How Hairstylists Can Stand Out And Charge High Prices in 2025

I am here in Vancouver with Jodi, and Jodi, um, helps me with my marketing and my social media and things like that. And she'll be like prompting me and asking me the questions that you may have on your mind. So Jodi, thank you so much for being here to do that with me today. So Jodi, we're gonna be talking about some client experience stuff today, 'cause we love talking about client experience.

Mm-hmm. And as you've seen, my audience really loves talking about client experience. Everyone loves talking about client experience. Well, and I think it's 'cause it's like, it's, I think it's a sexy topic.

I think it's fun. I, yeah. I think it's fun to be able to give our clients, like, a really cool experience, but I, I also think it's very important as well too. 100%.

Um, and as we are moving into an even more competitive space, uh, where it takes a lot for us to be able to be successful, I think that this is a key point that really sets stylists apart, that helps them- Mm-hmm. stay ahead and, um, I think it would be a good convo for today. Yeah. When I think luxury experience, I think personalization.

Period. Like, 100% of the time, so I think that's a great place to start. How ... When it comes to personalization, I know you talk a lot about how that's gonna give people more willingness to pay your premium prices.

Yeah. So how does that work? Like, how does personalization, like, affect a client's willingness to pay those premium rates? Y- yeah.

So first off, I, I wish I had the exact fact up, so I'm gonna bu- butcher it. But I believe, like, it actually is studies show that if somebody experiences a more personalized experience, then they're willing to spend, like, up to 18% more or something like that, um, which is significant in the- Right. in the grand scheme. So I think, like, a good example would be, like, let's say that you walk into a store- Mm-hmm.

okay, and you have to, like, go through all of the racks of clothes. You have to try a bunch of stuff on to see if it's, uh, your vibe or not. Right. Um, and you have to spend a lot of time, like, figuring all that stuff out, right?

It takes a long time. You have to look through all the shit, and you have to figure out how you're going to fit f- all of this stuff into your box of who you are, right? Right. Versus, let's say that you walk into a store and you get, like, a personalized shopper.

Right. Right? And you have this person, like, ask you, like, what your vibe is, what you prefer in your clothes, and what your style is, et cetera, et cetera, what your budget is even. And they go and pick out these clothes for you very quickly- Love this.

and they give you all these options and then everything fits perfectly and you have a great experience and you're in and out of there in a much faster time. Like, you're gonna be willing to spend more money on more clothes. Mm-hmm. You're gonna wanna go back there 'cause you had an excellent experience, right?

And everything is, like, streamlined and very much fit for you. So, just at the end of the day, right, like, you're gonna be more willing to spend money. You're gonna be more willing to return to that type of experience. And, I mean, that is the case if you look at, like, luxury brands.

I was just gonna say, I, this is my exact experience shopping. There's stores that are, I will avoid, and I will go somewhere where I know I'm gonna pay more, because it's gonna be, like, less digging through things. Exactly. Um, and then even then, so I'm like, if you go into, like, an Hermes or whatever.

Mm-hmm. There's like, those associates, right? Those, those sales associates. Like, they're very much, like, big about, like, giving you that personalized shopping experience, you know?

Um, so yeah. I don't know if that's the best example, but maybe to put it into perspective, like, that's why somebody's more willing to spend more money with you when you have a personalized experience, is because it removes a lot of bullshit, and then it also makes somebody feel really heard and seen. It make, it humanizes them. It doesn't feel like you're just in, like, a, on a conveyor belt in, like, a machine or like a hair factory, you know?

Yeah. Um, and it just makes somebody happier overall and, and also exemplifies the value of what you're offering too. Right. 'Cause what sets you apart, right?

Like, if you're just doing everything ... If, if you're just offering the same experience that everybody else is, is offering, right, then you're blending in. So how do you stand out? Yeah.

It's by giving every single person a super unique experience by personalizing the experience for them. Okay. So I love that you said, like, you know, taking the personalization beyond what everyone else is doing. Mm-hmm.

So what does that, like, next level, personalized experience look like in the salon setting? Well, what it does not look like is, like ... 'Cause I will ask people if they have a personalized experience and they'll say yes. And then they'll say, like, "Oh, like, I have a custom tailored consultation every single time.

Oh, I give somebody the hair that they specifically want every single time." Or, "Oh, I remember that Suzie really likes coffee, so every single time Suzie comes in, I get her a coffee." Right? Which, that's impressive.

Right. You know? Like, the, like, you know, having somebody's drink ready because you know them and you know that they like that drink. Like, it's impressive, right?

For sure. Um, but it also has its downsides. Right. So, like, for me, for example, like, I use this example a lot.

