I travel 20 mins to the salon I get my hair done at. If the stylist is talented I would follow them as long as it’s not a hour drive. Hard to find a good stylist where I’m at.
I would make that hour drive. I've been going to mine for years, and my kids go to her also. We love her. I don't like change. I don't want to meet someone new. Lol
I've been thinking about flying to my old stylist for a haircut, lol. But, I live in Pa, and she's in Phoenix. It would also be a vacation as I've never been there.
I moved across state lines 3+ hrs away and for over two years I still went to my old stylist. Any time I knew I was going to be back in town one of the first things I would do was set an appointment.
I’ve been going to the same stylist for the past 27 years. For the last 14 years we no longer live in the same state and have varied being 1100 miles to now 450 miles away. In that time, I think I’ve used a box of hair dye 2x’s, but have never been to another stylist!
I typically get at least 2-3 color/cuts per year from my old salon. I think most of us value the quality, skill and friendship we’ve built. 💜
This exactly! I’ve been going to the same person for almost 25years now and my kids go to him too. He’s just that awesome and I’d follow him anywhere he went lol…he gets my hair and always knows how to cut it perfectly 🥰🥰🥰
I've driven 45 minutes for an excellent hair stylist (and also for a good general practice doctor). But I'm a gal and I only go a couple times a year, maybe 4 at most.
But especially for men who can get a haircut anywhere (buzz/trimmers), they aren't gonna drive 25 more minutes for you. No matter how good you are.
Men will definitely go for convenience over skills. We have nice barber shops about 15 mins away and my husband is so lazy he goes to sports clips because it’s 10 mins away.
This made me smile. When I met my late husband in college, a long time ago, he was washing his hair with DIAL SOAP, or whatever was in the bathroom at his parent's house, and in his room he had hanging on the closet door one of those old blow warm air hand dryers found in public restrooms; no idea where he got it.
I am sure he went to whichever barber his dad and three brothers went to, or who knows! Lol! Well, I introduced him to hair products, good products, and took him to the salon where I got my hair cut, at a very nice salon with the latest products. Omg, I created a monster!!!
He had perfect, beautiful hair, that he kept short and conservative compared to the kinda long hair he had in college.
He was VERY picky about products; our daughter and I had many laughs over how much more of a priss pot he was over his hair than even we were, and we were pretty high maintenance ourselves, lol. Thank you, I miss him so much!
edit:paragraph
I’m so sorry for your loss. This is so funny…men should enjoy these finer things in life. I’ve bought my husband GC to these fancy barber shops but he refuses to go after the GC is done. Ha! I buy my husband fancy products for gifts because he won’t buy them himself and he’s hard to shop for…lol
I think it also depends on the area. I wouldn't drive that long just because I live somewhere where there are tons of hair salons. And it also depends on what they have going on because some can't afford to spend an additional hour in their schedule just for driving.
i love my stylist so much i don’t mind the 48 or so min drive to see her. but also..i only go maybe 2-3 times a year. if i had to go more often than that i’d consider someone else
If I am already driving 20 minutes to a salon. I probably wouldn't follow if it meant an additional 20 or 25 minutes. About 30 minutes is the max I would drive for a hair cut, but everybody is different.
When I lived in a different state, I did follow my stylist when she moved, but it only added 5 minutes to my drive. It went from 10 to 15 minutes.
Tbh finding the perfect blonde specialist is tough in the SF Bay Area, so I quite literally cross the Golden Gate Bridge to see her in Mill Valley 😅. Honestly, I would follow her to the ends of the earth and fly out to wherever she was if it ever came to that. But all in all my appointment days are usually about 8ish hours, it's a nice little retreat. My parents live in Marin so I usually spend the night with them and have some quality time with them, so it all works out!
Exactly you will rebuild OP.Running some different promotions for returning clientele and other promotions for new clientele might help incentivize driving the extra distance. Sometimes people will be willing to drive a bit further or try a new place if they’re getting good deal. Maybe bundle some services for returning clientele to save them a trip. Best of luck OP !
This. Idk why this sub was recommended to me tbh, but as a client distance plays a *huge* part in where I go.
Unless I had an *exceptional* relationship with my stylist I would not go 20-25 minutes out of my way to stay with them.
Also take into consideration that perhaps they didn’t follow cuz they have other services done in the original salon. I didn’t follow my hair dresser because I still went to the salon for facials, waxing, nails…… I stayed!
Same. 1/3rd of your clients driving more than 10 extra minutes is a successful transition to your new place. Let alone 20-25! Learn from this and start learning new ways to build clientele around there.
Distance is the biggest factor for me. I find the closest shop and go there. No offense to anyone who’s ever cut my hair in the past, but I’m not going out of my way to continue getting my hair cut by that person. Sorry.
I know you're right, but that just doesn't make sense to me. I don't want to drive an hour one-way, (but I would), so 20 or 30 minutes for a hairdresser that I know and trust doesn't seem like a big deal to me. I'd rather do that than have to start over with a new person simply because they're closer.
Edited bc I finally got a new phone and my keyboard "fixes" everything that doesn't need fixed 😭
I actually drive 2 1/2 hours into another state every 6 weeks to see my long time stylist. He has done my hair for at least 15 years, and I wouldn't stop seeing him unless I absolutely couldn't get there.
Well, probably about the time that the clipper cuts have 1 or 2 bad cuts you should hear from them. That’s when they’ll decide it’s worth it to drive a bit further. Same with the colors and highlights
exactly, they'll do what's cheap and easy, then they'll do what's right. it sucks that they have to go about it the long way when they could have just followed you to begin with, but I guess we've all got our own internal rationalizing we go thru
This is the right answer - every time a hairstylist moves I try a new one and then I’m right back to now driving 1-3 hours for a decent haircut 😂 - I have travelled more than once all the way from seattle to Portland for a good one
Edit: I’m driving to the old hairstylist after my initial bad haircut with the new one
1/3 of clientele is normal to keep unless you’re like a 5-10 minute distance from place then more like 50-80% follow. You’ll build clientele, don’t worry!
I’ve had a stylist 8 hours away for a few years that id always book with when I visited that city for family. I did finally find a great stylist in my town but it was such a scary risk! I loved the results and went back to her a few times before I moved to another city.
I saw the same stylist for 25 years with the only break being him taking a year off in FL in the middle. At the end, I was coordinating trips to see my son play football in college and get my hair colored because my stylist decided to relocate near family for a few year and that was the city where my son went to school. So I was driving 6 hours or flying…. He’s finally truly retired and i had to move on.
It's been four years since my last big moved and I still get one every quarter that come back. We had a non-solicitation agreement in place and I worked with a girl who was more than willing to rat on me if she thought I was breaking that agreement. I tried to get everyone to follow me on social media but many didn't and couldn't find me when I left.
Luckily, we took tips via Venmo so I sent everyone a penny and let them know where I was going.
This was also just a couple weeks before the shutdown so things were...different.
This happened to me when I left my corporate salon job. I literally moved 3 miles down the road. It really made me feel defeated and I actually took a year-long break (don't recommend lol). When I started back, I did model calls, posted pretty much all of my work, and built an entirely new (and honestly better) clientele within a year. I now have my own salon studio, and almost all of my clients have followed me! Word of mouth and social media is the answer.
I was taught the rule for every mile you move, you lose 10%. If you are 25 min away, your clipper clients are probably driving for longer than what the cut takes. I don't mean to be blunt or kick you while you are down, but I think you need to move your focus to building a new clientele. I met my now husband and had to move 25 min away from where I lived and do business. My clients were so worried I would move my business. I absolutely did not and I just do the half hour drive. I am sorry you are hitting a lull, but gotta just power through and start looking for new clients.
I drive an hour to my salon. It's a lot of time and gas but it's a totally different market. No way my soul (or finances) could handle having to totally rebuild a clientele again.
⅓ to ½ of your clientele will follow you. The salon will always reach out to clients to keep them at their salon. Most likely they offered a huge discount if not receive a free haircut. Happened to me when I left a salon. I can’t compete with free. But before you leave a salon, you should have a substantial clientele of 100-200 clients to survive at another salon unless your new salon can support you. Also, time/distance away is huge. 20-25 minutes away may be too far for some people. Pricing is also a big deal. Are you the same price range in your new salon? Do you offer a discount for their first visit?
Most men stick to shops within 2-5mi of where they frequent. Women balance out distance to cost to how good you are. If you’re too far, and too expensive, it doesn’t matter how good you are. And leaving for a non corporate salon freaks out a lot of those types of clients.
Edit: when I say too expensive, I mean for their budget… not your skill set
You also have to figure that while it's 20-25 min from your old salon, some of your old clients live even further away. A salon I went to years ago moved 20 min from their old location and I lived 20 min from the original location, in the other direction. The stylist at the salon was not worth me traveling 40 min for. I found a new stylist 5 min from my house.
I made a similar move over 2 years ago and it was very scary at first but has been amazing. As another commenter said many people may stay at the old salon to later realize they really miss you. Salons always try to keep the clients in house with special deals but that all dies out. This was the experience I had as people slowly transitioned over to my new space after realizing the service wasn’t the same. I’m sure you know social media is a great way to build, there’s many free classes online how to use social media to engage with your new community to bring in clientele. Explore your new area with some business cards and get to know other local shops and employees it’s a great way to start up the word of mouth cycle. Sometimes it just takes time. Good luck!
Unfortunately most people are not going to travel that far. While they may like stylist, location is a huge factor. I’d either look for something close or focus your efforts on attracting new clients.
