How long will it take to build a successful career in the beauty industry?
There are certain factors that will influence how long it takes you to succeed in your career: continuing education, the environment you choose, proper guidance, experience and a lot of initiative on your part!
Choose a positive environment to bloom in! As a young stylist you need support and guidance. Skip the “Hollywood Glitz and Glam” front of many salons and focus on finding a “Team” environment. Having co-workers/managers who support you and want you to succeed can really be a game changer. Be comfortable in your salon. You spend more time there then you do at home, make sure it is a good fit for you and your future goals! Hopefully, you work in a salon that offers education and training! If not, seek continuing education on your own. Never stop developing and feeding your creative soul! Your passion will shine thru and make you stand out! Some of you may require a longer training period; while others may be able to succeed in a shorter time period. The speed of your development will depend on you and your willingness to learn. Be open minded, and put in the effort! Yes, there will be up’s and downs, learn from your mistakes and continue to grow!
Share your work on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.
What are your goals? Make sure you are clear as to what you want to achieve! Have a plan and take steps towards it everyday! Brand yourself and make sure to advertise yourself appropriately! Use all the recourses offered to you today to get your “brand” out there! Social media plays an important role in our growth now-a-days! Use your social media skills for good! Sites like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Yelp allow you to promote yourself in a way that is searchable and widely visible. You can touch clients you would not be able to reach any other way! Create a separate account for work only! Ask clients to friend you and write a review for your service. Talk to everyone about how much you love what you do!
Best way to gain new clients? Use your existing clients! Word of mouth is the best way to advertise your skills! Don’t be shy! Your clients love you and want you to be successful! Ask them for referrals and give them special little extras for their efforts. Offer promotions to your desired clientele by offering bring-a-friend coupons or new client specials.
Go above and beyond with everyone you meet and watch your client base grow! Each time you meet clients make it a point to discuss their needs. Different strokes for different folks, they say. They all have different needs and priorities make them feel special! Make a list of your clients and contact them frequently. Send Birthday cards or just a friendly “Hey! It’s been a while, hope all is well!” It’s easier to ask for something from a client or a friend if you’ve kept in touch, remind them about you and your services. Get feedback from your clients and find out what your clients think of your service. Strive for consistency with each individual! Remember that the client is the heart beat of your success!
Always be on time and make yourself available. Be waiting and ready for anyone who may come your way. Any potential client who walks in will appreciate your attention to them when they needed it and six months down the line when your busy they will be willing to wait for you. Loyalty is earned!
Customer service is top priority in our business always remember A great Stylist will always keep their negative emotions in check and always exercise self-control! This will showcase a pleasant personality. Being well dressed, fashionable and effortlessly groomed will show clients and others that you mean business and will succeed! A smile speaks more then a thousand words!
Ambition, enthusiasm and the drive to keep moving forward will shape your career and provide you with a long lasting success! You could start building a successful career within two years after completing beauty school!
Great words of advice!
Based on a recent experience I had at your Astoria, NYC branch, I wanted to add the following tips:
1. If you agree to cut someone’s hair, follow-through and commit to finishing the job right.
2. After you ask your client what they want done, don’t turn away and ignore what they are saying.
3. When your supervisor offers some constructive criticism/advice on your work, ignoring what she is saying and refusing to do what she has asked you to do is a really bad idea.
4. Being attentive to your client – no matter the race or gender – and maintaining a good attitude about your work and constructive criticism as you are learning, will help you in the long run.
Dear BJK,
Thank you for sharing your tips with us. We did forward them to our Astoria school administration to help improve better customer service.
We hope that you will come back and visit our school again!
Sincerely,
Empire Education Group