To win new clients and retain old ones is the most crucial goal of any business. As a beautician, hair-stylist or make-up artist, you too desire to build a lineage of loyal customers. While your technical skills play an important role in attracting and retaining customers, it is your soft skills or communication skills that create the life-long bond between you and your clients.
Here’s a list of five top soft skills that you must imbibe in your day to day conduct to build positivity around yourself and an excellent chemistry with your clients:
- Smile
A smile is worth a thousand words! A smiling face offers a warm welcome to customers. Greet your customer with a natural smile at the beginning of your beauty therapy or hair-cut session to start things on a positive note. The greeting becomes all the more crucial for returning/repeat clients. Whether you are going to service them or not, a warm smile can go a long way in making them feel valuable.
- Two-Way Communication
Communication is a two-way process. Ask relevant questions to your client and let them comfortably open up about what outcome they desire from the treatment/service they are here for. Listen carefully to understand your client and paraphrase (repeat their statement) to ensure that your understanding is correct.
- Right Suggestion
Give the right suggestion to your customer based on your understanding of their needs/expectations. Be honest and set the clear picture on the outcome of the treatment/service. Communicate your concerns and offer solutions/treatments/styles best suitable as per customer’s skin, hair, or persona.
Many a times, customers want to go for a treatment/style they’ve heard from friends or seen on the internet, that may not be suitable for them. Remember you are a trained professional and have the expertise of your subject, however, respectfully put across your point of view so as you don’t offend your client.
- Professionalism
Be very careful of your choice-of-words. Stick to professionalism even if your client seems too casual or open. Give them absolute space if they are talking over the phone or chatting while getting the work done. Maintain a comfortable distance from your client that should be neither too close nor far enough that it hinders your work.
- Non-verbal Communication
Besides verbal communication, you must hone your non-verbal communication (NVC) skills that includes your body language, posture, tone, pitch, gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, as well as your own dressing, odour, hygiene and appearance.
At Orane Beauty Institutes across the country, we incorporate soft skills training as part of the curriculum of any certificate course or diploma course in beauty, hair or makeup. We understand that a beautician’s communication skills are like the secret tools of his/her success in the long run.
