Having spent so much time in this industry, Rosy Cabinet of Thought Leader Randy Hazaert of Paisley & Plaid in Brookfield, WI, uses his experience to recognize opportunity when it presents itself. Over the years, he’s learned to see the value in such circumstances and draws on his expertise to act on them with precision timing.
What are we talking about? Think of a recent trend. Maybe it’s the influence of the TikTok craze for men rocking curly hair – for example.
“Who would have thought two years ago that we’d see young boys coming in for perms? Today, we get requests from young guys to get floppy tops on a regular basis,” Randy mentioned.
To some salon professionals, the idea of perming hair brings back nightmares from beauty school, while others see it as a timely resurrection of a service that can be pretty lucrative. Randy sees it as the latter, but his finely tuned spidey senses tell him it’s much more than that.
“That young guy wanting a perm… that’s a gift in your chair! It’s important to recognize that. A young man who is barely a teenager, who likely never gave much thought to it, now needs hair care and regular maintenance,” Randy quipped.
So, what is it this salon pro sees here? An opportunity to sell haircare or more services to a kid? Well, yes, sort of – but that’s not the main objective. This is a loyal, long-term client in the making. The level of service and any advice given to this impressionable young man has great potential to grow into trust and loyalty as an adult.
“That 13-year-old is the new adult client. They chose to come in and have this service, so don’t treat him like a kid. This is the time to seize the moment. This is when you put some skin in the game, as my wife would say.”
So, how does that play out?
“I have always told my clients, ‘If you want a service beyond a haircut, as a young person, you only pay half for your perm and aftercare.’ Or sometimes I build the retail into the service and say, ‘Your perm price is (blank), and I’ll include your aftercare.’ Why not?”
Randy recognizes that it’s important to ensure this young man doesn’t go home and wash his hair with a bar of soap. His hair and the investment he just made in it deserve so much better. But how should one convey that message without sounding salesy?
“I say to my clients, ‘Guess what – your new investment right here – you need moisture to take care of those curls. You want to keep the curl shape and add shine? You need a pomade for that as well.’ Retail is another opportunity you should recognize, whether they have a perm or not. It’s all about letting people know they can make wise decisions about their hair,” Randy added.
“Instead of saying, ‘You don’t need anything before you leave, do you?’ You say, ‘Here, you need this. It’s the next step in your care.” Say it with confidence, and don’t be shy about putting the product in their hands. We all know that if you put a product in somebody’s hands, you are much more likely to see them again. They’ve had a grand experience in the salon, and they love their hair. They see the product you recommended in their shower on the shelf, and they go, ‘Oh, that’s right… I have my hair care.’ And that’s ongoing daily, whether they know it or not.”
So, the lesson here? There are many. Yes, you want to recognize a trend and make the most of it. Of course, you want to give every client – no matter their age – the attention and respect they deserve. Yes, retail is an essential part of every service. But the key takeaway is to always think ahead, put some skin in the game, and take every opportunity to nurture your salon guests into loyal, long-term clients.
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