The number one reason clients dump their hair stylists? They don’t feel valued or understood — basically, they aren’t being listened to. Consultations are an essential part of building client relationships and they’re the best way to keep clients coming back. Learning about your clients’ needs, their insecurities, and their lifestyle will not only allow you to deliver a custom experience, it will also build trust and ultimately loyalty.

You might be thinking, “I give great client consultations!” But get this: according to an article by Lockhartmeyer, 97% of hairdressers say they give consultations but only 7% of clients think they’ve had one! So, even if you think you’ve got this strategy down, you might want to rethink the questions you’re asking. Here are the top ten questions hairstylists should be asking.

#1 Why did you leave your old beauty salon?

If you’re giving a first-time client a consultation, find out why they were unhappy at their old beauty salon. You’ll be able to identify your client’s expectations right away from their experiences and know what it will take to gain their trust.

#2 What made you book me?

It’s always good to know how a client discovered you — it tells you which marketing channels are working. But, it’s also helpful to know what got clients to push that “book” button. Was it your hairstyle, your experience, your personality? This will give you insight into what your client is interested in.

#3 What do you like/dislike about your hair?

According to Salon Today, in addition to understanding what your client likes about her hair, you also need to understand what she thinks her weaknesses are. “It provides you with an opportunity to improve not only your client’s hair, but her confidence as well.”

#4 Are you a confident styler? Do you use products and tools?

When you ask clients, “What can I do for you today?” most of them won’t know how to explain what they want. In an ideal world, they’d say something like, “I need a professional haircut that only takes 15-20 min to style, I don’t like using hot tools, I work out a lot so I need to be able to pull it back, and I’m looking for some bold beachy highlights — let’s do balayage.

You know no one is going to say this, so here are the right hair construction questions to ask that will give you those answers you’re looking for.

#5 What type of job do you have?

#6 Are there any celebrity hairstyles you love?

#7 Do you have any allergies or products or scents you don’t like?

#8 Have you done any chemical treatments before?

#9 When you walk into a room, do you like to turn heads and be noticed, or would you rather be subtle? – This is great one we got from American Salon.

#10 Do you have any important events coming up? Doing anything fun after your appointment?

If your client has an important event coming up like a job interview, add this to your client notes. Asking valuable hair consultation questions paired with remembering important personal information is the key to relationship building. If you keep a record, you’ll remember to bring it up at her next appointment. This also gives you an opportunity to educate her. Show her some simple styling techniques she can do before her interview. If she has something fun (like a date) after her appointment, put in a couple extra minutes at the end to make sure she looks great and feels confident — she won’t forget it.

Looking for tools to help you run your business? Try StyleSeat here.

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