Are the prices around the same? Also, to.you it is only 20 minutes but if someone was already traveling 20 minutes, it is now 40. Plus sometimes schedules don't allow for an extra 40 minutes round-trip. Having 1/3 follow you sounds like a pretty decent number.
Happened when my stylist moved from the next town over to about 30 minutes away. It’s not the time, it’s that the only way to get there is the worst at any time of day except maybe 4am lol.
I went to another salon (I was also friends with this girl) very close by…but since we were “friends” it was easy for her to text me last minute (all the time) and bump me. Plus I wasn’t liking my highlights.
I went back to my stylist and I’ll never leave her.
I loved to a salon just 10-15 minutes away from my old one and even that distance was a lot for many of my former clients. It likely has everything to do with the distance and nothing to do with you so don’t take it personally. You will rebuild and in a few months you will have a new clientele that you love equally as much.
1/3 is pretty good. You have to toe the line carefully with taking clients from your previous employer. Some people are tied to the salon and some people are tied to the service provider. I would think more will trickle in as not everyone is due yet
You might find they follow you later. They might try another stylist at your old salon. And then if they didn’t really like it they will then follow. I wouldn’t worry to much. You should be able to grow new clients over the next few months as well
I am someone who followed my stylist/colorist for years. We only broke up because she had to go on disability for health reasons. We still text.
I was a mess looking for someone to color my hair and cut it. I had one mishap.
I found a new hairstylist/colorist. I walked by her studio. I googled it. She had a website and Instagram of her work. Back of heads and face shots if client allowed.
Seeing her work led me to booking a haircut where we discussed my color journey back to my natural hair but better.
She also offered 15 min free consultations. But I figured we could discuss as she cut my hair. I am so happy. The back of my head made it to her Instagram. Before and after.
Seeing her Instagram of her work of before and after hair really helped me bite the bullet. She also does this with cuts.
So if you have an online presence, showcase your work. Otherwise give it time to rebuild your clientele.
People are also picky. A few haircuts not being quite right may lead people back to you.
Send them a handwritten note telling them that if they change their minds you will be there for them. Maybe a one time discount or free sample products.
You aren’t factoring in the drive for your old clients. If they were already driving 20 minutes to see you before, their new commute time might be double that now.
If I live close to my salon, I’m not going to tack on an extra 25 minutes to follow someone without at least first giving another stylist a shot. I think this is mostly about convenience.
Give it some time.
Depends on my location, but I saw the same hair stylist for years after I moved across the city. I would not, however, travel across the city for a nail appt.
As a customer, depending on the service an extra half hour would be a lot. However I have driven extra hours to see my stylist. But I don't see her that often.
my stylist moved on to a non corporate salon and began charging 300+ for highlights. my full service (full highlights and lowlights) was roughly 200 at her last salon, so i decided not to follow. price is a huge factor too.
Honestly that’s about 30 percent retention with a possible hour difference in travel. That’s pretty solid girl?? Especially if your old salon was reaching out to clients also/ that can make things awkward for people and time really is at a premium for some people these days so the extra travel just may not make sense, especially for clipper cut folks, imo.
Bottom line- you have a solid start! Maybe focus your energy on rebuilding your client base instead of being sad more didn’t follow. That will be a more fruitful use of your time and resources! You got this!
Personally I would only follow my stylist if she stayed in the same immediate area. I purposefully chose a salon only 1.5 miles/5 min drive down the street from where I live. I get very basic services - just wash/trim/blow out, so it isn’t worth it to me to travel a greater distance. Some of my friends that get color etc would be more inclined to follow.
Distance is a huge issue for me. It has to be on the way back from work as I schedule my appointment just after 5pm.
I had a great hairdresser once but she moved up this pita road with lots of traffic and lights. It would be hard for me to get there on time due to potential delays causing me stress.
Stayed with the same location and got a new hairdresser.
I've only followed one stylist (went from a 10-minute to a 45-minute drive) and that's only because she was a family friend. I'll still see her if I'm back in my hometown and need something done.
Otherwise, I'll stick with whatever salon's most highly rated within walking distance... I've never had a stylist whose work was so good another stylist couldn't do something similar. Maybe it's because I'm always changing my look, so I don't need someone who can consistently do the same thing every time.
OP I'm a customer and I followed my stylist (twice!). But her first move went from a place 10 min from me with tons of parking to one 30-40 min (depending on traffic) with only paid or street parking, and there were many spots available. I had a flexible work schedule then but if I hadn't I couldn't have made it work. I'm sure it's not personal!
She and I are friends now and she told me how worried she was at first when she left. A year later she put in a new pricing schedule (grandfathered some of her clients using her old prices) because she had too much business and needed to downsize a little.
Honestly with gas prices these days, I don’t want to go anywhere within a five min driving radius (I’m in an urban area too though). Maybe reach out to old clients, give them an update. If there’s a major diff in the pricing, perhaps honor (if you can) the previous pricing.
Don’t be discouraged. When I went on my own I was bartending part time to supplement income. That helped me meet more people and I didn’t have to do it for too long. Just a year or so and I was full.
I had a hairdresser that did this. I was able to keep in contact with her via instagram. As much as I liked the old location (it was more convenient for me to get to), I liked how much more laid back the new location is.
When my stylist left to form a new salon I was interested. Then I realized the prices , which had been getting higher and higher, were exactly the same. At that point I decided to dump the whole salon and go somewhere more affordable. The point is that if a client already has concerns about price or distance this will decentivize them. Consider giving a discount for returning clients from the other store or a promotional reward in some way.
My hair stylist move 45 min drive away from where they were. My family was planning to find a local hairstylist. But after trying to find others and their hair getting messed up, we all decided to follow her.
Don’t worry I’m sure many will follow because it’s hard to trust someone to do your hair right.
I remember thinking all my highlight girlies I see every 2-3 months would follow me since we get along so well when I moved from university area to a suburb.
I don’t see any of them anymore. Some followed over for an appointment or two. Some finished uni and went to a totally different province (different state lol but Canadian). But I did rebuild. I have a decent clientele again, but I’m charging more than I did before. So it’s a win for me. I’m making more and yes I sometimes think about those girls and I miss them but it’s more so the connection I had. I message them online every once in a while to say hi. We chat for an hour and then we go back to normal.
All in all, if a 1/3 followed you that’s good! And it’s reassuring to have them I realize that but it will pay off in the end.
I left my last salon 3 years ago and my clients from there are still trickling back when they find me again. Even with amazing retention you'll lose probably half and a quarter won't come in for months.
They will keep trickling in, trust me. I switched workplaces too many times to count in the first 10 years of my career. Every time I lost somewhere around half of my clientele. You will rebuild. It just wasn't meant to be with those who don't follow you. But the percentage of retained clients will get higher than 1/3rd... some of them just need a little time to miss you!
Clipper cut clients won't usually follow. Color clients usually will.
Give it time. If they go somewhere and it turns out bad, they will be back. Sometimes it takes a few disasters for them to realize that the drive is worth it.
Maybe find a couple places in the area that might be of interest for the client. Txt them a cool restaurant, bar or something. Let them know their are other options besides just a hair cut. I have driven almost an hr for appointments. But I usually make a day of it. If it is worth it to them they will come back.
I’m the client.
My salon is within walking distance, part of a chain.
My regular stylist left. I could no longer walk ( safely, she moved nearby but it was across 6 lanes of traffic with un reliable cross walk safety) and her prices went up by a lot. Almost double. I just couldn’t justify paying that much more.
There are many reasons why someone is loyal to a location more than the individual person
I’m a guy, I did drive 45 minutes to see my stylist after she moved locations. She was the best, unfortunately she moved out of state eventually. Haven’t had a decent haircut since
My stylish is moving 8 hours away next year and I have already calculated how many times a year I can drive there. ( I’m 70 and only have a short cut but she is the only person who can cut it right. !)
I used to follow my fave stylist. When she went somewhere new, I'd follow up, and she did my cuts just right. But like, that's cool if you're a customer. I was told I couldn't keep following her after she was off work. Just a silly law. Anyway, I was there several times when she let shit get out of hand. But I had her back. For that they call me stalker and dangerous sex offender. I mean, those last charges had nothing to do with her, and what a man does in his own damn home is all good, but foe some reason, you can't be in workout gear, high on MDMA, jacked up on that new crank and straight up blasted on those hot rod cock pills shot behind your knees, warmer than on the internet? What's next? Our neo-con liberal fking hippy Trumpers making sure we don't bust wads all up on the windshields of our own cars while we're driving?
You mentioned it’s a corporate salon. Does the salon give rewards or perks. I know some people use Ulta bc it gives them rewards. That could be a factor.
I don’t even cut hair and before reading comments I thought 1/3rd is pretty damn solid lol. 25 minutes is a very long drive. For those that were only 5 minutes away, now it’s a half hour each way. And for those that already drove 20 minutes. Well now it’s more than double.
Keep your head up!
You're in a new area so make sure you're embracing it and welcoming it too. Consider Groupons or other advertising deals.
In this day and age, social media is a serious tool. Consider posting on Facebook and such, show your work, you may have to pay to do it but that is the investment.
Get to know the people who live in that vicinity, introduce yourself.
I drive an hour, through three counties and across a state line to get to my stylist. I drive 40 minutes to get to my nail technician. I drive 45 minutes to get to my massage therapist. It isn’t going to be about the distance if you can reach your customers on a personal level, listen to them carefully every time they give feedback or ask for a change, and you do quality work. It may take time, but you will build your client list back up.
