May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, a time to celebrate and recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions. As a small business started and currently run by Asian Americans, JATAI holds this recognition close to our heart. What started as a small dream by Fred Wada, the founder of JATAI, it has turned into a recognized company in the beauty space primarily known for their haircutting and shaving razors. Not only do Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders start and grow businesses, but they also make waves as a hairstylist or barber. In honor of AAPI Month, we would like to recognize some beauty professionals who have influenced the space and have made positive contributions to the industry.

 

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Sofie Pok If you’re a barber, or heck even a stylist, you probably know who Sofie is. She broke a lot of barriers in the barber industry being both a female and of Asian descent. Being mainly Cambodian and part Chinese and Vietnamese, Sofie quickly rose to the top earning the title of Barber of the Year and Men’s Shot of the Year at Behind the Chair in 2017. Residing in the Los Angeles area, she is easily recognized with her wealth of tattoos and funky hair. She always displays swagger and looks intimidating, but she’s sweet, kind, motivated and driven. She’s a natural born artist who is both a stylist and barber. While her road to success was filled with struggle and uncertainty, she found her niche with short haircuts. While many clients and barbers wouldn’t take her seriously because she was a female, she took to Instagram where she showcased her work and little by little her following grew. Her current ambition is growing STMNT Grooming Goods with fellow barbers Julius Cvesar and Miguel Gutierrez which launched in 2022.

 

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Julius Cvesar Also a barber, Julius grew up in the SF Bay area. He is of Filipino descent and a well-known barber in the industry. Also, covered in tattoos, Julius now resides in the Los Angeles area where he has built his platform in barbering. An artist at heart, he ventures into fashion, painting and runs a creative hub and gallery space. In barbering, his crisp design lines, color combinations and placement are creative and innovative. He takes appointments at All Hail Barbershop. Popular on Instagram he has also been on stage for Wahl and Layrite as he was a part of the Wahl Education and Artistic Team. There he specialized in clipper over comb, point cutting and heavy textures. His current project is working with fellow barbers Sofie Pok and Miguel Gutierrez on the STMNT Grooming Goods brands.

 

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Emily Chen Moving over to the hairstylist world, Emily Chen takes a spotlight. She is the owner of Brooks and Harlow Salon and teaches salon education…and she teaches a lot of it. Currently, she tours within her own salon but also across the country on a variety of different topics from color to haircutting. Based out of New York, Emily also cuts hair at her salon. She has built her following on Insta to 150k and almost 20k on TikTok. She is also present on YouTube and Twitter. Needless to say, she is everywhere teaching tips and tricks. She even won Color Video of the Year through the Hairbrained Video Awards with her 7-Hour Blonding Breakdown video. Wow…that must have been a lot of work!

 

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12Pell While not an individual person, 12Pell is a lifestyle brand run by Asian Americans. Dedicated to personal care and style, they cover all things grooming. Their goal is to build a community of like-minded people who are passionate about art and entrepreneurship. However, they have a huge focus on barbering and men’s haircuts. With a whooping 285k followers on IG and 1.8M followers on TikTok, they know how to generate social media attention. Their content focuses on a lot on hair education from the consultation to hair inspiration to styling tips. They’ve been recognized by ABC7, BBC, CBS, Yahoo, Business Insider and more. It would be safe to say that 12Pell has created the community they sought to build and then some.

 

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Angela Kim A special mention goes out to Angela Kim, a Los Angeles hairstylist who focuses on clean beauty and eco-conscious hairstyling. A second generation Korean American, Angela has been working in the industry for over 13 years. While she might not have a huge following on social media, her work is beautiful and she’s one to watch out for. A Feather Razor user, Angela is up and coming. She can do long or short hair and color. Her dedication to eco-friendly non-toxic hair services shows she’s dedicated to health and healthy beauty, something everyone can appreciate.

 

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Kaz Shimada Last but not least, Kaz Shimada is a Japanese American hairstylist. She is a proficient razor cutter, primarily using the Feather Plier Razor. So, she is definitely talented! Based out of Pasadena, CA, she co-owns MANE+CROWN salon. She’s a true artist with a beautiful portfolio. She has done commercial and red carpet work. Her work is gorgeous and she knows how to work the razor and her various tools to get fantastic looks.   There are many more AAAPI’s that were not mentioned here, but we wanted to highlight a few that have stood out to us. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have come a long way. While they still don’t represent a huge percentage of hairstylists and barbers, the ones that have stuck around have done well for themselves and have broken barriers. Their contributions to the beauty industry are valuable and appreciated. We continue to encourage more AAPI’s to bring their creative talents to the hair world. Show us what you’ve got!

