Salon Success Secrets

Bringing The Beauty Back To The Beauty Industry!

• Lindsay Lowe & Jen Booth

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Today we explore how to transform your salon by elevating your team from service providers to true beauty professionals who deliver meaningful transformations rather than just completing tasks.

• Beauty comes from the Latin word bellus, meaning "good"—we're in the business of creating goodness, not just performing services
• In today's market with one Starbucks for every 60 salons, technical skill alone isn't enough to differentiate your business
• A client story demonstrates how proper diagnosis turned an $80-90 updo appointment into multiple services and a 100% tip
• Most stylists aren't unmotivated—they're overwhelmed and need systems to guide their client interactions
• The three-step diagnosis system includes color analysis, face shape analysis, and lifestyle analysis
• Implementing this system leads to increased retail sales, natural service upgrades, higher rebooking rates, and improved team morale
• Salons need more beauty professionals who diagnose, recommend, and create trust—not just more service providers

Text "DIAGNOSE" to 469-283-5590 for our free three-step team training guide on how to implement this system in your salon this month.


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Speaker 1:

today we're diving into something deeper than marketing, hiring or even pricing. We're talking about bringing the beauty back to the beauty industry, starting with your team. So let's rewind for a second and think about the word beauty itself. It comes from from the Latin word bellus, meaning good, that's right. Beauty comes from the root word, meaning good, not trendy, not popular. Good, it's aligned, it's true, it's purposeful.

Speaker 2:

So when we say we work in the beauty industry, we're not just saying we style hair or perform skin treatments. We're saying that we are in the business of creating goodness, helping people feel seen, confident and radiant from the inside out. But here's the challenge Inside many salon companies today, we've shrunk down beauty to a task list. You know we're checking off appointments, measuring productivity and filling schedules, but we're missing the deeper transformation. And that transformation can only happen when your team steps into being true beauty professionals, not just service providers beauty professionals, not just service providers.

Speaker 1:

Listen up. This is so good because, like, your team cannot just do hair or skin anymore. You know. Think about this. In today's saturated market, talent alone isn't enough, being trendy Isn't enough, speed isn't enough. Like, your clients can get a good haircut anywhere. What they're looking for is someone who sees them, someone who can elevate their look and how they feel about themselves, and that doesn't happen by accident. You know we talked about the saturated market.

Speaker 1:

A study shows that there's one Starbucks. So think about this how many think of your town? How many Starbucks do you see in your town right away? Probably several, right, there's one starbucks to every 60 salons. Isn't that so crazy? So even if there's three starbucks, so three times 60 is 180 salons just in your area. And so this is going to be a huge opportunity today that you know to really think about that. If your team isn't trained to think like true professionals, to diagnose, to recommend and to elevate every client experience, you're going to be leaving massive opportunity on the table. This is good. Let me say it again. This is what I like. We like to say a writer downer is opportunity is lost Every time your team just does the service and send someone out the door.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that is so true, Jen. You know, didn't you guys just recently have somebody come in for an up to?

Speaker 1:

We did. That really showcases this. Yeah, we had a um, a client come in. Uh, that was. She was new to our salon, um, and it was. She was booked for a special occasion. So after discovering what her special occasion was, she was actually it was her wedding day. She was doing an elopement because she said you know, this is our second marriage. She already has kids. She was getting married at the courthouse. This was great, so this is a big day for her, you know, um, and so we were really excited to to work with her, so we could have approached this two different ways.

Speaker 1:

So normally, what probably most team members would do would be like okay, special occasion, I'll just create great special occasion here and we'll send her out the door and hope she has the best day ever. But, like looking at it through a different perspective or a different lens, is I actually helped? We have we helped. We had a new team member that was doing the special occasion, so she needed a little coaching and not only did we do a great updo, we did a skin tone analysis. So she was going to be doing her own makeup that day. We did a skin tone analysis and she's like I had no idea you did makeup. I said, oh great, well, here's some things that you, some colors that would be great for you to use today when you do your makeup at home. We did a color analysis. We said, hey, you know, right now your hair is a little warm. You did, or you are, more, of a summer palette, so these are your best colors and so some things and opportunities to look at when it comes to your hair is maybe cooling off your blonde just a little bit. And then we also talked about, you know, we took into account her wedding dress. You know how we should wear her hair based on her face shape after a wedding, how she should cut her hair after her.