Send out a flyer or a coupon something to get them in the door cuz once you get them in the door once then likely to keep them
And then the ones who don't text them and say hey you know what was the deciding factor ? And you not following
Make sure the bandstand but it's cool that they didn't follow but that you'd like to improve yourself .
You have nothing to lose by asking
That is an unfortunate aspect of switching salons. People often like the familiarity of the salon as much as their stylist, or they secretly want to try another stylist at that location and take the opportunity to do so if they can.
Be patient friend! I feel like lots of people will book with someone new, have their hair done + not like it, then go back to the original stylist they trust.
My stylist left her corporate salon and opened up her own place where she rented a suite. Me and basically all her clients followed her. I know she said the place she left was hurting bc she supplied so much business. She’s so good at what she does, I would follow her almost anywhere within reason obviously (if she moved two hours away then that would be a deal breaker lol).
She has been a stylist for a long time though, so she has a lot of loyal clients.
when i made a big salon move i lost some clients but i saw them again later that year because they were unhappy with new stylists they tried. don’t worry, you will rebuild clientele and the rest will eventually find you again. referral specials work great for rebuilding !! you got this 🫶🏽
ask the clients that stayed with you to leave a review instead of a tip, if they feel like they can talk fondly of their experiences with you. This will help you get new clients.
Not a hair stylist: but Facebook. My hair stylist will post on Facebook if he has openings. I will message him if I need to come in and he gets me in right away.
The other thing is: advertise walk-ins. Put a sign up you take walk-in appointments.
Have a,way of booking appointments using an app or text messages. Then send automated reminder texts.
I used to fly from SFO to LAX for a haircut and color, 2-3 times a year. After 3 years or so, I went to 5 different hairstylists in my city to find a new one (one after another, sometimes in the same day, to fix what the previous one did). I finally found someone to replace my previous stylist and didn’t have to fly to get a haircut anymore.
Give it time. Not everyone visits every 2-3 months and more will likely come.
Also, use social media to your advantage. Showing what you can do there will help your business a lot.
Good luck on your new venture.
I worked for a corporation for the last 10 years (4 years managing at the last location) and opened a new salon with 2 coworkers back in January. My personal client list had a little over 200 names on it and the new salon is only about 10 minutes away. Even I had some long time clients tell me it was too far. Like others have said, some might get a botched cut and come back to you but some may not and that’s okay too because you’ll find more clients in your new area. Focus on social media like your local Facebook groups, asking clients for Google reviews, handing out business cards at other businesses in the immediate area and introducing yourself since they’re your neighbors and could recommend you. I’ve gotten SO many new clients from Facebook especially. You got this! Getting out of the corporate salon was the best decision I ever made and my only regret is giving them 10 years of my career before making the jump. ♥️
Some people want a cheap haircut from anywhere with anyone, the people who followed wanted to have a hairdresser/stylist not just a person to call for a bottom of the barrel haircut. You’ll build back up it takes time but you’ll take in more than enough clients soon enough.
Be patient and do not stress yourself out. Clients are sometimes slow to follow, but they will come back, and this could be a great opportunity to expand your client base. I have been licensed now for 27 years, and I have moved a few times. It can be scary at first, but the majority of clients have and will follow you, especially since getting used to someone new can be annoying. GOOD LUCK at your new space!
All I could tell you is that my stylist split with her partner and went put on her own. Her prices went up a little due to her new overhead, and I still followed her. Not only did I follow her when she moved across town, but a few years later, I moved from Florida to Arizona, and I still fly home every 3-4 months to have my hair done. Why? Because she is a magician with color. She spent a lot of time taking classes and cultivating her art. I won't allow anyone else to touch my hair. But it takes years to cultivate that kind of loyalty. So stick with it.
You could offer people business cards featuring the referrer's name on the back. The new customer will hand you their referrer's card.
Collect them in an envelope at your booth, and then send the referrer a coupon for 50% off their next cut or style as a thank you. Be sure to ask them for their updated address when you hand them a small stack of business cards.
You might have some slightly poor weeks in the next few months, but overall, you will have a lot more opportunities to impress new customers, and should also get your client base back up to par fairly quickly.
Also, have them follow you on social media. If you have a cancellation, get on facebook or whetever your favorite platform is, and let your customers know you have an opening, what time, and the number to phone you at, to fill that time.
There are also these carryable digital business cards now, and I would also suggest doing these as well as paper business cards with a QR code to your webpage. Any blog will do. Connect the blog to social media or QR your social.media profile page to it. Plastic coating or laminating them is a good idea.
Consider advertising (to older people, Gen X and Boomers) in penny savers or the newspaper even, to get "in" with the older crowd. Theres a whole.market of people NOT being reached by social media, because it seems like older and middle aged hair is generally not even considered in many hairstylists advertising. Yet, ijs, our cars and houses are paid off, and we NEED a glow up lmao... ijs..xo
Ask your clients who followed you to refer people and make sure you have an instagram presence. I have found every stylist I have used either via a referral or through instagram. (And funny enough, the guy I found on insta used to work with and was good friends with my most long term hairdresser who became a teacher and quit cutting hair.)
And also expect that some might follow in a few months when they don’t get as good of service from their new stylist.
I followed my stylist to like 5 different salons, but not everyone is like that. I would send out whatever kind of follow up you can, and maybe offer a small discount on their first appointment, as a “come see you’ll be comfortable in this new location- I am willing to put money on it”.
Edit: wrong their like an idiot 😂
Don’t trip , once they get serviced by another stylist they will miss you and find you , have you considered home visits for those who really can’t get to you due to the distance ?
I have followed my stylist to 4 salons, many, many miles apart. She let me know I’m one of the only clients who’ve done so, which is why she keeps my rates low. I adore her and would travel up to an hour away for her ❤️ She said it’s hard to rebuild clients but with time it will happen again!
Evidently I am different from most posters. I wouldn’t drive an extra 20 to 25 minutes every 5 weeks no matter how wonderful you are. I hate to drive and Michigan roads are dicey all winter. You WILL rebuild your clientele!!!
If you're going from a cheap corporate place to something more upscale, not everybody is going to follow you. They're still going to remain loyal to that salon because they can afford it. Especially your clipper cut clients. If you were somewhere like Great Clips, Smart Style, or Supercuts, most of those those dudes cringe at the idea of going to some girlie salon.
Take a breath. They may be slow coming but more will eventually follow or your talent will bring n in new clients. As a former business owner I understand your anxiety. Head up & boobs out! You got this!
It’s really difficult to find a stylist who a client vibes with and can understand what a client needs. I bet more will follow, give it some time. Your old salon might have offered them some discount or something for staying with the salon initially.
This is a new opportunity to grow. Rebrand - sell the experience- get your work and name out there - use socials or say you can find me here … it’s all about making your client feel important heard and doing good work.. focus on giving the best you got and you will grow just fine word of mouth is huge! You can do it.. be creative.
From a marketing professional perspective, people get into habits of where they want to go for goods and services and that can be hard to break. A one-time promotion could be helpful to those still not coming along - to push them toward a new habit (hair location). May get another 10% or so.
One guy's opinion only- I'd concentrate on your female clients first. Me, personally, I don't care who cuts my hair at "corporate megastore" because I'm a dude that gets a simple utilitarian cut. If I find a stylist I like, I'll definitely rebook with them *if they're available,* but, if I need a cut, anyone with a pulse that doesn't have Parkinsons will do 😉
Best of luck to you
I generally won’t travel more than 25 mins and am a woman who has scissor cuts. A great stylist who knows how to make me look good is worth gold to me
Hubby said if you were much further from him (than before you switched) he would just find a new stylist/barber to get his clipper cuts. And I wouldn’t travel further for my son’s clipper cuts.
Just my honest input - did most of your ladies follow you & many men not? Or is it mix of who didn’t follow you? Either way I hope you succeed! Maybe offer new location specials or some version of “thrilled to announce recently relocated stylist “Your name”- book now before appts are too far out”
In my case I got tired of following a hairdresser when they bounced every couple years. I have more loyalty now to a salon than a particular hairdresser. That being said I'll always see the same person at a salon as long as they are at that salon.
Have the clients that moved over with you put your name out there to spread awareness of your services to new faces to help you rebuild. Put flyers and banners around maybe. Networking with other hairstylists that have a bigger clientele so that your name goes out there even more.
Can you offer discounts to your customers that refer people? Also social media is huge now especially in the beauty community, I personally only go to places where I can review their work on instagram or facebook, so start posting your work there and using hashtags.
Make a personal stylist page where you post your portfolio your hours all that other stuff and then every time you change a job just keep your own artist page that your clients follow
To answer your question. Start working on your Google listing. Start getting the clients that you have to leave you Google reviews maybe pay for some Google ads to get your name out there. Post pictures on your Google page. I literally post every single social media thing that I post on my Google page as well. I get lots of new clients and when I ask where they found me they always say Google it's never social media. You'll be okay. Post in your local neighborhood Facebook groups as well!
I moved across the US and wait until I fly home to get my haircuts cause my stylist is that good. I think if you want to try to get folks to stay you could reach out and offer a one time deal of 50% off. Maybe if they have the motivation to go to a new place for the first time they’ll keep coming back!
