Pay to play

Show tickets for salon international were 20 BP, about $40. Just about the same as a ticket to a show here. Classes were extra. There was a list of many classes, all for extra cost. The list was long. The names were big names in our industry. The prices were high by my assessment. It is interesting to me that show attendees here would balk at paying for off the floor education and really balk at prices like the equivalent of $150 for a 2 hour presentation. But at Salon International the classes sold well and were attended well. What does that say about the value placed on education both here and there? What does that say about the show model here in the U.S.?

Non-commercial hair

Once again travel and exposure proves to be educational and motivational and inspirational. Just walking the floor at Salon International in London, U.K. has made me a better haircutter. How many shows will you hear me say that about? So often we look at stage work as non-commercial and less than applicable to our daily lives behind a chair. It is easy to dismiss a haircut, a look or a technique as “not my market”. Well then, just whose market is it anyway? It is your market if you want it. We need to be comfortable pushing change if we are to see clients willing to go down a new, inspired and creative road with us. I saw many haircuts walking the floor at Salon International that you would have easily dismissed as non-commercial. You might say, “just a minute, those are show attendees… that is not the haircut buying public”. First, someone cut it for them… so someone WAS a customer. Next, you lead by example… if you will not wear something bold do not expect a client base of bold cuts. There are always those within your client base asking for then new and the fresh. There are those who can be led there. There are those who will need a bit of a push to get there. And, of course, there are those who will never go there. You will never know, unless you get pushing. Find the limits and push the boundaries. It is better for the client to offer up some resistance to your pushing than for you never to have pushed the boundaries.

Hair Tattooing

Get your trimmer out and get ready. Hair tattooing is becoming more popular every day. If you are not doing it now, you will. If you are already doing a bit of it, you are an early adopter here in the U.S. You are leading the pack. Get your practice in now and be prepared for the added traffic, sales and new clients it will bring. Just like the ability to cut a strong flattop, crisp, clean and creative trimmer design work will bring new client referrals. My suggestions would be to start simple and work your way t more intricate designs. Start with lines and curves. Work your way up to geometric designs. Be prepared to make the jump to sports team logos, cartoon characters and much more intricate designs. Be ready at the cash register too. Be prepared to charge additionally for this frequently time consuming add-on service. Do not be shy about the $. Use a realistic reflection of the value of your time and efforts. At the Salon international show I described the hair tattooing we were doing on stage as motivational and inspirational. The designs I was creating were motivational, that is to say that show attendees would see me working on a design and say to themselves, “Hey, I can do that”. MK and Kevin’s work was more inspirational, that is to say, an attendee would look at the design work they were doing and say, “some day I MIGHT be able to do that!” practice is the key, along with a host of tricks of the trade that MK was sharing from the platform. I was listening. I cane home both motivated and inspired and have created a few very cool designs in the last 2 weeks.

Hair Tattooing

My last visit to Salon International was a big introduction to the popularity of Hair tattooing... We see some of it here… more of it over there. Last year even I did a little… This year I did a lot. The Andis booth was the juxtaposition of motivation and inspiration. The designs I was doodling into heads were motivational… a show attendee watching me would think, “Hey, I can do that”… motivated to buy a trimmer and try it. The much more intricate and complicated designs done by both MK and Kevin were purely inspirational… “If I practice, maybe I can do THAT!” There is a big difference. The lesson is universal to clipper cutting and the beauty industry. Try it. Practice it. Some day soon you can be really good at it.

Show me

I am writing this on the long plane flight back to the U.S. from the Salon International show in London, U.K. If you are serious about cutting hair you need to go to a show outside the U.S. There is so much more out there than what we are exposed to in our own country. Don’t get me wrong. It is not an issue of good or bad, right or wrong or worse or better… it is all about different. Last year was my first time to a show in Europe. It was all new. So much new in fact that there was just too much there to take it all in and way too much for me to isolate specific differences… it was ALL different. This time I could both recognize familiar things from my last visit as well as really SEE some things in stark contrast to what we see at our shows. In the next few blog entries I will get specific about what I have seen and my impressions. Meanwhile, get on the web. Pick a show and start saving your tips. Wow! There are great things to see and experience out there.

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Get this book now. Read this book now. I just found it on the shelf at the library when I was looking for reading material for the long flight to London for Salon International. I am only about of the way into it, but I already know it is a must-read for today’s salon professional. I have read several other titles by Seth Godin. They have all been relevant to our industry and filled with information that you can turn into cash. FREE Prize inside! is the title. Read it and email me to tell me what you will do with the information in the book to innovate in your business, job and career.

