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How to LOVE & be the BEST BARBER - Zay's Barber Supply

Make Goals


Sit down and think about what you want from this career. What is your end goal? What do you really want to achieve? Do you want your own shop? Do you want to be an educator? Do you want to be the busiest barber in your shop? Do you want a Mercedes to drive around in? Sit down and write five different things that you want to achieve. Do it right now, I can wait while you do.

Actualize Those Goals


Now that you have some goals you have to break down how you are going to about making them come true. You want to be the best barber in your shop? How are you going to make every single fade that you put out look like the best Instagram photos that you have ever seen? Do your fades look like that?  Write down five ways that you can make your five goals come to fruition. Pick the one goal that you are most excited about and pick one of the five ways that you can make that goal happen and start to do it. Maybe it is as simple as asking one of your co-workers how they make their edge ups so damn crispy. Maybe it is time to get yourself involved in barber battles. I’m going to get very Nike on you, and say, “Just do it.” Start with one goal, and one way, and next week start with another goal and another way. As you start to achieve your goals, sit down and make more of them. Repeat.

How does happiness come into this?


There is nothing better than seeing your dreams come true. There is no better feeling than making it happen.

Where do you get the energy to do this?


This comes from inside you. Find a reason that you want to succeed. Maybe you want to be able to provide for your family, maybe you want a new pair of sneakers every month. If it fills you with creative energy and ambition, make it work for you.

 

The 5 HABITS EVERY BARBER needs to AVOID - Zay's Barber Supply

Five areas where you might be having trouble and offer solutions to these trouble areas so that you can make a quick turnaround.

BEING LATE

Even if you are the hottest barber ever, full chair every day, all day, a celebrity in your city, being punctual, and early when you can be will show your customers that you care about how their day runs.

If you are on appointments and are running behind, be sure to mention, or have someone mention this to your customers as they arrive. If you are constantly behind, consider booking fifteen minutes more for each client.

If you are behind by an entire client, recommend someone in the barbershop that has the time.

Create a habit by arriving at work very early for two weeks. Bring a task (social media, cleaning your station, learning something from a co-worker) and do that while you wait for your shift to start.

THINKING YOU’RE BETTER THAN

You’re the hottest barber you’ve ever seen. Your clients sing your praises to the gods. Everything haircut you push out is gold pure.

I’ve yet to meet a barber that can’t improve some part of their game. You might be the best barber in your shop, the fastest, the one with the smoothest fade.

Are you the best in your city? Or your state? The country that you live in? Maybe you are. I know that I’ve been in the hair industry for sixteen years, but that doesn’t mean a thing to me.

If you’re the best barber in your shop, are you teaching the people in your shop? Are you pushing yourself to have the best customer service in your shop? Are you trying to add to the environment of your shop?

We all have to find that edge, that special place that brings the best out of us. Doing this for an everyday job might seem insane to you.

 

BEING ALL ABOUT THE MONEY

Let’s be real here, we’re all in this for the money. Without the money we’re homeless and living on the street. Barbering, however, is about people. You have to have a certain sense of empathy when you’re dealing with another person.

We’re talking about feeling in a predominantly male industry? Yes, we are. Without thinking about the clients in your chair, you are just going through motions.

So, during those moments when you’re just worried about your car payments, step back, breathe, and look at the job that you are doing. If you are pushing out garbage haircuts, even at a low price point, you are damaging your reputation.

I always say to my customers, “You pay me to care about your haircut,” and I mean it. If you don’t care, get out of the business.

NOT CARING ABOUT HYGIENE

I hope I don’t have to write about this one too much, but cleanliness is part of our profession. Wear clean clothes, brush your teeth regularly, manicure your nails, keep your hair and beard on point.

If you are too lazy to do this...quit this job altogether.

If you are too lazy to take care of yourself, I imagine you are too lazy to take care of others. Too lazy to clean your equipment properly, just too lazy.

So quit.

NOT TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

GRIND. That is what I hear coming from our industry. Rise and grind all day long and you will become rich and famous.

If you’re young make a habit out of taking care of yourself mentally and physically because being young doesn’t last forever, and even if you’re young health issues can still creep up on you.

 

7 TIPS to MAKE YOUR Customers COMFORTABLE

When someone walks through the door it is one of the most important times in your service.

 

Greeting a customer in a way that they feel comfortable in your space differs from one person to the other, but there are certain guidelines that one can follow to help people feel more at home in your barbershop.

 

LOOK AT IT FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW

Studies have shown that the anxiety level of a new client walking into a barbershop situation is high with ‘someone ignoring them’ listed as the major complaint. I don’t know when the last time you were as customer in a barber shop, but take a moment now to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and think about how you would react if you were ignored walking into a shop. I recommend that you go to another shop the next time you are on vacation and see how you are greeted, and take a look at the service you are given so that you can see what it is like to get a good or bad service.


GREET SOMEONE WITHIN THE FIRST TEN SECONDS

Everyone wants to feel important. It doesn’t matter if your barbershop is a walk-in establishment or by appointment only, you should either acknowledge someone right as they walk in the door, or have someone that greets them for you. Whether this is an apprentice or receptionist it doesn’t matter you should make sure everyone through the door feels like they are welcomed and appreciated. Do you best not to just yell hello at them, keep things tempered and ask them how they are doing and how you can help direct them.


EYE CONTACT AND A SMILE

Look up and grab the customers eyes and if you are feeling up to a little smile, smile. This creates an immediate sense of welcoming to anyone that crosses through the doors of your establishment. If you are too busy with another customer let them know that you will get to them ASAP. Fair warning, don’t flash fake smiles, because those are insincere and people can see right through that. It’s okay to just acknowledge someone and let them know they are special, but if you can do it with a smile that is genuine, it will go a long way.


BODY LANGUAGE

Do your very best to turn towards the customer and have a relaxed but erect body posture. This instills a sense that you are confident in who you are, as well as ready to help the person that you have just turned to address.


A WARM GREETING

“Good morning”, “Good afternoon”, or “Good evening”, followed by a, “How can I help you today?”, or “How are you today?”, or any variation on this theme is a great way to start a conversation with someone. “Welcome”, or “Welcome back” is a wonderful way to start out as well.  These greetings are to the point and will help your customer feel great about themselves. If you have the time and want to be a little more inventive with your greeting, feel free to let loose with a “Good day kind sir,” or a “Very kind of you to come in today, how we can be of service,” it is all up to you in how you present yourself and your establishment.


NAME-CALLING

If you know the customer, say their name right away. Nothing makes me feel more at home than walking into a place and having someone look me in the eyes with a smile and welcome me with my name. That alone will get me coming back time and time again. If you aren’t good at remembering names, there are many memory tricks that you can work on, find one that works for you and start trying to implement it. I try and add people to my social media and then spend a little time browsing their profile. The next time they come in I have an idea of who they are and it helps me bring their name to mind.


INTRODUCE YOURSELF

My name is...

 

Make it an unforgettable experience.