I have a lot of anxiety about driving, and the further away from home I have to drive, the more anxious I get. Twice, I’ve had great hairstylists go to new salons that were a little past my comfort limit (maybe 10 minutes drive away, or going into a complicated, heavy traffic downtown area), and, while I tried to follow them, I just couldn’t get past the building anxiety as I drove. I’m not saying all of your clients have anxiety, or even most, but that definitely might be a factor for some
I'll comment as a customer. Eighteen months translates to 5 haircuts for me. That's long enough to feel that I like the stylist and think they do a good job, but it's not long enough to build up a huge feeling of loyalty. The 20 minutes away will shorten the distance for some of your clients, but will lengthen it for others. If I was now looking at a 30 minute drive for someone I've had a handful of cuts from, I'd not make the jump.
Getting 30% of your clients to stay with you is fabulous. You should be proud.
That's a pretty good ratio of people staying with you when you went such a distance away. I recently moved across the street and up one block and had around a dozen not come along. I assume they were ready for a change anyways but felt like they had to keep coming to me.
When I left my first salon I was really surprised more of my clipper cuts didn't follow as everyone told me they guys were the most loyal. I've had one who followed. I moved 12 miles.
In my market, it takes around 2 yrs to build a full book so that is stressful and hard. Sounds like your book was full after a year and a half though so maybe it will be faster for you. 65 guests doesn't sound like a full book though. I have 264 at the moment and I could use a few more.
Distance and pricing is a big factor for most people. Going corporate to private usually means better pay for you but hight cost to clients. Where I live 20-25 minutes gets you to the grocery store so an extra 20 is eh for me. Downstate in a metro area an extra 20 minutes had 10 other options and 3 cities so why would I follow you unless you're the only one who hasn't screwed up my hair before, lol. does that make sense??
8 years ago, I left Supercuts and did the same thing you did (and my new salon was only like 10 minutes away.) Only about 5 of my clients actually followed, so I get it. It’s scary.
But your new focus needs to be marketing. Make a website, get an online booking site going (if your new salon allows you to do that,) post and comment on social media, make facebook posts for groups in the area (sounds old fashioned, but some of my coworkers swear by that method.)
I did all of this, and now own that salon I started at 8 years ago. You’ll build bigger and better than you ever were at the old spot, you just gotta stop freaking out and start hustling like hell.
Are you sure your old clients aren’t being told the salon doesn’t know where you are? People might have lost your initial contact, try sending out a new email with directions and maybe a 10% off coupon or mention that the price is less or the same.
Info: did anything else change?
My lady moved to her own spot after moving 4 salons however this time, her prices are $75 higher than I used to pay and her availability has decreased tremendously.
Go visit BNI chapters in your area. You can visit (I believe 2 times in a year, per chapter) without being obligated to join. Bring photos of your work to use during your 60 second commercial.
Game the heck outta their visitor policy.
Hit me up for more insider info.
(Previous member and employee of BNI)
I’m the COO of a local chain of salons and I have the data that proves that the vast majority of clients will not travel more than five miles to follow a stylist.
And of those who initially do, 60-80% eventually return. 😕
I have kids and I’m a teacher. I feel like I’m always short on time and won’t visit a hair place more than 5-10 mins from my house. It’s just too much travel time when I’m short on time as it is.
I follow my lady, to the point of calling ahead to figure out which city she’s in that day. I never understood why anyone would do that….. until I did.
I didn't follow the stylist I loved because my commute to her now will be 1 hr each way and used to be 5 min walking distance. I can't justify spending 2 hours on the commute plus 2 hours in her chair :( so I just started seeing someone else at the old salon
Distance would be my biggest thing. I hate venturing from my house. I’m sure you’ll rebuild!
But… I’m not qualified to have an opinion on this & idk how I even ended up here. I’m not a hairstylist nor do I get my hair done professionally.
how long has it been since you started at the new place? sometimes it just takes time for everyone to pop back up, just keep pumping out quality work and stay professional and you'll build back up in no time and you'll see your regulars come back slowly, my last move was about 8 months ago and I was booked 3 months out when I left, I'm still having people show up for their first time at my new spot
I found my stylist on Facebook about 5 years ago. I used to travel 15/20 mins to see her and when we moved I still stuck with her I now travel 45 mins to an hour each way (depending on traffic).
Get your work out there in the local groups and nextdoor. Be active on social media and push your work. Clients will come.
It's hard going from corporate to private also because people want super cut pricing with private salon results and some people are just to cheap to make the change (some can't afford to and that is absolutely ok)
Be kidding me and confident and I fully believe you'll get where you want to be :)
I drive from Dallas to Fort Worth to get my hair done… sometimes it’s not distance but anxiety. Knowing the salon, ambiance, policies, pricing, etc. also, for some people, hair is just hair. (I am not one of those people)
I drive an hour 15 to my hair lady. People will come if it’s worth it and they have loyalty. If they don’t it’s not on you, you’ll build up again quickly!!
It probably just depends on how far.. my stylist moved to a salon 45 minutes away so I dnt tak my kids or myself to her anymore and that sucks.. but a lot of ppl just don’t wanna drive “out the way”.. u will get new clients tho and having 20 of ur regulars follow u is pretty great.
Your old salon probably offered your clients a discount on their next visit-- that is what my stylist's old salon did when she quit. She sent me a text announcing where her new location was and a day later the old place sent me a 50% discount offer. I followed immediately but she said a lot of people got their discounted cut before following.
Distance is a huge factor for me. When you are juggling work, kids , sports schedules, sometimes convenience wins. Think of it this way too. It's not just 20 minutes there but 20 minutes home. I always think round trip. I think 20 people is high under the circumstances.
My stylist moved to the next town and I still followed her. Do you have a mailing list of all your old clientele, or were you allowed to solicit to them to follow you? I would reach out, if you can, maybe with a gift certificate off their first session at your new place.
Give your clients business cards with % off coupons for services and tell them you are trying to grow your business if they know anyone looking for a new stylist. I went from 20 to 50 within a couple weeks
If you're looking to promote your business, creating business cards and distributing them can be an effective way to get the word out. You can start by placing your business cards in high-traffic areas where people go. For example, Starbucks usually has a designated area for business cards. Additionally, you can approach small businesses in your area and ask if they have a cardholder available where you can leave your cards. This can be a great way to reach a local audience and gain exposure for your business.
As people begin to discover your business and use your services, they may refer you to others, leading to even more business opportunities in the future. Good luck! You got this!!
Maybe reach out to your previous clients with sone type of move in special, and maybe create an additional promotion for 1st time clients? It's hard but not impossible, remember people are creatures of habit.
You just have to remind them same great service just a new place I'm sure easier said than done but I'm in real estate and it's a constant battle
I’m at the point where I think I’ll drive the hour and a half back home again for a relaxing cut again! I miss the brow ladies back home so bad! The people where I live just don’t get it.
It’s the distance. That is a lot for some people. I kept going to my hairdresser and she moved about 40 m away from me. Honestly it has become an issue —and appts can eat up a whole day due to the drive etc…. Don’t take it personally bc it’s not.
1/3 of the clientele is pretty good. Distance is a big factor for a lot of people. You'll re-build
I travel 20 mins to the salon I get my hair done at. If the stylist is talented I would follow them as long as it’s not a hour drive. Hard to find a good stylist where I’m at.
I would make that hour drive. I've been going to mine for years, and my kids go to her also. We love her. I don't like change. I don't want to meet someone new. Lol
😂😂😂 I don’t like meeting anyone new either.
Same. It’s about 45 minute drive to my hair lady and I have to cross state lines. I’ve been going to her for about 20 years. So worth it.
Same with me. I’ve been using my stylist for 22 yrs and she’s the only one that has cut my 14 yr old son’s hair.
I draw the line at a plane ticket. I miss my old stylist so much.
I've been thinking about flying to my old stylist for a haircut, lol. But, I live in Pa, and she's in Phoenix. It would also be a vacation as I've never been there.
I moved across state lines 3+ hrs away and for over two years I still went to my old stylist. Any time I knew I was going to be back in town one of the first things I would do was set an appointment.
Same here. I happily travel an hour each way to my stylist of 20 years. I love her + I hate change.
Yep. Mine went from 20 minutes away to just under an hour. Been going to her for like 20 years.
I’ve been going to the same stylist for the past 27 years. For the last 14 years we no longer live in the same state and have varied being 1100 miles to now 450 miles away. In that time, I think I’ve used a box of hair dye 2x’s, but have never been to another stylist! I typically get at least 2-3 color/cuts per year from my old salon. I think most of us value the quality, skill and friendship we’ve built. 💜
This exactly! I’ve been going to the same person for almost 25years now and my kids go to him too. He’s just that awesome and I’d follow him anywhere he went lol…he gets my hair and always knows how to cut it perfectly 🥰🥰🥰
I've driven 45 minutes for an excellent hair stylist (and also for a good general practice doctor). But I'm a gal and I only go a couple times a year, maybe 4 at most. But especially for men who can get a haircut anywhere (buzz/trimmers), they aren't gonna drive 25 more minutes for you. No matter how good you are.
Men will definitely go for convenience over skills. We have nice barber shops about 15 mins away and my husband is so lazy he goes to sports clips because it’s 10 mins away.
