Pre hairstyling consultation plays a major role in impressing your clients with perfect cuts and colour makeovers. As a professional hairdresser, you should spend at least 5 – 10 minutes understanding exactly what the client is looking for. Make sure you keep the conversation engaging to get a good idea about their personality and style preferences.
Here are 5 questions you must ask your clients before settling them on the chair.
How happy are you with your current hairstyle?
Your client has visited the salon for a reason – maybe they are bored with their current look and wants a complete makeover or maybe they just want to upgrade their favourite style. Asking how they feel about the current hairstyle helps you understand what the client is comfortable with – would they like to experiment or not. It would also give the client a reference to point out what they like and don’t like – making it easier to filter the styles you can recommend.
How much time are you willing to spend on your hair daily?
5 minutes, 15 minutes or more? It is important to determine if the client is particular about their hairstyle and wishes to maintain it every day. And, are they willing to invest the time, effort, products, and tools required to do so? If yes, you can go ahead with a precision bob or undercut that needs attention. On the other hand, where the client prefers wash-and-wear everyday styling, suggest effortless low-maintenance cuts.
How often can you visit the salon to maintain your look?
Ideally, you should encourage every client to visit the salon every 4 weeks to keep their hair in good health and well-groomed. However, the visits often range between 4 – 8 weeks or even more. Understanding how often a client visits the salon gives you an insight into how particular they are about maintaining their hairstyle. Accordingly, recommend high or low maintenance cuts and colours that can be freshened up as per the client’s salon schedule.
Pro Tip: It is best to maintain a makeover – cut, colour, and style – for at least 4 to 6 months. In a year, you can play with 2-3 makeovers – with variations in length, texture, colour etc
How would you describe your personal style?
One question we always ask our clients at Vipul Chudasama Salon is “What kind of clothes do you often wear?” Clients could get confused with this – but it is a crucial piece of information in understanding their personality and designing a look to suit that. You cannot judge a client’s personality just by their appearance on the salon visit. Their everyday style could be more casual or more formal – and you wouldn’t know unless you ask.
Does budget play an important role in the services you choose?
Clients usually do not state a budget upfront, however, it is a professional’s responsibility to inform them of the pricing before the services start. Different salons have varying methods of presenting this – at Vipul Chudasama Salon, we make sure that the client is presented with a clear estimate of the final bill before proceeding with the services. This not only helps us confirm that the client is comfortable spending the amount we charge for a particular service but also avoid any discrepancies during or after the service.
From a business standpoint, keeping an eye on the client’s budget is also beneficial in planning services for them. If a particular client is known to plan their salon visits with a budget, there is no point in recommending new products or techniques that could cost more. On the other hand, for those who are willing to spend, innovations could be acceptable. You can always recommend a better treatment or trending style they could consider.
