How to Build a Clientele as an Independent Hairstylist
What does it take to build a clientele as an independent hairstylist? It’s not hard, it just takes some strategy, consistency, and humility.
What we’ll talk about in – 12 Tips on How to Build a Clientele as an Independent Hairstylist
- Being present on Social Media
- Using Paid Ads on Social Media
- Having clients sign up for emails
- Sign up for HARO
- Do you look like a boss?
- Make it about the clients
- Reward clients for referrals
- Be consistent with your brand
- Offer Discounts that Clients Can’t Refuse
- Are clients leaving updated reviews?
- Make time for new clients and take time for old clients
- Honesty and Humility
How to Build a Clientele as an Independent Hairstylist
- Use Social Media as a Tool
Tools help you do your job better right? Using social media as a tool to promote yourself and your work, helps remind your clients that you’re out there ready to welcome them back.
You can increase your presence on social media by posting photos of your work, show clients what incredible work you’ve been doing. And by reposting promotions this allows clients to keep seeing your name pop up frequently will remind them to come to see you for their next appointment.
Find the balance between personal posts and professional posts. It’s a good idea to have a business page separate than a personal page if you tend to state opinions on the internet. There’s nothing wrong with that, just keep in mind that it’s not very professional and it’s good to have a distinction.
- Paid Ads on Social Media
If you can afford it, you can run paid social media ads or Google ads to help promote your salon.
- Have clients sign up for E-mails
An email list isn’t meant to abuse your client’s inbox, but to send friendly reminders that you’re there. You can use your email list to send promotions, discounts, or even newsletters just to keep your clients in the loop about what big things you have going on in the salon and ways they should take advantage of these promotions or events.
- Subscribe to HARO
HARO is Help A Reporter Out, journalists submit their requests to speak with experts on whatever subject they are writing about and if you are able to answer and they like what you have to say, you might get featured on a radio station, on TV, in a blog or magazine.
This builds your authority on the subject and let’s face it, if others call you an ‘expert’ you don’t have to prove you are an expert because they already established that you are. And it’s free!
The only thing I should warn you about, is that HARO sends 4 emails to your inbox 3 times a day. It’s okay if you don’t get to it everyday, it’s a lot, you can’t store them up to answer a week’s worth at once because most of them have a 48 hour deadline, but if you can answer some inquiries this will help you establish your authority as an expert in the hair industry and get your name out there.
Let’s Get Personal
- Do you look like a boss?
Even if you are self employed and running a salon of your own out of a booth, suite, or even out of your home, do you look the part?
Just because you are not working for someone else does not mean that you don’t have to do your makeup, your hair, or look professional.
You still work in the beauty industry, dress the part!
- Don’t Forget the Work/Life Balance
Work/Life balance is hard to find, but it’s absolutely imperative to set boundaries with clients and even rules for yourself to follow so that you don’t get burnt out.
Work-Life Balance in the Salon – Preventing Burnout
- Make it About the Client
Keep in mind that most of the time clients come to you for themselves, not to only hear about you.
Not meaning that you shouldn’t talk about yourself ever to your clients but remember to keep the topic of conversation mostly on them.
10 Tips How to Communicate with Clients in the Salon
- Are You Reachable?
If it’s impossible to book an appointment with you because you never return missed phone calls or message clients back, to be honest, that’s no way to build a clientele. It just won’t work!
Clients need to be able to communicate with you easily. Book appointments without issues or hiccups.
Whether they are able to book online or through a booking app, or directly through you, booking should be easy and you should be reachable by text or phone when clients need to make adjustments to their appointment or need to rebook.
You Mean Business
Building a clientele as an independent hairstylist, you mean business. It’s your business!
Here are a few things to keep in mind when building your business as an independent hairstylist.
- Be consistent with your brand
Your business is your brand. You’re selling your brand, so make sure that your logo is the same on your website, your door, business cards, and social media.
Consistency is important when establishing yourself as an independent hairstylist building a clientele. You want clients to remember you and your brand.
If the brand is inconsistent on media and on your door, it’s hard for clients to not get confused.
- Reward Clients to Referrals
Recommendations from other clients is a big deal. If clients are referring their friends to you, reward them for it!
A referral is one of the best compliments we can receive as stylists.
Even if it’s a 5% discount, it’s still something to incentivize them to continue referring their friends.
- Offer Discounts Clients Can’t Refuse
As painful as it can be to give away services sometimes, it’s better to give away chunks that will in the end bring you twice as much business as before.
If the discount or promotion is too good to pass up, your clients will talk about it to all of their friends. And after you do an amazing job, they’ll want to come back to you no matter what discount they can get or not.
For example, you could run a promotion that offers 50% off haircuts if they rebook a color service with you. Or one complimentary (free) kid’s haircut until X date if booked with an adult’s cut also.
- Are you still asking clients to leave updated reviews?
Though you probably already have a clientele but are just wanting to increase it, because you should! Are you still asking clients to leave reviews? And asking old clients to leave updated reviews?
Reviews speak volumes. How often do you go to a new establishment without looking it up first and checking on its reviews?
- Make Time for New Clients and Take Time for Old Clients
Again with the balance!
Always make time to accept new clients. That’s the whole point of building a clientele, but finding the balance between making time for new clients and taking time with old ones can be difficult sometimes.
Taking time for old clients ensures that they feel valued, not used. And after however long you have been seeing these old clients, you have built a relationship with them! Don’t forget about that when making time for new clients.
How to Build a Clientele as an Independent Hairstylist
- Honesty and Humility
Never underestimate the power of humility and the strength of honesty. Even i running a business, if you are humble yet confident in your work and abilities and honest with yourself and clients. You will go so far!
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