The Excuses Killing Your Business
Morgan Franklin: 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.
Tracey Franklin: you're a
stylist and your clientele isn't
growing. Why? Well, there are a
few common reasons and they are
really big. So as an early
stylist, we believe that if we
do good hair, we're all set.
We're good. We got this, but
there are so much more to it.
And any season stylists will
attest, clients want more. And
that more varies. So I'm going
to give you two scenarios, okay,
we've got two stylists doing two
identical service plans on two
different guests. One comes in,
they're a little bit more
reserved with their
conversation, but they do
incredible work. The color is on
point, the tone and the hue is
magic, this cut is laying
flawless, I cannot believe how
good my hair looks. I'm pretty
happy, right? So then I go into
another scenario, a stylist
performing the same service
where you know, the works pretty
good. It may not be the best
service I've ever had. But oh my
god, we had so much fun. We
laughed. She lavished me with
compliments and made me feel so
good about myself. And honestly,
I really loved the way she
styled my hair. So which one of
these stylists Do you see
creating a lasting relationship
with their clients? Well, I'm
going to tell you right now,
retention is in the
relationships, I'm going to say
that, again, retention is in the
relationships that you create
with the clients that you serve.
Okay. And consistency is
important. It's so important.
When a new client is on the
books, we tend to go above and
beyond. We know how important
that first impression is. So we
show up and we show out. But
what about the next time, we're
a little distracted? You know
what, we're a little less on our
game, and we're just a little
less impressive. Maybe we've got
a good reason. But does that
really matter to a client that
we haven't bonded with? Do they
really care. So we show up and
we show out differently? Not
quite as good. But the client
remembers that first amazing
appointment, so they give it
another shot. This third
appointment is where they decide
if you're their birthing if
you're their new hair girl. So
delivering consistent results
will eliminate any doubt and a
skeptical client consistency and
the service itself and
consistency and the level of
care and energy that we're
bringing to that appointment.
You also have to be consistent
in your self promotion. Social
media is a great tool. I see
people get on fire for it at
times like they're killing it
incredible content stuff that
really stands out and engages
people. But then you get semi
busy or semi lazy and for
whatever reason you skip a few
days a week. And now it's the
algorithms fault. What about
those referral cards? You used
to hand out like crazy? Are they
collecting dust on your station
now? I feel like we get really
caught up in having a million
strategies around self
promotion. And don't get me
wrong. marketing yourself is
really important. But oftentimes
we complicate things, we
overcomplicate things, I promise
you this, I could give you three
really basic marketing ideas
right now. And if you did those
consistently, every day for
three months, you would see
substantial growth in your
business. Please understand,
it's not so much what you do,
but the consistency in which you
do it with. So why is it so hard
for us to change things up? Like
our strategy isn't even working.
And here we are paralyzed by
doing the same thing every day,
so afraid to change it. We love
a good comfort zone like that's
the problem. It's how we're
wired. We get attached to the
way we have always done things
and it's really hard to push
past that. But pay attention to
the evidence and don't do what
you've always done or you're
going to get the same results
you've always gotten. This
industry requires you to evolve
to ebb and flow with the changes
and staying still is staying
stuck. Social media should be
part of every work day.
Collecting content posting
regularly and collecting
inspiration are a few things
that every stylist should do. On
top of taking care of their
clients and creating beautiful
hair, it's part of the job. And
if you haven't been using it to
its full advantage the time is
now it's free, it's effective.
And frankly, it's non
negotiable. So think about
yourself as a consumer for a
second. So the stylist who
doesn't believe that social
media works, or that it can
benefit their business, or their
clientele at all, is the very
same stylist sitting in the
break room at work, gobbling up
content every chance they get.
That's a double standard if you
ask me. So what about the
stylists that are like, Hey, I
just really hate social media.
And honestly, I just don't have
time for it. Well, if this is
you, it's time for a little self
reflection, because frankly, I
smell bullshit. Let's start with
not having time. The truth is,
you're probably overthinking it,
you're picturing yourself
spending hours on this perfect
post canceling plans that you
had, because you just don't have
the time to make this content,
and you never get to have any
fun anymore. That is simply not
true. Because the truth is, is
that everything is content. So
with a few cheap phone stands,
and recording prompts are easily
found on Amazon, you can create
tons of content every day, just
doing what you're already going
to be doing anyway, making hair
magic. On one client alone, you
can get six easy to execute
posts before and after an
application tip a processing,
pick a video of your clients
reaction to her new hair in the
mirror, a styling tip and a
favorite product recommendation,
bam, you are already going to do
that color anyways, the care was
already going to process
anyways, the client was going to
relax and you were going to
style it and use these products.
