HOW TO PROVIDE THE ULTIMATE GUEST EXPERIENCE TO ENSURE A CAREER THAT ENDS
A Money Chat w/ @addiejones.thehairpainter
I was at a seminar for hairstylists a few years ago and about shit my pants when the speaker said, “Hairstylists don’t retire, they work one less day a week until they die.” –
He wasn’t wrong, when was the last time you went to a retirement party for a hairstylist? This hit me hard.
So here’s me in a nutshell … it’s my 5th grade summer. I’ve been saving my hard earned cash for a lifetime now (literally, all my lemonade stand profits, birthday dollars from gramps, & my scrounging around finds.) I was stackin’ cash and takin names. I would even take the time to starch & iron my money w/ my pops, then neatly hide it away. My only dilemma at that time was deciding what I would spend my hard earned dough on. I had thought long & hard about my first big purchase & I had settled on Walmart’s latest edition of the Razor scooter. In red of course. It was $75 & I had $95 to my name. This left me a little wiggle room in case I got a last minute invite to the movies that I just could not turn down… I couldn’t put all my fun eggs in one basket! The Razor would be an investment in my future summers, I would be able to get to my friend’s houses faster, & have endless solo entertainment. God forbid I allowed boredom to creep into my 11 year old lifestyle.
I’m older now, and have greater ambitions than the Razor Scooter, as well as a much more efficient trade for making money. But, that mindset is key. How to hustle, & prepare for your most balanced life. You’ll need to keep the list below in mind when preparing for your now & later happiness:
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Tax Planning
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Health Insurance
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Business Emergency Fund
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Personal Emergency Fund
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Short Term & Long Term Disability
I know, barf.
Totally not glamorous like the sleek Razor circa 1999. But nonetheless, being prepared for all of these boring necessities make it so you can enjoy your dream lifestyle now & later. You can be the world’s best hairstylist, make hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, but if you don’t stash away cash for your future self you’ll never have security in your goals. Personal or professional. If you’re ever in need of comradery when referring back at the above responsible yet dull list, Beyoncé said it best in her song, ‘Bills, Bills, Bills’.
Now that we have chosen to make these security measurements a priority, I think the next natural thought is, “I want to make more $$$ than I had originally had in mind.” Not a bad thought! I think we all know the answer here to, “who pays us?” as hairstylists. Whether you are commission or booth renter the answer is the same – the client pays our bills. Sooo… you want to earn that dream life? Save for a home? Fly to Italy? Retire EARLY? Have a hundred pretty babies? Guess what, all your focus and attention needs to be on the guest experience. These 13 steps listed below go over everything you will need to ensure a 5 star service to pay for your 5 star life:
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Greet your client on time. If our time is to be respected, so is theirs.
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Offer more than water. If you aim to provide luxury, think of what would fit your brand. Local coffee, organic tea, wine? Whatever best represents your brand.
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Provide entertainment that is also relevant to your brand.
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Dress the part. Your client is shopping for a look, be a part of her hair-inspo.
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Do you work with an assistant? If so, make sure they also represent your brand and customer service level.
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Allow enough time for a thorough consultation every visit. It’ll set you apart.
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Here’s a big one… when was the last time you invested in your skills? Take modern continued education regularly to ensure the client always has access to the most trending styles.
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Here’s another mic drop – how efficiently do you work? Clients will pay more to have their service time take less.
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When it comes to the shampoo, are you being thorough? Allow enough time for glosses, masques, & treatments to ensure the most luxurious customized color.
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When it’s time to style, does your guest have a say in what they’d like their hair to look like? Educate them on how to execute the look they’re after.
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Finish with a photoshoot that makes them feel like a rock star to get them excited to be featured on your social media page!
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When you walk them to the front desk, tell them what service they need to pre-book for & when. When their color & cut are maintenanced on time, they will always be happy with their hair (then naturally bragging about it, getting all their friends butts to sit in your chair!)
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Point out the products on the shelf you used during their service. They want to take what you just taught them & nail it at home!
Wheeewwww, that’s a lot isn’t it? Especially if you’re going to repeat that cycle & even overlap that stellar service 8-10 times a day for 8-12 hours in a row! You need to be this thorough with every client experience, no matter the time of day, how exhausted you are, or what personal struggle has kept you sleepless the past few nights. Being the ultimate professional is HARD WORK, & you can charge premium prices when you offer a premium service. No, it’s not easy doing it all. Showing just the right amount of your personality/brand, balancing professionalism & being authentic. It takes years of practice, & never ending amounts of continued education to be a master of your craft. But trust me, it’s worth it! And the best part is, when you get paid like the ultimate professional, there’s more “fun money” in your budget to help you reach your personal goals that keep you a balanced, happy camper.
Your Razor scooter isn’t a dime a dozen & deserves to be worked for. Get that cash bossbabe & provide for the life that will bring you the most joy. Because it’s 2018 & women are in business doin’ the damn thing! Women make up 47% of the American workforce, & in the beauty industry we make up 84%! We officially have a seat at the table & now it’s time to act like a boss and stack that paper.
