Salon Success Secrets

Why Your Retail Isn’t Moving And How to Fix It In 3 Steps

• Lindsay Lowe & Jen Booth

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We explore how proper diagnosis transforms stylists from service providers to trusted beauty guides, creating undeniable value that clients can't resist.

• The moment when you see a client's Pinterest dream but know it won't work with their current hair
• Why proper diagnosis builds trust, retention, confidence, and higher ticket prices
• Most service providers are customizing based on vibes, not science
• The three-part diagnosis system: Color Analysis, Face Shape Analysis, and Lifestyle Analysis
• Reframing "pushy" selling as showing what's possible and freeing clients from decision fatigue
• Using a hair strand microscope for team training to build consultation confidence
• People crave personalized beauty expertise - even successful professionals outside the industry

Text DIAGNOSE to 469-283-5590 to receive our free salon owner training guide with scripts, color analysis tools, face shape cheat sheets, lifestyle coaching prompts, and retail recommendation training.


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Speaker 1:

Have you ever had a guest sit in your chair, show you a photo of a hair color that they saw on Pinterest or Instagram and the second you part their hair? You already know this isn't going to work. You know you can see the banding, the damage, the brassiness that will happen before it even starts. You know it won't last. You know it's not going to flatter their tone. You know the maintenance is going to stress them out, but you freeze because they're sold on the dream and you don't want to sound like the fun police. You know that's what today's episode is all about how to diagnose like a pro. So you don't have to convince you, get to lead like a pro so you don't have to convince you get to lead.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, awesome, sound like the fun police. I like that one. So let's dive into step four of our nine step process, which is diagnosis. It's the one step that, when done right, doesn't just grow your salons average ticket, it grows your trust, your retention and confidence behind the chair. So if your team doesn't know how to diagnose properly, they are unintentionally damaging the guest experience and listen up, that's leaving thousands, thousands of dollars behind. You know, this is the moment where your beauty pros stop being just a service provider and they step into their true role. Is that beauty guide? And when that shift happens, the entire business changes.

Speaker 1:

So good. You know and here's what no one tells you Most service providers are guessing. You know they're customizing based on vibes. They're picking products by brands, not by biology. They're skipping the one step that actually makes a client say wow, this person gets me. You know, diagnosis is where your value becomes undeniable, it's where your price makes sense. It's where your guest says yes to a product without you even having to pitch it, because when a client feels understood, they don't need convincing. They trust you, they follow your lead, they tell their friends and they stop price shopping salons because they know that they're going. What they're going to get with you is personal, it's not just generic, you know. So let me tell you a story.

Speaker 1:

You know, back in the black, very pearl days yeah, those ancient times where, you know, we thought a track ball was so cool. You know, I was setting up my phone and I accidentally saved my name is Linda cool. You know, I was setting up my phone and I accidentally saved my name is Linda. You know, I blinked twice, hit the wrong button and boom, linda was born and for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to change it. So every contact, every BBM, every group thread. It all said Linda. And here's the kicker to this day I still have friends who call me Linda. Why? Because nobody ever corrected it. It became part of my identity even though it wasn't accurate. And that's what your clients are doing right now, walking around with the wrong hair color, the wrong cut, the wrong products, and nobody has taken the time to say, hey, that's not actually you. You know, diagnosis is the moment when you help someone remember who they are and reveal what's been hiding underneath. You know that's not selling you guys. That's sacred.

Speaker 2:

I love that that's not selling that sacred, that's sacred. I love that that's not selling that's sacred. That's so powerful. So let's break it down. This is the three part diagnosis system. So, if you're a salon owner, grab a notebook. This is a writer downer. Um. So these three steps are what we teach inside salon business school and they're about to change everything. Um, how you coach your team, everything about how you coach your team.

Speaker 2:

So the step number one first is the color analysis, and this is more than just seeing a shade. This is not. Hey, do you want to be warm or cool today? Can you imagine asking a client that do you want to be warm or cool today? Like, uh, what does that even mean? Right, this is actually the science of identifying undertone, seasonality and energetic harmony.

