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The Messy Hairstylist
Whether you are a mess literally OR figuratively we are here to help you take imperfect action to find your success as a hairstylist. Each week we deep dive in to tough topics to address the struggles we face in our industry. We push the boundaries, break the stereotypes and go hard against the "norms" that make us feel inferior.
The Messy Hairstylist
THIS Needs to Be Your 2025 Strategy for Success
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What if the key to skyrocketing your salon’s success in 2025 was right in front of you? In this episode, we dive into why nurturing your current clients is the smartest strategy for sustainable growth. From exclusive VIP perks to creative loyalty ideas, discover how focusing on client retention can boost satisfaction, save money, and drive results—even during slower times. Tune in for actionable tips and game-changing insights that will keep your clients coming back for more!
Follow Abby on Instagram and TikTok at @theabbywarther
Follow Kelsey on Instagram at @kelseymorrishair
It costs three times more to gain a new client than to retain a current client.
Speaker 2:Oh, I've never heard that. I love that.
Speaker 1:And so, even though, as hairstylists, we're not like dumping money into like advertising costs, but our time, the time that it costs us to gain a new client, is a lot more, with all the work we have to do on social media and putting ourselves out there and all these things, but retaining a client is much more simple.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Messy Hairstylist Podcast. I'm Kelsey.
Speaker 1:Morris and I'm Abbey Warther. Whether you are a mess, literally or figuratively, we are here to help you take imperfect action to find your success as a hairstylist. So I don't even know how to start this one. I wish that I did. I'm really, really trying hard, and so it's okay to admit that you have, you know, a downfall, and that's my downfall, and that's starting podcasts. So can you please link this at the end that? No, this is the beginning. I'm keeping this in. This is the beginning because I have to start the podcast episode today and it's probably the first time I have started an episode this year Not true, but it feels like it, and I'm only doing it because this is our final episode of the year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's so hard to believe.
Speaker 1:I cannot believe it's the end of the year. Yeah, it's so hard to believe I cannot believe it's the end of the year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and we've recorded for all. We did really well this year.
Speaker 1:We did. We had a couple weeks where we were off due to life and being smart about our priorities, and but we're still going strong. So we're ending out 2024 here and this is gonna be our last episode. We're ending out 2024 here and this is going to be our last episode. We're going to take the Christmas break off two weeks off and so we will be back that what? January 9th, thursday, january 9th will be our next episode after today.
Speaker 1:So I thought something that I really wanted to get into today to wrap up this year before we all I hope everyone listening truly takes off some time during the holidays, whether you take off two days, three days, two weeks, whatever it is and let this topic today just kind of marinate in your brain and think about these things going into 2025. So I'm going to tee up why I came up with this topic today and then we're going to get into it. So, before I tell you what it is, so I'm coming up with this topic today because, as we know, in 2024, we have been talking about how books are slow. Everyone's not everyone. It's not everyone because I'm talking to a lot of stylists and some are doing really well, but then there is a large community of stylists that I have spotty books, and you and I have talked about this before too.
Speaker 2:We've experienced that as well.
Speaker 1:And so, looking into 2025, it's not going to snap back to greatness all at once, so I think we might have a little struggle into 2025. And I hate to say that, but let's prepare instead of just stress about it. So my brain goes to if this is where people are, what can we do to help our businesses thrive during 2025? And instead of, like, always looking at getting new clients in the chair, which, of course, we're always wanting to do we've talked about this a little bit before I think we really need to focus on creating client loyalty in our salons.
Speaker 2:I agree, I love that.