It’s Women’s History Month and what better way to celebrate than to appreciate the gains of women in the hair industry. There have been so many accomplishments pioneered by women over the years that today we take for granted. There are many more, but let’s look at 5 women who influenced the hair industry forever.  

Martha Matilda

Martha was the first female to develop an international franchise system called the Harper System. She patented her own line of hair care products and developed a unique system for washing and styling hair that became the foundation for her franchise business which ultimately became known as the salon. A Canadian, Martha immigrated to the United States at a young age but when she around 30 years old, she opened her first salon in 1888 and in time she would go on to open over 500 franchise locations. The innovation of the salon has had a resounding and lasting effect on the hair industry. Many of her innovations within the salon are still being used to this day as well. She invented reclining shampoo chairs, salon scalp massages and even offered childcare. The salons were open in the evenings and gave haircuts to both men and women. Martha also developed a hair tonic because she thought the current hair products on the market were doing more harm than good.  She used her own hair to advertise her product as her hair was so long it reached the floor. It was thick and healthy which was the greatest advertisement she could have. Her first franchisee started in Buffalo, NY and then later expanded to Chicago. Each salon was owned by a woman. Moreover, the first 100 shops went to poor women. Martha would go to each location and train the franchisees, inspect the salons and make sure that quality was up to par. Although most people have never heard of her, she is one of the most influential women in hair history.  

Madam C.J. Walker

Also an entrepreneur, Walker was an African American civil rights activist in the late 19^th and early 20^th century who developed a hair care line specifically for African American women. She saw a need for affordable and effective hair care solutions. She went door to door, conducted classes and training for African American women and became a successful business owner selling her product. Her philanthropy was also well-known. She supported education and developed the Madam C.J. Walker College for Hair Culture in Indianapolis to raise the standards of hair care, teaching how to care for hair and how to become a successful entrepreneur themselves. She became a highly successful woman of color against all odds and persevered to become one of the first female self-made millionaires in America. She made huge strides in the hair industry which only opened the doors for more women and women of color to join the beauty world.   [caption id="attachment_34789" align="alignright" width="400"] Bob Hairstyle[/caption]

Irene Castle

While not a businesswoman, Irene simply started the bob hairstyle. She was a famous ballroom dancer and actress and in 1915 she decided to cut her hair prior to a surgery. At the time it was not common for women to have their hair short so while she was recovering, she wore her hair in a turban. But her friend convinced her to wear it short in public. This short haircut was eventually named the ‘Castle Bob.’ The look was short hair with curls at the bottom. Because she was already famous, the hairstyle spread, and soon other celebrities and women wore their hair short too. While the bob hairstyle during this time was considered undesirable, it became a symbol of the women’s suffrage movement. Women wore shorter hair because it was more convenient, easier to manage when they were becoming more active and athletic. More women were rejecting common practices and politics. Instead, they were actively campaigning for their right to vote pushing for more rights and freedoms. So the bob became popular on accident. But it was bound to happen, and it couldn’t have happened at a more appropriate time.  

Audrey Hepburn and Jean Seberg

In the 1950’s, after the bob had been around for 35 years, famous celebrities like Audrey Hepburn and Jean Seberg popularized the pixie. Even shorter than the bob, it meant freedom, gender fluidity and nonconformity. It became completely accepted after the move Roman Holiday where Audrey Hepburn cuts off her own hair to symbolize new beginnings. Over time, the pixie has evolved to become even shorter and styled a variety of ways.   [caption id="attachment_34790" align="alignleft" width="300"] Hair weave[/caption]

Christina Jenkins

An African American woman named Christina Jenkins was the first to develop a hair weaving technique. This invention became so popular that she was invited to other countries to teach her technique. Prior to Christina’s method, hair was clipped onto the scalp, but they didn’t securely stay on the hair. Christina’s method involved an interweaving process that took hours to do but could be left for a few weeks. It worked by interlocking strands of real hair with supplemental hair which was tied together by a cord-like material. This method paved the way for new innovations in the weaving process. Today, there are not only sewn-in weaves but also clip-ins and tape-in weaves. The hair industry is filled with many inspiring, successful women. From centuries ago through today, we have seen the hair industry grow and evolve. New inventions, techniques, products and styles are constantly being developed. But today’s accomplishments and ideas could not have come without those prior. In honor of Women’s History Month, we hope you take the time to honor the women who have paved the way.

Not all hair professionals are equal. Some are all about the trendiest styles, some only do color, some focus on short haircuts while others specialize in updos. There are a variety of hairstylists and barbers that provide unique and fun experiences and then others that do your basic run of the mill styles. Whatever the case may be, there are certain characteristics that make clients fall in love with their hair professional that they come back repeatedly. What is this secret sauce? It’s not a secret at all but people often forget to pay attention to certain qualities that can make them go from good to great. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are 7 reasons clients fall in love with their stylist or barber.

