Many times throughout your life you need to get your hair done, choosing a hair salon or hairstylist to visit can be incredibly intimidating.
So what is it you need to look for?
How do you even find a good salon?
What is it that you need from a particular hair professional?
Do you want a salon that is in the CBD or one close to home?
Is the salon that you are looking for need to be at a frenzied peak when you go in? Or are you looking for a more relaxed mindful experience?
Or are you looking for cool as f$%k so you feel on the cutting edge ? Or are you simply looking for that connection with your stylist, the one that'll get you? They cann read your mind?
This future relationship could have the potential to outlast many workplaces, relationships. If you can find the right one!
Your hairstylist has to learn very quickly the best way to help you with your hair. By creating and teaching you that your hair is your unofficial calling card. Great hair always gets compliments.
What is the most effective thing a hair salon has done to make you feel seen, heard and appreciated?
Being a hairstylist and now a salon owner myself I can give you my point of view and tell you how: I have been chased, hunted down given the hot, cold treatment WHILE having the weighted expectation to blow people minds while managing the genuine sheer panic over suggesting the relatively new idea of changing the hair parting slightly to the left a tiny bit.
I have all kinds of stories however the story I am about to divulge shows the importance of just giving 15 minutes.
It is quite a hilarious story I have about being pursued by a prospective client…
In my current salon which has large windows that allows in an amazing amount of natural light to come flowing through the salon perfect for colour work.
On a busy Friday whiIe I was working on a client I noticed this tiny shadow of a human bobbing over the salon plants which are by the windows to create sense of privacy.
At first I thought nothing of it, as I was working and we have people walking on by all day long. Next minute there was a face that popped up right next to me while I was working on my client.
It scared me so much I almost dropped my blow waver on my clients head.
Then this woman breaks the craziest joker smile and mouths something to me through the window .. stunned I mouthed back ‘what?’
Then the sign language started .. she was pointing to her eyes then back to me like I was placed under some kind of intense surveillance.
I froze for a split second wondering what the hell is going on? It was pretty obvious that she was watching me .. even my colleagues were watching and they started to cat call me across the salon floor! Leonie looks like you have a fan.. As I finally finished my blow wave I look towards my friend at the window.
Who was watching me very intently.
Unexpectedly she gave me the thumbs up it seems I had met her expectations!
Once my client had left the salon I noticed my new friend hanging by the front door, so being me I thought I am going to approach this curious figure I quickly popped my head out the salon door and said ‘hello! ‘ I noticed that you seemed very interested in what I was doing. Are you a hairstylist? Are you looking for work?
“You think I am a weirdo, don't you?" she replied to me meekly. I could have chosen to lie and say no not all , but I did decide to go .. ‘Well giving me the universal sign of, I am watching you did make me feel stalked! To my relief she roared out laughing “omg I did do that!, didn’t I!!” No, I came to watch you as my friend has her hair done by you and I thought it would be a great idea to come and check out the salon and watch you work?!”
“Ohh I understand, " I replied, then I offered to step inside my salon and we could have a chat about her hair, of course she was not expecting that. ‘I don't have time to get my hair done” to which I replied "I understand , but do you have a couple of minutes to talk about some hair ideas that you were thinking about?”
‘Sure” so she came into my salon and experienced it first hand instead of window shopping from the outside.
She got to experience the salon vibe which is incredibly important. If you don’t feel comfortable in the salon space how are you going to be able to relax and talk freely? This is why when offered, always take it up a consultation. You will receive a lot of knowledge from this small gesture.
We ended up talking about her hair for 15 minutes. At the end of that first conversation, I had learnt about all her hair disappointments which gave me the needed context as to why I was being shadow stalked through my salon windows.
The most important , vaulable part of that 15 minutes was she felt heard, understood and welcomed. Mostly she got to feel if my salon was a fit for her or even if I was the correct person to meet her hair desires.
When shopping for your new hairstylist it is best to have a checklist in your mind before you go in.
So with my industry experience I will help with some absolutes I look for in future team members before I even speak to them. First impressions are everything in the beauty landscape.
Hair must be presented and styled not in a ponytail or any kind of top knot reason being: if they cant present hair well don’t expect your blowout/ blow wave to be amazing what this does show is a lack of interest in hair finishing & believe me if they are not bothered to do their hair then why would you expect them to do that for you?
Unique dress style one that you find inspiring.
Clean shoes
Subtle perfume leaves impact. Don't you want someone who does your hair to understand the importance of subtle impact?
Makeup application is it artistic or natural fresh with a hint of colour or do they even have any on? .
Makeup generally gives you a hint of their creative aspirations.
Nails very important are they colour stained or manicured professionally, another dead giveaway about what kind of service to expect.
Do they show you where to sit with arm gestures or do they just tell you?
Showing arm gestures gives you a better sense of where to go, so expect a more detailed consultation AS opposed to having been just told where to sit. That will generally mean you will only receive bare minimum during consultation. Who wants a bare minimum consultation?
I also offer them a drink before I interview. Not often this is taken up, when a stylist does it shows me they know the value of service as they enjoy receiving it and they know the value of giving it.
Exactly what I expect from all members of my team delivering great service.
Even though these 8 things seem very far from the actual task of being a hairstylist. It is the difference from having a mediocre hair service to being valued by your hairstylist and having your hair needs met and exceeded.
Who doesn't want that?
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