Stepping foot in your salon is the start of a new adventure for every client. But nailing that first impression takes more than just skill with scissors. You need to connect on a deeper level from the very first conversation.
This article explores the top consultation questions to ask new hair service clients.
These questions will help you peel back the layers of their daily hair routines, biggest hair concerns, and goals. With them, you can create dialogue that clarifies the client’s needs and builds a trusting and loyal client-stylist relationship.
As the Associated Hair Professionals put it, “When done right, a thorough consultation is a chance to turn a customer into a client with repeat visits!”
Let’s get started.
New Salon Client Consultations: An Overview
When new clients visit your salon, you want them to feel heard. Take the time to understand exactly what they want.
Your first meeting should be a salon client consultation. This friendly chat is where you get to know them and their hair goals.
The consultation is important for both you and your new client. It sets expectations. It also lays the foundation for a long-term relationship.
More than half of salon clients say they value trust, loyalty, and empowerment in their relationship with their stylist. This goodwill starts with the consultation.
Here are a few best practices to keep in mind:
- Sit eye-to-eye and use the guest’s name. Start with open-ended questions about their lifestyle, daily hair routine, and what they envision for their look. Include questions about their best and worst salon experiences. Listen carefully to ensure you understand their needs and desires.
- Offer suggestions based on what you’ve heard and use images to help clarify ideas. This makes it easier for guests to visualize potential styles and outcomes.
- Summarize what you’ve discussed to ensure you’re both on the same page, from the desired style to the products you’ll use.
- Explain the process and when they might need to return for maintenance.
RELATED ARTICLE: Get Real: 24 Questions for Your Hair Salon Client Questionnaire
19 Consultation Questions to Ask New Salon Clients
A great haircut, color, or style is about so much more than aesthetics. It’s about creating a look that fits your client’s lifestyle and makes them feel confident.
These sample haircut consultation questions will guide you toward achieving the best results possible for your client. They’ll help you deliver an exceptional salon experience that encourages repeat bookings.
Getting to Know You Consultation Questions
When a new client walks into your salon, look at it as the beginning of a relationship. It’s important for you both to learn about each other to ensure the best experience.
Below are four essential questions to kick off this journey:
1). What’s your daily hair routine?
This question helps you understand how much time and effort clients want to put into their hair each day. It tells you what they’re comfortable with and what might be too much work.
Tip: Encourage them to be detailed. Ask follow-up questions like, “Do you use any styling tools in the morning?” or “What products do you use?”
2). How would you describe your hair type and texture?
Knowing a client’s hair type (straight, wavy, curly) and texture (fine, medium, thick) helps you recommend the most suitable styles and products. It also affects how a haircut will look on them.
Tip: If they’re unsure, offer to assess their hair for them. This can also be a chance to get a physical feel for their hair (with permission), which can help you understand it better.
3). What are your biggest challenges with your hair?
This question uncovers any frustrations with their hair. It might be frizz, lack of volume, or difficulty styling. Knowing their pain points allows you to offer solutions and win the client’s trust.
Tip: Listen carefully and show empathy. Respond with affirming statements like, “I understand how that can be frustrating. Let’s see how we can improve that.”
4). Do you have any known allergies or sensitivities to hair products?
This question is crucial for safety and comfort. You don’t want to use a product that will cause an allergic reaction or irritation.
Tip: Make a note of their allergies in their client file. Also, reassure them that you’ll avoid those products and offer alternatives. If your client isn’t sure if they have allergies, always test new products before applying them to prevent potential reactions.
Color and Haircut Consultation Questions
This part of the consultation zeroes in on what they envision for their hair color and cut.
The more you know about their preferences, the better you can customize your services to meet their needs.
Here are five critical questions to help guide this important discussion:
1). What was your best haircut and color ever, and why?
This question helps you understand what the client has loved in the past. It gives you a clue about their style and what makes them feel confident.
Tip: Encourage them to describe what made that haircut or color stand out. Ask, “What did you love most about it?”
RELATED ARTICLE: How to Transition Clients to a New Salon
2). What are your color preferences?
Do they prefer warm or cool natural tones? Are they seeking more trendy, vibrant colors like magenta or turquoise? Knowing their color preferences helps you suggest shades that complement their skin tone and exceed their expectations.
Tip: If they’re unsure, show them examples of different tones against their skin to help them decide. Say something like, “Let’s find the perfect shade that makes you feel great.”
3). How do you feel about the length of your hair?
This question balances the client’s desired length with what’s best for their hair’s health.
Follow up by asking if they’re open to changing the length to improve its health or if keeping it as long as possible is a priority. This question is about finding a middle ground they’re happy with.
Tip: Discuss the benefits of a trim, even if it’s minimal, to maintain healthy hair. Assure them, “We’ll only take off what’s necessary to keep your hair looking its best.”
4). Do you have any photos of looks you admire?
Photos help clarify what the client is envisioning. It ensures you’re both picturing the same outcome.
