Introducing the sos theory; a frank and funny guide to hairdressing

The SOS Theory by Alexandra Girling is a frank and funny new handbook for newly-qualified hairdressers, covering the social side of the industry; service, rather than technical skills. A hairdresser herself, Alexandra originally wrote the book as a guide for her assistant. Although technically skilled after completing her NVQ, the assistant wasn't quite so hot on consultation and client care. The more Alexandra wrote, the more she realised she had to say - and a book was born. Alexandra says: "In an industry which is very much sink or swim, it's incredible how many graduate stylists are sent into the cut-throat world of hairdressing with nothing more than a freshly-printed certificate and a pair of scissors. "Technically, British hairdressing is regarded as the best in the world, but what happens between a client's entry, service and exit is just as (if not more) important. No matter how incredible your technical ability, if your consultation, service, social, retailing and re-booking skills are poor, you're going to reduce your request rate as a stylist and consequently your earning potential." Take a look at an exclusive extract from the book below and buy your copy here - it's available either as a paperback or as an eBook. The Consultation  All consultations should be eye level and in depth. Do not ever, even at gunpoint, touch a client’s hair mindlessly without asking to do so and having a purpose. I sneakily walk past competitors salons all the time and have a look at their consultations through the window. More often than not the stylist is stood fawning vacantly over the clients hair as they discuss, seemingly briefly I might add-what, the order of the day is. They speak through the mirror to their client and in the case of some previous colleagues, say things like "What are we doing today?" Oh my word. Are you serious? What do you think you are doing? And who is 'we'? You are styling the head of hair before you and they are sat still trying not to think about the fact that you speak about yourself in third person like a creepy school teacher. Even worse, the regulars sometimes don’t get a consultation at all. It's easier to assume than to ask. But a client may be fearful of change because they are unsure of what will suit them. Some genuinely don’t want to trouble you; some are unsure of whether it may incur a possible price increase. ALWAYS offer the possibility of change to your client. You can guarantee that the one time you don’t is the one time they were feeling brave. How do you know that Barbara isn’t dying to try something new but you’ve never suggested it? She hasn’t got the bottle to ask, because before she knows it she’s being shampooed and blow-dried in her usual style. Ah well, she thinks, I’ll mention next week that I'm thinking about a change. But when next week comes around she’s going through the same again, and the week after that, and so on. So when Barbara’s daughter comes over for lunch and observes that her mother’s hair has not changed one iota the whole time she has been your client, she decides to take matters into her own hands and gives her mother a wonderful voucher with the words 'Recommend A Friend' emblazoned across its glossy front. She starts to tell Barbara about the beautiful new salon that she’s just discovered. If Barbara gives it a go she will receive 25% off her appointment if she brings her little voucher, as will her daughter for recommending her, so naturally she’s pushing her mother even more as that is potentially a quarter off her own next bill. Barbara likes the sound of the discount and would feel a lot more comfortable asking a stranger for something new, so off she goes. She’s wowed by the thoroughness, fell hook, line and sinker for the attractive rebooking discount and feels a million dollars afterwards. Goodbye Barbara. Goodbye weekly blow-dry, colour and cut client. Goodbye nine cuts and colours a year, goodbye fifty two blow dries a year. Goodbye £2,233 worth of revenue a year, excluding retail. All because you got complacent. Want to know how to do things differently? Order a copy of The SOS Theory here - it's available either as a paperback or as an eBook.