Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1421270
112 indie stylist Volume 2 Issue 4 As I'm sure you know by now, professional hairstylists are all cut from lots of different cloths. What a wonderful industry we're in that encourages creativity and freedom of expression! So why is it we tend to market ourselves like everyone else? If you take the time to think about what drives you to create amazing hair, you can home in on the service that makes you shine, sets you apart in our profession, and gives you a specialty to market to current and potential clients. This is called your staple service. When I began my career behind the chair decades ago, I took every client and offered any service that made money. I had my cosmetology license, so the sky was the limit. I was shocked to realize pedicure clients were nothing like the beauty school pedicure clients, and you can bet your bottom dollar they paid a pretty penny in the posh downtown Denver salon where I started my career. I also realized I hated doing manicures. Clients were way too picky, and if I was asked to fix a tiny smudge one more time . . . Ultimately, I decided to end all nail services, and along with them, my dreams of an early retirement. CHOOSING A STAPLE SERVICE Choosing a staple service can seem overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you it's worth it! I trust you have taken continuing education on all the ways to jump on the popular ombre and balayage bandwagon. The one thing you may have missed is that this service requires literally zero maintenance. Your client doesn't ever need to retouch it if they choose not to. So, what does that mean? You can charge more than $250 for an ombre, but there's a good chance you won't see that client back in your chair for six months. Let's compare the opportunity for income on our ombre client, Donna, versus our root retouch client, Betty, who comes every four weeks. Service Price Total Donna Ombre $250 $250 Betty Retouch $65 $390 As you can see, you'll make a lot more money in the long run with Betty. Now, let's dive even deeper and talk about a few other considerations when building your "staple service" and client base. Client Bond If you see Betty every four weeks for that root retouch, you know more about her than Donna. There is a lot to be said for creating a client bond. These are your loyal clients—the ones who will truly follow you anywhere. Predictability How many times did you meet a new ombre client who had so many more issues than you expected? For instance, they wanted that gray blond they saw on Instagram, but their ends were colored multiple times in the past. And you didn't find out until they were in your chair. On the other hand, Betty just wants you to match her color from her previous stylist! Trendy Clients What do trendy clients like? New, shiny stylists. Boo. You may find you took all that time to master your