The answer to your questions: what do your clients really want

Business consultant Jo Robertson asks you to question if you are stocking the right products and offering the treatments your clients really want Your clients are looking for solutions to their hair problems but are you listening to their needs or stocking the right products for them? Let’s start with your client’s needs – I always say that you need to sell solutions and not services. You need to appeal to your client’s problems – tell them how they are feeling and then sell them the benefit. If you have an enormous price list of services but you feel like you are doing the same services over and over, this could either be because you are not telling your clients about all of your services or you need to update the options on offer.

Learn from Apple

It can take up to 20 visits for a client to buy into a new product or service. You may feel like you are repeating yourself, but I promise you clients won’t see it like that at all. If a client is loyal to you and your salon, they will remain loyal. If you don’t tell them about the extensive services you offer, however, they won’t know to ask for them and will stick to their regular cut and blow-dry or cut and colour. A regular and loyal client by definition is less likely to dig around your website or come in and ask about the different services you offer. This means you need to make your services list simple, consistent and easy to find for both your new and existing clients. Remember Apple doesn’t tell its consumers once about a new product – the brand consistently tells them until they have bought into the ethos and have decided they want to buy the latest smartphone or tablet.

Examine your services

Do your services match your hourly rate? Are you making the percentage of profit that you need to from your services? This should be reviewed frequently to ensure you are actually making the profit you need. Otherwise you are just a busy fool and life is too short. This is the difference between thinking like a business owner or a stylist. It’s time to stop being a mind reader. Instead, ask your clients what services they want. Trends are evolving constantly and so should your services. You will attract new clients and your rebooking rate will also increase. The best way of doing this is to set up a quick survey and ask your clients what new services they would like you to offer in the salon.

Name it and own it

Why are so many of your clients asking for balayage at the moment? They want it because it is everywhere, but they may not know if they need it. Consider making some services that are unique to you and your salon. Take the face frame – describe it like it is a special of the day in a restaurant. Use words that identify with your clients and develop a vocabulary that is juicy. Become the Nigella Lawson of the hair industry.

Retail selling is not dead

Clients was to buy from salons because they want the personal service and believe in your expert recommendations. If you dust the products more than you sell them, they are not working for you. Re-evaluate your retail along with your services. Changing brands and bringing in new products can increase your retail sales. Your staff will get excited about the new products and if they are excited, your clients will also be excited!

The power of a consultation

Does your team give a consultation to every client on every appointment? Telling your team to ask a simple question could transform your business. Asking clients to tell you about me about their hair story will help you to learn about their hair history. Clients love to talk about their hair, and they will tell you all of their problems so you will just need to give them the right solutions. Ask about your client’s natural hair texture as did you know 65% of women have naturally curly hair? Have you asked them if they want to learn how to wear their hair curly because the average retail spend of a curly hair client is double that of a straight haired client!

The Shine Club: Sell the problem and give your clients the benefit of your service

Have you considered setting up a subscription for a treatment? Clients could subscribe and come in for as many treatments as they want in a month? It could be given a name such as The Shine Club. Think about the additional services you could offer that would bring you in an extra revenue stream for your salon? Talk about this in your next team meeting and make sure your team are onboard with the new ideas. Jo Robertson coaches hair professionals and uses her brand experience to achieve results quickly . Visit her website for more information.