Talking to clients!

[XeLeGaNcEnAiLsX]

Hi all,

I know this may sound like a really silly question but what do you all talk to your clients about while you're doing their nails? Apart from the obvious on how they want their nails etc. The only reason I ask is because when I'm doing nails I find that I go into a world of my own and really concentrate on what I'm doing! I'm about to go and rent a chair in a salon so at the moment i've only really done friends and families nails! I just don't want the client to be sitting there feeling uncomfortable and bored because I'm not talking so I need some tips on what conversations I can strike up with them!

Thanks in advance!

Lucy x

 

[An*Gel]

I talk about everything!!!.... I never shut up really :lol:

First off, I break the ice with the weather and can I get you a drink...

Then it's a chat about the nails and I like to ask new clients if they've ever had their nails done before, usually they have, so they'll chat about that and how they got on there.

I try to steer clear of anything that's controversial ... I love clothes and jewlery, so I think it's nice to compliment their top or ring etc and then we get chatting about where they shop etc..

To be totally honest, it's all about confidence and not so much what you talk about.

I know I'll do a good job and my client will leave happy, so I feel relaxed and this in turn, will make them feel relaxed.

When I was training, I tried to "talk and walk" as much as possible and I have it down to a fine art now :lol:

I'll shut up now... he he he!!

 

[salpep]

This is a good thread

You think it would be easy to sit and do nails whilst chatting...but it can be really quite hard concentrating on nails whilst also paying attention to a converstaion at the same time..you can feel under pressure by this.

But it does get easier .. also I find most my clients talk for England....be ready to know everything about them and I mean everything lol
Sometimes I wish they would be quite you can get on with things much faster x

 

[Karen Minx]

I chat about all sorts really. New clients i always start with 'have you had your nails done before? What did you have? where have you had?'

Clients i have known for a while i ask questions about their family, and what they have been up to. When you get to know your clients you get to know more about them, so its easy to ask a few questions which you know will get them chatting away, then all you have to do is listen.

I know what you mean, i can go off in a world of my own and really concentrate. Its only when im doing the application of L&P and my regular clients seem to know i like my peace then so they talk less, then they start again has soon has i've put my brush away. :lol:

It is just pre nerves, you will get past it after you have serviced a few clients. xx

 

[skymark]

Usually with a new client, have you had your nails done before etc usually starts a conversation as in their reply there will often be 'oh yes last year for my sons wedding etc'' or ''no, im going on holiday on wednesday and thought it would be nice''

then you have a nice lead into...''where was the wedding'' ''where are you going away'' etc

just like normal conversation with a friend where something in the last sentence gives way to the next topic.

When there is a silence and you want to fill it, you can start with the weather or some other random topic and it usually starts off conversation well.

There will be some clients tho who are actually getting it done for a bit of piece and quiet, have a lot on their minds or are just happy to be out of the house and these people may just give one word answers because they dont actually wish to talk. If they behave like this, then just be quiet and leave them to it. Its their choice if they wish to engage with you. I actually had a lady seem quite unsociable this week but it turned out she was exhuasted and had no energy for conversation. She actually fell asleep while I was doing her minx fingers.

 

[Pooh8bear]

I put the TV on classic music channel to start with to make them relax (most of my clients are older ladies), & give them the remote. Then they can watch or turn it off which ever they choose.
Funnily enough they like to book when the soaps are on.

 

[melons]

I must say I am a chatter box but find that I need to concentrate when I do nails, so think that it would be better if me and clients didn't chat so much.
I have just started doing Eye lash extentions and love the fact it is so quiet, the other thing I like is that I am not being watched!!! it hadn't occured to me before :Grope:

 

[neadypp]

i tend to talk at the begining of the treatment but when it comes to doing my whites i quiet down a bit and then talk more after sometimes my clients keep talking somtimes they dont.

Then you get clients that dont want to talk which i like because like you i to concentrate and go in my own world and i work faster when im not blabbering! lol But then you get other clients you just click with and you get on really well with and even an hour and half appointment isnt enough time to talk to them lol

This was something i worried about when i started in a salon. If you have just trained clients will understand you need to concentrate and honestly most pple will talk away and you mostly just need to nod along lol x

 

[FabulousFingers]

I chat to my clients all the time, about their family etc and what they have been up too. I do get a bit nerous when I have a new client so I tend to comment on a ring etc to get the conversation flowing, but I find once they start they don't seem to stop, just gets a bit embarrassing when they want to tell me about personal family matters ( lucky I am home based and there is no one else around ) but this seems to be my elderly ladies whose partners have died and have no one to talk to at home so I don't mind

 

[tigi]

I work on an 80/20 rule, they talk 80% of the time and I do 20% of the time.

Most of my clients come to talk about all sorts of things......... Some things discussed NEVER cease to amaze me. From holidays, children and work to sex, affairs illnesses etc.


I let them do the talking and choose the topics, but if stuck I go for saying stuff like, thats a nice top , what sort of work do you do (I tie that one in with the nail length etc) and to holidays, weather etc.

I go very quiet during application and let them know that I am listening but am concentrating hense the lack of words, but I do nod etc, make appropriate listening sounds.


tigi
xxxx

 

[Claire83]

I do the same, having had clients at college I was nervous to begin with and didn't really know what to say but I would ask how they were, if they had a busy day (I did evening classes), what they do for work. Comment on rings or clothes etc. Like it has been said before, be prepared to know everything about them.

Most importantly remember to try and talk to their hands, rather than looking at their face all the time. It will help keep your speed up and not allow you to overun. I find when I look up and start talking too much I stop working. Clients soon get used to you have a conversation with their fingers or toes lol

 

[An*Gel]

I do the same, having had clients at college I was nervous to begin with and didn't really know what to say but I would ask how they were, if they had a busy day (I did evening classes), what they do for work. Comment on rings or clothes etc. Like it has been said before, be prepared to know everything about them.

Most importantly remember to try and talk to their hands, rather than looking at their face all the time. It will help keep your speed up and not allow you to overun. I find when I look up and start talking too much I stop working. Clients soon get used to you have a conversation with their fingers or toes lol

LOL... I agree with this!!

Even though your client may be enjoying you chatting away, she really just wants you to get the job done and I often don't even recognise clients that I haven't seen in a while, as I tend to not look at their face as much as look at their hands, so when they come in to me, as soon as I look at their hands, I'm like "Oh, I've done your nails before haven't I"? :lol:

I had a client in on Saturday and she's had her nails done a few times with me and has even recommended me to other clients, but because she's so quiet, I get a little nervous... I'm just not used to it and I keep thinking, the reason she's quiet is because she hates her nails... then when I'm finished she'll book me again, so we need to realise that we don't have to chat ALL the time!

A very hard thing for me to do :lol:

 

[Tonimaxwill]

I have never thought about 'what to talk about' I guess Im just naturally chaty, I think from doing facials I have learned to judge when poeple want to chat and when they don't. It comes with practice and I think clients will see that your concentrating and not being rude if your quiet for a bit.

Annie x