Speaker 1:Today I want to talk about how can we create client loyalty in the salons. I have five ways that we can discuss, maybe come up with some ideas together. I love it when you and I brainstorm together, but first let's just dive into really quick. Why do we want to create client loyalty? What's your takeaway, your thought on that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know it's weird. I was just thinking about this the other day because I was thinking about like, okay, we got to get new clients in our chairs, get new clients. And sometimes I think everybody is so hyper-focused on the building of new clients that we forget how important it is to really take care of our existing clients, because they are like the bread and butter. New clients come and go, but the ones who have been with you forever are the ones who are your longevity. So I think what you're saying makes perfect sense that taking care of your existing clients will actually be better for you in the long run than getting a bunch of new clients. So I don't know if that answered your question, but that's just where my brain went, because it's like we're always hyper-focused on, like, how to market yourself to new clients.
Speaker 1:But if we're not nurturing our current clients, what's the matter Exactly? We're bleeding out.
Speaker 2:You're going to lose the foundation of everything.
Speaker 1:Yes, and there's that statistic that I always hear of it costs three times more to gain a new client than to retain a current client.
Speaker 2:Oh, I've never heard that. I love that.
Speaker 1:And so, even though, as hairstylists, we're not dumping money into advertising costs, but our time the time that it costs us to gain a new client is a lot more, with all the work we have to do on social media and putting ourselves out there and all these things, but retaining a client is much more simple and and we've already invested in that person. So let's get into some of these ideas that I have put together. They're just general ideas and then I want to go through and like actually like, will this work? I mean, okay, full disclosure. I put it into chat GPT. Let's like stop pretending that.
Speaker 2:I was like brainstorming sitting there late last night late last night when you were trying to figure out your schedule today and I know I wasn't going to call you out on that story because it's so funny, but Abby and I had a funny conversation last night, but you're just sitting there with your notepad brainstorming your ideas and that's actually not what happened. It was ChatGPT, that's okay.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was. I admit it. I love it. So what I did was I put into chat GPT because my chat GPT is strong for the hairstylist, because I've been working on it. I pay for chat GPT so it saves. I have a memory of the work that I do. So this gave me a great basis for us to discuss. So I asked chat GPT um, what are three to five unique ways to create client loyalty in the new year for hairstylists?
Speaker 2:What are three to five unique ways to?
Speaker 1:create client loyalty in the new year for hairstylists and I looked through these and I was like I like it. Maybe maybe not, so let's get into it. Okay, number one that Chachapiti gave us and remember for people who are not familiar with Chachapiti it literally calms the internet and it finds the best information for you literally calms the internet and it finds the best information for you. So this is what probably a lot of top coaches and salons and publications have said about client loyalty. Okay, number one a personalized. Have a personalized loyalty program. So what they're saying is offer a points-based system where clients earn rewards for each visit or specific services.
Speaker 2:Thoughts Okay, I kind of like that. Let me say why. So when you first started saying it, I'm like okay, we all know about a loyalty program, right, like, give your loyalty, get your punch. I do like the idea of taking it a step further and doing a point system, because you have clients who come in and they have more. Like, say, you have a client who comes in and gets a root retouch every six weeks, but then you have this other client who comes in and they require more right, so they have to get their highlights and their service is a little more expensive. So I kind of think it's cool to tailor your point system around the amount of money your clients are spending in the salon. That's an interesting take on that.
Speaker 1:I used to do a rewards program in the salon.
Speaker 2:Did you do it like that or did you just be like? You get a punch every time you come in?
Speaker 1:No, it was through. So Vigaro has the ability to do that with your system, does Boss?
Speaker 2:Genius. No, but now I'm going to have to put in a request.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and so I actually think I might look into bringing this back. I did it when I had a full commission team and we did it based there's so many options. It's already kind of like set into Vegaro, which is nice, and so there's so many options that you can kind of just toggle over and have it give rewards points for. And I can't remember everything, but I know that if somebody pre-booked an appointment, that got them points, because I love a pre-book. If they bought so much in products, they got points. There was just a lot of different things. If they had a service over, I think, a certain amount points. There was just a lot of different things. If they had a service over, I think a certain amount, like you just said, they got points. And then the points I allowed I can't remember, but you can have them be redeemable towards products or you could have them be redeemable towards services, like a dollar amount towards services ChatGPT is suggesting have be redeemable towards complimentary add-ons, like a conditioner.
