How to Build Clientele as a Hairstylist

You can be an incredibly talented stylist, but to turn your knowledge into a career, you have to keep your customers happy and get them to rebook — which is arguably more difficult than the work itself. 

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be overly complicated. There are six great rules of thumb that I’ve learned over the years that you can use to set yourself up for success and build a long-term, profitable client list. 

6 Ways to Earn Repeat Business and Build a Client List

First off, remember that there will be some clients that are meant for you and some that are not. But don’t fret — there are plenty of people looking for an excellent stylist like you, and they’ll find you if you’re creating the right environment. 

So, how do you do that?

1. Create a Positive Booking Experience

If it’s difficult for clients to see your availability, browse the services you offer, or use your booking form, it’s very likely that they’ll lose interest and not book with you. Especially as attention spans get shorter, you need the booking experience to be as smooth and simple as possible. 

A lot of stylists forget that their booking system is also part of their brand. For most new clients, this is their first interaction with your salon, so having a clean, user-friendly form will help create a positive first impression. If it’s messy or difficult to book, it will only create a sense of confusion and unease.   

If you want clients to feel like their appointment is intentional from start to finish, Boulevard is one of my top choices for booking systems.

Clients love it because:

• The interface is clean and easy
• Appointment reminders are automated
• Clients can clearly see your availability

Stylists love it because:

• The calendar is very customizable
• It helps reduce no-shows
• You can easily take payments
• It’s user-friendly and pretty

If Boulevard isn’t in the budget quite yet, I would recommend starting with cheaper alternatives like Vagaro or Square Appointments.

2. Make Each Appointment An Experience

I’ve heard clients tell me time and time again that when looking for a hairstylist, it’s not just about the hair; it’s equally about their overall experience. 

• Your greeting should be warm and welcoming, so greet your client by name, make eye contact, and smile! 
• A thorough pre-appointment consultation makes clients feel seen and understood. Slow down, repeat back what they said, and ask questions. 
• Keep a modest snack/drink bar. Appointments can often take upward of three hours, so having something to offer your clients really makes them feel seen and appreciated. 
• When a client is in your chair, they should be your main focus. Avoid taking calls, texting, or being overly chatty with co-stylists. 

Doing these things consistently will make your clients feel special, and you’ll stand out in a huge way compared to when they’re in someone else’s chair. 

3. Educate Your Clients 

Some clients will just want you to make their hair look great, but the vast majority of them will gladly welcome your advice on how to keep it looking good between appointments. Whether it’s education on hair health, styling, or product, any additional value you can bring to their session will not go unnoticed.

There will be multiple opportunities to educate your client throughout the appointment, but a great time to do this is when you’re first assessing their hair. 

The hardest part is finding ways to bring this up casually. You don’t want to say, “Wow, I noticed your hair is fried.” Instead, you could say “Have you noticed more breakage than usual?” which can open up a conversation to educate on hair health and safe ways to use heat.

Another form of educating clients is explaining the services you provide in a way that makes sense to clients. If you don’t come across as salesy, this will build their confidence in your abilities and can turn single-service clients into multipurpose appointments (like a color service stacked with a deep condition).

4. Stay Visible

Whenever possible, utilize social media. I know we signed up to do hair and not maintain a dozen social media accounts, but it’s free advertisement. Apart from word of mouth, it’s the most common way clients find their hairstylist. 

If you’re afraid of turning into just another stylist with 50 pictures of someone’s hair on your feed, just note that your posts don’t always have to be hair-related. You might post: 

• Your outfit of the day
• Your favorite hair product
• A video of you working
• A picture of your pet

If you attend any sort of class or continuing education, I would absolutely share it. Showing off your dedication to your craft shows potential clients that you’re truly invested in being the best.

5. Build Real Relationships 

If you’ve been doing hair for a while, you know that you just “click” with some clients and the conversation runs freely. With others, it sometimes takes more effort. 

You don’t need to be every client’s best friend, but you should have a level of respect and care for each person who sits in your chair — and a client that feels seen and cared about is much more likely to come back. 

A few small ways I like to make clients feel remembered:

• Mention something they said during their last appointment
• Ask how their event, vacation, or job interview went
• Celebrate hair goals or milestones
• Send a quick “Thanks for coming in!” message through your booking system
• Follow up after a big change to make sure they’re happy with it

You can also leave notes for yourself to help you remember little details. This is where having a platform like Boulevard is very helpful, since you can pull up a client’s profile and instantly see all your past notes for them.

Building these relationships will take effort, organization, and a few moments of your time, but I promise that it will only build trust, connection, loyalty, and a full schedule. 

6. Rebook Every Time

This is one of the simplest yet most impactful game-changers in keeping your schedule full. It’s also the easiest part to mess up.

What you want to do is create a simple routine for the end of each appointment. Mine looks like this: As I’m removing the cape and they’re gathering their belongings, I’ll ask if they need any products so I can add it to their total, and then I’ll ask them about their availability for their next appointment — and then schedule it before I take their payment. 

The act of paying signals the completion of the appointment for the client, and their instinct is naturally to leave, so rebooking before payment is key to making it feel more natural. 

Efficiently Building a Profitable Client List

Building a clientele can be stressful and frustrating, but I hope these tips will help you get and keep clients. 

• Find a great booking site like Boulevard
• Make each appointment an experience that they remember positively
• Take time to educate your client
• Keep thorough notes about each client
• Promote yourself online
• ALWAYS rebook before check out 

Building a solid clientele doesn’t happen by accident… the habits you build behind the chair, the way you treat your clients, the systems you use, and your consistency are what will set you up for success. 

Whether you’re brand new to the hair world or a seasoned stylist, you have the tools available to you, so put them in motion today.