Stylists: How to Start Networking in Your Own Salon
Jan 22, 2024Season 1Episode 60
Morgan Franklin Media
As hairstylists we're always networking. It's a vital part of the job and industry as beauty professionals, but how often are you networking within your own salon?
When was the last time you talked with your co-workers about your offerings, the type of clients you'd like to serve and how you can work together to build each other's clientele? This model is great for salons that have different service providers, but it also works with a salon that only has hairstylists.
Find out this week how to start networking in your own salon.
Can I ask you a favor? If you enjoy the show, will you follow us and leave a 5 star review? This helps our show move up in the charts to help more stylists. Thank you!
As hairstylists we're always networking. It's a vital part of the job and industry as beauty professionals, but how often are you networking within your own salon?
When was the last time you talked with your co-workers about your offerings, the type of clients you'd like to serve and how you can work together to build each other's clientele? This model is great for salons that have different service providers, but it also works with a salon that only has hairstylists.
Find out this week how to start networking in your own salon.
Can I ask you a favor? If you enjoy the show, will you follow us and leave a 5 star review? This helps our show move up in the charts to help more stylists. Thank you!
Welcome to the Aspiring Stylists Podcast with Tracey Franklin. Where to begin, grow and aspire to become the best stylist you can be. Whether you're thinking about becoming a stylist opening a salon, or developing your skills as an experienced stylist the next step of your beauty career starts here. Each week we'll discuss strategic ways to design, plan and execute on becoming a stylist that excels behind the chair and above the bottom line. Here's your host, Tracey Franklin.
Tracey Franklin:
Anytime you're trying to build a clientele, networking is essential. Getting the word out who you are, what you do, letting people know that is so important. And networking within your own salon can be one of the most effective ways to build your client base, especially if your salon is also a spa. So what this can look like is a sort of exchange of recommendations to clients based on the services that you offer. I talked to people about you and the things that you're doing that I feel like are incredible areas that you're really succeeding in services that you really love performing. And I share that same information for you. And I'm hoping that you're going to do the same thing when those same clients are in your care. And it doesn't just stop with teammates, you know, it works the same for clients. So it's important to talk to your clients about all of the services that you provide, even if you don't feel like it's a fit for that particular client. If I'm really crazy about Brazilian blowouts and providing that service to the community, but I know that my client already has healthy silky hair, I know that maybe for her that's not a fit, but maybe she has a sister or an aunt that's really struggling with frizz and texture that they don't like. And then knowing that I provide that service is a great way for your name to be mentioned, even if you're not there, even if it's not a service for that particular guest. So if you're new to the industry, or maybe new to the area, or even if you're working in an already established salon, this inter salon networking holds a ton of opportunity. I mean, these clients have already decided that they love the salon, they've already walked through the doors, they are already a guest there. So the hard work has already been done. So now it's just time to go fishing in this pool. And this works exceptionally well for cancellations. So the conversation is simple. You've had a last minute opportunity come up and you ask the esthetician or the nail tech that you worked with, to mention this availability to their guests. I mean, even a blowout or a conditioning treatment, or a smaller service like that can really help it's a great add on to any spa service. Imagine going and getting this incredible facial, you're super relaxed, but now your hair is an absolute mess. But luckily, there's a stylist available downstairs that can do an incredible blowout for you. That to me, is great customer care and something that I'm interested in. So what does internal networking within your salon look like? If you work in a salon with only hairstylist this can be a little bit trickier, but it is not impossible. You need to know what sets you apart. Maybe you offer a unique service or you have a special certification that other stylist in the salon don't have it. So it's important that the team knows that. So maybe you're thinking, hey, you know what the other stylists are not going to like this, they're going to think I'm trying to steal their clients. Well, hopefully you vetted the salon that you work at well before you took the position. And you know that this isn't the case. But let's be honest, not everyone can handle a little healthy competition. And we should be sensitive to people who just aren't as confident as they could be. So I've either always owned or managed or worked at both a Salon and Day Spa, mostly because I really believe in this networking concept. I've seen it work time and time again. When I first opened locks, I started with two hairstylist, two nail techs and two spa personnel. We all started over together, we all came from the same salon. And we functioned as a team and we built each other up and this is how it can and should be done. Collaboration and shared knowledge benefits everyone in the salon and