Speaker 1:Deconditioning treatment I like that A K18 or something or percentage off after a certain number of visits, or free product samples. So there's so much you could really dive into there and my clients were obsessed with it and once I went.
Speaker 2:Why did you?
Speaker 1:stop that. A lot of things changed. You probably hear me say this a lot Back when I had why did you stop that? A lot of things changed. You probably hear me say this a lot back when I had a commission team. Yeah, yeah, a lot of things changed when I went from commission team to just me and I also just needed to shed a lot of the extras so I could focus on just me and my business when I switched over to booth rental. But I feel good to maybe bring something like this back. But also, the economy was great for so many years for hairstylists Right, and so. But I'm learning. I'm learning like don't take these things away. Even if things are great, right, don't take away, just add to or keep the status quo. Okay, any other thoughts on that?
Speaker 2:No, I think we nailed that one Also. Can I just like I just need a? I need a minute to talk about the fact that? Why do I say the word that so weird? It just all of a sudden dawned on me as we were talking. I said T-H-A-T multiple times and I was like I say that so strange. So anyways, anyone who's listening?
Speaker 1:How do you say it? I've never known.
Speaker 2:No, listen, I'm going to say a statement and I want you to hear it. I'm going to close my eyes. Okay, all right.
Speaker 1:I love that. I think that sounds normal. No, it's like a long A, it's so weird. Okay, so I'm sorry. Yes, I sound like I'm from Canada, which is nothing wrong with that, but I'm not. I talk like that because I'm from Northwest Ohio and so our A's are very strong. So I say calendar salad gallon, that Abby like.
Speaker 2:E? Yeah, I'm from Toledo, so maybe that's it too.
Speaker 1:Okay, yes, well, yes, that's right. I forgot that. That's where that comes from.
Speaker 2:Okay, now I feel better. I'm so sorry.
Speaker 1:I grew up 30 minutes outside of Toledo, so yeah, I was just annoying myself with my word.
Speaker 2:I don't notice it.
Speaker 1:Okay, moving on. Well, first, when I first moved to the area that I'm in now, because Ohio is so big we have different ways that we little accents in Ohio, right, and so I get made fun of for my A's and I've learned to acclimate with the community and I want to be an outcast for my strong A's.
Speaker 2:Exactly, exactly, I got to work on that. Oh gosh, I just did it again. Okay, number two Number two client milestone celebrations.
Speaker 1:So track anniversaries or milestones such as anniversaries of their first visit to your salon are reaching a certain number of visits. How do we feel?
Speaker 2:You like that.
Speaker 1:I love it Okay, how do you keep track of that?
Speaker 2:though. Well, good question, good question. How do you keep track of that then? I mean, you would have to do like a spreadsheet or something, because I don't. Actually, I think Gloss has something for that. I'm going to look at my phone real quick, because I do think that they have something like that and you can track certain. Let me look at this person, because think about how great that would be if you could track birthdays. I'm seeing right here, yeah that's.
Speaker 1:That's what I was thinking like. What if it's just it's birthdays?
Speaker 2:yeah, I would have to be just birthdays. Unless there's something I'm missing, I'll have to find it.
Speaker 1:Look at my features um reach a certain number of visits, like you could maybe like have like a I don't know a club of people who come every four to six weeks and if they hit that they get something that's cool well, gloss has a um, I forgot about this a most valuable client oh yeah, yeah, I've seen that mvc.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, so based off of service dollars, yes, correct. So you could run that report every quarter or something and do something like that, but that doesn't track everybody. Oh my gosh you just reminded me.
Speaker 1:Now. I'm just feeling like such a loser today. Everything I'm going to say is I used to do. I used to do Okay. Another thing that I used to do was I used to give a gift out to my top 10 clients at the holidays.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm going to do the same thing. Yeah, but it doesn't let you track every client's you know anniversary with you, but I mean it gives you 10. I guess you would have to. I don't know. I don't know. I love the idea, I just don't know how you make it happen.