Speaker 1:

You know, big day, and it was so interesting. I remember her sitting in the chair and she said I had no idea you guys did all this. She said, actually, you know what? I have an appointment at another salon next week. I'm going to go ahead and call and cancel and I'm going to get my highlights and color and haircut booked with you guys. And I was like that's, that's the power of creating, like a true experience or a true diagnosis.

Speaker 1:

And her mom that came with her that day said you know what, I live in Virginia, but the next time in the I'm in the area, I want to have the same experience, and so I think her special occasion here might have been I don't even remember if it was $80 or $90. That day she tipped me and that service provider the same amount as her service was and I was like no worries, don't worry about tipping me, I was helping the service provider, but it was just so interesting that like that changed her life and in that moment it wasn't just about her wedding anymore, it was about her gaining more confidence and more opportunities to her, for her to even feel better about herself. And so isn't that amazing, like when you really think about that. I told I was telling my team that yesterday is like her visit was $90. She tipped us $90. Like that's how much impact we had on her.

Speaker 2:

That's incredible, jen, you know, and to me that is bringing beauty back to the industry. But that's also the difference between running a busy salon and running a profitable one. You know, because most salon owners think the reason their team isn't upselling or rebooking is because they're not motivated enough. But you guys, motivation isn't the issue. Your team isn't lazy, they're overwhelmed. They're thinking what's next on my schedule? Did I post today? How do I hit my goals? Am I even good enough to recommend that service? But you know, as one of our mentors, dan Kennedy, says, most people are turned into W-I-F-F-M what's in it for me? And if we don't train their thinking properly, they stay stuck there. Meanwhile, you, the salon owner, are focused on questions like how much profit can we generate today? What percentage of guests are rebooking? What is our retail to service ratio? That's a different lens and your job is to close that gap, to lead your team into thinking like true beauty professionals lead your team into thinking like true beauty professionals, to lead your team thinking like true beauty professionals.

Speaker 1:

I absolutely love that. So we're going to dive into step four of the sales process. If you've been following along with us, you know we have an entire sales process that is full of systems. We know that wealth is based upon systems. That really helps your team bring the beauty back to the beauty industry. And so step four of the sales process, which sometimes is the most overlooked opportunity, it's actually diagnosis. And this is the pivot point in the client journey and most beauty pros they rush right past it.

Speaker 1:

You know, diagnosis is where we move from service provider to that true, trusted expert, just like we did with the client that came in for an updo. We could have let her leave with just an updo, but we let her leave with a complete look. That's what a true diagnosis is all about. And here's what's really interesting is the origin of the word um. The root word of diagnose comes from the Greek word metamorphosis, which means to you, know, to know through, to change form. So if you think of a butterfly, they start as a caterpillar, go into a cocoon and then they're a butterfly. That's the opportunity we get every single time we diagnose a client is we get to create a metamorphosis for them. But the only way to do that is to truly diagnose it. So when you have a team member on your team that doesn't diagnose, they're just guessing. And when they're guessing, that's when that missed opportunity comes in. You know, it's not just a loss of trust, it's also a loss of revenue.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you guys, because you know, every time your team skips this step, it costs the business. You know, missed add-on services, no retail sold, no second appointments booked, no transformation delivered. You know it's what another one of our mentors, myron Golden, calls the cost of not knowing. You know so. So what do we do? We have to build a system that teaches professional diagnosis. You know, and this is something that we dive really deep into, our program, million dollar beauty pro that is getting ready to launch really soon, that can take your team to that million dollar wealth mindset and have the exact systems. So it takes all the guesswork out of it for you as a salon owner, all the guesswork out of it for them, and actually starts to train them as true beauty professionals.