And Freddie listens to my, m- to the podcast every now and then, so shout out to you, Freddie. I know that you've heard this example before, but Freddie is one of my old hairdressers and he's a- a- absolutely amazing and I'm, we're, we're good friends. Yeah. And, um, I would go to him to get my hair colored, uh, every, and cut like every four weeks.

Right. And every time I would go there, like, we would oftentimes, like, chat it up, you know? Mm-hmm. And he, we've set the precedent and he has the impression of me that we like to chat.

Right. You know? So whenever I go there, we chat, we catch up with each other. We like, kiki.

Like, it's very fun. Sometimes I wanna walk in there and I don't wanna talk at all. Right. And so, you know, the example of, like, a drink, right?

Like, maybe Freddie had seen me, like, get a glass of wine one time, right? Like, don't assume that I just want that glass of wine every single time. Don't assume that I wanna chat with you every single time, you know? And so your clients, you know, are dynamic.

You are dynamic as a human being. Your needs and your wants change every single day, so even if you've seen Suzie 10, 20 times, you don't freaking know how her brain or her, how her mood has changed- Right. and what her desires and wants have changed unless you're checking in and you're actually asking. Right.

Um, so bringing it to the next level is, is number one, not assuming, because we assume a lot. Even when it comes back to what we call a luxury client experience such as, like, a scalp massage included in, in, in every service, right? Absolutely I believe that's, like, an essential. Like, I don't think there's any arguing that, like, everybody should be doing that.

But who said that every single one of your clients wants a scalp massage? Right. Like, not everybody, like, loves it. And so-It's about having the option, but allowing somebody to opt out of the option.

Right. And you'll be, you'd be surprised with how many of my students who have really leaned into personalizing their experience and allowing people to opt out of these really cool things, how many people don't want a scalp massage. Wow. Yeah.

That does surprise me. No, I, girl, same, 'cause that's, like, that's my tea. That's, uh... Like, you can scalp massage me all day every day, okay?

But some people don't. And I don't know if it's just because maybe the stylist themselves maybe has a heavy hand. Right. Or somebody actually just doesn't, uh, doesn't- Drinking drink people out here.

Like, no, literally. Or the s- or the client just doesn't like it. I know that I've had personally, I have clients who don't like it. Right.

I actually even had a client who got in a very terrible, uh, car accident, and their skull shatter- fractured into, like, hundreds of pieces or something- Oh, my god. insane. And she's very lucky to be alive. Um, but I saw her for the first time, and she was like, "I so appreciate you asking me if I want a scalp massage or not, because I do not."

Right. "Because my scalp is, my, my skull is very sensitive." Oh, my gosh. And I, and, and I have another example of, like, my, a great client, Linda, that I used to do for years, um, when I lived in a different area.

Linda, one time, um, we, I had done her hair for a long time, and I absolutely loved this lady, and we switch our color lines. And I, um, for the first, like, two or three times, I didn't ask her if she had any, like, reactions to the new color. Right. I cared way more about, like, you know, "Are you liking your color?"

Mm-hmm. Like, "Does it look good?" And everything seemed great whenever she left. By the third appointment, we started to implement this thing that the brand had, which was, like, a consultation form basically, like, at the beginning of the appointment, where it asks them, like, different questions about, like, what retail they're using at home.

It was basically the brand trying to get us to sell more retail. Right. Like using a, like having a tool to sell more retail, right? But on there was like, "Have you had any allergic reactions?"

And Linda had said yes. And I went to consult with Linda on using this, this thing that I'd never had her do before. Right. And I was like, "Linda, like, what, what is this?"

Like, "What do you mean you had allergic reactions?" She's like, "Well, ever since we switched the color lines, every time I go home, I've had, like, these hives on my scalp." Oh, no. And I'm like, "Linda, why didn't you tell me the last time you were here, girl?"

Yeah. Like, "What the hell?" And so, it just goes to show you, like, sometimes, like, people aren't gonna be willing to communicate these things with you. Right.

And so, giving, and so Linda may have just silently, like, left me. Yeah. 'Cause every single time that she left the salon, she was having an allergic reaction. Right.

She may have not felt the, the confidence or the courage to share with me that type of thing, you know? Mm-hmm. I fucking love Linda. Yeah.

She's super, super loyal. Tips me, tipped me so well, bought anything I told her to buy, and I, uh, uh, such a pleasure having in the salon, right? Mm-hmm. If that woman left me because she did not feel confident to tell me that thing, like, that would suck.

Right. You know? And so, goes back to my, all, I say all this to say, like, non-confrontational communication, and then allowing somebody to opt in and out of those things can be really powerful. Right.

And so, that's a lot of what I teach my students when it comes to personalization. So, when, what I hear you saying then is personalization, it's not per client, it's per appointment. Yes. I love th- Oh my god, thank you.

I'm, I'll be using that in the future. Yes, ma'am. That is exactly it. Okay, I love that.

