A client in Tulsa said something that changed how I do color consults

Last month, a new client came in for a full color change. She sat in my chair and pulled out a photo of her mom from the 80s, asking for that exact shade of red. I started my usual talk about skin tone and upkeep, but she cut me off. She said, 'Look, I know it might not be perfect, but my mom passed last year and this is how I want to remember her.' That hit me hard. I stopped pushing my 'expert' advice and just listened. We did the color she wanted, and when she saw it, she cried happy tears. It wasn't about being trendy or even the most flattering shade. It was about a feeling. Now I always ask 'why this look?' before I start planning. Has anyone else had a client request that was more about emotion than style?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese863mo ago

Ever get those requests that just gut you?

hugo2363mo ago

You said you "stopped pushing your expert advice", but honestly, listening to her story was the real expert move. That's a good lesson for any job.

ramirez.sage21d ago

Oh man this reminds me of something that happened to my friend Jill at the hardware store she works at. Some guy came in yelling about a lawnmower that wouldn't start and she was about to launch into all these technical fixes. Then she just stopped talking and let him vent for like five minutes about how his dad used to have the same model and he was trying to fix it up for nostalgia. After he calmed down he actually asked her opinion and she fixed it in two seconds. She said sometimes people just need to feel heard before they can even listen to your advice. It's like the problem isn't always the problem you know?