Whether you’re working in a salon, or sharing your beauty skills on a freelance basis, it’s important for beauty professionals like you to work on building your client list and your book of business so you can have a profitable and rewarding career. When you are just starting out, it can be challenging to grow your reputation and have clients lining up for your services. Here are a few tips to help you become a stylist that’s constantly in high demand.
Focus on Your Customer’s Experience
Ensuring a positive customer experience is the most important thing you can do to keep customers coming back and referring you to others. Even if you are amazing at cutting and coloring hair, if your customers feel neglected, ignored or unimportant, they probably won’t return. Be professional, friendly and respectful, keep your appearance and booth clean and neat, communicate clearly every step of the way so clients know what to expect, and most important, listen to their needs. Also, while you should feel free to recommend products that you think would help them, don’t focus on pushing your customers into the product specific buys.
Offer a Rewards Program
Let all your clients know that you are new and building your business, and offer them some sort of rewards program. You can give someone a discount if they refer you to family or friends, or use a punch card to give someone a special offer after a certain number of services with you. This is a great way to get new people coming in and keep them coming back.
Create a Portfolio
A portfolio is the perfect way to show off your skills and let potential clients, and prospective employers, see how talented you are. When you are finished doing a great cut, color or style for a client, ask permission to take photos for your portfolio. They will likely be flattered! You can keep these in an album at your station to display, share on social media or create an online portfolio that you can share and actively promote.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
Some stylists use social media tools like Instagram to serve as their portfolios, regularly posting photos to build an online following to drive new business. You can also post pics on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media channels, as well as posting special offers, your rewards program, salon promotions, shareworthy reviews, and to highlight special skills or markets, for example updos and wedding styles. Encourage current clients to follow you on social media, frequently post on a regular basis, and soon, everyone will be telling their friends about you.
If you dream about having a career as a hair stylist or other beauty professional, Shore Beauty School can help you realize your dreams. Check out our Cosmetology & Hairstyling Program to provide you with the hands-on training and skills that you need to prepare you for your future. To learn more, visit our website, schedule your virtual tour, or contact us today!