So, can you talk a little bit, because I think, you know, something that we can fall into the habit of as stylists is we'll do all of these things for our new clients, right? And even when it comes to, like, consultations and things like that, um, you know, they'll be very, like, detailed at first, and then kinda go a little bit more, you know, assumption-based, I wanna say. Yes. Okay, so can we talk about, like, how in, because, you know, w- we always talk a lot about how many tasks the stylist has, right?

So, how do you keep these hyper-personalized experiences consistent- Yeah. through existing clients and new clients without, like, having to remember, like, you know, just the human element, the human error of- Yeah. remembering to do this every time? Okay, so I love this conversation so much, because it's important to note the significance of having a consistent client experience- Mm-hmm.

when we're talking about personalization, because, like, consistent client experience is massively important. Like, people want to have a predictable experience in return for the money that they're spending with you every single time. Yeah. It's actually a huge reason why somebody will leave you- Yeah.

is because their experience with you is inconsistent. Right. And so, actually, like, we'll talk about a new client for a second, right? Like, a new client comes in for the first time, they have an excellent, insane experience with you, because you went above and beyond for this person.

Mm-hmm. Then they come in the fourth time, and you've kind of weaned off, and you haven't given them as much value as they experienced that first time, right? Yeah. And so, that's gonna be something that may make them not wanna come back and not justify that amount of money that they're spending with you.

Yeah. It's really hard to retain a new client. Mm-hmm. And so if you're going to give a new client for the first time an amazing experience, you better be prepared and systematized to be able to give that every single time.

Yep. Now, although we wanna give a consistent experience, we also wanna keep it personalized. Yes. And so, it's not about giving the same client experience every s- the same type of client experience every single time.

It's about delivering on the quality- Mm-hmm. of that experience and the same structure of client experience every single time, if that makes sense. Yes. So, what I teach my students is how to create a systematized client experience, and that goes for, like, the things that you do in every step of the appointment, um, like the same questions that you ask in the consultation, um, the way that you recommend retail and add-ons, uh, and how you roll that out and you sum it up at the end, um, how the shampoo experience goes, right?

Um, you have these, like, set standard procedures of how you approach those things every single day. Mm-hmm. And it becomes a documented process, and you follow that every single time you have a client in. So then, it's guaranteeing that you give every single person that same quality of service, right?

And you, especially if you are neurodivergent, my friend, like, having a system like this is so helpful, because you're no longer running your day out of control or forgetting this, that, or the third, because everything is, is by the step, by step, by step that you have to follow. Mm-hmm.So, going back to your question with all these things said. With the personalization part of it, right?

Let's say that we want to allow this person to opt in or out of a scalp massage, right? Digital form is a great way to do it, and this is what I teach my students, is, um, having somebody fill out the form prior to coming into the salon. And then, you have all those things ready to go upfront and understood upfront, before they even walk through the door. Because I know for me, when I had to ask somebody, like, what they wanted to drink even, when they had to, when they told me that in our consultation, I'm like, "Oh, shit, well, I, now I have to, like, spend time, like, going and running to the Keurig and, like, putting the pod in and, like, doing this, that, and the third.

And then, mixing up my formula and, like, doing all that stuff, and then, like, bringing the cup back over." Like, it's just disorienting. Right. So, understanding all those things upfront before they even walk through the door is really helpful for your brain and your organization and being prepared for how the rest of the service is gonna go, and that's a lot of the feedback that my students have given me.

Is that it makes them feel so much more prepared and streamlined and organized- Right. throughout the appointment, and it also really fucking blows the client away too. Yeah, I can imagine. Like, it's funny, even, like, from a client perspective, the last time, I've been seeing my hairstylist forever and the last time I went, I'm like, "I love my hair," but I left and I was kind of, like, disappointed because she skipped the scalp massage.

And I was like- Ooh. "What is the rush here?" Ooh. You know?

Yeah, dude. So, I think we underestimate sometimes, like, because, you know, if your day is running a little bit busy and all of those things, like, the impact that those little things can have on the client experience. Absolutely. And it's things that you may not even think about or realize.

And so, having that system that you follow every single time- Yeah. and it's, like, a non-negotiable. And if you do, like, let's say, here's how we fix that. Right.

All right? Like, let's say that you're in a circumstance where you're running behind and you're like- Yeah. "I just don't have time to give this person a scalp massage," right? Like, communicate that.

Mm-hmm. Like, that's all you gotta do is communicate it. Right. Be like, 'cause if you just shove it under the table and you pretend that, like, they're not gonna notice- Mm-hmm.

people notice shit. For sure. Like, you're the one who, your brain is really busy and you're, like, working on this person and, like, really, your brain is really active, right? Your client is sitting there, doing jack shit .

Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Like, your client is sitting there, doing nothing. All they have is time to notice every single detail of what you're doing .