1) TECHNICAL ABILITY

The first and most obvious quality of a great hair professional is their technical ability. They have a thorough understanding of haircutting techniques, the tools of the trade and the science behind haircare. A great stylist or barber can cut hair with precision, symmetry and consistency producing a hairstyle that is both stylish and functional. They should also be proficient in a variety of cutting techniques using scissors, razors and clippers in order to cater to a wide range of clients. They should know how to use color properly and haircare product to achieve the best styling results. Technical ability can be seen through photos and video. Having great technical ability can be seen in the shape of the hair, the clean lines (or no lines), the symmetry of the haircut, the precision of the cutting and color of the hair (if color is involved).

2) CREATIVITY

While technical ability is more of a systematic skill, creativity is a human imagination skill. This is unique to every individual which makes creativity so fun and interpretive. It’s important for a stylist or barber to have creativity in this profession because they need to have an eye for style and the ability to translate the customer’s vision into a practical and stylish haircut. They should be able to draw inspiration from current fashion trends, classic hairstyles and their own imagination to create unique and personalized haircuts for each customer. This creative flair sets a great haircutter from a merely competent one, as it allows them to create haircuts that are not only functional but also stylish and memorable. Creativity is one of the most attractive qualities that initially captures a client. It’s what they see on Instagram or TikTok. It’s the way the images were captured that leave potential clients wanting it themselves. The way the hair is styled, the lighting and angles all express creativity and it makes the haircut more attractive.

3) COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Being able to communicate is underrated. Communication is the cornerstone of any human transaction. In this case, a barber or stylist should be able to listen and understand the needs and desires of their clients. The consultation, which is the initial conversation between the professional and the client to determine what is to be done, is crucial to the overall success of the cut. They should be able to ask the right questions, offer advice and recommendations. Ultimately, the haircutter should be able to repeat back to the client exactly what they want and have a clear idea of what is expected. They should also be personable and be able to ease their clients and make them feel comfortable and confident in their abilities. Having good communication skills takes practice but it’s essential to all aspects of the experience with each client. Good communication skills also extend to the way hair professionals communicate with their colleagues (other barbers and stylists) as well as management. They should be able to work as part of a team if necessary. Communication also translates into social media, appointment apps and other forms of technology. Providing clear information on websites, appointment apps about services, location, pricing and other relevant info is all part of the communication process.

4) PROFESSIONALISM

Being professional is a desirable quality of anyone. This means wearing clean and professional attire and maintaining a well-groomed appearance. However, some hair professionals tend to just wear whatever they want and can get away with it because of their status in the industry. Perhaps part of their popularity is due to their appearance and how they put themselves together. But many places of work have an expectation that you dress a certain way in their facility. Also, maintaining a professional attitude, treating customers with respect and courtesy, providing a welcoming and relaxing environment are all important. Using sanitary tools, keeping the chair and the space around it clean, adhering to health and safety regulations are all areas that clients pay attention to. Professionalism also revolves around being punctual with your appointments and not making the next client wait too long.

5) ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Anyone that truly cares about their work will care about the details. When it comes to hair, details are very important. Is the haircut finished to the highest standards? Are the tiniest details addressed? Did they shave the neck on a short haircut? Small details can make a big difference in the quality of the overall haircut. If the hair is styled or cut in a way that complements their facial features and the hairs are all in place, this is a good sign. Paying attention to the details mean there is true love for the work and the desire to do their best.

6) ADAPTABILITY

Many people don’t really think about adaptability, but it is an important quality that hairstylists and barbers should have to stay relevant. Being able to work with a variety of hair types and textures is a skill. And being able to adapt to the changing needs and preferences of their clients while trying new techniques and styles to stay current are all a part of being adaptable. Without growth, there is only stagnation so getting advanced education and constantly learning in the profession of hair is critical to ongoing success.

7) CUSTOMER SERVICE

To fall in love with a hairstylist or barber is to fall in love with their customer service. This goes hand in hand with communication skills. Customer service makes the client feel valued, appreciated and comfortable. Clients want to feel good about getting a service and a lot of that has to do with customer service. Being considerate of people’s time, giving them a refreshment while they wait and treating then with respect are all ways to provide customer service and comradery with clients. During the booking process is it easy and seamless? If making an appointment is difficult, it already puts a bad taste in the client’s mouth. Think about the customer journey and where clients can be made to feel heard and respected. Technical ability, creativity, communication skills, professionalism, attention to detail, adaptability and customer service are key areas that any hairstylist or barber should work on throughout their career to be their best. When hair pros encompass these qualities, clients are likely to stay, return and fall in love.  

