbeauty.com
