Do a little digging, and you’ll find that the amount of Google searches for “how much to tip a stylist or barber” is through the roof.

And it’s not limited to the hair industry either: Nail techs, massage therapists, and folks in the fitness industry all suffer from the “do clients know to leave a tip?” mentality. 

So, what do you do when you want to make more tips but don’t want to blatantly ask clients or come off as pushy? 

To help you navigate the awkward tipping moment (or worse – a client who doesn’t tip) and boost tips, we gathered five simple tricks you can start using with your clients today.

How to Get More Tips as a Hair Stylist or Barber

If you’re a hair stylist or barber, you understand the awkwardness around tipping. You also understand how important tips are to your income. Here’s how you can make more tips the easy way.

#1 Sell More Products

The art of “upselling” is important for folks in the service industry, and it’s also important when it comes to increasing tips and making more money.

(The larger the ticket, the more potential for a larger tip, right?) 

Think of it this way: If your client is going to tip 20% on their bill, increasing the bill means a larger tip. 

Of course, you want to be genuinely helpful when upselling products to clients. As the hair and beauty expert, your clients trust your recommendations and ultimately make purchases based on your opinion.

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#2 Take the Time to Say “Thank You”

This one may sound like an obvious one, but taking the time to tell (and show) your clients how much you appreciate them can go a long way.

If you keep a tip jar around — at the register or your workstation — be sure you have the words “thank you” there for clients to see.

Honest appreciation can be contagious, so taking the time to say “thank you” will lead to your clients showing you how much they appreciate you in return.

#3 Make Each Appointment Unique

What do great hair stylists or barbers all have in common? They personalize the experience for each client, tailoring their work so as to make each client feel special.

Not all clients are created equal, so the way you interact with one client may be entirely different from how you interact with others.

The best advice?

Take the time to read your client’s body language and mood to learn what they’re wanting from the appointment. 

And don’t forget to jot down notes on new clients: what they like, interests, etc. This way, the next time they come in you’re prepared to give them a one-of-a-kind experience.

#4 Compliment Your Clients

This trick has some hard research to back it up: Complimenting your client’s hair can increase your tips by 33% — which makes this one a no-brainer!

Your clients come to you for a great haircut, so reinforcing their expectations with a compliment or two affirms you’ve done a great job and indeed deserve a tip.

Plus, receiving a compliment always feels good, and giving a tip is an easy way for clients to show their appreciation.

#5 Make Tipping Easy

How do you eliminate that awkward tipping moment and increase your chances of a tip? Put the tipping option right in your client’s hands!

A lot of payment processors out there have different tipping options already built into the checkout workflow.

If you happen to be using Schedulicity as your online scheduler, you have access to awesome payment tools that come with built-in tipping options. 

The best part? You can even customize the tipping options you want displayed for your clients! 👇