Speaker 1:Well, that's why I said, like take this today and just let it marinate over the next couple of weeks into the new year and be like what do I want to do? Like obviously we're not going to do all of these, but pick one that you can really focus on into 2025 and be consistent with and actually keep up with. Yeah so, but one of the things that they said to celebrate it is with just a handwritten thank you note, a small product gift, a free mini service, just something, just a little nod to celebrating that.
Speaker 2:Well, those type of things go such a long way.
Speaker 1:Such a long way it's thoughtful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, when we have our normal clients and we've been doing their hair for like forever. Think of how many times this goes back to what we said in the beginning about new clients and retaining your loyal clients. Think of how many times you get into a bind and you see your book and you're like, okay, susan's on here at 6.30. She won't care if I bump her up or down a little bit or ask her to come in at 7 or tomorrow, blah, blah, blah, because I can make room for that new client.
Speaker 2:How often are we doing that and just taking I don't want to say taking advantage, but taking for granted, granted, yeah, granted. Their time is valuable and the fact that they've been with us for so long, that we just have developed such a great relationship, which is wonderful. But again, give them a nod Anytime. You can't take care of them in another way. So that's such a great way to be like a little thank you note, or, you know, today I've been doing your hair for a whole two years. Let me give you deep conditioner treatment. I think that type of stuff goes a long way.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, it doesn't have to be this big production, it can just be the words and the action. I love that, yes, okay. Well, that goes right into the next one here of I just skipped a bunch.
Speaker 2:No, it didn't.
Speaker 1:It doesn't go into the next one. I scrolled too far forward. Number three is exclusive VIP experiences. Create a VIP tier for loyal clients that offers perks like early access to new products or treatments, priority booking or invitations to special events. So I do do the priority booking.
Speaker 2:I did start doing that. Remember, we talked about this in an episode. We brainstormed how to do VIP things. Yes, love that idea.
Speaker 1:I know, see, that's the thing we can think of all these things, but to actually execute is another thing, right? So this is a good reminder. I did start doing the priority booking. So, through Vegaro, I can send text messages to my clients, and I have a special list that I send a text to one day early before my books open for the next three months. Love it, yes, okay, oh, here's an example of exclusive VIP experiences Host a quarterly loyalty night with refreshments, discounts on products, live tutorials, demos of new techniques.
Speaker 2:I was just in my brain. If you saw me blackout for a second, just glaze over. I was like, okay, next stop on my agenda today is to text my stylist and be like all right, what night works, let's do a client. Let's do a client VIP night, yes, I mean so fun for you know everybody invite your 10 MVCs and let's just do a night of refreshments and whatever. Just you know, make it something fun for them. That is such a great idea. I love that.
Speaker 1:I love that. Yeah, you're the queen of the events, that's for sure.
Speaker 2:You know I love a good event.
Speaker 1:Yes, you do, and you're good at doing it. Okay. So number four I actually really like this. This is interesting to me Customize hair care plans, develop a personalized hair care plan for each client based on their hair type and lifestyle, follow up with an email or text reminders about when to schedule for the next service or restock products. This one got my brain going. Oh, I love this. This one got my brain going what if and you don't do for all your clients, but what if your top whatever's you put together a customized hair care plan where there's something that we maybe actually print out or a digital that we send them and we have like a template and we fill in everything on them.
Speaker 2:You can make it on Canva. It would be very easy. Once you get it going, to just add to it, plug in and sit down with them.
Speaker 1:Maybe, when you do it with this client, schedule an extra 15 minutes to consult and go over and talk about it. We want to start off the year strong with your customized hair care plan. I actually really like this idea. This is exciting to me. I think this one can generate new clients easy too.
Speaker 2:I do too. I love this. You could have a printout that when you sit down with them for their 15 minute consultation, you give them their printout and they fill in certain things and then you could take that printout home with you and digitize it and put it right into your computer and send it to them. I love it. I love that, so fun.