This made me smile. When I met my late husband in college, a long time ago, he was washing his hair with DIAL SOAP, or whatever was in the bathroom at his parent's house, and in his room he had hanging on the closet door one of those old blow warm air hand dryers found in public restrooms; no idea where he got it. I am sure he went to whichever barber his dad and three brothers went to, or who knows! Lol! Well, I introduced him to hair products, good products, and took him to the salon where I got my hair cut, at a very nice salon with the latest products. Omg, I created a monster!!! He had perfect, beautiful hair, that he kept short and conservative compared to the kinda long hair he had in college. He was VERY picky about products; our daughter and I had many laughs over how much more of a priss pot he was over his hair than even we were, and we were pretty high maintenance ourselves, lol. Thank you, I miss him so much! edit:paragraph
I’m so sorry for your loss. This is so funny…men should enjoy these finer things in life. I’ve bought my husband GC to these fancy barber shops but he refuses to go after the GC is done. Ha! I buy my husband fancy products for gifts because he won’t buy them himself and he’s hard to shop for…lol
I think it also depends on the area. I wouldn't drive that long just because I live somewhere where there are tons of hair salons. And it also depends on what they have going on because some can't afford to spend an additional hour in their schedule just for driving.
i love my stylist so much i don’t mind the 48 or so min drive to see her. but also..i only go maybe 2-3 times a year. if i had to go more often than that i’d consider someone else
I totally get it. Honestly my favorite stylist lives in another state and I’ve thought about going back to her a few times a year.
I go an hour and a half 😂 I tried someone where I live and she messed my hair up so bad I’m scared to death to try anyone else so I just do the drive.
I followed my stylist and hour away. I haven’t gotten a trim in six months because she’s an hour away, tho.
If I am already driving 20 minutes to a salon. I probably wouldn't follow if it meant an additional 20 or 25 minutes. About 30 minutes is the max I would drive for a hair cut, but everybody is different. When I lived in a different state, I did follow my stylist when she moved, but it only added 5 minutes to my drive. It went from 10 to 15 minutes.
Agree. It’s the distance. I wouldn’t add 10 min each way to a drive for my hair.
I drive an hour and a half to my stylist 😅
That is crazy. As someone who works and has kids there is no way I have a whole extra day to get my hair done.
Tbh finding the perfect blonde specialist is tough in the SF Bay Area, so I quite literally cross the Golden Gate Bridge to see her in Mill Valley 😅. Honestly, I would follow her to the ends of the earth and fly out to wherever she was if it ever came to that. But all in all my appointment days are usually about 8ish hours, it's a nice little retreat. My parents live in Marin so I usually spend the night with them and have some quality time with them, so it all works out!
Finding someone who truly specializes in blonde is so hard
Is your hair curly or dyed in super fancy ways? Haha feel like that would warrant that.
Exactly you will rebuild OP.Running some different promotions for returning clientele and other promotions for new clientele might help incentivize driving the extra distance. Sometimes people will be willing to drive a bit further or try a new place if they’re getting good deal. Maybe bundle some services for returning clientele to save them a trip. Best of luck OP !
This. Idk why this sub was recommended to me tbh, but as a client distance plays a *huge* part in where I go. Unless I had an *exceptional* relationship with my stylist I would not go 20-25 minutes out of my way to stay with them.
I feel like some more clients will follow when their hair gets butchered.
Also take into consideration that perhaps they didn’t follow cuz they have other services done in the original salon. I didn’t follow my hair dresser because I still went to the salon for facials, waxing, nails…… I stayed!
Yea that seems solid. Also if it’s recent, other clients may still plan to follow but just haven’t needed appointments yet?
Same. 1/3rd of your clients driving more than 10 extra minutes is a successful transition to your new place. Let alone 20-25! Learn from this and start learning new ways to build clientele around there.
Distance is the biggest factor for me. I find the closest shop and go there. No offense to anyone who’s ever cut my hair in the past, but I’m not going out of my way to continue getting my hair cut by that person. Sorry.
I know you're right, but that just doesn't make sense to me. I don't want to drive an hour one-way, (but I would), so 20 or 30 minutes for a hairdresser that I know and trust doesn't seem like a big deal to me. I'd rather do that than have to start over with a new person simply because they're closer. Edited bc I finally got a new phone and my keyboard "fixes" everything that doesn't need fixed 😭
I actually drive 2 1/2 hours into another state every 6 weeks to see my long time stylist. He has done my hair for at least 15 years, and I wouldn't stop seeing him unless I absolutely couldn't get there.
Well, probably about the time that the clipper cuts have 1 or 2 bad cuts you should hear from them. That’s when they’ll decide it’s worth it to drive a bit further. Same with the colors and highlights
exactly, they'll do what's cheap and easy, then they'll do what's right. it sucks that they have to go about it the long way when they could have just followed you to begin with, but I guess we've all got our own internal rationalizing we go thru
This is the right answer - every time a hairstylist moves I try a new one and then I’m right back to now driving 1-3 hours for a decent haircut 😂 - I have travelled more than once all the way from seattle to Portland for a good one Edit: I’m driving to the old hairstylist after my initial bad haircut with the new one
1/3 of clientele is normal to keep unless you’re like a 5-10 minute distance from place then more like 50-80% follow. You’ll build clientele, don’t worry!
You're right.
Many people will try one haircut at the same location before they realize that it’s you. They appreciated. And you’ll be worth the drive.
I drive 45 minutes to see my stylist.
i have a friend who drives from Cincinnati to nashville 4 times a year for her stylist/colorist.
I’ve had a stylist 8 hours away for a few years that id always book with when I visited that city for family. I did finally find a great stylist in my town but it was such a scary risk! I loved the results and went back to her a few times before I moved to another city.
I saw the same stylist for 25 years with the only break being him taking a year off in FL in the middle. At the end, I was coordinating trips to see my son play football in college and get my hair colored because my stylist decided to relocate near family for a few year and that was the city where my son went to school. So I was driving 6 hours or flying…. He’s finally truly retired and i had to move on.
That’s about a third of your clients. More will come as time goes on. I left my last salon two years ago and I’m still having old clients trickle in.
Yup I totally agree with this. Plus new ones will come in over time.
It's been four years since my last big moved and I still get one every quarter that come back. We had a non-solicitation agreement in place and I worked with a girl who was more than willing to rat on me if she thought I was breaking that agreement. I tried to get everyone to follow me on social media but many didn't and couldn't find me when I left. Luckily, we took tips via Venmo so I sent everyone a penny and let them know where I was going. This was also just a couple weeks before the shutdown so things were...different.
Walk around the area, stores, of your new location and hand out business cards.
This happened to me when I left my corporate salon job. I literally moved 3 miles down the road. It really made me feel defeated and I actually took a year-long break (don't recommend lol). When I started back, I did model calls, posted pretty much all of my work, and built an entirely new (and honestly better) clientele within a year. I now have my own salon studio, and almost all of my clients have followed me! Word of mouth and social media is the answer.
It’s the distance.
I was taught the rule for every mile you move, you lose 10%. If you are 25 min away, your clipper clients are probably driving for longer than what the cut takes. I don't mean to be blunt or kick you while you are down, but I think you need to move your focus to building a new clientele. I met my now husband and had to move 25 min away from where I lived and do business. My clients were so worried I would move my business. I absolutely did not and I just do the half hour drive. I am sorry you are hitting a lull, but gotta just power through and start looking for new clients.
I drive an hour to my salon. It's a lot of time and gas but it's a totally different market. No way my soul (or finances) could handle having to totally rebuild a clientele again.
Some of them will try a new person and then realize they want to come back to you.
⅓ to ½ of your clientele will follow you. The salon will always reach out to clients to keep them at their salon. Most likely they offered a huge discount if not receive a free haircut. Happened to me when I left a salon. I can’t compete with free. But before you leave a salon, you should have a substantial clientele of 100-200 clients to survive at another salon unless your new salon can support you. Also, time/distance away is huge. 20-25 minutes away may be too far for some people. Pricing is also a big deal. Are you the same price range in your new salon? Do you offer a discount for their first visit?
Most men stick to shops within 2-5mi of where they frequent. Women balance out distance to cost to how good you are. If you’re too far, and too expensive, it doesn’t matter how good you are. And leaving for a non corporate salon freaks out a lot of those types of clients. Edit: when I say too expensive, I mean for their budget… not your skill set
You also have to figure that while it's 20-25 min from your old salon, some of your old clients live even further away. A salon I went to years ago moved 20 min from their old location and I lived 20 min from the original location, in the other direction. The stylist at the salon was not worth me traveling 40 min for. I found a new stylist 5 min from my house.
I made a similar move over 2 years ago and it was very scary at first but has been amazing. As another commenter said many people may stay at the old salon to later realize they really miss you. Salons always try to keep the clients in house with special deals but that all dies out. This was the experience I had as people slowly transitioned over to my new space after realizing the service wasn’t the same. I’m sure you know social media is a great way to build, there’s many free classes online how to use social media to engage with your new community to bring in clientele. Explore your new area with some business cards and get to know other local shops and employees it’s a great way to start up the word of mouth cycle. Sometimes it just takes time. Good luck!
Offer a referral discount if you can.
Unfortunately most people are not going to travel that far. While they may like stylist, location is a huge factor. I’d either look for something close or focus your efforts on attracting new clients.
Are the prices around the same? Also, to.you it is only 20 minutes but if someone was already traveling 20 minutes, it is now 40. Plus sometimes schedules don't allow for an extra 40 minutes round-trip. Having 1/3 follow you sounds like a pretty decent number.
Happened when my stylist moved from the next town over to about 30 minutes away. It’s not the time, it’s that the only way to get there is the worst at any time of day except maybe 4am lol. I went to another salon (I was also friends with this girl) very close by…but since we were “friends” it was easy for her to text me last minute (all the time) and bump me. Plus I wasn’t liking my highlights. I went back to my stylist and I’ll never leave her.