My T-Out gets bumped

I have been traveling with a fairly consistent set of tools for a few years. I have a few padded thermal lunch cooler bags left over from my KENRA days. They offer some padding and protection for my tools, beyond my world famous gym socks. One bag has a set of 3 Experience tools for full service events. One bag has a set of open line goods for non-full service events. The open line bag has been stocked with BGRc, Improved Master and T-Outliner, the basic, classic, world class barbering trio. I recommend that these three tools are the barbering trio of choice for all serious men’s haircutters throughout North America. Just last week I gave away my T-out as a sample to a barber from Barbers Only magazine at the end of the Premiere show in Birmingham, AL. My plan was to grab up a new one when I got back to the factory the following day and restocked my tool kit for my next adventure. I was reloading my bag and reached for a T-Out. I paused for a second and then made the grab. But I grabbed the Styliner M3 instead. The new Styliner M3 has been hot selling and very well received. It is the most powerful, most durable and most expensive trimmer we have ever offered. The best should use and feature the best. I just need to start lobbying for my square blade one. Everyone knows I am one of the one in five Outliner users who prefer the square blade. I just might have to start lobbying my friends in engineering or the model shop to hatch me a one-of-a-kind Styliner M3SQ. Keep your eye on my bag and keep a lookout for what is in my hand. You never know, you just might spot a one-of-a-kind.

Have one class, have another

I was invited to present a class, but no haircutting, just clipper care and maint. and clipper selection and newest and latest in clipper technology. No problem. An instructor from the school told me a few years back that they did not want a guest clipper cutter hot shot coming in and showing off all kinds of tricky things and leaving them to re-train all the bad habits I would surely bring to the students. I can respect that. There is no question that some of what I share is a bit unorthodox, hey, that is what MOST come to see anyway. But, an instructor with a solid program, having put a lot of effort into students, might just have reason to be a bit leery of me and my shtick. So I went. I did a class. The program went well. The students were receptive and energized. The next day the phone rang. Hey, could you come back and do a haircutting program? Apparently they liked what they saw. Nothing beats an energetic sampling of your goods or service. The day after the cutting class at the school I get a call from a local salon wanting a class. A student from the class is a receptionist at a local shop and was raving. I was invited to come to this school regularily to present to ALL haircutting classes. And so it grows. It is just like referrals behind the chair. Do good. Offer solid information and service and the new business will come running. It is nice to see that some things do not change.

Had me a Kewpee

They pointed the Kewpee out to me when I was downtown Racine for the mowhawks event for the dragon boat team. I have never been there or heard of the Kewpee. Apparently it is a famous burger stand in Racine. Not open at night. I was to be in downtown Racine for a class so I made a point of a visit. I now know what all the hoopla is about. It was nasty, greasy and wonderful. The restaurant features stools around a low counter, a few tables, and a simple menu on a letter board on the grill vent hood. Definitely, low tech and simple. I was amazed that they take credit cards. I would add Kewpee to the list of Racine, WI must-dos. I am not sure if there is anything else on the list, though.

The long and the short of it

This week was Premiere, Birmingham, AL. The show season looks to be very similar to this past spring. While I am busy working on making hair shorter there is a lot of emphasis on the show floor on making hair longer. Hair additions, extensions weaves and wigs continue to take up a lot of space on the floor. Andis and I are even in the game to the extent that the NEW Lola and Ruby textureizing guide combs set have 2 cutter guards that are ideally suited to blaending extensions into natural hair. The big guys on the liquid side are either noticeably absent or just small and quiet. Small to mid sized, B, C, or even D brands are getting attention. There was a booth from a little liquid company I have never heard of at the end of an aisle where two guys were demo cutting. The floor was ankle deep in hair and the crowd was twelve deep in spectators. And, sorry to say it guys, but these guys were nobody. With so many shops dissatisfied with the big boys, it is easy for the little guys to make a very powerful connection with stylists. I think the industry is ripe for a relevant C or a D brand to make a big push to the forefront.
Clipper cutting continues to rock. My classes were full. I shared a classroom with the guys from barbers only magazine and they presented some great programming too. I had to give them my T-Outliner when the day was done. I saw one of their T-outs was old, beaten up and held together with tape. I was kidding the guy about it. He would not part with it, though as he said it is a good old friend and special to him. It is great to see and hear that kind of passion for Andis tools. My flat top demo drew the expected largest crowd of the weekend. The 4 minute fade is fast becoming an attendee favorite too. The reverse blend taper cut is still my signature class. It is a good thing that audiences love it because it is likely my favorite thing to demo as well, so I will likely be sharing it for years to come.