Guess Who
Earlier this year, I attended HairVisions’ Transformation Expo in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Although I’d been in the beauty industry more than two years, my knowledge on the topic of extensions, trichology, hair loss and thinning was limited.
I met a number of salon professionals at the expo who spoke passionately about hair enhancements and trichology. They were so clearly cemented in this segment of the industry because of the difference they felt they were making in their clients’ lives. Many of them went on to share their personal experiences with hair loss or thinning and explained they had a hair system or extensions on their heads at that moment.
This shocked me at first. I found myself trying to pick out who in the room didn’t have a system or extensions, but I couldn’t differentiate those who did from those who did not. It was a moment of clarity for me.
A few years back, there was a Bud Light commercial series, “Real Men of Genius.” One of these real men is “Mr. Really Bad Toupee Wearer.” As a parade of men in horribly fake-looking toupees appear on screen, the voiceover says, “Made of space-age fibers, it can repel anything—rain, wind, snow, and especially young women.”
And that has been part of the problem with this category for many years. The stigma of hair loss and hair enhancements was so negative that no one wanted to talk about it, and therefore clients weren’t always getting the support they needed. Because of that, stylists often didn’t see it as a revenue growth opportunity.
As recently as 10 years ago, people weren’t always eager to say that they were having their hair colored. Five years ago, no one (even celebs) really shared they had extensions in their hair—for length, volume or otherwise. Whether it’s a side effect of the sharing nature of social media, a generational change or something else entirely, our society is generally becoming a lot more open to, well, being open.
When it comes to thinning hair and hair loss, there are a lot of options available for your clients who need your expertise and might go elsewhere if you don’t provide it. Learn from fellow professionals who have found success in this category, and see what clients really want in our exclusive HAIR+ research.
To learn even more and start your advanced education on the subject, come join us at the first HAIR+ Summit in Atlanta, Oct. 16-17, 2016. Visit hairplussummit.com for complete details.
Your value only increases as a stylist who can treat every client’s needs. Build your skills in the HAIR+ category, and you will keep the clients you have and find more comfortably in your chair.
-Lauren Quick
HAIR+ Editor
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