This year has been a whirlwind. Didn’t it seem like just yesterday it was January 1, 2022? So much has happened over this past year that it’s worth reflecting on as we bring in the new year. When we look back on this year, 2022 can be described as turbulent, a little rock n’ roll and the age of influencer marketing.  

Economic Implications:

With COVID taking a front seat at the beginning of the year, Omicron struck the nation with its contagious furry. While it was less deadly, it had a huge impact on people’s ability and desire to travel or to even just be out and about. The pandemic has forced people to take their businesses online. While this was already happening prior to the pandemic, it just sped up the process. This year many new beauty businesses have been created online. Only time will tell how many of them stick around. In response to the pandemic, processes we had come to get comfortable with became unpredictable. The movement of goods across the nation and international lines became more expensive as well as disrupted. A lack of workers and new international shipping policies came into effect. As a result of the disruption, havoc ensued at the shipping docks delaying consumer products from arriving on a timely schedule so they could be placed on retail shelves. The effect trickled down to the consumer as we noticed many empty shelves and higher prices for products. On top of this, inflation has reached an all-time high. The cost of goods, gas and food skyrocketed. Higher costs without an increase in pay has left many with less disposable income. By increasing interest rates, the housing market has begun to cool down and finally gas prices have started to calm down. But it’s unlikely costs will go back to pre-pandemic levels.What did this mean for beauty professionals? This meant rising costs for supplies, less clients coming in and more uncertainty. While many stylists have kept their clientele, others have seen drop off. Clients either found new stylists, delayed services or have opted to cut their own hair. With the lingering effects of the pandemic, hair professionals have had to find other ways to supplement their income.  

Hair Trends:

With people finding their way back to salons and barbershops, some emerging hair trends have unfolded. The shag continued its popularity into 2022 but the biggest trend was the mullet. Mullets were everywhere. Mullets were modernized with a fresh vibe where it could be worn by either a man or woman. Most easily done with a razor, mullets have begun to fade in popularity toward the end of 2022. We also saw a lot of textured looks. Especially for young men, the tapered sides with textured hair on top hairstyle has been the look of 2021 and 2022. The perm has stayed afloat due to this haircut. But natural, textured looks have remained strong throughout this year.  

Influencer Status:

Social media influencing for hairstylists and barbers have continued to grow throughout 2022. With Instagram’s algorithm change where original content is favored over reposted content, this has only encouraged influencer marketing. On top of this, Instagram is favoring reels over regular posts, making it harder for brands to push out content. This change has been influenced by the rival app TikTok which has exploded in popularity in recent years. In addition to these changes, large companies like Facebook and Google have been under scrutiny over their lack of privacy policies. With new privacy laws in place, it’s become more difficult to market products to the end consumer. All these factors have led to a lot of influencer marketing from businesses. Especially in the beauty industry, influencers have a lot of opportunity to make themselves known to their fellow peers as well as clients. Stylists, barbers, nail techs and estheticians have thrived and grown their businesses significantly through social media alone. The trend will only get stronger going into 2023. We will see what TikTok and Instagram have in store for us or if a new social platform will rise to the top. 2022 has been a year of ups and downs. Recovering from the pandemic will take some time. But people love creating and that will never change. For beauty professionals, things are looking much more normal this year. In person classes and trade shows are starting to pop up again and people are eager to see people in person. But with spikes in covid and other new diseases popping up, some have remained cautious about making an appearance. We hope 2023 brings more stability so we can focus on the fun things like the next hair trend. It will be interesting to see what’s in store for the beauty industry, but one thing is for sure. People will always want to look good even when times get tough. In this, we have comfort. As we wrap up 2022, we say farewell to another year, but we welcome a new one and are excited to see what’s to come.

