Consultation Confidence for New Stylists

Any new cosmetologist will tell you that starting a career in a salon is scary. You’re worried about all kinds of things, including your ability to attract and retain clientele. One of the most important things you do that impacts your ability to retain clientele is your consultation. When you’re just starting out, it's easy to get sidetracked and forget things during a consultation. You get nervous and the client asks questions that can interrupt your train of thought.  Two things that will help are following a prescribed sequence and remembering that YOU are in charge.  You’re the professional, that’s why they're in your chair.

Have you heard that "first impressions are the most important"?  It’s especially true in this business.  Aside from your greeting, the consultation is your client’s first impression of you and that first impression goes much farther than looks.  It’s created by your tone of voice, your attitude and your professionalism.  New clients are usually apprehensive, so it’s your job to set yourself apart and show them that they can come to you with 100% confidence.  Consulting is where you take control, gain the client’s confidence and build your business.  Technical ability is important, but I believe that consultations contribute at least 50% to the success of your service.  When a client believes that you understand color inside and out, they will be much more willing to give you a second chance when the color turns out one shade too dark or light. When you listen carefully and then explain what you’re going to do and why, you gain the client’s confidence and respect.

I've broken down my consultations into two “Phases”, and it has helped me tremendously.

PHASE I: Face to Face Listening

Trying to listen to your client while also trying to determine her underlying natural hair color and percentage of gray can leave you struggling to remember what he or she just said. After introducing yourself with a firm handshake and a smile, have them sit in your chair and then stand facing them.  This focuses your attention on what they’re saying and not on their hair (not yet).  Don’t stand behind them and don’t touch their hair yet, because your attention will go straight to their hair.  This is the time when you are listening and asking questions.

(Note: Don’t criticize another salon’s work, it makes you look unprofessional. You’will eventually have a client that tells you their last salon ruined their hair, and often they want consensus. They’ll want you to jump on the bandwagon and trash talk somebody else’s work. Don’t do it, and don’t ask who did the work if they don’t volunteer it. Say something like “We’re going to see if we can get this taken care of today”. If you’re specifically asked what you think about a train wreck that occurred on their head, take the high road and say “It’s definitely not something we would do.” Listen to them vent if they insist, but try and refocus them on the fact that you’re going to make things better.)

I always like to begin my consultations by saying, "so today we are doing a haircut" or "today we are doing a color", just to be sure we’re on the same page with services. This usually starts the ball rolling, and I then move on to the following list of questions:

What is it that you like/dislike about your hair right now? - This is a very important question. It begins to point you in the right direction. What the client dislikes about her hair is just as important as what she likes, if not more so.  When you begin to understand what it is she  dislikes, you begin to set boundaries that you know not to cross to keep them happy.

How do you normally style your hair? - A client that does nothing but air dry their hair is not going to be happy with something that has to be blown dry to look good.  It's great when clients leave the salon happy, but even better when they can come back six weeks later and tell you how simple it was to style, yet still looked great.  Make sure that their style complements their lifestyle.

What kind of look/style do you feel most comfortable in? - One thing I’ve learned is that you can never judge a book by its cover...and you can never judge a person by how they look when they come into the salon. That said, it is important that you understand the style they feel comfortable in. Do they like more sleek, simple styles, or tousled, wild styles?  Most likely a conservative business woman is not going to feel comfortable in a haircut that screams 'look at me!' but you never know, so ask. You might be dealing with a real wild child at heart and miss an opportunity for more creativity.

What shampoos/conditioners/products do you use at home? - Not only is this an opportunity to retail products, it lets the client know that you are truly concerned with the health of their hair, the longevity of their color and whether or not they can achieve the results they want at home.  I like to 'lead' clients in the right direction, but not push them into feeling that they have to buy products.  Nothing turns people off like a pushy sales pitch.

How often will you be in the salon to retouch your cut/color? - This question is more important for the client then it is for you.  When you ask this question, the client understands that you truly want to make them happy.  If they want highlights, but cannot get back to the salon for three months, you might suggest keeping their natural hair color on top with highlights underneath. This type of advice lets the client know that you are willing to work with them and that their needs come before your need to make money.

Do you have existing color on you hair now? - You can most likely tell, but not always. As any colorist knows, color cannot lift color, so don't assume the client doesn't have previous color, because you don’t see a line of demarcation.  This can leave you kicking yourself later.  Be safe and ask.

You’ve listened to your client, you’ve asked the questions, now it’s your turn to take the reigns. This is when you step behind the client and ask if you can touch their hair. As you analyze the hair, go through the following mental checklist:

• What is the Natural Level?
• What is the Percentage of Gray?
• What is the Condition of the hair? Can it handle what the client wants?
• Can I accomplish what the client wants in the time I have?
• Are the haircut and the color the client wants going to work well together?

Deciding on a Color - Ask if you can make some suggestions and ask them how they feel about what you’ve suggested . I prefer to use pictures when describing color.  Some people stylists will disagree with this, but who knows if my idea of a chocolate brown is the same as my client’s. “Chocolate” comes in lots of shades and so does “Strawberry Blonde”. You can’t tie down a color with words.  Occasionally, I’ll bring out the color book or color swatches, but this can overwhelm a client that doesn't know what they want.  If the client is scheduled for a consultation only, I ask them to find two to three photographs of a color/cut they like. This saves time not having to flip through magazines on appointment day and gets them involved.  Never walk away from a client until you have a full understanding of what they want.

Quote a Price and Get the Client’s Permission to Begin - Keith Kristofer Salon always quotes the price of color before work begins and gets the client's written permission to begin based on the consultation.  I highly recommend this step.  One very useful thing that Keith Kristofer Salon uses is a client consent form. This form keeps the client from having sticker shock at the end of the service and lets them know that they are working with a professional in a professional environment.  It has places to record the following:

• General Client Info (name, phone, address, etc.)
  
• Information about medicines or conditions that could affect chemical processing
  
• Price Quote
• Definition of Corrective Color and Policy concerning "touch ups" 
• Acceptance or Refusal of Patch Test
• Permission to Perform the Service and Legal Disclaimer
  

Only Do What’s Feasible
Don’t attempt something the client’s hair can’t handle or that your available time won’t allow.  Be honest with the client.  You may be able to scale things back, split the services between days, or apply reconstructive treatments to get the hair in shape for a return visit, but don’t promise something you can’t deliver.

If what they want is something you’re not comfortable doing, but another stylist in the salon is, recommend a consultation with that stylist.  If the client is willing to do that, introduce them and help set up the consultation. They may be disappointed that they can’t have what they want right now, but they’ll respect you for it and they’re going to be a lot more upset if they spend hours in the salon and leave with something they hate.

Just like cutting and coloring skills, consultation technique and thoroughness vary from stylist to stylist.  If you’re new to the business, take time to listen in on different conversations.  As with most things, practice makes perfect, and before long you'll be going through your consultations like your morning routine.   

- Sarah Saenz and Keith Kristofer Salon