A solid and strong consultation is the foundation of every successful salon appointment, being the first chance to build trust, avoid miscommunication, and deliver the results your clients truly want. A consultation done well doesn’t just improve the outcome of your service, but it can build customer loyalty, increase bookings, and the satisfaction of giving your clients their dream hair, every time. We’ve explored the ultimate step-by-step guide to perfect your hair consultation with some top tips that you can get started with by your next appointment!

First impressions matter! Greet your clients warmly, offer them a drink, and ensure you create a comfortable environment. Engage in light conversation to put them at ease. It’s important to remember you may be the next stylist after a client’s negative experience elsewhere, so this is your time to show them they’re in a safe space.

Top Tip: Trust is what really matters here, and it starts with conversation. A client who feels heard and relaxed is far more likely to open up to you about their hair goals.

When discussing your client's vision, it’s important you pay attention when listening to their hair goals. Asking open-ended questions, such as “What brings you in today?”, “What do you like & dislike about your hair right now?”, and “Do you have any inspiration photos?”

This gives your clients the opportunity to speak freely without interruption and the choice to use images they may have found to clarify their vision.

Top Tip: Always suggest your clients use images for inspiration, as sometimes they may struggle to explain what they want. Also, try sitting face-to-face with your client during the consultation instead of speaking to them behind the chair. This can allow the consultation to feel more natural and conversational, which will also put the client at ease.

Before making any promises, take the time to thoroughly examine your client’s hair and scalp. You want to assess the texture, such as is the hair is fine, medium or coarse. You also want to assess the porosity, density, and elasticity to understand its overall strength. It’s just as important to check the scalp for any conditions, such as psoriasis or alopecia. This analysis is a crucial step in your consultation, as the health of the hair and scalp will ultimately determine what can be achieved during the service and ensure realistic results.

Now that you’ve analysed the hair and scalp, it’s time to assess the client's hair history. Ask your client about any colour or chemical treatments they’ve had in the past 1-2 years, as well as what haircare products they currently use. It’s also important to discuss their heat styling habits. Understanding their hair history will help you avoid unexpected chemical reactions as well as provide valuable insights into their at-home routine. Therefore, you can tailor your recommendations and achieve the best possible result!

Top Tip: Showing empathy, patience and understanding at this stage is crucial. Many clients will feel nervous or self-conscious when sharing their past experiences, so being supportive and understanding will help them feel comfortable and help you build trust with your client.

Once you’ve got all the information you need, it’s time to apply your expertise to guide the client towards the best outcome. Be honest about what’s achievable in one session, and when a gradual approach is necessary, such as going from dark to light, taking multiple salon visits. Suggest styles or colours that complement their skin tone, lifestyle and maintenance preferences. If the client's original idea isn’t achievable, offer a realistic alternative that will still align with their vision.

Top Tip: Introduce the vein test to guide your clients' colour tone.

Blue/purple veins = cool undertones such as ash blondes, cool browns, icy shades.

Green/olive veins = warm undertones such as golden blondes, coppers, honey shades.

Mixed = neutral undertone, meaning your clients can wear both warm and cool tones.

With all this information, you can build a personalised plan that covers cut, colour and treatments or aftercare. Agree on details like the tone, depth, and placement for colour, as well as the shape and style of the cut. Outline a maintenance schedule and recommend treatments or add-ons such as a bond builder or glossing service if needed.

Transparency is the key to building trust with your clients. By providing a clear breakdown of costs, including the base service such as cut, colour, blow-dry, and then any additional treatments and aftercare products. By addressing costs up-front, you avoid surprise costs at the end of the service that your clients may not value.

Don’t forget to record and document your client consultation for consistency and professionalism. Take before and after photos, as well as make a note of formulas and processing times for that individual client. This small step makes clients feel reassured and ensures you can deliver consistent results in future appointments.

Your clients want their hair to look as good as it does once they’ve left the chair, so it’s important to take time to explain how clients can maintain their new look at home. Whether this is through product recommendations or guidance on when to return for their next appointment, you can have your clients feeling confident in and out of the salon chair.

End the consultation with positivity, and recap on everything that has been agreed on, to reassure your client they’re in safe hands! Coming across as genuine and offering to rebook their next appointment shows that you’re invested in their hair journey, not just the one-off visit. Leaving clients with confidence and excitement ensures they’ll return, and even better, recommend you to others!

A strong, successful consultation is about showing your professionalism, giving your clients confidence, and the start of a loyal customer. When the client feels seen, understood, listened to, and guided, you know you’ve perfected your client consultation process. Invest time in your consultations, and you’ll see the rewards in salon success!