Speaker 1:I love that and then like yeah.
Speaker 2:Think of how bougie that experience would feel for the client. They would feel so valued.
Speaker 1:I love that and it's not expensive at all, it's free to do, it's just your time and it's showing that extra. I know this one really got me thinking, because then you could even just keep a file for each person that you do it for. And what if, like? You could maybe just revisit it once a year and be like, okay, this is what we did last year, this is the goals that you had with your hair. Where are we at now? Just to make sure that they're hitting their hair goals? Because so many people are like my hair feels thin, my hair feels dry, brittle, I want to grow it longer, I want all sorts of things. Right, they all have goals and right. Keep track of that and truly show them that we're helping them meet their goal and you could.
Speaker 2:You could take it a step further and do before like pictures into that file, like, and measurements, and measurements, like okay, my hair is my. I want to grow my hair. This is how long your hair is right now. Let's, let's remeasure it in six months.
Speaker 1:You know this is a great idea with it.
Speaker 2:Oh, I need you to, when we get off here, enter it in a chat, gpt, and give me some more ideas. Yeah, how we, how we do this.
Speaker 1:I will.
Speaker 2:I want to do a whole episode on that, that's a great idea.
Speaker 1:Okay, I think we should do that into the new year, into January, because I'm going to really dive into this one.
Speaker 2:I really like that.
Speaker 1:That's where my brain's going to go. It's different, totally different, and it says why it works. It shows that you generally care about their hair health and makes them feel valued. Boom, that's what it's all about, and here's why I think this can generate new clients. The word of mouth you're going to get from this is not right totally. I say not so, and my kids make fun of me. I said it on an instagram story the other day. They're like not so.
Speaker 1:I'm like okay, stop saying that okay, um, that yeah, number five. Last one surprise and delight moments. Surprise loyal guests with unexpected perks. So this is what you're saying like just that, this appointment. You've been with me for two years. I want to say thank you for this deep conditioning treatment. So it says offer a complimentary add-on service like a scalp massage or hot towel treatment at random visits. Yeah, what if you just added on an extra scalp massage?
Speaker 2:a longer scalp massage. Yes, everyone's been asking me for that recently. All my clients are like when in the world are you going to do a head spa? I know I've added on two girls who do the world's best scalp massage, so yeah, that would go a long way. That would go a really long way.
Speaker 1:That would. Another idea is provide a handwritten thank you or a small product sample at the end of their appointment. When to do it? On their birthday, during holidays or just as a spontaneous thank you. Yeah, and maybe we should just always like for me, after going through these five, I think like I think it'd be good to pick one and focus on it and then make sure you sprinkle in surprise and delight moments throughout the year.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, because if you try to focus on all of them, you're like I'm going to do this and this and this, and that it's going to get way too overwhelming. No, no, no, you just got to pick and choose the ones that are most important to you and focus in on those and do something.
Speaker 2:I think we got to do something. That's what it really comes down to. During these slower times and understanding that books are spotty and the economy is hard, people are being very cautious in where they spend their money and their time, and we can complain about that all day long, like, oh it's so hard, everything's so different, we're not making it. Okay, let's stop complaining about it and find solutions. And for me, the solution is you will spend money and time where you feel valued. So why not make our clients feel valued? Why not make our most especially the ones who've been loyal to us for so long? And these are easy ways to do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and if we have spots in our books, we have time. Absolutely there's no excuse, because every single one of these you can do without spending a dollar or even discounting yourself. Every single one of them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know we talk a lot about getting scrappy, getting creative, coming up with solutions to things and not just your traditional way of doing it, and this is one of those. I love that you just said if you have time in your book, if you have spots in your book, then you have time, because we complain so much about, oh it's just so hard, we're balancing so much, but then on the other end we're like but we're slow. So take those slow times, take that gap, that 45-minute gap you have in your book, and do this and watch it pay off.
