Aloxxi Artistic Advisor Teri Dougherty gave stylists an up-close-and-personal look at cut and color at Cosmetologists Chicago's First Mondays education series on May 5, but MODERN editors were particularly impressed with Dougherty's nuggets of advice for service and retail, which can make or break a stylist as much as cut and color can.

SERVICE

1. Dougherty emphasizes the importance of multi-tasking—not only in what you're doing in the salon but who you're interacting with.

She gives an example: One client's color is processing, and she was just broken up with. Dougherty has to be very sympathetic and a little bit lower in her energy level. But while the color is processing, Dougherty is working on a client who just got engaged—WHOO HOO! She has to have a totally different, completely excited demeanor for that client.

2. Dougherty shares that she has "trained" her clients to come in with their hair cleaned and styled as they do for a typical day.

"I want to see their quirks," Dougherty says. "They say they always have a hole at the back of their hair, and when I ask them to show me how they blow-dry, they're directing all the hair forward and away from that spot. This way, I'm able to teach them new hair habits."

RETAIL

Plain and simple, Dougherty takes whatever products she uses on clients up to the counter with them when they check-out.

"I say, 'This is everything we used today,' and I leave those up there with them while they're paying." It's a lot easier to buy something when you already have a check book or credit card out, and in that way, clients can take a second look at what all was used.