Hail to the Hairdresser

One of my photographer friends called me yesterday wanting some advice on own how to generate referrals from within his local community.

My advice?

“Be really nice to your hairdresser!”

Think about it.  What other profession has their finger on the pulse of a local community like this?

They see around 10 people each day and chat to them about what’s happening in their lives.  Furthermore, they have a real relationship with their clients born from seeing them every 4 – 8 weeks, year-on-year.

From a photographer perspective, a hairdresser knows:-

•    When someone’s pregnant (maternity portrait session)
•    When they’ve had the baby (baby portrait session)
•    When someone’s just got engaged (a wedding gig)
•    When they want to get a sexy gift for their new hubby (’boudoir’ photo-shoot)
•    When someone’s opening a new little boutique (PR, product photography)
•    When someone’s auditioning for that part (Portfolio photo-shoot)

You get the picture….

Regardless of the nature of your business, building a mutually rewarding relationship with your hairdresser would definitely be a smart move!