Tip: Invite them to share any pictures they’ve saved. If they don’t have any, you could show them images based on their answers and ask for their feedback. If you have concerns about their desired style working with their hair type or routine, communicate that to them. You may be able to steer them away from a decision they’ll regret.
5). Are you ready for a change?
This question gauges how open a client is to trying something new. It could be a subtle change or a complete makeover.
Tip: Reassure them that any change will be done with their comfort and style in mind.
RELATED ARTICLE: 7 Hair Salon Customer Service Tips
Hair Habits Consultation Questions
Next, you need to get to know your client’s hair habits.
You’re not just looking at their hair from the outside. You’re putting in the effort to learn how they live with it every day.
Here are five essential questions to ask:
1). How often do you wash your hair?
This question reveals their hair’s natural balance and how they manage it. It helps you suggest styles that work well with their washing schedule.
Tip: Encourage honesty. Remind your customer that there’s no right or wrong answer.
2). How much time do you want to spend on your hair every day?
This question tells you how much effort the client is willing to put into their hair daily. It guides you in suggesting realistic styles for their lifestyle.
Tip: Ask them to walk you through their daily hair routine. It helps you gauge their commitment to maintaining a style and suggest tweaks for better results.
3). What products do you currently use on your hair?
Knowing the products a client uses provides insight into how they care for their hair and what results they’re looking for.
Tip: This presents opportunities to sell the client products that could improve their hair health and appearance.
4). What heat tools do you use on your hair?
This question helps you assess potential damage and recommend protective styles or treatments.
Tip: Discuss the importance of heat protection and proper tool usage. Offer tips for healthier styling practices.
5). How often would you like to visit the salon?
Their answer helps you plan a hair care maintenance schedule that fits their lifestyle and budget and keeps their hair looking great.
Tip: Talk about the benefits of regular visits for hair health and style maintenance. Help them understand how it fits into achieving their hair goals.
Hair Concerns Consultation Questions
Clients come to you with their own experiences and feelings about their hair. Some have had great experiences, while others might be looking for solutions to past issues.
This is your opportunity to address those concerns and make a positive impact.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: Deliver the Perfect Salon Consultation Every Time
Below are five crucial questions to help you understand their worries and work toward making them happy with their hair:
1). If you could change one thing about your hair, what would it be?
This question gets straight to the heart of the client’s wishes. They might want to change the texture, the volume, or even the overall health of their hair.
Tip: Encourage them to focus on just one major concern to start with. Say, “Let’s tackle your top concern first and make a plan for the rest.”
2). How do you feel about your scalp’s health?
A healthy scalp is the foundation of healthy hair. This question helps you identify issues like dryness or sensitivity that might be affecting hair health.
Tip: Explain how scalp health impacts hair growth and appearance. Offer simple tips for scalp care they can use at home.
3). Are you facing any challenges with hair growth?
This question reveals if the client struggles to grow their hair longer or is experiencing hair loss. It’s a sensitive topic for many, but it is important to understand their frustrations.
Tip: Approach this topic gently. Assure the client that many people face these challenges and there are ways to address them.
4). Do you feel your hair is damaged?
If so, what do they think caused it? Understanding the hair’s condition and what might have contributed to damage (like over-styling or chemical treatments) helps you recommend the right treatments.
Tip: Be supportive and avoid placing blame. Focus on how you can help improve their hair’s condition moving forward.
5). What are your longer-term goals for your hair?
Find out if the client wants to improve overall hair health, grow it long, or maybe try new styles. This shows you care about the client’s overall hair journey.
Helping your client set long-term goals positions you as a key partner in achieving them, and they’ll likely book with you again.
Tip: Encourage them to dream big, but be realistic about what’s possible. Help them set a timeline for their goals.
How to Get Started with Consultation Questions for New Salon Clients
You’ve got the questions. Now, it’s time to put them into practice.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Make a Salon Successful in 2024
Here’s how you can start using these consultation questions to make every new client feel welcome and understood:
Create a Standardized Consultation Plan.
Write down the key questions you want to ask every new client. This plan will be your guide. It ensures you cover all the essentials, from their hair routine to their biggest hair dreams.
Share With Staff to Ensure a Unified Salon Experience.
Make sure all your stylists and team members know about this plan. Teach them how to ask these questions and listen to the answers. This way, no matter who a client talks to, they get the same great care and attention.
Be Ready to Adapt and Personalize for Each Client.
Remember, every client is unique. Use your consultation plan as a starting point, but be flexible.
Some clients might have a lot to say about one question and not much about another. That’s okay. The most important part of any consultation is to make them feel heard and understood.
Incorporate Salon Management Software.
Some salon management software, like SalonBiz, integrates consultation forms into their software. Stylists have easy access to this information across multiple salons and services. They can also add notes to clients’ files during the consultation process which makes it easy to refer to them before the next appointment.
SalonBiz also gives you the ability to track their specific color formulas, and any other custom information. Personalized files make it that much easier for stylists to deliver a VIP experience each and every time their client is in the salon.
CTA: Want to learn more about how SalonBiz consultation forms can help you and your team streamline the guest experience?
