Good Communication: Is it an important skill to learn in Beauty School?
While you are in beauty school you will learn everything you need to be able to cut, color and style hair but one of the most important skills you will also learn is how to communicate effectively with your clients. According to Geno Stampora, a licensed cosmetologist, industry educator, life enhancement speaker and recipient of many beauty industry awards, says “Communication is an important tool beauty professionals use. It is just as important as using your scissors, combs and brushes.”
Learning how to communicate effectively with clients will make you succeed in your career as a professional hair stylist. We all want to be successful, right?
As a good hair stylist, you want to make sure your clients are happy; this will result in clients coming back for repeated services. So let’s talk about how we can improve our communication skills.
Listening- focus on your client by using your eyes and ears to absorb what they are telling and showing you. In a salon things can be crazy at times but you need to be able to adapt to these conditions and listen carefully to each of your clients. Also, listening to your clients talk about their jobs, activities and home life will also give you an indication of what style will work best for them. Maybe a style that requires a little bit longer time may not work for a mom of four that works full-time and is running around to three different soccer practices. Knowing these little details will make your client trust you so much more and value your expertise.
Understanding– as you are listening and consulting with your clients about their needs and wants, summarize what they said and repeat it back to them. If things are still not perfectly clear make sure you ask enough questions and demonstrate what you think the style will look like. Also, help your clients understand you; make sure you speak clear and use specific words. Avoid using slang and jargon. If a client says they want to take some of the weight off the back of their hair and you thought they meant cut the length but really they just wanted it thinned out, which is a big difference and can result in a very unsatisfied customer.
Non-Verbal Communication– your body language is also an important role when it comes to communicating with clients. You need to make your clients feel welcomed and that you are easily approachable. Keeping good eye contact, up-right body posture and a smile is a sign that you are confident in your work.
How well do you communicate with your clients?