According to Ivan Zoot, when a customer is dissatisfied with their service, 95% of the time it can be traced back to miscommunication during the consult, not the actual technical performance of the haircut. Not having a clear understanding of what your client wants is a sure way to getting undesirable results. To avoid the challenges of misunderstanding it goes back to the consultation. The consultation is a very important part of the service. It sets the tone for what will happen for the rest of the appointment. During the consultation you need to be careful and get very clear on what the client is thinking. This means repeating back to the client what you think you heard. Change the wording a bit when you repeat back to them what they want. This is called paraphrasing. To watch a video where Ivan discusses paraphrasing, click here. Measure twice, cut once. That’s the mantra you should be telling yourself. Measuring twice or gaining complete clarity beforehand can save you stress and frustration of any backlash from the service. When performing the consultation, be sure to be completely present. Avoid doing other tasks while you are doing the consult. This means looking at them directly head on. Have the client face the mirror but sit in front of them. This positioning allows for the client to look at themselves in the mirror while explaining so you can completely focus on the client.   There are a couple questions you should ask your client: Q: How long has it been since you’ve had a haircut? Q: Is that normal for you?   By asking the first question you get an idea of what their haircut looked like before. Since hair grows ½” per month you can do the math and imagine what that haircut was like. By asking the second questions this tells you whether they just want a trim to keep the same look. This will help you understand what they want. For clients who want something different, encourage them to come in with a picture of the type of haircut they want. A picture tells a 1000 words and this can be helpful for the both of you. If the client doesn’t come with a picture, have an online look book with various hairstyles that you cater too. Perhaps these are past looks you’ve already created or they are looks you’ve seen done by other hair professionals that you are confident you can do. In any case, it’s easy to create. If you have a Pinterest account create a private board that features all these looks. Look books or galleries of haircut images are great for people who don’t talk much or aren’t forthcoming with information.   Another important question to ask is… Q: Do you have any allergies related to cosmetic toiletries I should know about? This is very important and can save you and your client any pain or suffering.   Also, ask… Q: What is the best haircut you’ve ever had? The best haircut can give you an indication of what they like and what type of maintenance is required.   Q: What is the worst haircut you've ever had? This will tell you what NOT to do. This is just as important as what you should do. During the consultation talk about product early and often. Show the client what products will be used on them and educate them a bit about why you are using these product This plants a seed in their head that they can buy and use the product for themselves at home. The consultation is an important part of any haircut. Paraphrasing, asking important questions and having a visual representation of what the client wants can help you do your job better. Get in the habit of doing these things and evaluate why any past redos occurred. Gain clarity during the consultation and your work will become easier and less stressful. To watch a Facebook Live Replay video of Ivan Zoot on mastering the consultation, click here.

It’s that time of year again. And you know what that means? The holidays are an incredible opportunity to gain business and make good money. In fact, the holidays could comprise a good portion of your yearly income. People are in the mood to spend, they have holiday parties to attend and they want to look extra good. You are in high demand this time of year. So what can you do to maximize your services during the holidays? Here are tips to get you started!  

Special Promotions

Conducting special promos during the holidays can be extra enticing to clients. If you sell retail products, perhaps you can ask product manufacturers if they have any small sample sized bottles you can give to your clients. If so, you can offer free samples to clients to book certain services. Or you can give free product with service. You can market sample sized bottles as stocking stuffers. Bundling your product with services is a nice opportunity to introduce clients to the products you sell. Think of what can make you stand out or what can make your promotions unique and memorable.  

Gift Certificates

The holidays are a time for gifting. So why not have gift certificates available for your clients to gift their friends and family. If they like you, they will refer you anyway so you might as well get prepaid haircut vouchers. Gift certificates can be made in any denomination and given out digitally or as physical paper certificates. There are many businesses that make a lot of money from gift certificates because they are pre-paid. You can also throw in extra money on top of the gift certificate cost to entice purchase. For example, when someone buys a $100 gift certificate, give $20 free. So the value is $120 but they are paying $100 for it. This is an enticing deal.

Holiday Packages

Perhaps create a bundle of services for a special price. For example, bundle a cut + color for a slight discount. Or throw in a free service with the purchase of select services. Creating packages that incorporate multiple services can be a great way to increase your average order value.  

How to Promote

You should begin to think about the holidays around September or October. Determine the promotions and prepare for them early November. Then start the promotions when you feel it’s best. Usually people start having holiday parties before the end of November. So start offering your specials earlier rather than later. When you start to promote your holiday specials, word of mouth will be important as well as social media and displays. Tell your friends and family and current clientele. There are several ways of communicating with everyone. Text, call, email (if you have an email list) or promote through social media to get the word out. Remind people to book early to ensure a spot this holiday season and make sure you give a sense of urgency so people act sooner rather than later. On social media, post about your specials and create daily stories to let everyone know what you’re up to. Show examples of holiday updos or styles you can create and share on every platform you’re a part of. Put a special promotion on Yelp if you have a presence there. If your store front faces the street with good traffic, create a nice display outside the salon or shop. If you can stand out and gain the attention of people driving or walking by you might get a new customer as well. Decorate the store and make it festive. It gets people in the mood to spend money and get in the holiday spirit. Create an Instagrammable moment for clients. Today it’s all about experiences so give clients a unique experience. Perhaps set up a holiday background where clients can take fun selfies of themselves after getting serviced. Be sure to take some yourself so you can use them for your own social sites. If it’s fun, people will want to come in just so they can get the selfie pic. Holiday promotions are an important time of year for hair professionals but especially stylists. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get more services in this short period of time. Get creative but start early so you can get the most out of your holiday promotions.  