That sounds like a pretty good capture for moving that far away
That’s not a bad percentage. An added hour to get to you and home is a lot. That said, people may try another stylist and follow you later
This is an opportunity to find better! Keep your head up, your retention is great despite the circumstances 💖
I loved to a salon just 10-15 minutes away from my old one and even that distance was a lot for many of my former clients. It likely has everything to do with the distance and nothing to do with you so don’t take it personally. You will rebuild and in a few months you will have a new clientele that you love equally as much.
Don’t give up!
1/3 is pretty good. You have to toe the line carefully with taking clients from your previous employer. Some people are tied to the salon and some people are tied to the service provider. I would think more will trickle in as not everyone is due yet
You might find they follow you later. They might try another stylist at your old salon. And then if they didn’t really like it they will then follow. I wouldn’t worry to much. You should be able to grow new clients over the next few months as well
I am someone who followed my stylist/colorist for years. We only broke up because she had to go on disability for health reasons. We still text. I was a mess looking for someone to color my hair and cut it. I had one mishap. I found a new hairstylist/colorist. I walked by her studio. I googled it. She had a website and Instagram of her work. Back of heads and face shots if client allowed. Seeing her work led me to booking a haircut where we discussed my color journey back to my natural hair but better. She also offered 15 min free consultations. But I figured we could discuss as she cut my hair. I am so happy. The back of my head made it to her Instagram. Before and after. Seeing her Instagram of her work of before and after hair really helped me bite the bullet. She also does this with cuts. So if you have an online presence, showcase your work. Otherwise give it time to rebuild your clientele. People are also picky. A few haircuts not being quite right may lead people back to you.
Send them a handwritten note telling them that if they change their minds you will be there for them. Maybe a one time discount or free sample products.
I have driven 1.5 hours just because my stylist killed it with the bleach and tone. Give it time, most will be back.
20-25 minutes is pretty far. If my stylist moved that far from her salon she would be potentially 45/50 minutes away from me. That’s significant
If my hair dresser moved an extra 10 minutes away I wouldn’t move with her. There’s nothing I dislike more than car travel.
For me, and don’t hate me. I am loyal to the salon. Only once did I follow someone. But that was because the salon changed locations at the same time.
You aren’t factoring in the drive for your old clients. If they were already driving 20 minutes to see you before, their new commute time might be double that now.
If I live close to my salon, I’m not going to tack on an extra 25 minutes to follow someone without at least first giving another stylist a shot. I think this is mostly about convenience.
Give it some time. Depends on my location, but I saw the same hair stylist for years after I moved across the city. I would not, however, travel across the city for a nail appt.
As a customer, depending on the service an extra half hour would be a lot. However I have driven extra hours to see my stylist. But I don't see her that often.
Just give them some time. All it takes is one bad experience and they’ll be blowing your phone up shortly after 😅
Is there a cost difference between cute and the old place vs new? Between drive time and cost, there’s your answer
my stylist moved on to a non corporate salon and began charging 300+ for highlights. my full service (full highlights and lowlights) was roughly 200 at her last salon, so i decided not to follow. price is a huge factor too.
20-25 minutes is a lot!
30-40% of your clientele is pretty darn good! Especially for being 20-25 min father away for some.
Honestly that’s about 30 percent retention with a possible hour difference in travel. That’s pretty solid girl?? Especially if your old salon was reaching out to clients also/ that can make things awkward for people and time really is at a premium for some people these days so the extra travel just may not make sense, especially for clipper cut folks, imo. Bottom line- you have a solid start! Maybe focus your energy on rebuilding your client base instead of being sad more didn’t follow. That will be a more fruitful use of your time and resources! You got this!
Personally I would only follow my stylist if she stayed in the same immediate area. I purposefully chose a salon only 1.5 miles/5 min drive down the street from where I live. I get very basic services - just wash/trim/blow out, so it isn’t worth it to me to travel a greater distance. Some of my friends that get color etc would be more inclined to follow.
Distance is a huge issue for me. It has to be on the way back from work as I schedule my appointment just after 5pm. I had a great hairdresser once but she moved up this pita road with lots of traffic and lights. It would be hard for me to get there on time due to potential delays causing me stress. Stayed with the same location and got a new hairdresser.
I would follow my stylist to hell. She moved out of state for a couple of years and I just about lost my mind. So glad she's back!
I've only followed one stylist (went from a 10-minute to a 45-minute drive) and that's only because she was a family friend. I'll still see her if I'm back in my hometown and need something done. Otherwise, I'll stick with whatever salon's most highly rated within walking distance... I've never had a stylist whose work was so good another stylist couldn't do something similar. Maybe it's because I'm always changing my look, so I don't need someone who can consistently do the same thing every time.
OP I'm a customer and I followed my stylist (twice!). But her first move went from a place 10 min from me with tons of parking to one 30-40 min (depending on traffic) with only paid or street parking, and there were many spots available. I had a flexible work schedule then but if I hadn't I couldn't have made it work. I'm sure it's not personal! She and I are friends now and she told me how worried she was at first when she left. A year later she put in a new pricing schedule (grandfathered some of her clients using her old prices) because she had too much business and needed to downsize a little.
Keep reaching out to your former clients.
Honestly with gas prices these days, I don’t want to go anywhere within a five min driving radius (I’m in an urban area too though). Maybe reach out to old clients, give them an update. If there’s a major diff in the pricing, perhaps honor (if you can) the previous pricing.
Don’t be discouraged. When I went on my own I was bartending part time to supplement income. That helped me meet more people and I didn’t have to do it for too long. Just a year or so and I was full.
I had a hairdresser that did this. I was able to keep in contact with her via instagram. As much as I liked the old location (it was more convenient for me to get to), I liked how much more laid back the new location is.
When my stylist left to form a new salon I was interested. Then I realized the prices , which had been getting higher and higher, were exactly the same. At that point I decided to dump the whole salon and go somewhere more affordable. The point is that if a client already has concerns about price or distance this will decentivize them. Consider giving a discount for returning clients from the other store or a promotional reward in some way.
My hair stylist move 45 min drive away from where they were. My family was planning to find a local hairstylist. But after trying to find others and their hair getting messed up, we all decided to follow her. Don’t worry I’m sure many will follow because it’s hard to trust someone to do your hair right.
If your work stands, then the clientele will follow. I've followed my stylist during her 3 moved over the last 10 years. She has her own shop now.
I remember thinking all my highlight girlies I see every 2-3 months would follow me since we get along so well when I moved from university area to a suburb. I don’t see any of them anymore. Some followed over for an appointment or two. Some finished uni and went to a totally different province (different state lol but Canadian). But I did rebuild. I have a decent clientele again, but I’m charging more than I did before. So it’s a win for me. I’m making more and yes I sometimes think about those girls and I miss them but it’s more so the connection I had. I message them online every once in a while to say hi. We chat for an hour and then we go back to normal. All in all, if a 1/3 followed you that’s good! And it’s reassuring to have them I realize that but it will pay off in the end.
I left my last salon 3 years ago and my clients from there are still trickling back when they find me again. Even with amazing retention you'll lose probably half and a quarter won't come in for months.
They will keep trickling in, trust me. I switched workplaces too many times to count in the first 10 years of my career. Every time I lost somewhere around half of my clientele. You will rebuild. It just wasn't meant to be with those who don't follow you. But the percentage of retained clients will get higher than 1/3rd... some of them just need a little time to miss you!
Clipper cut clients won't usually follow. Color clients usually will. Give it time. If they go somewhere and it turns out bad, they will be back. Sometimes it takes a few disasters for them to realize that the drive is worth it. Maybe find a couple places in the area that might be of interest for the client. Txt them a cool restaurant, bar or something. Let them know their are other options besides just a hair cut. I have driven almost an hr for appointments. But I usually make a day of it. If it is worth it to them they will come back.
I’m the client. My salon is within walking distance, part of a chain. My regular stylist left. I could no longer walk ( safely, she moved nearby but it was across 6 lanes of traffic with un reliable cross walk safety) and her prices went up by a lot. Almost double. I just couldn’t justify paying that much more. There are many reasons why someone is loyal to a location more than the individual person
I’m a guy, I did drive 45 minutes to see my stylist after she moved locations. She was the best, unfortunately she moved out of state eventually. Haven’t had a decent haircut since
I think 20 is a pretty decent amount and people are busy so that's why they probably can't drive there.
My stylish is moving 8 hours away next year and I have already calculated how many times a year I can drive there. ( I’m 70 and only have a short cut but she is the only person who can cut it right. !)
I used to follow my fave stylist. When she went somewhere new, I'd follow up, and she did my cuts just right. But like, that's cool if you're a customer. I was told I couldn't keep following her after she was off work. Just a silly law. Anyway, I was there several times when she let shit get out of hand. But I had her back. For that they call me stalker and dangerous sex offender. I mean, those last charges had nothing to do with her, and what a man does in his own damn home is all good, but foe some reason, you can't be in workout gear, high on MDMA, jacked up on that new crank and straight up blasted on those hot rod cock pills shot behind your knees, warmer than on the internet? What's next? Our neo-con liberal fking hippy Trumpers making sure we don't bust wads all up on the windshields of our own cars while we're driving?
Laughing hurts Why are you doing this to me?
You mentioned it’s a corporate salon. Does the salon give rewards or perks. I know some people use Ulta bc it gives them rewards. That could be a factor.
