Do you ever struggle to communicate hair colour with clients effectively? If so, you’re not alone. Adele Clarke, owner of Spectrum Hair and Osmo Ikon ambassador, shares advice to help you improve this. As you may know, communication is super-important to hairdressing. Your clients value their time with you, and many find a trip to the salon therapeutic. However, the bottom line is that you need clear communication to ensure each service goes smoothly and results in the best possible outcome.
How to communicate colour
Adele: ‘The art of articulation when talking colour with our clients has never been more important than it is today. Very rarely, do the looks we see in-demand require one process. Dimension is what it’s all about and this requires both lift and deposit. It is an ongoing labour of (hair) love and this calls for the very best in both communication and technique from us as hairdressers to build trust and loyalty from our guests.
Opening lines
‘Our opening lines of invitation are an amazing opportunity to get a potential client both excited and confident with you as their hair guru from the off. “I’d love us to sit down with a coffee and have a good chat about how you’re feeling about your look now and Ill prepare some gorgeous, on-trend options for you to consider.” Who wouldn’t want to hear that, right?
Mood boards
‘I highly recommend the app Pinterest for creating mood boards to help you in different categories. A picture can speak a thousand words. Spend (just) 10 minutes naming a board for a particular guest with achievable looks you’d love them to have. This gives them a sought-after sense of being cared about. This can be worked on and added to over time and can be great to look back on to see what looks and trends you’ve covered on your journey with them. I had a client’s look go viral after sharing on social media, which built up their confidence. Content that does well on Pinterest is much broader in range, it has a more flexible opportunity in what you can post (compared to Instagram) and widens the market for who can be boosted in this way. All ages, niches, hair types and genders have their place and relevance here. It’s fun easy to use and addictive too.
‘Instagram is a wonderful tool to show clients what you specialise in, colour and cutting wise, and want to be known for. It is your virtual shop window, showcase and catalogue. If there is a particular effect or technique you love to do and are known for, creating salon hashtags for that are an effective way of getting the individual brand look out there and a message across.
Signature look
‘At Spectrum Hair Company, we created our own #spectrumswish to promote healthy hair that moves and flows. This is a signature look with us and it’s so easy for you to do with your own brand and techniques. It’s easy to refer to on consultations, making it an invaluable communication tool. Have a think about what your own salons go-to hashtags could be, then be consistent to use them in all your posts.
Collect, share and tag
For the everyday salon hairdresser, like me, creating digital reference to be used in this way is an ongoing mission. It’s been career-changing creating opportunities with the colour brand we use, Osmo Ikon So, no matter where you are keep collecting, sharing, and tagging. Who knows where it might lead. Happy, loyal clientele and industry opportunities could be just round the corner.’ Adele Clarke.
