Tag: Creative Images

Happy Client, Happy Life

Eight Ways to Keep Your Clients Happy

Hairstylist finishing curling her clients' hair. Client is smiling and happy.
A happy client leads to a repeat client.

Whether you’re a nail technician, esthetician, or hairstylist, a healthy roster of happy, repeat clients can make or break your business. Not only do regularly returning customers help you maintain a steady income, the effort expended to keep them satisfied is significantly less than the time and expense of marketing to replace them. If you want to ensure that valuable clients book services with you again and again, consider these suggestions to keep them happy.

Name is the Game

1. Remember your client’s name—and use it often. You may be the most talented artist at the salon, but if you treat your customers like nameless mannequins, they won’t be coming back. Greet each client by name and repeat it often while they’re in your chair. While you’re at it, take time after the appointment to jot down a few points about your client’s life that you can use in conversation on the next visit. A few things to note: job, family, health, hobbies, significant other, or travel plans.

Compliments are Key

2. Look for things you can compliment your client on. If your customer comes in with a healthy glow, comment on it. If her hair is thick, curly, exceptionally soft, or has a beautiful natural color, comment on it. Genuine compliments –of any kind– make clients feel seen and special. It also shows that you’re attentive and detail-oriented which are always a good sign of a cosmetologist.

No to the “No”

3. Avoid saying “no” to clients. Instead of telling a customer you won’t provide a certain service, don’t use certain products, or can’t reproduce a particular look, tell her what you can and will do. No one likes to be told they can’t have what they want, but most people are happy to learn about better alternatives.

Eye Contact

4. Make time for eye contact while you work. It’s easy to get caught up in the task at hand, but at least periodic eye contact with your client is necessary, especially if you have one who likes to converse while in your chair. This shows that you’re paying attention and actually listening to what he or she has to say. Don’t believe me? Check this out this article on 5 Reasons Why Eye Contact is Important.

One Task at a Time

5. Avoid multi-tasking. Don’t take phone calls, send texts, chat with other stylists or go on your lunch break. Yes, you read that right. Hair color takes awhile to process but instead of leaving your client to squeeze a meal in, use that time to catch up and really get to know them. This will also allow for you to keep a close eye on the treatment and ensure that they are not over-processing or having a skin reaction. The last thing you want is for your client to need you and you not be around for them. Focus your attention on your client and they’ll know you’re giving their service 100 percent.

Sharing is Caring

6. Share maintenance and styling tips. Whether your client is just getting a trim, her usual facial or manicure service, or going all in on a completely new style, don’t hesitate to share your knowledge! From the products you’re using to the best way to hold the curling iron, they’ll appreciate your tips for maintaining and replicating the results. This shows that you genuinely want your client to be happy both at the salon and at home which generates loyalty yet again. Treat your client like a friend and not a dollar amount.

Flexibility= Loyalty

7. Accommodate last-minute requests. It won’t always be possible, but if one of your repeat clients needs a last-minute appointment, squeezing him or her in for service is virtually guaranteed to generate customer loyalty. People don’t always remember what you did or what you said but they always remember how you make them feel.

Make Them Feel Special

8. Extend a special offer. If your salon or spa manager gives approval, consider extending occasional special offers to your best clients. Whether it’s a small percentage off, a complimentary add-on service or a free product after a certain number of visits, everyone loves a discount and evidence that you value their continued patronage.

By Angela Rose for Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology

Give a Little Love This Holiday

It may be the season of giving but a lot of us are still struggling with trying to find ways to give outside of just leaving gifts under the tree. Check out this blog for some easy but meaningful ways to give back to loved ones and to your neighbors. Here are six good deeds you can do this holiday season.

The holidays are a natural time to practice kindness and generosity. After all, an American essayist, Hamilton Wright Mabiea once said, “Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” At Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology, we’re planning to spend the next 52 weeks showering our staff, cosmetology students and clients with appreciation as well as extending a helping hand to our neighbors, family and friends. If you want to join in, we’ve put together a list of simple good deeds to get you started.

1. Donate a Toy to Toys for Tots
Founded back in 1947, the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots charity has since distributed 548 million toys to 251 million children. Local Toys for Tots campaigns are conducted annually in over 800 communities through the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. This holiday season, Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology is collecting toys for the program. Bring a new, unwrapped toy to one of our beauty school campuses and we’ll even give you 10 percent off a beauty service.

