Photo Courtesy: James Whatley
If you have completed your hairdresser training at college and you are fully qualified to go out and about fixing people’s hair, then congratulations! Now, how are you going to establish a reputation for being the best? Being a mobile hairdresser offers a very varied lifestyle – you will get out and about meeting plenty of people in their own homes. Many people much prefer it to being stuck in a salon day in, day out.
You need to be remembered for being a cut above (if you will excuse the pun!), so here are some great ideas for making your business stand out:
1. Advertise, Advertise, Advertise!
How will people know how great you are if you don’t let them know?! Set up a Facebook page and a Twitter page, and use them to tell people about special offers. You could even put up pictures of happy customers with their new hairdos (with their permission, of course). Spend some money getting a really professional website together. Have some really top-quality business cards made up, and get some flyers printed.
Offer people incentives too – if they love the haircut you give them, then ask them to recommend them to a friend – and receive a 10% discount the next time. The larger your client base, the better! Word of mouth is the best possible tool for getting word out there (and it’s free), so never miss an opportunity to let people know what you do.
2. Cover a Sizeable Area
Don’t restrict yourself to one certain area – make sure you are able to reach those in more isolated positions. They need haircuts too! Make sure your vehicle is up to the job, and plan your diary carefully to avoid any unnecessary journeys. You may need to build the cost of a long journey into the total price that you charge the client, but they won’t mind; if they like you, they will be happy to pay a little extra for you to come to them. Walk or cycle whenever possible to keep overheads down – and keep fit in the process!
3. Run Special Offers
Offer your clients incentives in order to get their repeat business. Think about offering a ‘buy four haircuts, get the fifth free’ service. Or perhaps you could run monthly promotions, for example ‘25% off all highlights in the month of June’. People love a bargain, so make sure you reward your customers for their loyalty. Always mention your special offers in conversations, and also on social media, so the word gets out.
The life of a mobile hairdresser is a busy one, but it is also very rewarding. You will build up many new friendships as you get to know your clients. Always look for new ways of generating business – people will wait if you can’t fit them in straight away. If things really take off, you can think about hiring someone else in to help out, or even franchising the business. There is a lot of money to be made for top-notch hairdressers – so get out there and show the world what you can do!
Audrey Quinn is a frequent blogger who works for Avola College, a beauty school in Toronto that offers a range of courses in hairstyling and esthetics. She loves styling and shares her ideas and knowledge through her blog articles.
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