Showing up is half the battle.

Every moment of every day you are making a first impression on somebody. Maybe not your client but someone else in the salon. What makes a great impression? Hint: It’s being early.

Make your best first impression right out of the gate. Impress clients, your boss, and your co-workers by showing up, a little early. This is also the best way to build your clientele and your business. It shows great professionalism and respect for other people’s time.

The early bird catches the worm.

Do not just be present at any ol’ willy-nilly time of day, but be a little early, say 15-30 minutes. Being a little early will give you the minutes needed to settle in. Keep in mind that sometimes clients show up early too.

It is extremely bad form to walk through the door at the exact time as your first client. Even worse to be late and keep them waiting on you.

For instance, being early will give you a chance to deal with any issues that may need to be addressed before you are too busy to get to them. Get a jump on the task list by returning phone calls or putting in a quick supply order.

Rotate a load of laundry, or simply unpack your bag, take off your coat, and go pee before your client comes in. It’s amazing at how a little thing like being early will set the tone for the whole day.

Some stylists like to use their time before their first client to finish putting themselves together for the day. Like finishing their hair and make-up.

It is polite to make sure this behavior is not looked down upon by the owner or manager before doing so. It’s also unprofessional to do this on the salon floor in front of paying clients. Take it to the bathroom if you can.

Game plan.

Having a game plan will also allow your day to unfold much more efficiently. You will be less likely to get behind. Nobody likes time pressures and stress.

Keep a short To-do list of things you’d like to get accomplished during the day, even if it’s just knocking a few things off the daily cleaning or chore list. This will help keep you focused and feeling more accomplished by the end of your busy day.

You can check out suggestions for a Daily Game Plan here.

Set yourself up for success.

Think a few minutes ahead and set yourself up for success. Arrive a few minutes early, get settled, and figure out a short game plan for your day. Do this every day, and you will be surprised at how much less overall stress and anxiety you have.

You can even apply this concept to other areas of your life, like bedtimes and morning routines. Do it, and just watch your personal transformation.

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