Value, service, and skillset

WHAT ARE YOU WORTH AS A STYLIST: AND YES IM TALKING DOLLARS AND CENTS?
How do you know if your prices meet your level of craftsmanship or professional skill set? Have you actually thought about it, or do you price your services based on what everyone else charges?

If you were to visit five different salons, they would all have different prices; in fact, sometimes the price difference can be extreme, one salon charges $50 for a shampoo and style, and another salon charges $80, but where do they get this value? If you think deeply about your value of service, should your prices be more or less?

There was a time I would speak about my pricing with hesitation when asked how much I charged for certain services because I was intimidated and not sure if it was ok or if I should charge this much or that much. I felt pretty confident that I was worth it, but I didn’t feel satisfied that someone else would think so. Or I felt like I wanted to save the world and accommodate anyone willing to sit in my chair so I would compromise my pricing. There was also a time when my pricing was at an entry-level because I knew I had some growing in my craft to do.

Either way it goes, from one extreme to another, I know what the value of my service is worth, I can justify my pricing, and to answer the question, my prices should be way higher. I choose to be competitively priced and affordable because my work has become with a higher purpose than just income-based. I see my customers from a Client Life Value; I factor in a few other things I factor in my time and decide what is fair for me. If I charged what the value of my service is worth, the people who need me the most would not be able to afford my services comfortably. The bottom line here is that I literally take the time to decide what I’m willing to leverage my time and service. I didn’t just go with what the status is. What about you?

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU ARE WORTH?
Sometimes people will expect and want to pay less than what you may charge. However, your duty as a stylist is to make sure you can justify your pricing by giving service equal to or worth more than the monetary value of that service; this part is essential. I find that even the most hesitant person will be willing to pay more for exceptional service. After all, service is where the value is. But lack of services is the worst, especially when it’s way overpriced. MAKE SURE YOUR WORTH MORE than your asking price.
Example:
I have been doing hair for 25 years.
I have taken many extended classes over the years and continue to learn
I have reached an expert level in my industry
I specialized what I do

And more, this builds value. Along with these attributes, I take pride in standing behind my chair when my clients come for service. I work on one client at a time so that I can give top quality attention to each client that sits in my chair; I use high-quality professional products. Now, although the lists of four examples are from years of experience, the service that builds value to it can come at any point in your career. You have to give more than the service monetary dollar amount. When you are willing to give MORE than your service price, you are working on becoming worth whatever your asking price is and more. When you can’t give yourself a list of things that you do to earn your value other than the service honestly, you need to fatten up your worth. Here is a list of things to immediately add value to you.
Be prepared for your clients; take pride in a clean work environment.
Stay abreast of industry classes, motivational seminars, read.
Use a professional line of products when servicing customers.

WHAT IF THEY STILL THINK THE PRICE IS TOO HIGH?
What if they think the price is too high and decides to not sit in your chair; well, you can always give a new client the first-time discount to show them that you are worth the asking price. Remember that your price is not just about the hairstyle you do; it is also about the total experience. You are building long term relationships that go beyond that first time, so a new client discount is a perfect way to allow someone to see the value in you. Imagine how impressive it is as a client to have an appointment, walk in the salon, and know the stylist prepared and ready with a smile. That is a sure way to get a repeat client!
No two lists will look the same, you are responsible for giving more than the service you provide, and how you do it is up to you.

Eventually, I decided that my price is my price and its true people will manage to afford what they want if they feel it’s worth it. I still may give the first-time discount, not because I’m trying to win the gains of a new client but, I believe in giving back when I can. Now when I speak my price, I do not hesitate, and usually, it’s firm. I do not often discount my services; however, I do believe in bulking up my ticket. In other words, again, I give more than the service I am charging.

Here is an example; I may do a takeout of a previous weave for no charge if you are getting a re-installment. Or I may cut or trim for no extra cost or apply hair color for free when multiple services are added. These are just a few things I often do to make my clients feel valued and appreciated, not to mention I completely stand behind my work. I will redo anything I do if that is the only alternative to fixing a problem.

I give my price without hesitation, and I show them not only are they getting a great value, but they are also getting more than what they are paying. This information is coming from someone who has taken the time to master and specialize in my practice.

I didn’t just jump out there and decide I want to be an overpriced stylist because I have a whole lot of bills due or that I have been in the business for twenty plus years, so I deserve more money but, I actually did, and do the work to charge the prices I charge. I still give back more in value.

BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR WORTH
Let’s take a step back and understand why I know what my worth as a stylist is and just what I measure that by, first, I am consistent with my work, and I have built value and integrity behind my name I justify my pricing on that alone. However, the critical factor in getting your clients to see your worth is through your own confidence and integrity. That integrity part, I cannot stress enough how important that is. A great practice to get into is to give more back than the dollar amount; as I have several giving examples of how this can be done when you give more than you ask for, it will have your clients telling everyone how you take care of them and go above and beyond. People love getting things for free, and stylists love getting paid what they are worth, so it’s a win for everybody.

It doesn’t mean that everybody will be willing or able to afford you or me; it does mean my prices are not negotiable, but because of the many ways I build in value, I am confident that I am more than fair. It is ok to charge but give back also. Stand behind your work, be willing to do the entire process over if that’s what it called for to have a satisfied client. Whatever it takes that is reasonable to maintain a happy customer is what you should be willing to sacrifice when being compensated for a service.

The problem most clients have with paying a stylist asking fee is when stylists are greedy and just want to cash in, it doesn’t work that way. You will lose whenever you give your clients watered down services. Most of us can relate to unsatisfactory service, and most won’t stick around long for that. Give high-quality service and always use the best products when working as professional charging professional prices.

DO NOT be a professional stylist using cheap over the counter watered-down products. Know how to break down your value and all the ways it should add up, and then add more in service, this is especially true if your prices are above market value.
You should make sure your skills are up to par, even if you do build your value in other ways. The days of taking people’s money and not delivering are long gone. People have more ways to get the word out there that you are not worth it than ever before. You cannot just throw a price out and not back it up.

Before you factor in the charge and pricing that may be appropriate to the service, you want to make sure you can deliver what you are being paid to do. In this day and time, people are a lot savvier about how they spend their money. For the sake of your name via word of mouth or even worst the internet, you do not want to negatively affect your reputation by not being able to do a service you are getting paid to do. Believe it or not, clients are much more respectful of your willingness to learn and practice when you are honest and fair about it. Sometimes they will be willing to let you work on them even if you are in the learning curve but, don’t set yourself up for failure by not being honest just to make money. So be sincere with your clients about your capabilities and be fair and reasonable about what it’s worth.

Ultimately your skills will play a big part in who is willing to sit in your chair and who will not. Your skills should also determine who you invite to sit in your chair. In this regard, all money isn’t good money you have to know what your abilities are. Be honest and fair; do not ruin your reputation by being overpriced and under-skilled. Most of all, have a service, give back mentality, this builds priceless value, and by doing so, you will always be worth more than your ticket price.
What are you worth?
Want to learn more about increasing your worth as a stylist, salon etiquette, or how to enhance your weave and extension skills?
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