Are you a hair professional looking to grow your business? Of course you are! If you’re looking to gain new clients and entice current clients to return, sometimes you need to change things up and make things fresh. There are many ways to do sales promotions and get people talking about you. In this article, the ideas of Ivan Zoot, a JATAI Academy educator, will be shared. You can follow along here or watch the video here. Ivan is a known educator in the industry and has specifically built a niche for himself around business building for hair professionals. He is a big advocate of some sales ideas and not of others. Let’s explore those and find out why.  

FREE

Ivan loves free. In fact, everyone loves free. Free is exciting and it’s difficult for people to resist free. Free is more exciting than just a basic discount and so it grabs people’s attention. But Ivan specifically loves free in the beauty industry because you don’t undermine price integrity. What does this mean? Well say you do $20 haircuts but you offer a $5 coupon on your haircut. This means you really do $15 haircuts. And by doing this you are telling everyone that a $15 haircut is ok for you. However, if you do a $20 haircut and you do a special where you give something for free along with the service, your haircut is still valued at $20. When you give something away for free you maintain price integrity but at the same time offer a deal that can entice clients. In Ivan’s world you should do one of the two ‘F’ words…Full price or Free. When it comes to free, the giveaway can be whatever you want. It can be a free product (perhaps samples) or an added service such as a scalp massage. Or maybe you do a free upgrade or provide a beverage. Get creative with what you give away for free.  

DISCOUNTS

Now what about discounts? Discounts are different from free in that this is a dollar off amount which undermines your haircut price integrity. Participating on coupon sites is not good for the longevity of your business. The problem with sites like this is that they often draw the wrong kind of people. These are people who are only looking for deals. So if they get a haircut with you for 30% off the regular price, they will want this price to continue for as long as they come to you. Generally, they do not want to pay more on subsequent services. Also, these types of sites also take a large chunk of what the customer pays, reducing your overall take home pay. While it is a good way to gain exposure, these sites often create more problems and headaches than they’re worth. In the end, it’s in your best interest to not discount. And if you’re going to do anything, just give it away for free. You can use products or services as free incentives. But at least you’ll maintain price integrity. If you want to listen to Ivan speak on the topic of free, click here. If you want to listen to Ivan speak on the topic of discounts and coupon sites, click here.

Are you looking to do something different in your salon or barbershop? Would you like to increase your client retention rate or just support your best clients? Then, maybe a membership program is worth looking into. A membership program can benefit your salon or shop in many ways. It can encourage customer loyalty, increase client predictability and keep chairs filled. It can even give you a competitive edge in the industry if you do it right. When you have a membership program this increases income consistency and makes members feel like they are a part of something exclusive. And who doesn’t want to feel like they’re special? A membership program is also a great way to expose your clients to new or different services you offer. Of course, there are downsides to memberships. They do take extra work. Memberships require figuring out what the membership program will consist of, how many members you want, the pricing of the membership and promoting it to gain new members. You will also likely need established clientele to offer the program to. Since a membership is put in place to support your best customers and encourage further loyalty, it would be difficult to implement this without already having loyal clients. Memberships also might require more staff or more robust software to handle the administrative side. But if you still think a membership will provide greater upside, you need to determine what kind of membership to offer. To determine this, evaluate what your most popular services are and what the average transaction value is. How often do your clients come in? What are your outgoing costs? The answer to these questions should give you a baseline of what you should offer and what the pricing should be. So what kind of membership benefits should you offer? Offer member only exclusives such as:

• Offer discounts on retail
• Included beverages (non-alcoholic unless the place has a liquor license)
• Include a head massage
• If you have other services like waxing, manicures or facials, make a package with those services
• For barbers, offer extra ‘experiences’ like aromatherapy, scalp massage, hand massage during hot towel shaves
• Use better products during shaves and haircuts (higher end creams, moisturizers during shaves, styling products etc.)
• You can always ask your current clients what they would like to see in a membership