2. Save Your Pop Tabs for Ronald McDonald House Charities
Since 1974, Ronald McDonald House Charities has helped millions of families with sick children find comfort and support during challenging times by providing meals and housing near treatment hospitals. This year, Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology began collecting pop tabs (from cans) for the charity—and you can help. Gather pop tabs from your family, friends and neighbors and drop them off at one of our beauty school campuses.

3. Give Your Old Mascara Wands to Wands for Wildlife
Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology is also a drop off point for used mascara wands. Instead of tossing them in the trash when you do your monthly makeup bag clean out, bring them to one of our beauty school campuses. We’ll pass them on to Wands for Wildlife, a program run by the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge. They’ll use the wands to remove fly eggs and larva from the fur of animals in their care. Just think, your old mascara wand could have a second life combing a bunny, possum or baby duck!

4. Buy Your Holiday Gifts Through AmazonSmile
If you’re like millions of other shoppers, you’re probably going to order at least one gift through Amazon this year. But did you know you can give to charity in the process? Doing so is easy. Just log into your Amazon account through AmazonSmile and choose a charitable organization. Amazon will then donate 0.5 percent of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to that charity. This isn’t just a holiday thing either. You can help out your favorite charity with every purchase all year long.

5. Adopt a Military Family Through Soldiers’ Angels
Founded in 2003, Soldiers’ Angels has a 98 percent efficiency rating with most of every donation going towards program services. In 2017 alone, the charity provided over $17 million in aid to over 360,000 service members, veterans, wounded heroes and military families. During the holidays, they run an adopt-a-family program for military and veteran families who might not otherwise be able to afford to celebrate. There are currently more than 300 families waiting for adoption. Visit their website to learn more.

6. Send Holiday Cards to Lonely Seniors
Not every elderly person has children and grandchildren to care for them. Some are widows and widowers as well, and often find themselves spending the holidays alone. Even living in a senior community may not be enough to alleviate their loneliness. According to Love for the Elderly, 90 percent of seniors living in nursing facilities report feeling isolated and depressed. But you can help! Join Love for the Elderly’s Letters of Love campaign and the charity will distribute the letters and cards you write to seniors in need of a little holiday cheer.

By Angela Rose for Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology

Our Scholarship Winner- Lisa Buchhalter

Record number of annual Joe Francis Haircare Scholarship awards are announced.

Minneapolis, MN – November 15, 2018 – This year, 34 students from across the United States received
a $1,200 from the Joe Francis Haircare Scholarship Foundation. The scholarships are awarded directly toward tuition costs for cosmetology education. Over the past 21 years the Foundation has awarded 384 scholarships and given close to a half million dollars in scholarships. Congratulations to the 2018 recipients and to their schools! This year’s scholarship recipients are:

