How to increase your average ticket

This is always the catch-22 with an industry like ours. You will benefit from learning new cutting techniques, extensions, or a specific color technique. The AMAZING thing about learning a new technique is you can customize the technique to fit YOUR style.

It will belong to you and you alone. All you need is the foundation, but from there you can build on the technique. You have to think about the long term, not that the class is costing you $500 right now. Yes, it can be expensive, but as long as you are charging correctly, you will make your money back ten fold.

However, please consider doing your research BEFORE investing in your education. The brand needs to be reputable, meet your needs as a stylist, and will serve your clients long term. This is the most important step, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen stylists become frustrated because they invested money and their investment washed down the drain, literally.

Investing in your education is important, but being patient with yourself and showing yourself grace is just as important. You can’t expect to be a master in the beginning. Continuing with persistence, patience, and grace will serve you long term.

I hate to be a realist, but this is true in any aspect of business. Be willing to get no’s before yes’s. The rejection should be a lesson of how to master the selling of your service and yourself.

Also, always continue betting on yourself. Ignore what other people think, what other people say, or what they do. This is the definition of locking-the-f*ck-in. Create a tunnel, create a set of goals with your new skills, and hone in on that new skill. You should be borderline obsessed with what you’re doing.

People will always have something to say, and it’s not always positive. That is the sign that you’re doing something RIGHT.

The best way to accomplish this for yourself and your clients is to be completely transparent. You can explain that they can expect an increase on their regular services and this will set you up to mention the offer of new services.

The new services, you can offer the base price for your area because you are still learning, but after six months to a year— raise them. Do not be afraid to raise your price because you will lose people, but that is okay.

The perspective should not be “why did they leave?” to “they are making space for new clients.” If you begin offering new services that require more time, the space is literally being created for you in front of your eyes, real time. Is there going to be a small lull in your business? Yes. Will it last forever? No.

Regularly increasing your pricing will also keep your clients loyal. I know that sounds insane, but clients who are truly loyal want to see you succeed and if they love you, they are willing to pay anything.

This is the reality of business. No emotional discounting, no ‘feeling bad’ for your pricing because this is your livelihood. This is how you flourish in your life.

I want to say this loud for the people in the back… STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE! How are you going to succeed if you continue to watch others instead of what you’re doing?

The only time you should watch others is to learn, not compete. You will encounter plenty of people who think there is competition and your job is not to react. That’s all they want, a reaction. Stay in your element, stay in your tunnel, lock-the-f*ck-in. The more you worry about what others are doing, the less you’re watching yourself.

Continue learning, educating, and honing your craft. It’s not a competition because we are all on this floating rock together.

Lock-the-f*ck-in. Create. Be awesome. Be delusional. Your life cannot be extraordinary if you don’t already believe and think you are exceptional at what you do.

Give yourself grace and learn new skills by continuing your education. Always continue betting on yourself because if you don’t, nobody else will.

Locking yourself in a box that someone else created for you is not the box you belong in.