Why?

Why is the tried and true statement of... "hard work pays off in the end"... appearing like it is a complete and utter lie?  Here is what I mean.....

I have been a hairdresser for almost 28 years and I have tried just about everything that has been suggested to me in order to build a clientele to only end up falling painfully short.

I really do not know what I am doing wrong, per se, but I am watching others build a clientele like gangbusters and never seem to break a sweat!  I listen to the client, I do as asked and I always do quality work, but I just cannot seem to build.  I do out of my way for my clients as well as offer a sympathetic ear to the woes of life.  My clients walk  in with expectations and they walk out with their expectations met, if not exceeded.

I understand the financial woes out there.  People are losing their jobs as well as trying to look for ways to save a buck here and there.  Believe me.... I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR!  What seems to fall short for me is the lack of referrals as well as consistent repeat business.  I have been reasonable, I do not demand anything beyond what they can afford.  I offer deals upon deals and I am darn near selling my soul in order to get a client in my seat at the salon.  I go through business cards like confetti and still there is not one new client or consistent repeat client!  I am getting the feeling that I am being sabotaged at my workplace.  Here are a few things that seem to be grabbing my attention......

I used to have a really good build of clients last year.  In fact, I was starting to feel pretty darn confident that I would be able to add an additional day to accommodate the demand.  In fact, I was in the process of asking my clients what other day of the week would they like to have me available for them.  Even though I always made myself so accommodating with going in on days/evenings that I was not scheduled to work, I just could not hone down to which day would be the chosen one for maximum client building.  I was nearing a final decision and BAM... a serious decrease in clients.

Now, don't get me wrong.... I do happen to have some people that would prefer for me to get all the money for services rendered and asked me if I could do the ultimate accommodation of traveling to their home or place of employment.  With full understanding that I am offering that specific person a deal, it suddenly became a frenzy of friends wanting the deals I was offering when I went on location instead of going to see me at the salon.  I was suddenly losing money instead of making money when I covered the cost of supplies, gas, and my time.  I can't turn my back on these people that I offered a deal to... or should I?  With improper chairs to work with, lack of working space, no easy to find outlets for my equipment, and the constant strain on my back to wash hair over a sink because these clients wanted a the full salon experience without the full salon price....  I was hurting myself while trying to help another.

Well, with the sudden loss of clients, I comprised a list of clients I seemed to have suddenly lost and asked for help in contacting these people to see where I am going wrong with them; to find out why they have not returned in a reasonable amount of time, if at all... ever.  Of course, my current boss is paranoid and won't allow me access to the client's phone numbers to find out why, but was promised information ASAP.  Well, it has been 3 months and I am getting the run-a-round with my boss and no new clients knocking on my door.  I was told that I would have to do a fair number of "give-a-ways" with these people and I willingly obliged.  Of course, with giving just about everything away.....  I am not earning a paycheck!  I get paid a commission for services paid... not services given away for free.  Sure, I will get exposure, but there is no guarantee that they will return to pay full price or even return at all, since people believe that hairdressers are a "dime a dozen".  Little do they know that every time you cancel an appointment without booking another one... you are slapping that professional in the face.  We rely upon referrals and repeat business!  We give the best we can, but it is up to the client to speak up, too.  If you are in it for "the deal"... do not lead on with lies that you are going to return in 4-6 weeks and never return... okay?

With the runaround from my boss for information, I have been treated like I am just a fixture of entertainment for the staff.  THAT, or they forgot I am a HAIRDRESSER and NOT A NAIL TECH!  The reason is simple.....  my passion is in hair AND I am allergic to roughly 90% of all nail products (gels, acrylics, and chip-resistant polish are the things I react to the most and end up with me going to the doctor or the emergency room).  Sure, I was quite talented in nail services, but it is not my passion!  In fact, I loathe dealing with nails because no matter how many times I say "NO"... management keeps pushing me into the perpetual "just this one time" requests.  Well, I am tired of the lies and being shoved under the rug!  Heck, I am tired of being constantly stabbed in the back!

