As the time of giving thanks draws near, it’s a useful exercise to reflect on the things for which you are grateful. For example, we’re thankful for everyone reading this blog–y’all are rad.
Reflecting on your blessings is a great way to truly appreciate where you are, where you came from, and what lies ahead on your barbering journey. In other words, it’s a largely personal activity that can get pretty deep.
While many of the things you’re thankful for will be influenced by your experience, interests, and passions, there are a handful of things most barbers can’t live without. When it comes to these universal barbering blessings, now is the time to take a pause to appreciate the good they bring you year-round.
So, while your list may differ a bit, we think barbers across the board will recognize these six things are worth being thankful for this week.
6 Things Barbers Are Thankful for this Holiday Season
Clients with Clean Cuts
Barbering may be your dream and your passion, but without your clients, it might not be your career. While you’re no doubt thankful for the beautiful people who darken your door day after day, now is the ideal time to take a moment and truly be grateful for them.
More than just clients and dollar signs, you’ve no doubt come to know some of your regulars quite well. You may even consider a select few to be your friends. Barbers have long been considered a community gathering place, and your clients are a testament to just how powerful that connection can be.
If you want to go above and beyond, you can even have a client appreciation day (or several). Feel free to get creative and let your customers know just how thankful for them you are.
Free Marketing Tools
Word of mouth used to be the premier form of free marketing. While it is still absolutely vital to the success of barbers (see above), advances in technology have created a host of other marketing tools that can be leveraged to attract new clients.
Social media is the best and most prevalent example, with many barbers finding tremendous footing on certain platforms and using that exposure to grow and diversify their businesses. This, in turn, leads to more consistent income, often from multiple streams.
Your Favorite Barbering Tools
Anyone who works with their hands and takes pride in their craft knows the value of good tools. Whether it’s a trusty set of shears or a beloved straight razor, every barber worth their salt has a tool or two that they turn to confidently time after time.
For some, those tools have been with them from the very outset of their barbering journey, giving them a sentimental value that rivals their functional worth. They may be inanimate objects, but darn it, they still need love.
Retail Products
People turn to you because of the skill, professionalism, and expertise that you provide. One of the challenges of barbering, regardless of how good you are, is that you are only making money if you are actively working.
To supplement your active income and continue to build your business into a lucrative career, it is important to find alternative streams of income. Retail products are a popular and effective option that can boost your business.
Not only do they allow you to generate semi-passive income, but they also enhance your relationship with your clients by creating more points of contact, driving loyalty, and producing repeat sales.
Liability Insurance
It may sound silly to be thankful for insurance, but any barber who has needed it can attest to just how blessed they were to have it. Not only does insurance protect your assets in the immediate, but it also preserves your future and career by mitigating risk and supporting you in the instance something does go wrong.
The peace of mind liability insurance provides also gives you the confidence to put forth your best work, day after day without the possibility of loss looming over your head. It gives you the privilege of not thinking about it, and that is a severely underrated thing to be thankful for.
As you take time to reflect and be thankful, we hope that the blessings you dwell on stay with you throughout the year, not just in the coming weeks. After all, you have so much to be grateful for as you live your barbering dreams.
If you want more barbering knowledge, including helpful tips and tricks regarding the things in this article, be sure to check out our blog and subscribe to the National Association of Barbers!
