It’s complicated.
I was with my hairdresser for over 25 years when she fell in love and up and moved out of state. This had me back on my heels but the stylist she recommended within the salon agreed to “take me on” and I’ve been happy ever since.
And then it happened.
My new stylist went on vacation and while she was gone I realized that I had a conflict with my next scheduled appointment. It would be weeks before I could get in and my hair was in full rebellion mode.
So I made the call that had been three years in the making.
Flashback.
I’m attending a Leadership Intensive (that’s code for self-reflection and harrowing personal growth) and I meet the owner of an amazing hair salon. His business is growing and he has a kick-butt team of stylists. And the more I learn about the salon and its business philosophy, the more I want to go.
The owner says to me in passing that my bob haircut was originated by Vidal Sassoon and was a liberating haircut for women. We talk hair and women’s lib for a short bit and he says before leaving, “If you ever check out our salon, I would recommend Kate. She’s an expert with your type of hair and cut.”
I tuck this in the recess of my mind because I’m secretly dying to go.
But I am loyal.
Flash forward to last week.
I’ve made the appointment and now am sitting in Kate’s chair enjoying my hair consult and am loving all of her insights and suggestions for my haircut. It’s like she’s reading my mind so I give her the green light to work her magic.
She does and I leave a very satisfied (and hip-looking) customer.
Think about the "sale" for a second.
This moment has taken three years to play out. Three years! That’s quite a long game when it comes to marketing.
Did you know, however, that...
Buyers go through almost 60% of the purchasing process before ever talking to sales. (AKA they're "talking" to you through your content.)
-- Ash Ambirge
Translation, this means that websites along with our in-person and digital interactions with clients are doing A LOT of talking.
Yes, the seed had been planted three years prior to me making the appointment.
Yes, I did check out the salon website before making my appointment.
And, yes, the website spoke volumes.
Let’s break the steps down.
Three years ago I’m impressed with the owner.
He plants a seed of the stylist that would be a good fit for me.
I visit the website and discover:
- The salon is up with the times
- I am greeted with a questionnaire that asks me questions about what I’m looking for with my first experience.
- The videos on the website introduce me to my stylist prior to our in-person meeting so I feel like I already know her.
- The salon embraces gender neutrality.
- The design of the website and pictures of the building scream modern and innovative.
And they primarily did all of this without any in-person interaction.
The salon sent me a lot of nonverbal messages, and ultimately it called to me like a magnet.
So what does this mean?
It means that we better pay attention to non-verbals and begin being intentional about the message we send out. Recognizing the cues we send is critical!
Warning.
Next week I’m scheduled to get my hair colored so be prepared for a follow-up post on what else this awesome salon is doing!
Your co-pilot (who is still coming to terms with cheating),
P.S.
What Nonverbal Cues Are you Sending Out?
It’s time for you to consider the cues that you are sending out both digitally and in -person. Understanding how you are perceived is a game-changer.