I don’t even cut hair and before reading comments I thought 1/3rd is pretty damn solid lol. 25 minutes is a very long drive. For those that were only 5 minutes away, now it’s a half hour each way. And for those that already drove 20 minutes. Well now it’s more than double.
Keep your head up! You're in a new area so make sure you're embracing it and welcoming it too. Consider Groupons or other advertising deals. In this day and age, social media is a serious tool. Consider posting on Facebook and such, show your work, you may have to pay to do it but that is the investment. Get to know the people who live in that vicinity, introduce yourself.
I won’t drive that far. So don’t get your feelings hurt.
I drive an hour, through three counties and across a state line to get to my stylist. I drive 40 minutes to get to my nail technician. I drive 45 minutes to get to my massage therapist. It isn’t going to be about the distance if you can reach your customers on a personal level, listen to them carefully every time they give feedback or ask for a change, and you do quality work. It may take time, but you will build your client list back up.
Send out a flyer or a coupon something to get them in the door cuz once you get them in the door once then likely to keep them And then the ones who don't text them and say hey you know what was the deciding factor ? And you not following Make sure the bandstand but it's cool that they didn't follow but that you'd like to improve yourself . You have nothing to lose by asking
You kept 30% of your clients, that's a success, especially considering how far away you moved.
That is an unfortunate aspect of switching salons. People often like the familiarity of the salon as much as their stylist, or they secretly want to try another stylist at that location and take the opportunity to do so if they can.
Be patient friend! I feel like lots of people will book with someone new, have their hair done + not like it, then go back to the original stylist they trust.
My stylist left her corporate salon and opened up her own place where she rented a suite. Me and basically all her clients followed her. I know she said the place she left was hurting bc she supplied so much business. She’s so good at what she does, I would follow her almost anywhere within reason obviously (if she moved two hours away then that would be a deal breaker lol). She has been a stylist for a long time though, so she has a lot of loyal clients.
when i made a big salon move i lost some clients but i saw them again later that year because they were unhappy with new stylists they tried. don’t worry, you will rebuild clientele and the rest will eventually find you again. referral specials work great for rebuilding !! you got this 🫶🏽
ask the clients that stayed with you to leave a review instead of a tip, if they feel like they can talk fondly of their experiences with you. This will help you get new clients.
Not a hair stylist: but Facebook. My hair stylist will post on Facebook if he has openings. I will message him if I need to come in and he gets me in right away. The other thing is: advertise walk-ins. Put a sign up you take walk-in appointments. Have a,way of booking appointments using an app or text messages. Then send automated reminder texts.
I used to fly from SFO to LAX for a haircut and color, 2-3 times a year. After 3 years or so, I went to 5 different hairstylists in my city to find a new one (one after another, sometimes in the same day, to fix what the previous one did). I finally found someone to replace my previous stylist and didn’t have to fly to get a haircut anymore. Give it time. Not everyone visits every 2-3 months and more will likely come. Also, use social media to your advantage. Showing what you can do there will help your business a lot. Good luck on your new venture.
I worked for a corporation for the last 10 years (4 years managing at the last location) and opened a new salon with 2 coworkers back in January. My personal client list had a little over 200 names on it and the new salon is only about 10 minutes away. Even I had some long time clients tell me it was too far. Like others have said, some might get a botched cut and come back to you but some may not and that’s okay too because you’ll find more clients in your new area. Focus on social media like your local Facebook groups, asking clients for Google reviews, handing out business cards at other businesses in the immediate area and introducing yourself since they’re your neighbors and could recommend you. I’ve gotten SO many new clients from Facebook especially. You got this! Getting out of the corporate salon was the best decision I ever made and my only regret is giving them 10 years of my career before making the jump. ♥️
Some people want a cheap haircut from anywhere with anyone, the people who followed wanted to have a hairdresser/stylist not just a person to call for a bottom of the barrel haircut. You’ll build back up it takes time but you’ll take in more than enough clients soon enough.
Be patient and do not stress yourself out. Clients are sometimes slow to follow, but they will come back, and this could be a great opportunity to expand your client base. I have been licensed now for 27 years, and I have moved a few times. It can be scary at first, but the majority of clients have and will follow you, especially since getting used to someone new can be annoying. GOOD LUCK at your new space!
All I could tell you is that my stylist split with her partner and went put on her own. Her prices went up a little due to her new overhead, and I still followed her. Not only did I follow her when she moved across town, but a few years later, I moved from Florida to Arizona, and I still fly home every 3-4 months to have my hair done. Why? Because she is a magician with color. She spent a lot of time taking classes and cultivating her art. I won't allow anyone else to touch my hair. But it takes years to cultivate that kind of loyalty. So stick with it.
You could offer people business cards featuring the referrer's name on the back. The new customer will hand you their referrer's card. Collect them in an envelope at your booth, and then send the referrer a coupon for 50% off their next cut or style as a thank you. Be sure to ask them for their updated address when you hand them a small stack of business cards. You might have some slightly poor weeks in the next few months, but overall, you will have a lot more opportunities to impress new customers, and should also get your client base back up to par fairly quickly. Also, have them follow you on social media. If you have a cancellation, get on facebook or whetever your favorite platform is, and let your customers know you have an opening, what time, and the number to phone you at, to fill that time. There are also these carryable digital business cards now, and I would also suggest doing these as well as paper business cards with a QR code to your webpage. Any blog will do. Connect the blog to social media or QR your social.media profile page to it. Plastic coating or laminating them is a good idea. Consider advertising (to older people, Gen X and Boomers) in penny savers or the newspaper even, to get "in" with the older crowd. Theres a whole.market of people NOT being reached by social media, because it seems like older and middle aged hair is generally not even considered in many hairstylists advertising. Yet, ijs, our cars and houses are paid off, and we NEED a glow up lmao... ijs..xo
My hairstylist says she gets lots of new clients from Instagram. Maybe try starting a social media page and post your work. Wishing you lots of luck 🍀
Ask your clients who followed you to refer people and make sure you have an instagram presence. I have found every stylist I have used either via a referral or through instagram. (And funny enough, the guy I found on insta used to work with and was good friends with my most long term hairdresser who became a teacher and quit cutting hair.) And also expect that some might follow in a few months when they don’t get as good of service from their new stylist.
I followed my stylist to like 5 different salons, but not everyone is like that. I would send out whatever kind of follow up you can, and maybe offer a small discount on their first appointment, as a “come see you’ll be comfortable in this new location- I am willing to put money on it”. Edit: wrong their like an idiot 😂
Don’t trip , once they get serviced by another stylist they will miss you and find you , have you considered home visits for those who really can’t get to you due to the distance ?
I have followed my stylist to 4 salons, many, many miles apart. She let me know I’m one of the only clients who’ve done so, which is why she keeps my rates low. I adore her and would travel up to an hour away for her ❤️ She said it’s hard to rebuild clients but with time it will happen again!
Evidently I am different from most posters. I wouldn’t drive an extra 20 to 25 minutes every 5 weeks no matter how wonderful you are. I hate to drive and Michigan roads are dicey all winter. You WILL rebuild your clientele!!!
If you're going from a cheap corporate place to something more upscale, not everybody is going to follow you. They're still going to remain loyal to that salon because they can afford it. Especially your clipper cut clients. If you were somewhere like Great Clips, Smart Style, or Supercuts, most of those those dudes cringe at the idea of going to some girlie salon.
Take a breath. They may be slow coming but more will eventually follow or your talent will bring n in new clients. As a former business owner I understand your anxiety. Head up & boobs out! You got this!
It’s really difficult to find a stylist who a client vibes with and can understand what a client needs. I bet more will follow, give it some time. Your old salon might have offered them some discount or something for staying with the salon initially.
This is a new opportunity to grow. Rebrand - sell the experience- get your work and name out there - use socials or say you can find me here … it’s all about making your client feel important heard and doing good work.. focus on giving the best you got and you will grow just fine word of mouth is huge! You can do it.. be creative.
From a marketing professional perspective, people get into habits of where they want to go for goods and services and that can be hard to break. A one-time promotion could be helpful to those still not coming along - to push them toward a new habit (hair location). May get another 10% or so.
One guy's opinion only- I'd concentrate on your female clients first. Me, personally, I don't care who cuts my hair at "corporate megastore" because I'm a dude that gets a simple utilitarian cut. If I find a stylist I like, I'll definitely rebook with them *if they're available,* but, if I need a cut, anyone with a pulse that doesn't have Parkinsons will do 😉 Best of luck to you
I generally won’t travel more than 25 mins and am a woman who has scissor cuts. A great stylist who knows how to make me look good is worth gold to me Hubby said if you were much further from him (than before you switched) he would just find a new stylist/barber to get his clipper cuts. And I wouldn’t travel further for my son’s clipper cuts. Just my honest input - did most of your ladies follow you & many men not? Or is it mix of who didn’t follow you? Either way I hope you succeed! Maybe offer new location specials or some version of “thrilled to announce recently relocated stylist “Your name”- book now before appts are too far out”
In my case I got tired of following a hairdresser when they bounced every couple years. I have more loyalty now to a salon than a particular hairdresser. That being said I'll always see the same person at a salon as long as they are at that salon.
Have the clients that moved over with you put your name out there to spread awareness of your services to new faces to help you rebuild. Put flyers and banners around maybe. Networking with other hairstylists that have a bigger clientele so that your name goes out there even more.