Speaker 2:

And here's the thing your clients have no idea this exists. You know, when you hold up color flags, when you point out the clarity in their eyes with the right shade, when you say this color won't look, just won't look. Let me say it again this color won't just look good, it will feel right. You know you create a moment that client will never forget. You know, we once had a client say I didn't know red could look this good on me. I always thought I had to avoid it, but now I wear it all the time. I get so many compliments and I feel like me again. And that client didn't just buy the color service, she bought the lipstick, the gloss, the you know everything. Um, because when you show someone what enhances them so powerful, like if you truly show someone what enhances them, you unlock desire and that leads to action.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, nothing better when you unlock that desire. I love that, jen. And step two is the face shape analysis. You know. So this is where you begin to design the frame, you know, so you become the architect of their confidence. You know, architect of their confidence, you know, because haircuts aren't just about what's trendy, they're about proportion, framing, balance. You know, because what we know is beauty has math behind it. And when you stop and say, let me take a moment to study your face shape before we decide on a cut or layers, you know you interpret their pattern of just like. You're no longer just copying those Pinterest images and you're actually starting to co-create a signature look. You know, and that's when they say no one has ever done that for me. Guess what happens next? Rebooks, raving fans, referrals, because now they're not wearing a haircut, they're wearing a design just for them.

Speaker 2:

So good. So we have step one, the color analysis, step two, the face shape analysis. So step three is going to be the lifestyle analysis, and this is we're going to be recommending what they actually use. Um, listen up, guys, we don't sell fantasy, we sell function shoes. Listen up, guys, we don't sell fantasy, we sell function. So we, we aren't more stylists.

Speaker 2:

So if you think about it, like, why aren't more stylists asking questions like you know, how long do you have to style your hair in the morning? Or another good one is like do you go to the gym or are you outdoors a lot or are you trying to? You have a special occasion, are you trying to grow out your hair, you know, to a certain length, or you're just trying to maintain your look? And so when you ask those questions, you, your recommendation actually sticks because it actually fits to what's important for the guest. You know we had the um, a service provider, run the script on a guest who used to say no to retail.

Speaker 2:

Every single time You've ever had those clients in your salon Like no, no, no, no. But this time, after a few lifestyle questions, she said you know, honestly, I'm just tired of my hair Always feeling dry by day two. Boom, there's the diagnosis. It's the diagnosis is actually dry ends. And then you get. Then you're able to get the prescription, which is going to be a hydrating leave in or a soap pillowcase or whatever you may feel is best for her, and at that time the client bought both and she messaged the salon a week later and she said this is the first time in a year that I woke up and didn't hate my hair. You know, that's the power of asking the right questions.

Speaker 1:

I love that when, when they really have that transformation and they let you know, that's amazing, you know. Let's, let's clear. You know one of the biggest blocks that keeps most service providers or beauty pros broke, and that's I don't want to sound pushy. Maybe you've heard this before. As a salon owner, I don't want to sound pushy, but here's how we reframe that, because you're not pushing anything. Reframe that. Because you're not pushing anything, you're showing what's possible. You're not selling products. You're restoring identity. You're not forcing the sale. You're freeing the guest from decision fatigue and security and even like underwhelming results, you know. So if your team is stuck in this belief that talking about products or upgrading a service is salesy, then what they're really saying is I don't believe what I have is worth offering. You know. But when your team believes in what they're doing, you guys, that's when they're unstoppable.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So I feel like, okay, this sounds great, but how like? I feel like I know this, but how do I implement it to our team? And so one of our favorite ways to teach this is through a team game called the microscope mystery. So this is definitely the writer downer, and so this is where we bring out a hair strain microscope Like. You can honestly get these on Amazon. I think the last time we checked were they 20, $25?. Lindsay, do you remember?

Speaker 1:

Yeah $25.

Speaker 2:

You can actually, you know, get live models or even use samples and you'll analyze real scalp and strand conditions using this microscope and the team. The service writers can work in teams to diagnose the issue, match it to the right product and pitch it as if they were talking to a guest. We did this natural. And go at a salon meeting and the room lights up. You hear people say things like hey, I never realized buildup could cause thinning, or I didn't know what that white flake actually was until now, or like this makes it so easy to explain to clients. And then you can give bonus points, not just for the right answer, but for how well they deliver it, because that's really important as well. You know, are they persuasive? Are they confident? Are they helping the guests see the value? Because when a beauty pro or service provider can do that, they're not selling, they're enrolling people in their own transformation.

