4 Things Every "High Priced" Stylist Knows

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Do you charge what you’re worth? How do you determine that? What’s the difference between someone who charges $25 for a haircut and someone who charges $250? If you’re great at what you do you may say, not much, and that’s fine, but what makes someone charge a high price and be so in demand. Here’s our thoughts along with some tips from a few that do.

Have the right mindset.

First up, you can charge the price that you know you deserve for the work that you provide your clients even if it is exorbitantly higher than the median price in your area. You have to be supremely confident in your work and the overall experience you provide. When you stand behind your work, your clients will be right there lining up to be with you. A high priced hairstylist knows this and owns it 100%. A great trend setter that we know is 2 time NAHA Avant Garde winner Jake Thompson. Jake shares, “I believe in my creative eye and my artistic recommendation!  That is why I charge what I do!”

You have to have tunnel vision.

Focus on you and your four walls. Don’t worry about what’s being charged in your community or people’s thoughts about what you charge. Stay focused on what you are doing and what your clients are gaining from it. A high priced stylist is so focused on what they are doing they are often at the tip of the spear as it relates to trends.

Have your own personal brand.

High priced hairstylists are brand builders. They realize that they are the brand. Their work, their look and their beliefs all play a part in how they present themselves and they are not afraid to share it. All you have to do is go on social media and follow iconic hairdressers and you’ll understand what we mean. They focus on what they specialize in and they share this to the point that this is what they are known for. This create attraction. It makes them magnetic. This magnetism goes a long way in their ability to charge higher prices for their time because their time is in high demand. Herein lies a big difference between someone who charges higher end prices. You may be booked for weeks, OK, great, you’re in demand and very busy, but is it about quantity or quality? High priced hairstylists know that it’s all about quality.

Take it from award winning artist Charlie Price, “Hairdressing is one of the great crafts on planet earth! To my mind, beautiful hair is a reason to live, and a reason to CHARGE FOR IT! Once one is educated, accomplished and established, when we are finally exquisitely good at doing hair, it is one's honor, privilege and duty -yes duty- to charge a higher price for their services. Hairdressers who never raise their prices drag us all down as an industry. We must be proud, resolute and united in this! If this type of solidarity isn't enough for you, consider this: isn't it always better to strive for quality not quantity? I believe five truly sublime hairdos lovingly produced over 8-10 hours is a far superior way of life than trying to churn out 17 cheap, slopped together balayages or 20 hacked up "speed cuts" any day! Make more but do less. This will mean even more to you once, like me, you have practiced hairdressing for 28 years! Viva The Art of Hair my friends and as the old commercial says…You're Worth it!” 

Create the best experience for your clients.

High priced hairstylists realize that the commodity is not the actual cut, color, or look created. They realize that the commodity is the overall experience which is equal parts technical expertise, relationship building, ambience, incidentals offered and time spent with them because, again, they know they are the brand. All of this creates a perception in the mind of the client that warrants them spending the amount they will to get the service. Award winning stylist, platform artist, salon and school owner Eric Fisher shares, “There’s always value proposition with everything. The higher the price, the better the perceived quality. But with a high price the service better live up to the price tag.”

Perception is really what this is all about. Match your perception of what you are worth with your clients perception and your well on your way to charging a higher end price point. It’s then just up to you to have the courage to do it. At the end of the day, if you feel empowered and confident about all four of these points then make the plan today to raise your prices to a level you might not have thought possible but that you completely deserve!