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marie-louise costerwrites time to listen Marie-Louise Coster explains the importance of consultation


Sometimes it is very easy to skimp on the consultation when carrying out a treatment; maybe there is not enough time, perhaps it is a client you know well and have been seeing for years, or perhaps you just don’t think it is that important.


Besides being a legal requirement, a consultation is a vital part of a beauty treatment, just as a cleanse would be vital to a facial treatment. The nature of the treatment that you carry out, and the course it takes, is based upon the information you find out during the initial consultation, making your questions and observations very important.


consultation skills


What are your consultation skills like? What sort of questions do you ask?What do you consider to be the most important question you can ask?


Time should be specifically allotted for a consultation with each treatment, with a longer time allotted for a client’s first visit.Make sure you have a private area to carry the consultation out – ideally the treatment room – that is comfortable, inviting and warm. Greet your client with a smile and be sure to introduce yourself – remember you only have one chance to make a first impression!


Guide your client through the salon, point out where to take care if there are steps, where coats can be kept (if there is such an area) and where the conveniences are.


Before starting the consultation, offer your client a refreshment and ensure he / she is comfortable. Ensure you have a current salon treatment menu to hand to give to the client as she / he may not have one, and this will give you the


Take time before your treatments to conduct client consultations.


opportunity to showcase what else is on offer at the salon and give you the opportunity to cross sell other services.


listening skills


Aconsultation is a skill in its own right, once the scene is set and the ambience is created it is the questioning technique and your listening skills that are key. The questions you ask and how you ask them are so important and canmake such a difference to the information the client feels happy to reveal and also the relationship you build with her / him.


I amsure we have all been involved in an initial consultation /meeting / conversation with someone new andmade an instant decision upon themby not only what they have asked or said to us but also in the


manner that it has been said.We build an opinion upon this and ultimately this will influence our decision tomeet with them again. Our clients do exactly the same, so give a lot of thought about not only what you are asking but also how you are coming across when asking it.


Open questions are key during a consultation, for example rather than saying: “Is your skin dry / oily / normal?”, ask your client: “Describe your skin to me”. Instead of saying: “Do you use a cleanser, toner andmoisturiser?”, ask your client: “Explain yourmorning and evening skin care routine tome”. This formof questioning ismuchmore open and doesn’t allow for one word answers, allowing formore conversation and explanation, enabling you to build a thorough picture of your client.


GUILD NEWS 91


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