Yeah, and it's our fifth appointment that day, but it's your client's only appointment in, like, a 12, you know, 8 to 12-week period, so. Exactly, yeah. Thank you for sharing that, yes. And so, you just communicate with the person.

Be like, "Susie, I know that you probably love getting a scalp massage with me every single time. Unfortunately, I am running behind today and I, I feel disgusting even asking you this or telling- Right. you this. But if, if next time you came to see me, I'd give you a double extra-long scalp massage."

Yeah . "Would you be okay if we skipped the scalp massage today?" I love that. Right?

So, offer a solution, be c- be honest and truthful upfront, and, like, handle it that way, and then you would have been like, "Yeah, sure, girl." 1000%, yeah. But if you just shove it under the rug- Yeah. and you hope that they don't notice, like, and e- that even goes to, like, like, your, the quality of your work or the results of your work.

Like, like, let's say that you got some bleeders, you know? Yeah. It happens. I don't give a shit how many- For sure.

how many years you've been doing hair. Yeah. If you have had some bleeders from highlights, like, like, and you just shove it under the rug and you hope that your client doesn't notice or say anything, like- Yeah. that person just may never say anything and never come back to you.

So true. So, it's just about being honest and offering a consistent experience. So, with that being said, have you noticed or have your students noticed, who've, like, implemented, you know, the form to make sure that they're consistent, have they noticed a tangible difference in terms of retention? Um, absolutely, yes.

100% yes. Particularly with the, uh, the consultation questions. Right. Um, people feel so taken care of and feel like every detail is paid attention to for the person.

Um, also, my students immediately make more money too, because those people are now more willing to opt into add-ons and get retail recommendations because they're getting the questions actually asked to them every single appointment, number one. Like, of, "What's going on with your hair," right? And then, that opens up conversations and opportunities for those things. Right.

But not only that. Like, even without the consultation, on the form, like, people are opting in to add-ons without any personal prompting through conversation. It's literally just on the form and after somebody is able to opt into what essential oil scent that they want and what drink they want and what music they want to listen to, they're, like, already blown away, and they already are seeing the value in the service that they're paying for. Mm-hmm.

And so, what's an extra 15 bucks for an extra-long scalp massage, right? So, they'll just- Totally. throw it on there, you know? So, my students are seeing absolutely higher retention, 100%, higher natural/organic referrals- Mm.

because they're offering a client experience that is like no other, and it's something, it's, you're giving somebody something to talk about. Right. Well, if you had a great hair experience, you're not gonna go home and tell everybody that you had a great hair experience if it's the same old experience that everybody else has. 1000%.

But if it's a, something that's worth talking about- Yeah. something that's like, "Oh, bitch, I bet you've never had a salon experience like this-" Yeah. "... I need to tell everybody about this craziness," right?

Totally. Like, you're gonna get referrals from that. You're gonna get wanting, people wanting to talk about it. Yeah.

Um, and then, you're going to have better retention because people are gonna be able to see the value in what you're offering. I love that. And I feel like it's a surprise and delight thing too. Yes.

You know? Like, they really see that you're going the extra mile, so I think that's really important. Are there any other final notes you have in terms of personalization and, and, um, you know, the necessity of that moving into, you know, the next era of our industry? Yeah, I, I mean, I'll just say, even from my own personal experience, like, I've been doing this shit, like, since I opened my suite, you know?

Offering, like, a really personalized experience. I have clients tell me all the time, when I talk to my husband about how much I pay for my hair, he's like, "Holy shit." Right . "Like, I cannot believe that you're spending that much money," right?

Or they'll talk to their friend and they'll be like, "Oh, my God, I pay, like, half that price," right? And what stops my clients from going to whoever else, who probably can do b- hair better than I can, honestly. Like, I'm, like, an okay hairdresser, okay? Like, like, anybody can fucking do good hair- Right .

nowadays, in my opinion. What stops them is, they're like, "Yeah, but I'm not just paying for the hair." They, they literally say this. Mm-hmm.

Like, they literally say this, word for word. Like, "I, but it's not just paying for the hair. I am paying for an entire experience." Right.

"I'm paying for being comfortable with you, I'm paying for your expertise, but I'm also paying for this crazy personalized thing that I get every single time." Um, and they pay just for the passion and the effort that you put into this shit to be different. Awesome. To offer that type of cool experience that makes somebody feel comfortable and included in your space.

Um, so it's just, like, just, it's, it's, it's really powerful, and it's also sounds maybe a little bit complicated with how much we've talked about it today. It's also really simple. Right. It's, like, a simple thing that you can do to, to be a game-changer in your salon space.

I love that. I feel like this is the luxury market in a nutshell, honestly. Period. Right?

End of transcript. © 2025 Hunter Donia LLC.