Consultations for hair extensions are arguably the most important step of the extension process for both the client and the stylist. Making time for a consultation allows both parties to address concerns, propose solutions, and come to an agreement on the service starting with hair history and ending with the ultimate game plan! Investing in hair extensions can be a big decision for clients, along with a significant price tag, so it’s crucial for stylists to set the right expectations by knowing what to ask and how to help meet their clients' dream hair goals.
Book A 15 Minute Consultation: An in-depth consultation typically lasts around 15-30 minutes, allocating enough time to thoroughly provide proper advice to the client sitting in your chair. You can offer these consultations free of charge, which we’ve seen with newer extension stylists to help get people in the chair. However, we suggest booking consultation appointments for $40 and offering that deposit to be applicable to the price of hair if the client proceeds with the extension process. That way if the client decides to not proceed with the service you don’t waste too much of your time that could’ve been utilized for paying clients.
Consultation Form: Extensions are a large investment for your client, so it's important to make sure they know exactly what they're signing up for. It's also really important for you to ask the right questions to make sure you are meeting your clients expectations. We've created a consultation form to make sure you're covering some of the most important questions and to keep them on record. Download our Consultation Form free of charge here.
Hair History: Almost everyone you come across will be a candidate for at least one of the Sierra & Sage Methods. Regardless, it is critical to discuss color history, extension history, and their daily hair routine because there are a few cases a client may not be a good candidate for not only our method, but extensions in general! Are they a daily washer? Do they have extremely fine, thin or brittle hair? Do they have very thick hair above the shoulders? Have they experienced recent hair loss due to a medical condition or recent surgery? It’s important to use your best professional judgment and consider their hair health during the consultation. Other questions you may ask include: Have they had extensions before? If yes, which type and what did they like and not like about them?
Hair Goals: There are a multitude of reasons and benefits for getting hair extensions. Are your clients looking to add thickness, add length or both? Are they looking to add color with their extensions without having to actually color their natural hair? Ask your client to bring inspiration photos and be sure to ask them what they like about their current hair and what they are looking to change. Understanding their goals helps set you up for success and potentially inspires them to refer new extension clients since you’ve assisted in boosting their confidence and enhancing their natural beauty.
Review Maintenance Required: Extensions can be a huge investment for some of our clients with an even bigger expectation that their investment will have substantial longevity. During the consultation it’s important to discuss the maintenance required, such as move-ups and professional treatments, and the products needed, including using only professional products like heat protectant and moisturizing hair masques. Sierra & Sage Extensions offers a Wholesale Program which allows you to purchase our Friends With Benefits Extension Care Kit with a 40% discount, allowing you to sell our products to your clients, instead of them buying from us! The last thing you should want as a stylist is to send your client home without the information they need to care for their extensions, leading them to damaged hair, discomfort or disappointment. Sierra & Sage Extensions can last anywhere between 9-12 months with the proper home care and maintenance schedule but we must inform our clients the steps to caring for them through continued education. Each pack of our hair extensions comes with a Hair Care Instructions printout, but we also offer a free downloadable copy that you can print for your clients found here.
Beauty Budget: Each client that sits in your chair will have a different budget for their extension services. Some guests will come for an extension consultation only to find that most, if not all, extension services are completely out of their budget. Avoid adjusting your pricing to meet their beauty budget, but instead offer a service that will help accomplish at least some of their goals. For example, if your client was looking for a more permanent extension method, such as hand-tied extensions, to add length but cannot afford the maintenance required for beaded weft extensions, offer a less permanent method like clip-in extensions to help them achieve the length they desire without having to commit to a more rigorous and pricey maintenance schedule.
Determine A Game Plan: Now that you understand your clients hair history, goals, and budget it’s time to craft your game plan and simply execute it! Consider the client's budget and hair goals when determining a game plan for their extension type, method, and additional extension services. In these final consultation steps you should begin determining the best suited method, color matched shade, and discussing optimal length. We suggest keeping a Sierra & Sage Color Ring on hand and using at least two colors for the best blend. If the client has thinner hair, less density around the face, a more see-through look or they have a finer texture, then the Thin/Fine Method would be perfect for them! The Medium/Thick Method is perfect for stronger hair, with more density or coarser texture. The Seamless Method can be used on all hair types as it has similar reinforcement to the thin/fine method. We don’t always recommend the Seamless Method for our extreme thin/fine clients as you will generally need to use more wefts with this method, which can sometimes be too heavy for those hair types.
Deposit & Waiver: When offering extensions, we find it essential to take a deposit for your services during the consultation to cover the costs of the hair. Requiring a deposit minimizes the high-risk of you paying for the hair out of pocket and that client either no-showing the appointment or overall canceling. Regardless, at Sierra & Sage we take all returns as long as the product or hair is unused and in its original packaging. Due to the price point and unpredictable nature of hair extensions, we recommend having your client sign a waiver prior to their service. This helps ensure your client is aware of any price points of the services. We’ve also created this waiver for you to download free of charge here.
Now that you’ve gotten everything prepped for your extension installation, all that’s left to do is secure a date! Consultations are an integral part of finding new extension clients, and keeping them! They can leave a client feeling confident, empowered, and grateful. They key to building a successful extension clientele rests with holding thorough and elaborate consultations.
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