Short and Spring-y: How to Sell it

by Ivan Zoot/The Clipper Guy on Monday, April 26, 2010

Ivan Zoot is the director of education and customer engagement for the Andis Company and the founder of Zoot! Hair professional hair care products. Ivan identifies, recruits, trains and manages Andis’ team of professional beauty industry educators. Ivan continues to be a featured presenter at industry shows and events, sharing his unique blend of information, education and enthusiasm for clipper cutting and the entire professional beauty industry. Ivan’s background includes experiences ranging from salon ownership to achieving 3 Guinness World Haircutting records.

We have explored the reasons why going short is great for your clients. We have examined the stylist benefits of selling and delivering short styles to curly clients. Now it is time to look at specific tactics for making this sale. How do we get the client to say “cut it short”.

Here are my top five tips for how to sell short cuts to curly clients. Make it easy for them to say yes and the curls will hit the floor and the dollars will hit your wallet. All the other benefits we discussed in past weeks will be enjoyed by all.

1. Use Images: Create a style book of great images of short and curly hair cuts. Use it as a consultation tool when discussing hair cut options and choices. Point out looks that have similar texture and models with similar features.

2. Talk about the Benefits: When pitching the big snip, focus on what is in it for the client. Remember the benefits we discussed for her, easy of styling, time savings, product savings, and more.

3. Build a Bandwagon: An even better style book than the one above that you create from images you pull from magazines and the web is the one you build with images of your actual clients. Show real clients and the snappy looks you have created. Create the feeling that everyone is going shorter and no one will want to feel left out. Appeal to the heard mentality. If everyone is going short and looking great, no client will want to be left behind.

4. Review Your History: Remind your client of the great suggestions you have offered in the past and how well those suggestions worked out. Mention the color you suggested that she loved or a prior cut that was a risk to take and paid off big for her. Refresh in her mind just how good your instincts have been in the past and how good an idea it is to take that leap with you again.

Lead By Example: You go short first. Take the plunge. Set an example. You are supposed to be a leader and an influencer in the world of style, fashion and glamour. Step up and step out front with a bold new shorter look. The clients will eagerly follow. The industry statistic is 80% in 8 weeks. That is to say 80% of your clients will go short within 8 weeks of your big change hair cut.

If you wait any longer, it will soon be summer. Spring-y season will have passed you by. Start selling and start cutting. I would love to hear some of your success stories and see some of the images of the great short curly cuts you are doing. Please send them along.