I spent the weekend at ABS 2009, as I’m assuming a good number of you did since the place was packed, especially yesterday. People seemed really excited about all of the fantastic hair education, although one gentleman I encountered just after the floor opened on Saturday at 11am was hunting for the bar—as in needing a morning pick-me-up. Sure enough, he found one.

But what I love is that whenever a dynamic educator starts cutting or coloring at these trade shows, a crowd always forms. Some people videotape an entire haircut so they can create their own DVD and watch it over and over. What a great idea! Others take notes on paper, drawing diagrams of the partings and scribbling down instructions. Some companies save you the trouble by making the DVD of that same hair cut or color available for purchase.

This year, I didn’t see a ton of gimmicks. There were some, but most of what was going on was just solid education. And despite Chicago’s bothersome late March blizzard, I didn’t hear a lot of complaining. Maybe the economy has everyone thinking that this is the time to hunker down and learn. Step up your game to keep attracting clientele. Take hair classes now while you have the “luxury” of slower time at the salon, and you’ll be prepared when clients stop stretching those appointments. A few things that I learned about what’s going on in cut and color surprised me, which I’ll talk about next time.

Argh! Both my schedule and our weather have changed yet again. If you’re planning to take advantage of amazing hair education at America’s Beauty Show (ABS) this weekend in Chicago, please look for me at Modern Salon Booth #2523 from 11am-12noon Saturday and Sunday. Or, just ask someone at our booth anytime, including Monday, to call me to come meet you. I apologize for my schedule upheaval, but don’t blame me for our weather! Bring a parka and umbrella. Yes, I know it’s technically springtime, but what can I say? Every city has its challenges, and we love Chicago anyway.

In an earlier post, I quoted hairdresser/educator Kathy Jager about the importance of attending trade shows because of the educational opportunities. Kathy feels just as strongly about the networking opportunities.
 
“Besides all the new products, tools, techniques and even outlook you can pick up at a beauty show, one of the most rewarding reasons to come is all the people you meet,” Kathy says. “Think about it: everyone there is a beauty professional, and where you have beauty professionals you have conversation. We love to share our insights and ideas with each other; it’s our way of expressing our passion for this industry. You may hear a different point of view, explore a new career direction or learn about an innovative business strategy. Socializing is the greatest parting gift you will receive from attending. The networking possibilities are endless, and the bonding experience can be just what you’ve needed.”

There are many ways to learn new things; our online hair education is just one of them. Another path worth exploring is to be mentored. I’ve done the mentor mention before, but I wanted to bring it up again now because, hey, it’s free! This is the economic climate in which mentor relationships should flourish.

I was also reminded recently of the value of mentoring by the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), which has launched the PBA Cutting Edge Mentor Program to provide mentors to salon owners struggling to grow their salon businesses. I think it’s great that some of the country’s top salon owners are volunteering their services, with only their travel expenses paid for by the “mentorees.” The mentors “are willing to share their passion, inspiration and dedication to help fellow members by acting as professional role models, trusted friends and career advisors,” according to PBA.

While you may not own a salon, you are running your own styling business. When you have someone interested in you who can observe what you’re doing and give you advice one-on-one, you can correct subtle mistakes that you may never have even discovered you were making. The most common person for this role is a veteran stylist in your salon. If the fit isn’t good, try to find a retired hairdresser or someone working in a salon that does not directly compete with yours. And if you’re the veteran, offer to mentor younger stylists around you. It’s rewarding for both of you.

NOTE: I’ve had to change my schedule at ABS this weekend, and I will now be available at Booth #2523 from 12-1pm on Saturday and 11am-12noon on Sunday.

For Chicago, we’ve been having nice weather lately! Whether it lasts or not, next weekend I plan to attend America’s Beauty Show, and I hope you do, too! This is one of the major events for hairdresser education, networking and fun. If you’re there, please stop by Modern Salon Booth #2523. I’ll be on hand to greet you from 12-1pm both Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29. If you have a class during that hour, stop by the booth anytime either of those days and someone will text me on the floor so that I can come by to say hello.

I’d like to quote my friend Kathy Jager (www.kathyjager.com), an endlessly enthusiastic salon professional and author of “As the Chair Turns.” Kathy notes, “Everyone needs education. Period. You cannot grow in this business without learning and relearning all facets of being a beauty professional. Manufactures take pride in developing top-notch educators and leaders to educate you in areas that will benefit your future. Finding a leader you can relate to will encourage you to sharpen your skills whether you’re looking for technical or business guidance.”

I was looking over the list of artists who will be on platform and in classrooms, and you just can’t go wrong no matter where you decide to watch and participate. Not only will the information you gain help you to make clients happy, but the motivation alone that these amazing hair designers inspire is well worth the price of admission.

Hone your hair color skills, because it’s finally spring! Clients equate the first sign of birds and buds with lightening their hair, even if it’s just a touch. Tracey Cunningham, Redken’s creative consultant for color, has some great ideas for giving clients some change “without going too drastic.”

