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Miki Wright shares top tips for keeping customers

Healthy Hair

Thursday, 19 August 2010 00:00

Miki Wright of Beauty Superstars

Ask a Stylist

Listening keeps clients coming back

By Miki Wright, salon coach and master stylist

Q. How should stylists view walk-in clients and first-time clients, and what are your top tips that stylist can do to help ensure that the first experience with the walk-in clients and first-time clients won't be the last?

Read what advice Miki Wright had for first-time clients

Stylists need to listen, listen, and listen especially with a new client that you've never met. Listen to find out who the client is and what she wants. Only after listening can you decide what may be the best way to achieve it. Also, consider "Oh, just fix it the way you want" as a DANGER sign, when it's coming from someone you've never met. Help the client be more specific by using the tips below.
Analyze the person's hair to see what it will or won't do so you can offer realistic expectations. Be sure to use pictures to communicate. Sometimes it's best to ask the person to pick out three or four pictures she likes to get a gauge on her style. Don't be concerned whether the style will work with her hair. Then you can see common threads and start your conversation from there. Ask things like: What does she like about each style? Does she want her ears exposed like the one in the picture? Does she like the way the hair covers the model's right eye? Her answers will give you a better way to really understand the vision your client has in mind.
Find out about her lifestyle. Who is she? Is she a stay-at-home mom, a traveling high-powered executive, a factory worker, a single working mother, or retired? All of those things can play into the type of style that will work best for her. You also want to find out how much time, energy and financial resources she's able or willing to spend on her hair. That honey blond hair color she may want might require more frequent visits for touch-ups and conditioning treatments than she is willing or financially able to commit. Be sure she knows that up front.
And last, but not least-work on doing the best work possible! Continue to take classes and improve your cutting and styling skills as well as working with various types. Also, keep up with the hair and fashion magazines your clients read. See what's new. Be a complete beauty advisor or a resource to point them in the right direction for makeup tips, brow and lash services, and nutrition and the role a solid diet plays in their health and their hair. Clients are more than a "head" to style. They are whole people who want to look and feel their absolute best! And the more you can help your clients reach their goals, the longer they will remain a loyal customer as well as an ongoing income stream that allows you to take care of yourself and your family.

Miki Wright recently received "The Legend Award" by Bronner Bros. International Beauty Shows. She is the former owner of Fabulous Finishes Salon and Day Spa, featured in Essence magazine and selected by Salon Today magazine for three consecutive years as one of the "200 fastest growing salons in the country." Wright is the author of several books including, "Get More Clients, Make More Money, FAST!" She also is the creator of www.BeautySuperStars.com providing ‘Coaching and Training to the Beauty Industry's Rising Stars.'

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written by cimplime, September 22, 2010

If all stylist did this, it would be wonderful. They are so busy trying to hurry up, they forget that you are new and they have no idea what you want. I have had some bad first experiences with hairstylists. I am in the process of letting my hair grow out even again. I love the short styles, but I can't seem to find a hair stylist that will do what I want.