  Whatever you offer for the membership, just make sure it’s not a discount according to Ivan Zoot. What does this mean? For example, if you want to offer unlimited haircuts in a month and your customers come in twice a week, make the membership at least 2x the price of a haircut. The cost should be higher than the minimum number of haircuts your clients come in because you’re gambling. You’re gambling they’re not coming in as often and they are gambling they’re going to come in more often so they come in ahead of the money. The offer needs to be valuable to the client but also, don’t cut yourself short. It should be beneficial on both sides. Membership value comes in the form of the added benefits of membership. There is a lot of value you can add to a membership without discounting the basic haircut. Another tip by Ivan is to only offer a limited number of memberships so that it feels exclusive. Start with a small number. You can gradually increase that number but by keeping it small, it becomes a marketing talking point to clients. Scarcity makes people want the service. Keep in mind that membership can’t be short. They should be long, at least 6 months to a year. But you can charge per month. Make sure you have terms outlined so that everyone is on the same page and knows what it means to be a member. Clearly define any late fees, cancellation fees or booking restrictions. Maybe even have them sign a contract. Lastly, you need to promote it. When you have the specifics of your program together and are ready to gain members, start with talking with your most loyal customers. These customers are the low hanging fruit. If they don’t want to join your membership, certainly people who have never had a haircut with you won’t want to join either. So it’s important to test it out with your current clients. Otherwise, use social media, your email list or ask for referrals. Perhaps, you can give a reward for referrals. There’s so much you can do in a membership. Just get creative and explore a variety of possibilities. If you want to watch a video on memberships, check out this video by Ivan Zoot in our Education CONNECT portal of JATAI Academy. Good luck!

If you’re looking to build and grow your haircutting business, look no further. There are endless ways to get more people in the door and in the chair. This requires, however, some thought and creativity. Let’s look at three great ways to earn more business: cross promoting, perks and effective sales promotions.   Cross Promotions: Cross promoting is one way to get the word out about your business. This involves 2 businesses helping each other out in a complementary, non-competing way. It needs to be a win-win situation for this to be a true cross promotion. An example of a cross promotion is if you have an agreement with another business to provide special coupons that are only available through each other. There are several ways to do a cross promotion. The easiest way is to look at what other businesses are located around you. Is your salon or barbershop located in a strip mall? If so, what business could you partner up with? Perhaps a pet store or even a food spot. People who frequent one store may frequent other stores in the same strip mall. Where else do your customers do business in the area? Look for other businesses that offer services in a similar space. For example, a nail salon, small beauty supply store or massage place would get a similar clientele if you’re in a salon. For barbershops, a smoke shop, auto store or men’s clothing store could be options. Think of other types of businesses you could partner with that are non-competing but would make sense to do a cross promotion. If you want to watch a video where Ivan Zoot discusses cross promotions, click here.   Perks: Perks are the little things that make the deal just a little better. There are ways to add perks to make offerings just a little more attractive. According to Ivan Zoot, he doesn’t like to offer discount on actual services, but he has no problems with offering discounts on retail product or giving something away for free. So one type of perk is to have ongoing discounts on products. This can entice clients to purchase desirable retail products at an attractive price. Many barbers allow walk-ins. One perk barbers can offer is walk-ins without waiting. Often walk-in clients need to wait a while to get a haircut. But not everyone can afford to wait. Offering this perk can be quite attractive. Another possible perk is to offer beverages with haircut or hair service. This can be water, soda or even alcohol depending on the rules and regulations of your business. A liquor license may be necessary. However, it may be possible to legally give it away for free without needing a license. One other type of perk is to offer special hours for select clients. This can be attractive for clients who are not available during your regular hours. There are many types of perks. All you have to do is get a little creative and see what gets people’s attention. Perks are a fun way to close the deal on your haircut services. Learn more about perks with these tips from Ivan Zoot by clicking here.   Effective Sales Promotions: Another way to be proactive growing your business is to provide effective sales promotions. Create special promotions around holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or even St. Patrick’s Day. There are many holidays you can choose from to revolve a promotion around. Sales promotions give you something different to talk about. It spices things up and keeps it fresh. If you are going to do sale promotions, make sure to plan ahead. Give yourself at least 2 months to put the promotion together, especially if it involves flyers, the need for inventory or special training. Having all the pieces in place when it comes to execute will make the process much smoother. If your team needs training, get them involved early so they are prepared for what’s to come. When the promotion is active, be sure to promote it even more than the time leading up to it. Give it a feeling of urgency so people will want to take advantage of it sooner than later. For example, perhaps it can be the first 20 people who book an appointment for a dad and grad haircut (both father and son) will get a free head and shoulder massage. There is no limit to creativity here. When the promotion is over, analyze the data. Did it work? What were your sales? How many extra appointments did you get? Evaluate what worked and didn’t work and then decide if it’s worth doing again. Or perhaps you’ll want to change some aspect of it for next time. Watch a video about effective sales promotions. Building and growing your business is work. It takes creativity, an action plan and execution. You must have some sort of marketing and sales plan in place in order to succeed in this business. If you’re unsure what to offer, look at what other salons or barbershops are doing or even look at what other businesses are doing and see if those types of promotions could apply to your business. For more business building tips, see our Education CONNECT videos and filter under the topic of ‘Business Building.’  