Speaker 2:

So, but here's what we dive into. Here's the three step diagnosis system that we teach salon owners to implement inside of their companies, you know, and the system turns nervous, uncertain stylists into confident, profitable professionals fast, you know. So step one of that is going to be the color analysis. You know, this is where you teach your team to elevate tone. Are they wearing the right shades Warm versus cool? What season are they Summer, winter, autumn, spring you know, this step alone can open the door to a full service color plan and retail recommendations that feel natural and not pushy, you know, and it really does create such an amazing connection. It gives that person so much life force, energy when they realize what their natural shades are, what makes them glow.

Speaker 1:

Love that. And so sub two of the diagnosis system is actually going to be the face shape analysis you know thinking about. Is the haircut actually flattering their natural structure? Is it elongating, is it softening? Is it balancing? You know this about is the haircut actually flattering their natural structure? Is it elongating, is it softening, is it balancing? You know this opens the door to personalized cuts, styling, education and tool sales, and a team member that's been with me for 11 years she says I remember, jen, we used to, when I worked with you many, many years ago, like I remember us looking at a client and saying, hey, let's add highlights here or let's add darkness here, based upon that face shape, and that's what truly, at the end of the day, can truly create raving fans.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so good, you know. In step three, this really, you know, puts the cherry on top. This is where you do the lifestyle analysis, you know, because are we recommending something that fits their real life? Do they have 10 minutes to style their hair or do they have 40? You know, are they professionals, athletes, new moms? You know, this is the step that builds trust, because when the client feels understood, they follow your lead. You know, and you don't need your team guessing, you need them guiding, and this system gives them the confidence and the language to do it.

Speaker 1:

Mm. And here's the other secret, guys, is you don't just teach this once and forget it, you actually have to track it Like. So you want to build this into your huddles, into your weekly one-on-ones, into your peer coaching, into your secret shopper reports, into your diagnosis scoring tools, into your floor coaching debriefs, because what we know is the more reps they get in, the more results. The better results they will get. The more your team practices, the more confident they become, and the more confident they become, the more profitable your salon becomes. And this is how you go from a salon that looks busy to a salon that's truly thriving.

Speaker 2:

So good. You know, and here's what we know, is what happens when you build beauty professionals, true beauty professionals. You know, because here's what actual salon owners report when they have built this into their culture. You know, puke salon owners that we work with every day. So you know, their retail sales increase without pushing um. Their service upgrades happen, naturally. Their clients rebook, you know, at higher rates. Their new guest retention improves, team morale improves and, most importantly, the guest experience skyrockets. You know why? Because clients are no longer being served by people who are trying to hit their numbers. They're being served by professionals who understand their needs and deliver real transformation. You know, and that's what sets you apart in a crowded market. Like Jen mentioned earlier, there's 60 salons, every one Starbucks, and it feels like there's a Starbucks on every corner. So that's what sets you apart in this crowded market. It's not cheaper parts products, you know. It's not cheaper prices on services. It's not flashier reels, it's just professionalism. It's not flashier reels, it's just professionalism.

Speaker 1:

Beauty pros that show up as professionals. So remember, guys, you have to think about this You're not in the service industry, you're in the transformation industry. So let's bring it back to where it all started. The word beauty means good. So here's the real question Does your team deliver goodness? That's a great question to pause and reflect with yourself. You know, do they understand how to lead a guest to a better version of themselves and do they have the systems in place to scale that transformation? Because that's your job, that's your responsibility, that transformation, because that's your job, that's your responsibility. If your salon doesn't need more service for your salon doesn't need more service providers, it actually needs more beauty professionals. And beauty professionals Don't just do the hair, you know. They actually diagnose, they recommend, they guide, they create trust, they create value and, ultimately, they create profit.

Speaker 2:

Love that. So you know, if this episode spoke to you, share it with a fellow salon owner, you know. And if you want something incredible, text us the word diagnose, that's D-I-A-G-N-O-S-E, 2-4-6-9-2-8-3-5-4-5-6-9-8-5-6-9-8-a-g-n-o-s-e to 469-283-5590. And we will send you our free three-step team training guide on how to implement this system inside of your salon this month. You know you don't have to do this alone, but you do have to do it on purpose. So let's bring the beauty or the goodness back to this industry. One system, one transformation, one professional at a time. We'll see you guys next time.