Zakeya Batteast, Panache Academy, Baraboo, WI
Brenna Bingham, Avalon School of Cosmetology, Layton, UT
Kennedy Bolden, Schuler School of Cosmetology, Greenville, SC
Kelsey Brack, Hays Academy of Hair, Salina, KS
Annie Bromberg, Summit Salon Academy, Tacoma, WA
Lisa Buchhalter, Creative Images, Dayton, OH
Mackenzie Castro, Elite Academy of Hair Design, Bellaire, OH
Camille Clancy, Paul Mitchell School, Lakewood, CO
Tracy Clark, Urban Barber College, Concord, CA
Janelle Daley, American Barbering College, Louisville, KY
Sarah Dilallo, Shearego, Rochester, NY
Inga Evans, Academy of Cosmetology, Bozeman, MT
Blessings Fandi, Bella Capelli Academy, Pittsburgh, PA
Mariah Fowlkes, Long Island Beauty School, Hauppauge, NY
Tiffany Gess, Empire Beauty, Flagstaff, AZ
Dalel, Gonzalez, Savanah Tech College, Hinesville, GA
Addison Hiatt, Toni & Guy, Albuquerque
Brittany Hollis, Summit Salon Academy, Lexington, KY
Joy Khoury, Kaizen Beauty Academy, Pembroke Pines, FL
Gabrielle Kreider, Rudaes School of Beauty Culture, Fort Wayne, IN
Courtney Learned, Paul Mitchell, Normal, IL
Yvette Leija, LaJames Beauty School, Davenport, IA
Carolyn Lutz, Century College, White Bear Lake, MN
Janelle Daley, American Barbering College, Louisville, KY
Sarah Dilallo, Shearego, Rochester, NY
Inga Evans, Academy of Cosmetology, Bozeman, MT
Blessings Fandi, Bella Capelli Academy, Pittsburgh, PA
Mariah Fowlkes, Long Island Beauty School, Hauppauge, NY
Tiffany Gess, Empire Beauty, Flagstaff, AZ
Dalel, Gonzalez, Savanah Tech College, Hinesville, GA
Addison Hiatt, Toni & Guy, Albuquerque
Brittany Hollis, Summit Salon Academy, Lexington, KY
Joy Khoury, Kaizen Beauty Academy, Pembroke Pines, FL
Gabrielle Kreider, Rudaes School of Beauty Culture, Fort Wayne, IN
Courtney Learned, Paul Mitchell, Normal, IL
Yvette Leija, LaJames Beauty School, Davenport, IA
Carolyn Lutz, Century College, White Bear Lake, MN
Amber McWeay, Paul Mitchell, Roswell, GA
Stevie Milbridge-Scott, WI Indianhead Tech School, Superior, WI
Michael Owens, Rudy & Kelly Academy, Virginia Beach, VA
Barbara Palomares, Paul Mitchell, Arlington, TX
James Puertas, Paul Mitchell, Provo, UT
Martha Rodriguez, Houston Training School, Houston, TX
Lindsey Schiro, Paul Mitchell, Tampa, FL
Crystal Scott, Paul Mitchell School, Jacksonville, FL
Tarneda Seals, Chanell Ardor School of Beauty, Madison, WI
Leah Smothers, Toni & Guy Academy, Shoreline, WA
Crystal Stevens-Benson, Rocky Mountain Academy, Glenrock, WY

Each scholarship recipient demonstrated a strong commitment to complete his or her
barber/cosmetology education, as well as financial need. The Joe Francis Haircare Scholarship Foundation memorializes the life and achievements of Joe Francis, founder of The Barbers Corporation and the franchise systems: Cost Cutters, City Looks Salons, and We Care Hair, now Regis Corporation subsidiaries. Joe Francis’ story is literally one of rags to riches, beginning his first job as a shoeshine boy for a local barber school. His labors eventually led him to enroll as a barber student where his entrepreneurial spirit flourished and his lifelong career in the industry took off. He built state of the art hair salons and began franchising first as The Barbers Hairstyling for Men and Women, Inc. He took his company public and established The Barbers Corporation. The barbers grew to 1,200 franchise hair salons in the United States and Europe. Joe began with a one-chair barbershop, a self-made man who never forgot his early struggles and continuously looked for ways to help others find opportunities in the hair industry.

Joe Francis was inducted posthumously into the National Barbers Hall of Fame. “The Scholarship Foundation was Joe’s dream. We have awarded 384 talented hairstylists and barbers with scholarships and we look forward to continuing our support of careers in the industry,” explained Florence Francis, widow of Joe Francis, Chairwoman, and Co-Founder of the Foundation. Joe’s daughter, and President of the Foundation, Barbara Francis, announced, “My Father worked tirelessly to strengthen the industry and elevate the hairstyling profession. He believed it offered a path to self-fulfillment and reward. He was determined to help deserving individuals launch their career. He wanted to give back to an industry that gave him so much.”

Applications for future scholarships are accepted from January through June 1st of each year, with
award notifications made each September. For more information, visit the Foundation’s web site:
www.joefrancis.com or email: contact@joefrancis.com

Do’s and Don’ts to Nail Your Next Interview

Do you ever get nervous for your interviews? Good! Being nervous means you care about how you’ll do which is first step when it comes to starting something new. In this article, you will learn not only how to work through those nerves but also how to nail your next interview!

A job interview is much like a first date. While it’s nerve-wracking and unlikely to go exactly as planned, it’s also your only chance to make a good impression. Fortunately, your education at Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology has provided you with the technical skills necessary to succeed in a hairstylist, esthetician or nail technician job. Now you just need to present your best professional self to land that position. Take note of these do’s and don’ts and you’ll have a new cosmetology job before you know it.

1. Do learn everything you can about the salon or spa before your interview. Whether you look the company up online through Google, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, check it out in person, or call the front desk for information, thorough research into the salon or spa you’re considering can help you decide if it’s really a place you want to work. You can also use what you learn during the research process to impress the interviewer with your knowledge of the company.

