You have long hair and you are ready for an updo or "long hair" service and you go to a full service salon and what ? they don't offer "long hair" service. Guess its not so full service after all. So you go to another beautician and they don't know what to do either. Why is that? Some of the reasons hairstylists don't offer "long hair" or updo service is because:

None of their clients have long hair
Never learned how
Takes too long
Learned, tried it, but got out of practice and forgot
Too confusing

To the hairstylist, watching is easy. But when you are actually doing the work, it becomes confusing. It's hard for a hairstylist to get and keep clients. If you are able to offer total hair services, including long hair, then you'll be keeping new clients instead of sending them away. One way to help you get over some of the points listed above is to practice on a wig or mannequin. When you are in-between appointments, this will offer you practice to gain confidence and allows you to display your work to your customers.

If you are good at long hair, then you need to be the hairstylist that your competitors send their customers to. Advertise that you do long hair. There are plenty that don't do long hair and this approach may get you the client list you need.

Let the bridal shops know you are available, along with the formal dress shops. Girls going to prom always want fancy hairstyles. Offer your services free to the bridal show as a promotion for your business. This helps you gain more updo customers and helps the bridal shop. Win-win.

You can also create a photo album of the mannequins you have been practicing on, or on customers. This will give prospective customers your ability and creativity level. Another idea is to work with a clothing store on their special event or sale days ? and offer your services to attract customers. You can make these books up inexpensively with a digital camera and color copies. Have them bound with some of your business cards and ask if you can display them at the bridal shops.

Complimentary cards are very good, too. You can offer a discount on the back of the card. When a client gets their hair done, then give them some cards to hand out when they are asked where they got such a cute hairstyle. This works especially well at high schools before proms and dances. As always, if they don't need long hair services, they will probably pass the card onto a friend.

How much should you charge or expect to pay for long hair or updo services? Well, its different all over the country, but in general, the price should be at least $5 over the normal hairstyle whether it's a shampoo and blowdry. Be prudent in your pricing as if you get a client that will only require 15 minutes for a braid or a quick updo, then you may not want to charge more.

Stuart Simpson
Pictures of Updo hairstyles at:
http://www.formal-tuxedo.com