9 of the Best Business Tips from Robert Cromeans

Two things are certain when it comes to Robert Cromeans. 1. You’ll almost never spot him without one of his signature hats on his head. And 2. When Robert takes the stage, you know you’re going to walk away with some of the best no-nonsense business tips.

After 30 years in the industry, he knows business. Here are some of Robert’s best moneymaking tips and a preview of what you can expect when he is onstage Aug. 26-28 at THE BTC SHOW in San Antonio, Texas. Buy your ticket today!

1. Remember These 3 Letters: FOV
Frequency of visit is EVERYTHING when it comes to building a salon business. “Increasing the number of times a client comes to the salon is better than an upgrade, better than a take-home sale, better than adding new clients,” Robert declares. “You don’t need thousands of clients. If you have 200 clients coming in seven or eight times a year, you’ll have a beautiful business.”

• The numbers don’t lie. If you have 200 guests, at $60 per visit, coming in four times a year, your service revenue is $48,000. Bump those guests up to six times a year, and you’re looking at $72,000. Boost them to eight times a year and your service income doubles. If you really go for it—say 12 times a year—you’re bringing in $144,000!

2. Step Up Your Retail Game
Struggling to sell retail? Then you probably need to rethink how you phrase your questions. Try one of these: “How many bathrooms are you shopping for?” or “What are you almost out of today?” These aren’t yes or no questions. They prompt the guest to really think about her needs and they lead easily into a productive conversation about products for the whole family.

Hear Robert break down FOV and explain why it’s crucial
to your success in the industry!

3. Diversify the Products You Sell
Make sure you have products on your retail shelves for everyone. “The world is so diverse. You never know who will be walking in your door,” notes Robert. “So you have to offer a variety of products to speak to that diversity. Products with an authentic story. And you must understand what those products do. You can’t sound like a dummy!”

4. Success is a Balancing Act
“If you make the decision to be a salon owner, keep in mind that when you put your name on the door, you’re the coach, the accountant, the cleaner, the motivator, the police and the parent. And you’ll still do hair full time,” declares Robert. “Try to work on your business as much as you will work IN your business. Both are equally important.”

5. Never Underestimate the Power of Becasue
“Because” personalizes the situation and focuses the interaction on your client’s specific needs, and that makes your recommendations irresistible. As in, “Because you’re getting married in three months, I’ll need to see you every six weeks before the wedding to get your color where we want it to be.” “Because you mentioned you’re prone to frizz, we need to make sure you go home with Super Skinny Gloss Drops to control that dryness.”

6. Be a People Person, Always
While major transformations are a great addition to your Instagram portfolio, the truth is most of your client visits are a little trim. “They’re not about big physical transformations. However, they are about emotional ones,” notes Robert. “If you apply yourself—and I’m not talking about your technical discipline—if you’re good with people, you’re going to succeed.”

7. Help Your Clients Look and Feel Like a Million Bucks
“We need to be hitting every client with the ring light and making them feel special. Clients always give you more than you give them with their smiles,” advises Robert.

8. Stop Referring to Her as Her Appointment Time
Always refer to your client by her name and never as your “3 o’clock.” What’s more, try to use her name as often as possible while she’s with you. Names make a connection, and connections are the foundations of our business, shares Robert.

9. Praise Publicly, Coach Privately.
For healthy outcomes in the salon, Robert says to praise your stylists publicly and coach them privately. Acknowledging a job well done is a simple way to ignite passion and motivation for any stylist working behind the chair. When the time comes to reprimand, make sure you do so privately. Doing so will promote a healthy work environment and attests to your capabilities as a salon owner.