One of the biggest questions that stylists and barbers ask is ‘How much should I charge for a haircut?’ It’s a question that takes consideration. You don’t want to just use the same pricing as your fellow hair professionals. You want to price your haircuts based on your own personal goals and needs. But how do you do that? Many hair pros determine what they should charge by looking at what their fellow hair pros are doing. They might call up different local salons or barbershops and ask them what they charge. They might look at their websites to see if pricing is listed there. Or they might just ask their friends who are also hair pros what they charge. Then they might take an average of those costs and decide this is a good price to use. However, this is a terrible way to price your haircut. First off, if you are new to the industry, know that the price of the haircut you start with is important to your future pricing so take careful consideration. According to Ivan Zoot, you need to know 3 numbers about your business in order to determine a price.  

HAIRCUT CAPACITY

How many haircuts can you do? And what is considered full for you? Let’s just work with some numbers for the sake of an example. Say you can do 2 haircuts/hr, work 10hrs/day and 5 days/wk. This means you can do 100 haircuts/wk or 400 haircuts/mo. 400 haircuts/month is your maximum capacity. However, you don’t ever want to work like this because you need to take into account the time needed for lunch, to go to the bathroom, for adding services, for discussing with clients about take home haircut product or even just resetting your station. There are many activities that need and will be done outside of just haircuts. In the hair industry, if you are 80% occupied, you are considered to be full. Therefore, 400 x 80% = 320 haircuts/mo. 320 haircuts/mo would be your Haircut Capacity  

COST PER HAIRCUT

How much does it cost you to do a haircut? This is a very important number to calculate because you need to be able to cover your costs and then make a profit on top of that. So how do you determine the cost? You must take into consideration items such as rent, supplies, equipment, education, license, insurance and marketing. Of course there could be more, but let’s assign numbers to these just to stick with our example. Your numbers will be different, but hopefully you are following along! Breakdown: a) Rent - $200/wk x 4 = $800/mo

1. b) Supplies (neck strips, laundry, shave cream, razor blades, color, shampoo etc.) - $25/wk x4 = $100/mo
2. c) Equipment (new clippers, shears, blades, razors, combs, brushes, blowdryers) - $100/mo
3. d) Education (often is not consistent throughout the year so take your yearly cost and divide it by 12) – 1200/yr = $100/mo
4. e) License - $9/mo
5. f) Insurance (should have at least $2M insurance coverage) - $159/yr = $14/mo
6. g) Marketing (buying sponsored ads for Yelp, business cards, flyers etc.) - $250/mo

Total monthly expenses: $1373.00/mo total monthly expenses/haircut capacity = Cost per haircut $1373/320 = $4.19/haircut  

PROFIT PER HAIRCUT

How much profit do we need to reach our goals? First you have to have a goal. Do you want to earn $60k? $85k? $100k? Say you want to earn $60k. In order to take home $60k you have to first incorporate taxes. If you’re in the 22% tax bracket, you will need to make approximately $73,200 to take home $60k because: $60,000 x 1.22 = $73,200/yr $73,200/12mo = $6100/mo $6100/ total haircut capacity (in this case it’s 320) = $19.06 So in order to meet your income goal of taking home $60k/yr, you need to incorporate $19.06 in profit on each haircut Now you can calculate how much you need to charge per haircut in order to meet your goals: $4.29 (cost/haircut) + $19.06 (profit/haircut) = $23.25 (minimum haircut price) NOW, call 6 salons or barbershops to get an average haircut price in the community. If you discover that the average price in the neighborhood is $26, you’re golden because you only need to charge $23.25 in order to meet your goals and this is under the $26 average in the community. People will desire your services. But if you discover that the average price is $20.50 but you want to charge much more, you have to be unique, special and deliver fabulous service. To be more than the average in the neighborhood you have to deliver more than average service. Don’t just make the decision without intention. Do the math and the numbers will tell you what you need to charge. Say the math tells you that you need to charge $23.35/haircut in order to make your goals but the average haircut price in the community is $20.50. If you don’t think you can charge $23.35 you can lower your expenses where possible such as marketing. If you reduce your marketing budget to $150/mo. This will make your cost/haircut $23.03. If you need to lower your haircut price even more, you’ll have to find other ways to reduce your costs or make yourself more special. The bottom line is that pricing should not be arbitrary. It should be based on this system. This is how you price your haircut. If you want to watch the full Facebook Live with Ivan Zoot where he explains this all in detail, click here.