How much money should I pay / How do I know I'm getting my money's worth for {name of method} Hair Extensions?
I have been getting numerous emails from clients, hair companies and cosmetologists looking to get into hair extensions. The main common questions are "This salon charges the same exact price as the popular methods and I have hardly seen or read about their method." and "This company is charging our salon the same exact price for their hair and I have hardly seen or read about their hair."
It is true that there are countless hair companies promoting their product as the "best in the world", as "the least damaging", "no comparison", etc.
But in my opinion, having done countless methods, what some of my clients call the "best" may be the"worst" to my other clients; and vice versa. Bottom line, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE BEST OR THE LEAST DAMAGING. It is all PREFERENCES.
Keeping this in mind, some of my fellow stylists asks me, "Charlene, why then is this 'never-heard' of mom and pop hair company charging my salon the exact same price for hair as my other company who's more globally/popular known?" The answer? COMPETITION. The rule for any hair manufacturing company is to charge the same as their competition. Otherwise, stylists who will question if this hair is cheaper, it may not be worth it for their clients. Now because stylists are paying the same exact costs for a globally/popular known hair company and for a mom and pop company, stylists feel that they must charge their clients the same.
This is WRONG!
First of all let's compare this to Internet companies. Google, globally/popular known, right? Yahoo!, globally/popular known, right? IMadeItUpSearchEngine, anyone heard of it? Nope. Now, if you are an investor, common sense tells you that Google and Yahoo! stocks are high whereas IMadeItUpSearchEngine's stock is low in comparison.
Now, don't ask me how can you tell if a company is globally/popular known? DO YOUR RESEARCH! THE INTERNET IS YOUR TOOL. Check out magazine articles. Ask the stylist who is selling you the method for the grandfather website.
Now let's discuss what 'stocks' you should pay mom and pop hair companies and globally/popular known companies. For a full head of hair extensions, up to $1500 for mom and pops and for globally/popular known companies $2500 to $5000 for a full head. If you are a stylist, do not charge clients the same even though the price of hair is the same as what you are paying globally/popular known companies.
Stylists, now let's say if a mom and pop company and a globally/popular known company offers classes and their costs is the same. If I were you, I would go with the globally/popular known company. Why? You are part of their global network. They will refer clients to you. They advertise extensively in many top fashion and beauty magazines, TVs. They are very cautious to whom they sell their hair too. Their website doesn't even show hair for sale. They have many salons in their list of referrals. They are worth it. As for the mom and pop company, I would wait till they grow and become more exposed. I would just buy their training videos or books. You may feel that the mom and pop's hair could be better, but the key to a stylist's success is building their business. In other words, if you sold cola which would sell best...and for the SAME EXACT price tag? Pepsi or ColaDrink?
The most important thing for stylists to build their extension business is exposure. Exposure creates more clients. More clients are rewarding and essential to your business.
The most important thing for clients is to feel they got their monies' worth. Do extensive researching before you even schedule your appointment. Asking a stylist references to the grandfather website is a smart thing to do. Never go with a stylist who's pitch is, "this method is the best in the world using the finest hair available". BULL. Because, many tastes are different, there is NO SUCH THING as "a one-size-fits-all and the best and the finest hair/method in the world". Period. Anything discussing preferences in my website is obtained through my experiences. I can reassure you, that I have never, ever high-pressured-sales-pitched any of my clients a method or hair based on my preferences.
CyberMane "turning ordinary hair into an extraordinary mane and never afraid to tell our clients the hard core facts"