Should I leave where I am working?  Probably, but there is no guarantee that things will be better in the next place.  Heck, I have lost clients because of sudden closings of salons that I worked for that every time I move.... I lose another 30% of my client base.  I have almost nothing left!  AND I am still struggling to build what I lost.  Either I am doing such a good job that I am kept a secret from getting any referrals or I am being stabbed in the back with management taking my clients and giving them to someone else.

I have heard complaints about the receptionist and their inability to do their job right.  Both hairdressers and clients have complained to me.  I have done my best to smooth things out, I ask for the client to book their next appointment before leaving and I usually personally handle making the appointment so there are no mistakes.  I just cannot hover over the receptionist's shoulder when she calls to confirm a client's next appointment.  It is not my job, but I am tempted to start collecting numbers of clients and calling them personally, knowing that is against salon rules and could possibly get me fired.  Is it possible that management has it out for me?  I am starting to believe so.

I was just told that I need to join networking groups and sell my talents at these monthly meetings.  Sure, I would absolutely LOVE to join these groups in an attempt to build  a client relationship, but I am not making enough to afford the membership fees and I have my doubts that of I increased my hours to every bleeping hour that they are open to sit and wait for opportunities, that opportunities are not going to come knocking on my door.  I have tried the internet.  I have signed up to a couple of sites as well as opened a page on my social network page just to advertise for myself.  Still, to no avail am I seeing a slight interest or even a slight increase.  Sure I have inquiries, but not one person has committed to seeing me face to face.  It actually hurts that I answer their questions correctly and they still blow me off in the end.  Maybe I am giving too much information to guarantee their satisfaction beyond my chair when it comes to use of hair product and use of blow dryers, curling/flat irons and such.  Maybe my efforts are making me no longer necessary to utilize.

I know for sure that I do not have a malicious bone in my body and I would never consider sabotaging a fellow co-worker, but it is quite possible that my co-workers are lacking the ability to be as kind in return.  I am seeing back-stabbing happen quite often.  I also see people feeling quite defeated with their efforts, too, but yet again my boss was interviewing yet another hairdresser to work where I work and apparently promises were made that there is growth potential to boot.  LIES AND MORE LIES I tell ya!  It is not like I am demanding to have a full appointment book all the time, but I would like an opportunity tossed my way with some support instead of hiring another struggling hairdresser and give them all the opportunities and forget the ones that have been sticking through think and thin for this business for YEARS and have had their backs.

I just do not know what to do.  Do I sell my soul, give everything away and kiss my paychecks goodbye in order to get a person in my chair?  Do I dig deep and pull out that backstabbing gene that I have suppressed because I want to be the nice, reliable person, and stomp on anyone in my path?  Do I beg, plead and offer to slash my wrists for people to book their next appointment regardless if they are from another state for a wedding?  Do I just charge full price all the time and never take into consideration of another's financial situation or do I remain compassionate towards other's feelings?  Or maybe I should just turn my back on my passion and take some meaningless job.  Just turn my back on those that I have helped so far and not care anymore?  Do I change salons and return to those cut-rate chop shops that charge under $10 a haircut and be forced to stop believing in quality and instead focus on quantity?  I am not sure anymore, but I have been crying over this ever since I came home from work... EARLY...  because I only had 2 clients for the whole 8 hour day I was scheduled to be there and no new prospects on the horizon.

Chances are I will get a call in the next week or so to go to someone's home and whore off my talents for pennies.  Basically being paid less than I spent for my education, my supplies and my tools that I invested in.  Yep, in summary.... I am feeling quite flustered, frustrated and hurt.  My self worth is in the garbage.  Happy 2014 to me, right??  If I do not manage to commit suicide this year....  I can chalk it up as one that built character..... and not the positive kind, either.