Does a barber make good money? Absolutely! Barbers can make incredible money. Like anything, it all depends on the individual. Nothing is given. It must be earned. The potential is tremendous.
Here are a few real tips on how to make an above average income as a barber.
Time is Money
As a barber you must learn to be efficient with your time. You cannot spend a large amount of time with each client unless you are charging for it. According to Master Barber Tim Hite, a good rule of thumb is to charge a minimum of $1 per minute that you spend on each client. If you spend 30 minutes on each cut you need to charge a minimum of $30 for the service. This will allow you to pay your bills and actually make a profit. Learn to be effective with your skills.
Trust your cut. Not need to not cut things right the first time. Some barbers tend to come back and check completed area and keep cutting. Learn skills that allow you be effective and provide you consistent results. Cut once and move on to the next area. Not need to cut the haircut over and over. This just wastes time and your potential to earn more money.
Personality is Key
To make good money as a barber.. Greet the client when they come in the door. This one item is simple and leaves a great impression. When the client is in your chair, do more listening than talking. Remember the barber is there for the client. Not the other way around. The barber must be positive in his speech and help people to feel comfortable. Good barbers remember names and important events in their clients lives. They show interest in the important things such as family, career, health etc. Keep notes to help you remember and allow you to reference them with the client returns. Barbers provide a place for people to share some of their most heartfelt thoughts and struggles. Many people choose to go back to their barber because they become close friends over time. Getting a haircut is just secondary. The friendship that a barber can offer over time is priceless.
Work at the right Barber Shop
Working at the wrong place will have a drastic impact on your earning potential. Not all barber shops are alike. Spend the time needed to find a place that feeds your personality and most of all has a steady clientele. Finding the right place can be tricky. Hairforhire is a great place to search for that perfect shop or even hire additional barbers for your shop.. There is nothing wrong with working at a new barber shop. Just understand that it will be slow in the beginning and takes time to build. If you are a new barber, work at a busy barber shop and learn the craft. Focus on what you like and what you would do different. When it’s time to leave you will have a better chance of finding the right fit or building your own with all of the perfect features.
Consistency is Vital
When starting out it can be difficult to have the patience that it takes while your clientele grows. At times you may be waiting for hours for someone to come walking through your door looking for a haircut. You may struggle with the thought of wasting your time while you wait. You become tempted to run errands during this down time to make better use of your time. Remember this. As soon as you leave the shop customers will come only to find you not there. They will be frustrated that you are not there during normal working hours and will not come back. Be where you are supposed to be and your clients will come. Your shop will grow and your reputation for being consistent will pay you dividends.
Experience over Cheap
Don’t strive to be the cheapest guy. Instead of charging the lowest price, provide more of an experience and you can charge whatever you want. People will literally pay anything for a good experience. What must you purchase before you leave Disneyland? A souvenir. Despite that fact that you can purchase the same souvenir a few miles down the road at Wal-Mart for half the price you purchase the souvenir at Disney land. When you attend a concert, many people purchase an overpriced t-shirt. All of this specifically to remember the experience. Provide more of an experience than a cheap haircut and your clients will pay you for it. What music do you play? What smells do they experience? Is the shop clean a free from clutter? These are all basic ways to help you provide the experience that will allow you to charge more for your services. Don’t get caught up on thinking that these items are too basic. Games are won by doing the fundamentals really well.
These are important tips to help a barber make good money. Looking for a job? Post your resume here