You may want to start freelancing but feel hesitant. You ask yourself a stumping question.
How do I build my own clientele?
There is no one easy trick to be fully booked. The reality is that having a solid, loyal clientele takes time. Sometimes years of rapport building and trust needs to occur for your clients to be yours.
First thing is first. You want to decide who YOU are. and who you are servicing. Do you colour, cut, both, neither? extensions, hair toppers, hair loss etc.
it’s okay if you don’t want to niche down, but by not specifying who you are talking to, your reach for new clients can be drowned out.
Get present online. Create your social media accounts. You don’t have to use all of them. But understanding where your clients are online is important.
If you’re on a budget, utilizing a free Google Business Page and optimizing it can be just as effective as website.
Now you need to talk about it. All the time. Utilizing a social media consultant for a brand strategy can work wonders, but that isn’t viable, just talk about yourself, your journey, where you’ve come from and where you want to go.
Clients want to align with a brand, and equally want to not align. Think shoppers buying an iPhone. Brand recognition, reputation, reliability, familiarity. Conversely, people choose NOT to buy an iPhone because they don’t wish to align with their brand.
When clients book in, that is your opportunity to retain them.
Consider assessing your consultation process. How are you adding value to their service throughout, and how are you tackling their pain points.
The biggest thing you can do to build your clientele is to have a strong re-booking culture. A client that has re-booked, is a client that has committed to you. Guaranteed bookings means you do not need to have to spend as much money on marketing to keep getting new clients, just to have them walk out without another booking.
Tips to retain clients
Have a strong consultation process.
Not just hair and scalp conditions, but the journey over several appointments, this builds retention.
Recommend and provide home care. Not only does this supplement the service, and guarantee results, but clients who do purchase products are more likely to be loyal to you. Even if they decide to purchase retail elsewhere.
Consider a welcome email / SMS. You can usually automate these in your POS system. Or you can utilise programs like Mailerlite / Mailchimp.
Gentle yet consistent mail marketing can be utilised for brand recognition, and to promote new promos, services and products.
Summary
There is no easy, one trick to build a clientele. It requires constancy and commitment to each client. Many of these things can be automated, but be sure to keep a personal, and real approach.