Speaker 1:

I love that, jen. I love you know that microscope. And if you have a team, you know of lash artists or you know you offer facials you can use that same tool to get up there and show somebody up close to their lashes, be like, hey, you know, here's why it's important that you take this bubble lash treatment home and use one of our brushes. You know, I want to show you the little debris that's sitting down there by your lash line and if you cleanse that, your lashes will last longer. You know, helping them through that diagnosis portion, no matter what area of the beauty industry you're in. And you know, I think one of the most important things that we need to do is we either need to track it or trash it when we're doing stuff, because you know we have to know if it's working. You know.

Speaker 1:

So we need to know are all of the beauty pros doing the three parts of the diagnosis the color, the shape, the lifestyle? You know, are they upselling the full look, not just services? You know our clients rebooking faster and buying more retail, because diagnosis is a teachable skill and if you track it you can grow it, but if you skip it, you stall your sales. People look for another salon. You know that's how you keep eating through. You know that industry statistic of only 24% of new clients stay, you know. So this is so simple. Do not sleep on it today.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know, lindsay, it takes me back to when we were in Mexico last week. You're like, oh, this sounds good, but do people really want this kind of stuff? And I remember we were at a marketing conference and we were the only salon owners there and you know we're in the beauty industry. We like to have our hair done, our clothes done. You know everything's looking put together and I remember us sitting at a table and at that table eating dinner and there was a group of people beside of us and we got into the conversation of color analysis and these are very affluent, successful people.

Speaker 2:

You know some of them running really big companies, and you know they were like, well, what do you think I am? What do you think would look best on me? Like, oh my gosh, I've been told winner by, you know, you know another company and I never thought that was true for me. And so, like, we spent the the entire conversation helping them create a complete look, and so that really got me thinking in that moment. You guys, people really want this, they're craving this and we get to be the environment, we get to be the place that creates this for them and, like Lindsay was saying earlier, that's what's really going to truly create that. You know that raving fan, that that um. You know that client that refers every person they meet to you because you created that transformation for them.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I love that, jen. You know and there's so many simple tricks. You know that we teach inside the salon business school and teach inside of our salon, like you know, just even one of the people at the table that I was talking to when we were talking about color analysis, you know she was like I'm just so low maintenance, I just wear my hair up in a ponytail all the time.

Speaker 1:

Well, let's look at what the most flattering spot is for your ponytail, and so we just kind of adjusted where she was, you know, kind of wearing a mid ponytail and, you know, based on her face shape, if she wore a high ponytail it would lift her face and really enhance her face shape. And so she just messaged me the other day and she said, wow, I can't believe what a difference it makes, like in pictures and on video. And so you know she was really grateful and you know this was a simple dinner conversation, like Jen mentioned. People really do crave this, you know.

Speaker 1:

And if you're ready to shift from random recommendations to a repeatable revenue generating system, if you want to equip your team with real consultation confidence, we have an amazing gift for you. Go ahead and text the word diagnose. That's D I, a, g N O S, e, 2, 4, 6, 9, 2, 8, 3, 5, 5, 9, 0. We'll drop it in the show notes so that you can send that over, and what we'll do is we'll send you our salon owner training guide. And what we'll do is we'll send you our salon owner training guide, the three-step diagnosis system that sells without feeling salesy, completely free. You guys, we love you. We want to send it to you for free, and inside of it you'll get scripts your team can start using today. You know, color analysis, teaching tools, face shape cheat sheets, lifestyle coaching prompts, retail recommendation, training and a framework to measure and track results.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so this is the system we use in our own salons. That um that's ranked in the top probably 0.001% of the country for new client growth. So this isn't fluff, this is actually a formula. So grab your phones. Text DIAGNOSE D-I-A-G-N-O-S-E that sounded like a cheer right D-I-A-G-N-O-S-E to 469-283-5590. And watch your team go from guessing to glowing, Because when you teach your team to diagnose with confidence, your guests leave saying I never felt more like myself.

Speaker 1:

Awesome. I love that. We'll see you next week on Salon Success Secrets Podcast.