my salon. We'd love to share knowledge we come back from classes and we can't wait to show each other our cool new tricks. I really can't imagine holding space for anyone who didn't love it who didn't see the benefits of it. We have to remember the simple truth that there is enough for all of us. And when one of us when we all win in the salon world we're basically providing the same services yes We all have different specialties in some certifications, but we're all cutting, we're all coloring, we're all doing extensions, we're all doing the same type of work. So when we think about all of the skills we developed, we must remember that we also learned these skills from someone who learned them from someone, and so forth, and so on. So all of us growing and all of us sharing elevates our industry as a whole. And that is what we should all want. Let's talk about effective ways to start building relationships with some of the other stylists in the salon. Well, it's important that we recognize who these people are in our lives, we will be spending more time with them than we spend with our own families on some days and having a good rapport with them will make all the difference in the joy that we experience at work, not vibing with your teammates creates tension and anxiety. And honestly, there's just no room for it in such a fun industry. One way to start building these relationships is to simply make yourself available for conversation. Now, if you're an outgoing person, this will be a breeze you love conversation, right? So if you're a more introverted person, you may find this a little bit harder, but it's really important that you still make the effort. It can be as easy as hanging out in the break room during lunch or staying a little late to help your teammates close up. At my salon, we love after our events, we have dinners, holiday celebrations, we go to each other's weddings and baby showers just to name a few. And I feel like the real bonding takes place when we are out of the salon element. And we're able to just focus on this engagement with one another. The most successful people in my salon are the ones that immerse themselves in the salon culture and really lean into the common goal that we all have, which is growth. So whose responsibility is it to facilitate these networking events? In my opinion, it's a little bit of both some members of the team will just click they'll become fast friends. And before you know what they're lunching together and making plans to go out after work, it just happens naturally. It's also important that the team convenes as a group and it's more likely that the salon leadership is going to make something like that happen. Having a strong support system within your salon really helps build up the team and improve the working environment. For all of us. having a bad day is inevitable, right? We've all had um, you know the type of morning where you step out of bed into a puddle of cat vomit, stumbled to the bathroom and hit your funny bone on the scene. Not funny at all. You know, you head to the kitchen only to realize you're out of coffee. So you grab your keys, and you realize you left a light on your in your car. And now your battery's dead, and you're not going to get coffee at all. So is that just me? No, I didn't think so. So by the time you get to work, it's already been a day, right? Like, don't look at me. But having a strong support system, when you walk in those salon doors changes everything. Soon, you're laughing about that ridiculous morning you've had and you're feeling lighter, and you're ready to go slay the day. Working with the right tribe of people in a loving and uplifting environment makes everything better. From the general mood of the day to the networking opportunities, functioning as a team is essential. So many times getting what we want is just a matter of asking. So ask if I'm trying to grow my book, or if I'm trying to fill a cancellation spot, I need to let my team know that if I'm struggling with a particular skill set, then I need to feel comfortable going to one of the more seasoned stylist in the salon and asking for help. Any front desk personnel is already aware of any cancellations, and they're going to do what they can. But letting the team know as well can really help. They are having different conversations with different people. And the chances of your name getting brought up in these conversations is a lot greater if you've expressed your intentions and you've asked for that help. This kind of support goes beyond just billing a spot. It's also emotional support. In a perfect world, we would all support one another and there would be no jealousy or cattiness and I really do try my best to create an inclusive and equal opportunistic environment for my team. But we are all human and it is not a perfect world. So we have to learn to manage these emotions. And remember that no one can take what's meant for us. And if we're all showing up strong for our team and our clients, then we are doing our best and our best is all that we can really ask for being part of a thriving team really is a beautiful thing. It's give and it's take. So make sure that you're making more deposits than withdrawals.
Morgan Franklin:
Thank you for joining us on this episode of anytime soon. The Aspiring Stylist Podcast with Tracey Franklin. If you enjoyed listening and you want to hear more, make sure you subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts. The Aspiring Stylist Podcast with Tracey Franklin is a Morgan Franklin Production. Today's episode was written and produced by Morgan Franklin editing and post-production by Mike Franklin. Want to find out more about Tracey and the Aspiring Barber and Beauty Academy go to aspirebarberandbeauty.com