Scruples Symposium brought launches, educators and special guests to Riviera Maya, Mexico this week. One of those guests was Redken Global Artistic Ambassador Kris Sorbie, who led a color technique presentation for all attendees. Sorbie, known for making the ombre famous, taught Symposium guests about color aesthetics like placement and blending, but also spoke about best business practices, specifically, what she deems as the most important part of any service, the consultation.

 

Here are Sorbie’s must-use tips and things to consider for any consultation:

1. Use positive terminology. For example, rather than calling a service “highlights,” tell your client you want to draw attention to their best features or contour their hair for their face.

2. Your client’s lifestyle. “The more we know without getting too personal tells us what we can and can’t do,” Sorbie says.

3. Income. This can be a touchy subject, but Sorbie says there is a good way to ask this important question. Asking “how often do you think you can visit the salon,” gives a good idea on what a client is willing to pay. This question makes a difference in what type of service you can perform. If they say three months, balayage may be a better technique than traditional highlights.

4.  Face shape. Again, you can use this as a guide as to what you want to try drawing attention to or what will best suit them.

5. Always have visuals. Sorbie keeps an iPad of images she has curated organized into different folders for specific color families. “A picture tells 1,000 words; it tells what your clients want or don’t want,” she says. This way, clients can show her what they want, rather than play a guessing game of what "red” means.

Bonus tip: After appointments or consultations, be sure to keep record cards for your clients. This includes formulas and even what you and your client talked about. “If you bring up something that touched their hearts (i.e. their dog’s name), they feel appreciated and loved and taken care of [when you bring it up next time you see them],” Sorbie says. 

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