2. Do dress appropriately. While the beauty industry is a creative one, and dress code often varies by location, the outfit you choose to wear to your interview should demonstrate your respect for the opportunity. Did you happen to see any pictures of current salon or spa employees while doing your research? If so, those images can give you clues on how to dress. In general, it’s wise to avoid anything too tight, short or low-cut. If in doubt, ‘business casual’ is usually a safe option.

3. Do arrive on time. If you’re late to the interview, the salon or spa owner may assume you’ll be late to work as well. Not sure how long it will take you to drive there? Do a test run a day or two before the interview and plan your travel time accordingly. That said, you don’t want to arrive too early, either. If you get to the location more than 10 minutes before your interview is scheduled to begin, wait in your car to avoid making anyone feel rushed.

4. Do ask thoughtful questions. Yes, the interview is an opportunity for the salon or spa owner to learn more about you. But it’s also a chance for you to get details about the job that you couldn’t find online. Some of this information may even help you decide whether or not to take the job should you get an offer. Good questions to consider include:

• “What traits do your most successful employees share?”
• “How do you define success?”
• “How long do your employees work for you on average?”
• “Why did your last hairstylist/esthetician/nail tech leave the position?”
• “How would you describe a typical day in this role?”

5. Do follow up after your interview. To this day, nothing beats an old-fashioned, handwritten thank you note. Mail one as soon as possible, but don’t hesitate to follow up by email a day or two after your interview as well. Just thank the salon or spa owner for his/her time, reiterate the reasons you’d love to work there, and ask if there is any additional information you can provide to help with the hiring decision.

6. Don’t give in to nerves. Even if this is your very first salon or spa job, you need to project an aura of confidence if you want to make a good impression. Avoiding fidgeting (such as tapping your foot or twirling your hair) during the interview. Sit up straight, but don’t sit too stiffly. Keep your arms loose and relaxed rather than crossed. The right body language can go a long way towards convincing your interviewer of your professionalism.

7. Don’t forget to practice answers to difficult interview questions. To avoid rambling and keep your answers clear and succinct, it can be helpful to practice your responses in advance. Recruit a friend to help you polish your answers to common questions such as:

• “What can you tell me about yourself?”
• “Why should we hire you?”
• “Why did you leave your previous employer?”
• “What are your greatest strengths/ weaknesses?”
• “What are your goals for the next five years?”

You want your answers to show that you are honest, self-aware and passionate about the beauty industry. And you want to avoid distracting fillers such as “um,” “so,” “like” and “you know” in your responses.

8. Don’t speak poorly about previous employers or coworkers. It’s very likely that you’ll be asked why you left your last job, even if it wasn’t in the beauty industry. Even if you gave notice because every second of every day there was a nightmare of epic proportions, avoid saying this in your interview. You might also want to remove any negative comments of that sort from your public social media profiles, if you haven’t already done so.

9. Don’t ask about pay or benefits until you’ve been offered the job. Employers want beauty industry professionals who want to work at what they love, not just for a paycheck. You’ll have plenty of time to negotiate your wages and benefits after you’ve received an offer. In the meantime, however, it is acceptable to ask about the schedule and other logistics. After all, there’s no point in accepting a position with days or hours that ultimately won’t fit with your other commitments.

10. Don’t turn into a pest. Salon and spa owners are busy. Even if they’re eager to fill an available position, it can take awhile for them to make an employment decision. While reasonable follow up shows you’re proactive, professional and passionate about the opportunity, repeated phone calls and dozens of emails will cause nothing but annoyance. Remember: desperation is never attractive whether on a first date or during your job search.

By Angela Rose for Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology

Charity of the Month- Needy Basket

Hello, beauty babes! As part of our CIIC mission, we make it a priority to help better the community around us. Starting October 1st, Creative Images will be hosting a canned food drive to help our local food pantry, Needy Basket. To do our part, we are asking for your help in donating canned goods and non-perishable items that we will collect for the duration of October. All items collected will be delivered to Needy Basket in time for them to create a warm Thanksgiving meal to those in need. ANYTHING HELPS! For those of you who donate 5+ items, we will knock 10% of your next service as a thank you!

Donations will be collected at both campuses.

For more information about our charity of the month, please visit http://www.needybasket.org/