Stephen gresty reveals the emotions of hairdressing

What do loving, happy, excited, scared, angry and sad have in common? They are all emotions that happen in a salon every single day. So it's little wonder that even the most level-headed salon owner sometimes feels like their head is spinning. But all those emotions can be put to good use, according to Stephen Gresty, owner of Stephen Gresty ROI Limited. He shared his advice for using them to connect with your team and your clients with the Business Extra audience at Salon International. Stephen believes that the client is central to everything that takes place in the salon, but it is up to the salon owner to lead the salon and the team to ensure that the emotions the client experiences are positive ones. And the best way to do that is positive reinforcement. "So much time is spent focusing on the wrong things," said Stephen. "But stopping and recognising someone doing the right thing can be much more effective. "It means so much more to be pulled aside and told 'I really liked the way you spoke to that client' and the recipient is more likely to remember it. Don't give praise for the sake of praise, though, it needs to be realistic and believable to be effective." Whether it's praise or any other message you are delivering, it's essential that you communicate effectively. "Be short, sharp and punchy and the team will understand your message," Stephen advises. No matter how clearly you think you are communicating with your team members or your clients, you need to find a way to express youself differently if your message isn't getting across. "It isn't the person's responsibility to 'get' what you tell them, it's your responsibility to make them understand. "You need to get to know them and get to the bottom of what is really going on beneath the surface. Help them to find their 'what's in it for me' and then take action to satisfy that," he concludes.