The Perfect Client Consultation For Your Hair Extension Business

Client consultations are a very important part of the hair extension process. Your consultation is the first opportunity you will have to meet your new client face to face, and to discuss with them all there is to know about hair extensions. The consultation marks an important part of the hair extension process not only for you as a technician, but also for your client, as it is their opportunity to ask questions about the hair, to decide if it is something they would like to go ahead with, and raise any concerns they have regarding the fitting or maintenance of hair extensions. As the consultation is such an important process, as a newly qualified technician it is helpful to prepare beforehand how you will approach the consultation so that both you and the client take as much away from it as possible, so here we shall look at the different elements involved in this process, and an idea for the “flow” of the consultation.

How To Meet And Greet New Hair Extension Clients

When performing a consultation as a mobile hair extensionist it is most likely that you will be travelling to your client’s home or work place. Upon arrival at your client’s residence you should greet them in a warm and friendly manner, helping them to feel as comfortable as possible with you. As you will be in their home it is likely that they will be quite relaxed, however they may find talking to new people a little uncomfortable so you will need to be full of conversation to ease them into the process. If you are offering hair extension services from your salon, you will simply need to approach you initial meeting with a new hair extension client in much the same way you would a regular hairdressing client, relaxed, informal and friendly.

Get To Know Your Hair Extension Client First

Upon arrival it is tempting to jump straight in to discussing the hair extensions, however try to start the conversation by getting to know your client. You might want to ask how they are and how their day has been to start the flow of conversation. If your client seems reluctant to engage then by all means begin the discussion of hair extensions, however you will find most are very happy to engage in a little chit chat to break the ice and get to know a little about each other.

Discussing A Hair Extension Fitting With A New Client

Now that you have gotten to know each other a little better it is time to get down to business, and a great way to move on to this topic is to ask a question such as “so what has made you think about getting hair extensions” or “have you been thinking about getting hair extensions for a while now”. This will allow your client to then detail why they are considering hair extensions and the reasons behind them. Your client may tell you that they have a birthday coming up so would like them fitted for this, they may tell you that they have worn hair extensions for years and are looking for a new fitter, or they may explain that they are unhappy with the volume and length of their hair. There are a great number of reasons why a client may be thinking of hair extensions, and understanding this will help you to achieve the look your client desires.

Methods & Lengths Of Hair Extensions Available

Now that you understand why your client is looking for hair extensions, you can move on to a discussion regarding the method they would like, and the length of the hair extensions. Based on your training you should advise your client of the type of method that best suits their hair. Each client will be different, which is why it is beneficial to offer a number of methods to allow you more flexibility. You will then need to discuss how long in length the client would like her hair extensions. The most accurate way to do this is to ask your client to show you where on her body she would like the extensions to fall, and you can then advise which length would be suitable for her. If your client says “I would like 20 inches”, still ask the client where on her body she believes this will fall, as her interpretation of this length may be incorrect and she may in fact only need 18”, or 22” would be more suitable.

Does Your Client Want A Half or Full Head Of Hair Extensions?

Now that you understand the length and method your client will be choosing, you can advise whether or not your client will need a full or half head. If your client has average to thick hair, or a particularly short or blunt cut, she will need a full head and this will be essential to the hair extensions looking natural and blending correctly. If your client has fine hair, or a particularly small head, a half head maybe a better option as they simply will not have the space to fit a full head.

Colour Matching A New Hair Extension Client

Now that you have discussed the type of hair extensions your client is looking for, you can colour match your clients hair. If you need help with your colour matching techniques, check out our articles on each hair colour for some helpful advice. Remember to take a note of the colours you have identified, as well as the thickness of your clients hair so that you ensure you order enough from your supplier. Noting down the following information will help you when ordering your hair extensions after the consultation:

• Style
• Thickness
• Client requested e.g. client with brown hair would like a slice of blue
• Method selected
• Consultation form

Booking Your New Client In For A Hair Extension Fitting

Now that you have discussed the hair extensions with your client, you can approach the topic of choosing a date. Rather than jumping the gun and asking "so when do you want the appointment", a softer approach would be to say something like "so is this something you are looking to have done quite soon?", as although you have discussed the extensions in full detail, they may not have 100% decided to go ahead, and you wont want to come across as too pushy. By asking a softer questions, your client will continue to feel relaxed and happy to answer you, and in our experience 90% of the time your client will be looking to have them fitted sooner rather than later. You will also need to take a deposit from your client to secure their fitting date, to read more about hair extension deposits click the link.

Agreeing A Date For The Hair Extension Fitting

If your client is looking to book in for her fitting, it is best to ask whether she has a date in mind as a good starting point. Of course you will always need to ensure you have your diary on you and that it is 100% up to date, and we would recommend using an online diary, especially for those with smartphones, as this is much easier to manage than a paper diary, and avoids the dreaded situation of your forgetting, or worse losing your diary and all your customers details!

Preparing Your New Client For Their Hair Extension Appointment

Now that your consultation is complete and your fitting date is booked in, a top tip would be to remember to contact your client the day before their appointment, just with a gentle reminder of the time so you can ensure they have not forgotten or confused the dates which can happen from time to time. You could also send them additional details on how to prepare their hair for a fitting which will make your job as simple as possible on the day, and will help your client feel prepared and ready for the fitting.

SimplyHair Trade Account

As you a new mobile hair extension business? Are you thinking of introducing hair extension services into your salon? At SimplyHair not only do we offer very competitive pricing, we also offer an exclusive trade discount to our professional customers. A trade account is quick and easy to set up, simply click on the image below to submit your application and we will aim to have your account activated within 1 working day.