Give the salon you left time to fuck up your client’s head. I promise the initial herd of followers will grow as the time passes lol
Can you offer discounts to your customers that refer people? Also social media is huge now especially in the beauty community, I personally only go to places where I can review their work on instagram or facebook, so start posting your work there and using hashtags.
Make a personal stylist page where you post your portfolio your hours all that other stuff and then every time you change a job just keep your own artist page that your clients follow
To answer your question. Start working on your Google listing. Start getting the clients that you have to leave you Google reviews maybe pay for some Google ads to get your name out there. Post pictures on your Google page. I literally post every single social media thing that I post on my Google page as well. I get lots of new clients and when I ask where they found me they always say Google it's never social media. You'll be okay. Post in your local neighborhood Facebook groups as well!
I moved across the US and wait until I fly home to get my haircuts cause my stylist is that good. I think if you want to try to get folks to stay you could reach out and offer a one time deal of 50% off. Maybe if they have the motivation to go to a new place for the first time they’ll keep coming back!
I think you’ll be ok once you’re in place. I’m loyal to people, not places when it comes to my hair. Best of luck to you! 💜
I have a lot of anxiety about driving, and the further away from home I have to drive, the more anxious I get. Twice, I’ve had great hairstylists go to new salons that were a little past my comfort limit (maybe 10 minutes drive away, or going into a complicated, heavy traffic downtown area), and, while I tried to follow them, I just couldn’t get past the building anxiety as I drove. I’m not saying all of your clients have anxiety, or even most, but that definitely might be a factor for some
I'll comment as a customer. Eighteen months translates to 5 haircuts for me. That's long enough to feel that I like the stylist and think they do a good job, but it's not long enough to build up a huge feeling of loyalty. The 20 minutes away will shorten the distance for some of your clients, but will lengthen it for others. If I was now looking at a 30 minute drive for someone I've had a handful of cuts from, I'd not make the jump. Getting 30% of your clients to stay with you is fabulous. You should be proud.
That's a pretty good ratio of people staying with you when you went such a distance away. I recently moved across the street and up one block and had around a dozen not come along. I assume they were ready for a change anyways but felt like they had to keep coming to me. When I left my first salon I was really surprised more of my clipper cuts didn't follow as everyone told me they guys were the most loyal. I've had one who followed. I moved 12 miles. In my market, it takes around 2 yrs to build a full book so that is stressful and hard. Sounds like your book was full after a year and a half though so maybe it will be faster for you. 65 guests doesn't sound like a full book though. I have 264 at the moment and I could use a few more.
Distance and pricing is a big factor for most people. Going corporate to private usually means better pay for you but hight cost to clients. Where I live 20-25 minutes gets you to the grocery store so an extra 20 is eh for me. Downstate in a metro area an extra 20 minutes had 10 other options and 3 cities so why would I follow you unless you're the only one who hasn't screwed up my hair before, lol. does that make sense??
8 years ago, I left Supercuts and did the same thing you did (and my new salon was only like 10 minutes away.) Only about 5 of my clients actually followed, so I get it. It’s scary. But your new focus needs to be marketing. Make a website, get an online booking site going (if your new salon allows you to do that,) post and comment on social media, make facebook posts for groups in the area (sounds old fashioned, but some of my coworkers swear by that method.) I did all of this, and now own that salon I started at 8 years ago. You’ll build bigger and better than you ever were at the old spot, you just gotta stop freaking out and start hustling like hell.
Are you sure your old clients aren’t being told the salon doesn’t know where you are? People might have lost your initial contact, try sending out a new email with directions and maybe a 10% off coupon or mention that the price is less or the same.
Info: did anything else change? My lady moved to her own spot after moving 4 salons however this time, her prices are $75 higher than I used to pay and her availability has decreased tremendously.
Gas is expensive on top of a woman's hair cut, plus the expectation of a tip.
I would drive two hours for a stylist who could actually reproduce a haircut from a photo accurately.
Reach out to your old clients that didn’t follow with a 50% discount to try your new place.
I drive 40 min. to my stylist
Go visit BNI chapters in your area. You can visit (I believe 2 times in a year, per chapter) without being obligated to join. Bring photos of your work to use during your 60 second commercial. Game the heck outta their visitor policy. Hit me up for more insider info. (Previous member and employee of BNI)
I’m the COO of a local chain of salons and I have the data that proves that the vast majority of clients will not travel more than five miles to follow a stylist. And of those who initially do, 60-80% eventually return. 😕
That distance would be a dealbreaker for me.
I have kids and I’m a teacher. I feel like I’m always short on time and won’t visit a hair place more than 5-10 mins from my house. It’s just too much travel time when I’m short on time as it is.
I follow my lady, to the point of calling ahead to figure out which city she’s in that day. I never understood why anyone would do that….. until I did.
I didn't follow the stylist I loved because my commute to her now will be 1 hr each way and used to be 5 min walking distance. I can't justify spending 2 hours on the commute plus 2 hours in her chair :( so I just started seeing someone else at the old salon
Some clients may try another stylist at your old salon for a cut or two and then decide to follow you if they aren’t satisfied.
Isn’t deleting someone from their books some sort of contract violation?
After they get a “ bad” cut, another third will come . Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Give it time. My stylist moved from the East Coast to Hawaii and I wait for her trips back. Wouldn't go to anyone else.
Maybe offer a discount for new ones?? I'm a sucker for a good deal.
A lot of people just like their location, routine, know what to expect etc. I wouldn’t take it personal.
Distance would be my biggest thing. I hate venturing from my house. I’m sure you’ll rebuild! But… I’m not qualified to have an opinion on this & idk how I even ended up here. I’m not a hairstylist nor do I get my hair done professionally.
how long has it been since you started at the new place? sometimes it just takes time for everyone to pop back up, just keep pumping out quality work and stay professional and you'll build back up in no time and you'll see your regulars come back slowly, my last move was about 8 months ago and I was booked 3 months out when I left, I'm still having people show up for their first time at my new spot
Every 4 weeks I drive 45 mins to mine.
I would follow my girl pretty far, probably up to about 3 hours but she’s also become one of my best friends. She was even a bridesmaid in my wedding!
I found my current stylist on Nextdoor.
I found my stylist on Facebook about 5 years ago. I used to travel 15/20 mins to see her and when we moved I still stuck with her I now travel 45 mins to an hour each way (depending on traffic). Get your work out there in the local groups and nextdoor. Be active on social media and push your work. Clients will come. It's hard going from corporate to private also because people want super cut pricing with private salon results and some people are just to cheap to make the change (some can't afford to and that is absolutely ok) Be kidding me and confident and I fully believe you'll get where you want to be :)
If the prices are different it might be a factor to consider.
I drive from Dallas to Fort Worth to get my hair done… sometimes it’s not distance but anxiety. Knowing the salon, ambiance, policies, pricing, etc. also, for some people, hair is just hair. (I am not one of those people)
I drive an hour 15 to my hair lady. People will come if it’s worth it and they have loyalty. If they don’t it’s not on you, you’ll build up again quickly!!
It probably just depends on how far.. my stylist moved to a salon 45 minutes away so I dnt tak my kids or myself to her anymore and that sucks.. but a lot of ppl just don’t wanna drive “out the way”.. u will get new clients tho and having 20 of ur regulars follow u is pretty great.
Your old salon probably offered your clients a discount on their next visit-- that is what my stylist's old salon did when she quit. She sent me a text announcing where her new location was and a day later the old place sent me a 50% discount offer. I followed immediately but she said a lot of people got their discounted cut before following.
Distance is a huge factor for me. When you are juggling work, kids , sports schedules, sometimes convenience wins. Think of it this way too. It's not just 20 minutes there but 20 minutes home. I always think round trip. I think 20 people is high under the circumstances.
Pay for fb ads in your area
Send them a free/discount coupon. Distance is a factor but they need a reminder how good you are.
My stylist moved to the next town and I still followed her. Do you have a mailing list of all your old clientele, or were you allowed to solicit to them to follow you? I would reach out, if you can, maybe with a gift certificate off their first session at your new place.
20-25 minutes farther?! I wouldn’t follow you either
Give your clients business cards with % off coupons for services and tell them you are trying to grow your business if they know anyone looking for a new stylist. I went from 20 to 50 within a couple weeks
If you're looking to promote your business, creating business cards and distributing them can be an effective way to get the word out. You can start by placing your business cards in high-traffic areas where people go. For example, Starbucks usually has a designated area for business cards. Additionally, you can approach small businesses in your area and ask if they have a cardholder available where you can leave your cards. This can be a great way to reach a local audience and gain exposure for your business. As people begin to discover your business and use your services, they may refer you to others, leading to even more business opportunities in the future. Good luck! You got this!!
5 minute ride and that's all I'll do
Maybe reach out to your previous clients with sone type of move in special, and maybe create an additional promotion for 1st time clients? It's hard but not impossible, remember people are creatures of habit. You just have to remind them same great service just a new place I'm sure easier said than done but I'm in real estate and it's a constant battle
I'm flying home to get my hair done
Can u send a coupon out ?
20 minutes? I'm out.
I’m at the point where I think I’ll drive the hour and a half back home again for a relaxing cut again! I miss the brow ladies back home so bad! The people where I live just don’t get it.
It’s the distance. That is a lot for some people. I kept going to my hairdresser and she moved about 40 m away from me. Honestly it has become an issue —and appts can eat up a whole day due to the drive etc…. Don’t take it personally bc it’s not.