A chat with my client's husband changed my mind on balayage pricing

I was doing a color correction last week for a regular, and her husband was waiting. He asked, just out of curiosity, why the balayage I was about to do cost $275 when a salon down the street charges $180. My usual answer was about my skill and the quality of my products, but he said something simple: 'So it's not really about the time, then?' That hit different. I've always priced based on what I think my work is worth, which is fine, but I never really broke it down for a client in a way that made the value clear beyond just saying I'm good. He wasn't being rude, he just didn't get it, and that's on me. It made me rethink how I explain my prices. Now I'm working on a little menu that shows what goes into it, like the extra time for hand-painting and the specific Olaplex step. How do you guys talk about your pricing without making it sound like you're just more expensive?

3 comments

3 Comments

sage_moore371d ago

Honestly that's such a good point. Breaking down the cost like that makes it about the service, not just you. It turns a price tag into a real reason.

felix4141d ago

Yeah, the part about turning a price tag into a real reason is exactly it. I started listing the steps for a basic cut, like the consultation and the detailed point cutting I do. Clients stopped asking "why so much" and started saying "oh, that makes sense." It shows the work they don't see. If they just glance and think it's too much, they probably weren't the right fit anyway.

the_terry1d ago

Wait, is making a whole menu for this actually needed? I get the guy had a point but sometimes clients just want a simple answer. @sage_moore37 makes it sound like a game changer, but what if people just glance at it and still think you're overcharging? Like, listing Olaplex is one thing, but does explaining hand-painting really change minds or just add more words they won't read? Feels like we're overthinking a basic question.