For brunettes, she suggests making the base a lighter shade and then adding highlights. “Think Jessica Beil,” says Cunningham. “She’s a medium base with caramel and honey highlights to brighten up the shade.” The highlight hue for blondes this spring is butterscotch, which is great for adding dimension while keeping the base medium blonde; Cunningham mentions Hilary Duff as the blonde to emulate. “Many of my blonde clients love her color and frequently ask for it, because it’s such a warm blonde!” she reports. This season’s redheads will be the boldest group, but even these clients will choose to stay away from anything too dramatic, predicts Cunningham. Someone like Rose McGowan, with her strawberry red shade topped with gold highlights, is a good model because her color pops in a natural-looking way.

Keep the conversation on hair. Talking to clients about celebrity hair, making a color change and brightening up their lives a little is so much more productive for them than commiserating about the economy. Your clients count on you to provide a pick-me-up, and you can’t go wrong with cheery hair color suggestions. You know what I’ll say next: take a hair color class or two to seal the deal!

With its finger on the pulse of what salons are currently experiencing, The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) has identified a number of trends taking shape during this difficult economy. While the salons do not seem to be outright losing a lot of clients, they are seeing longer stretches between appointments as well as more clients coming in only for cuts and doing their nails and hair color at home. In response, owners and stylists are asking PBA to help them—by holding more advanced hair classes than ever. The professionals want education in everything from technique and innovation to marketing strategies and business management, not just from PBA but from the industry's many continuing education programs.

In addition to seeking more training, according to PBA salons are throwing everything they can at the recession:

• providing client classes in blowdrying and styling their own hair
• paying more attention to promoting retail, including working with product manufacturers and distributors to develop new incentives on products
• evaluating marketing programs that might recruit and retain clients
• taking a supportive, nonjudgmental approach to clients who space out their visits or try another stylist or salon
  

 "At approximately $56 billion in sales for 2008, the overall beauty industry in North America is a significant part of our economy," PBA concludes. "As the economy continues to waver, it is the education, training and personal relationships of professional stylists that help ensure clients continue to return time and time again."

I’m not a big fan of the shaved head on men, but I do like options and that’s one clean option for the guy whose hairline is receding anyway (Chris Daughtry). For young guys who still have their hair, however, come on. They can’t even claim that it’s maintenance-free, since they’re always fighting fast-growing stubble. With so much happening in men’s color and texture, I’m betting that guys are ready to have as much fun with their hair as women do with theirs.

As with women, key to getting men interested in their style is giving them versatility. With the popular mini-faux hawk that guys can push into place or not as they choose, we’ve already seen that men can handle a versatile look. And did you notice Zac Efron on the red carpet during awards season? That guy can take his beatlesque cut, slick it all back and look quite the sophisticated gentleman for a night out. Ditto for Chace Crawford. So if you’re giving a guy those swept, schoolboy bangs, make sure you show him how a bit of product can transform him from Liverpool lad to ’40s matinee idol.

Speaking of Beatles, the other look that never disappears is the rocker. Long, shaggy hair offers versatility, too; guys can tie it back or, with shorter if layers on top, spike it out. Men won’t always let on that they’re into their hair, but show them different ways of wearing their cut and you’ll gain a loyal client.

Anticipating heightened activity due to the recession, a lot of colleges are scrambling to bolster their offerings of online education. “Economic storms historically have prompted more adults to seek shelter in the classroom,” writes reporter Steve Kolowich on chronicle.com. He cites the 2008 Sloan Survey of Online Learning, which predicts that working adults will be very receptive to online educational programs. If you’re here exploring our online hair education, you probably have a good idea why this is becoming increasingly attractive.

First, during a recession all advanced education rises in popularity. Those people who can’t find employment have the time and motivation to improve their skills, while people who are still working seek advanced courses to make sure they continue to be valuable to their employer. Some of them, too, take coursework in a different field just to keep their options open in case their current job disappears.

Unlike in past recessions, though, this time around people can take classes online, making advanced education very compatible with working full-time. Online students work at their own pace, on their own schedule. And it’s affordable; without having to provide a live teacher, programs can offer the classes at a low price, plus of course you don’t have to spend gas money getting there! I believe trade shows and hands-on workshops are worth the money, but in this economy today’s online hair education, with video and step-by-step instruction, presents a great opportunity for hairdressers who want to stay current with styles and techniques.

Last time for your hair education I encouraged you to offer clients some type of change, and recently I happened to be talking to a hairdresser who had a great idea for encouraging (okay, maybe tricking) clients to try a new look. During the consultation, this stylist doesn’t just ask what the client wants to do today. Instead, she opens with a question that reflects three levels of change.

She says something like, “How do you want people to react to you when you leave: ‘Your hair looks a little different but I can’t put my finger on it,’ ‘Your new cut looks really great’ or ‘Wowee zowee!’? I can give you whichever reaction you want.”

I like that method of controlling the discussion for a lot of reasons. It makes the client realize that she’s never invisible; people will notice her hair for good or for bad, so she might as well go for the statement she wants to make. Also, just as an interior decorator would display three drapery fabrics to choose from, as the hair professional you’re limiting the client’s options to three flattering looks instead of letting her become overwhelmed with all of the possibilities out there. And once you settle on the level of change, you then can talk about how to achieve the change—through cut, color, texture or a combination. Get yourself up to speed on the latest hair looks, try this method and please report back to me on how it works!