You can craft the most exquisite haircut or create a color masterpiece; but if the finished results don’t make your client happy…well, you might as well invoke the old fighter-pilot phrase and call “no joi.” When it comes to a perfect consultation, there’s a big difference between simply asking a client what they’re looking to do with their hair; and diving deep to uncover the kind of details that set you up for success.
From clues to the condition of hair, to personality “tells” that reveal how much time and effort your client is willing to put into hair maintenance, these strategic questions from Joico’s top pros will lead you to answers that help nail a perfect appointment every time.
Featuring:
Richard Mannah
Joico Global Artistic Director
Brandon Corbitt
Joico Master Artist
Tiffany Molina
Joico Artistic Educator
“It’s a combination of detective work in words and body language and hair analysis…asking the right questions to get clients to open up. Clients will sometimes hide the truth because they are afraid of judgment.” – Brandon Corbitt
Question #1: “How do you style your hair at home every day?”
“Do they spend time blow-drying, curling, or straightening their hair; or do they prefer to keep it natural and simple? Knowing these answers gives me a better idea of how I need to cut the hair, so it always looks good,” says Richard. Tiffany agrees that it’s important to suss out the level of maintenance a client’s willing to do. “If she’s a busy mom who wears her hair in a messy bun, a full highlight that requires frequent touch-ups might not be suitable.”
Question #2: “Can you tell me about your color journey for the past few months and years?”
“After you’ve made the client comfortable and created trust, start asking open-ended questions based on what you see in their hair,” encourages Brandon. “Clients sometimes think that if color is “faded,” it’s no longer there; letting them know we SEE color encourages them to confess.” Examples: “I see that you have darker ends.” Or, “I see a large band in the middle of your head and that can mean multiple layers of color were applied.”
Question #3: “Can you tell me if the tones I see in your hair came from box color or from a professional salon?”
Brandon recommends pointing out this distinction because many clients believe that buying box color at a beauty-supply store IS professional color – and it’s important to assess what kind of previous color you may be fighting through.
Question #4: Can you show me four pictures you like?”
“I love when clients bring inspo photos they’ve found online, like Pinterest,” says Tiffany. “But instead of bringing a whole bunch of photos that look slightly different, I ask them to bring only four – two of the haircuts they love, and two of the color.” This helps narrow things down and leads to specificity.
Question #5: Did your previous hairdresser just touch up your blonde at the roots, or did they always foil all the way down the hair?
“When hair feels quite dry and in need of repair and hydration, it’s very important to know if their previous stylist overlapped lightener when applying,” explains Brandon. “Not everyone is a well-trained blonde specialist who takes special care of lightened hair. This lets you know how to proceed with your service.”
Posts You Might Like:
