Yesterday I went to my favorite stylist to get a haircut. While she cut my hair, she mentioned how frustrated she is with her business.
She has too many clients.
In my book, that’s a good problem. Not so, in hers.
Instead of running her business the way she wants, she’s letting her clients take over.
Her main complaint is that a client will call her and expect to get an appointment within the next few days. (I learned the hard way and now book my next appointment before I leave her salon.) She feels bad about turning away clients, so she stays late or comes in early. She’s finally reached the point of burnout and isn’t sure what to do.
We talked about a few things she can do to enjoy her business again.
- Raise prices. She told me that she hasn’t changed her prices in four years. Although I’ll be paying more for a cut, she’s worth it.
- Have a set schedule and keep it. Her need to make everyone happy is making her miserable. She’s working long hours and going home exhausted. By having set hours, she’ll be able to limit the number of clients she works with each week. The clients who value her time and skills will wait for her. Those who don’t, will go somewhere else.
- Be direct with clients. She’s going to let her clients know that they need to book appointments with her early. She’s happy to put clients on a waiting list but can’t guarantee there will be an opening at a time that works for them.
After my stylist makes a few changes, she can focus on why she started her own business…to work her own hours with clients who appreciate her.
