Setting down in a stylist's chair can bring out many emotions. Excitement would be the expected emotion, however, as a stylist for a decade, I can tell you that the most common emotion from new clients in my chair is fear. This saddens me because my mission is to give my clients a look that they desire, can manage, and will leave them feeling more confident about themselves.
Where does this fear come from?
It normally comes from a bad experience from their past. This emotion can also come from a client who has never colored their hair before or has never made a major change to their hair. Let’s be real, change can be hard even when we want a change.
How can this emotion be eased?
I believe in the art of a thorough consultation. Consultations are designed to get the communication between a client and a stylist flowing. If you are a client, have you ever sat in a stylist's chair and have no idea how to describe what you want? You would not be the first. This can become a major roadblock and lead to results that you did not want. I am going to tell you what I am sure you have heard a million times, show pictures! Having a couple of pictures of a haircut or color that you want will go a long way. Pinterest can be your new best friend! If you can’t tell me in words, show me so I can help you understand what you want and give you the proper terminology and look you came to me for. As a client, that is what you can do to help your consultation go better. From there it is up to your stylist to talk to you more in-depth.
Some common questions I like to ask my clients are; What did you hate about your last haircut? What did you love about your last haircut? I will also ask these questions about their color. Why would I ask these questions? It is so I know your likes and dislikes. I would hate to make the same mistake that a past stylist made. My other favorite trick is to give my clients a mirror so they can show me their problem areas or for me to show them how I can change their hair to give them their desired results. I also want to know how you style your hair, how long you are willing to spend styling your hair, your lifestyle, and what products you are using. Each of these questions will increase the success of your appointment. I like to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes with my clients for their consultations. This gives my clients time to express what they want and it gives me time to repeat what they are saying to make sure we are on the same page and for me to suggest other ideas.
Do consultations happen every appointment?
Yes, Yes, and Yes! I have clients who come to me every 3 weeks or every 6 months. I need to know if you liked what I did at your last appointment or if we need to make some changes because you ran into some problems. I may ask you some of the same questions from your first visit or I may have new questions. I also might bring up new ideas that I want to have a conversation about. You as a client might want to suggest something new to try out and I want to provide you with that opportunity!
Stylists are taught to have a thorough consultation with their clients; however, it is a sad fact that after our schooling the education we seek rarely continues to educate us about consultations. Even though I believe that a consultation is a stylist's responsibility, as a client it is also great for you to know about successful consultations if you are not receiving them.
Remember consultations will increase the success of your appointment!
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