So all you're doing is getting
content while doing something
you'd already be doing. Easy
peasy. And that's just one
client. So now you need to go in
and to your schedule, and you
need to schedule one hour to
polish and create your content,
saving and drafts and you have
an entire week of content. Do
not tell me you don't have time,
saying you don't have time as a
cop out and I promise it is
holding you back. Maybe you
really just don't like social
media. And that's okay, here's
an idea. Don't be on social
media. If every time you scroll,
you feel anxious or jealous or
unworthy, then just don't
scroll. If it doesn't interest
you then don't consume it. But
you still have to create it. So
designate a few minutes a day
where you hop on you make your
post you check a few messages
and engage with those who have
been kind enough to leave you a
heart and support you and just
be done with it. What about
referrals? Well, asking for
referrals is an incredible way
to grow your client base, but
you have to be really
intentional about it. Don't just
ask anybody to send you somebody
or you're gonna get stuck with
cheap yet super picky at Clara
and someone's Hellion have a
four year old nephew. So ask
your clients to send you people
like them in the conversation is
simple. Hey, Susan, I hope you
know how much I appreciate you
and love doing your hair, I have
a favor to ask. I'm still
growing my clientele. And
honestly, I would love to have
more clients just like you. I'm
gonna give you these three
referral cards. And if you could
just take a moment and think of
any friends or family members
that might benefit from my
services, would you please give
them a card the next time you
see them. I've went ahead and
I've written your name down on
these cards so that when they
come in, you both receive a
special discount just to show
you my things. Boom. Now Susan
is flattered and because you
basically named her your
favorite client ever. She's more
than happy to help and you're
way more likely to get an ideal
client out of this exchange. The
lazy stylist Well, what does
this behavior look like? All
right, I'm just gonna call him
like I see him. Lazy stylist
drive me crazy speeding the
whole way there. They might as
well say, Hey, boss, I hope
you're willing to do all the
work to make me better because
I'm not really willing to work
for this. And lazy stylists
behavior looks like a dirty
station, a ton of excuses, a
lack of teamwork, and a
permanent imprint of their ass
on the break room chair. truth
telling, I have never seen a
lazy stylist become wildly
successful, not unless they're
willing to change their ways. So
what if you just need to take a
break? Like if you're feeling
like you just need a break
already? Well, I encourage you
to ask yourself, what do you
need a break from? Because if
you're not putting your all into
this career, the career you
chose the career you vowed to
love forever, then maybe you
need a break from your excuses.
But if you're giving it your
all, and you're really showing
up every day and you're planting
those seeds, then please take a
break, you deserve it, and rest
up honey, because the harvest is
coming. If you're lucky enough
to have found the balance, and
you are taking those well
deserved breaks, and you're
still experiencing burnout, then
maybe it's time for a mindset
makeover, a shift might be
necessary, and it's going to be
up to you to make it. So maybe
it's time to immerse yourself in
gratitude for all that you have.
And for all that still to come.
Maybe it's time to fall back in
love with your craft and learn a
new skill. And there's free
education at your fingertips all
day every day. So please don't
use money as an excuse for this
one. What helps you reset and
recharge, get it done your
future self is depending on you.
It is not uncommon for a stylist
to feel totally defeated at some
point in their career. Like you
just don't know where to start.
And if you really love
something, you want to be great
at it. And as humans, we're
impatient, we want it now we
want to yesterday, actually. But
there will be times when no
matter how bad we want it, we
are going to feel defeated. Not
every day is going to be a
success. And that's okay, feel
your feelings about it and then
dust yourself off and get back
at it. I've had stylists before
that I honestly believe felt
like the responsibility to bring
in all the new clients was on
me. Depending on what type of
Salon you work at, it may be the
salon owners responsibility to
grow your clientele. But only
partially, if you weren't going
to commission salon like the one
I own, then hopefully the salon
owner feels a sense of
responsibility to your growth,
because I certainly do. But I
cannot want this more than you.
I cannot work harder at this
than you do. So no matter where
this career takes you, in the
end, you are responsible for
your success in this business.
And in life. I want to use a
health coach as an example. You
know, I've been seeing a
personal trainer and he's great.
He pushes me he he makes me work
out, you know a little bit
harder than I would
independently he gives me some
nutrition advice and you know,
some mindfulness exercises to do
to keep my spirits up. But if
I'm only going there two hours a
week, and then the rest of the
time at home, I'm eating like
crap, I'm not doing any of the
things that he said I should do
taking any of his suggestions,
then how successful do you
really think I'm going to be?
And that is a perfect example
why at the end of the day, it
really does fall on you to show
up and be who you were made to
be in this industry. So how do
we take accountability for
ourselves if we're ready to do
that, and we're ready to stop
shifting the blame onto everyone
else? How do we do that? I mean,
I feel like you can really blame
anyone. If you try hard enough
with enough denial, you can
probably blame the mailman for
being a broke stylus. But if you
don't take responsibility, next
year, you'll be making the same
excuses finding new people to
blame. I feel like to think I'm
a pretty realistic person. But
I've played the blame game to
that client that didn't show up.
That technique that didn't go
right, the post that didn't get
the reaction I was hoping for
it's all their fault. I've done
plenty of wallowing and self
pity. And that's why I'm here
right now with a bucket of ice
water telling you to snap out of
it and get back on the horse.
When it comes to limiting
beliefs. The one question we
need to be asking ourselves is
where's the evidence? Is there
any evidence to support the fact
that I'm a failure? The answer
will always be No. You have to
remember that bad days do not
equal a bad life. And the
lessons that we can learn from
the mistakes we make add immense
value to our careers. Last year,
I assigned my team with the task
of describing their perfect work
day. I asked them to be as
specific as possible. What
clients would you serve? What
works of art would you create?
How much money would you make?
And most importantly, how do you
feel when you walk out that door
at the end of the day? They
loved this assignment. It helped
them dig deep into what they
really want a day in the life of
them to look like and I loved
reading them. I was lit up I was
brought to tears by the fact
that one of my stylists actually
said I've been lucky enough to
have a lot of perfect days that
locks. I encourage you to do the
same thing. Make that statement
claim that day and read it day
and night manifest that shit.
You can't hit a target you can't
see So set your sights on a
successful and fulfilling
Morgan Franklin: Welcome to the
Aspiring Stylists Podcast with
career.
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.
