With colour services becoming more widespread in barbershops, barbers now have a new way to boost their business’ profits. However, to do so, you’ll need to think about how long these services will take in the chair, and what you plan to charge for them. To help you decide the best approach, we asked some barbers to share their approaches…
The All-Inclusive Approach
With so many colour services possible within barbershops, the time taken for appointments can vary drastically – as can the price you charge. Mikey Pearson explains that at Manifesto they concentrate on grey coverage, and have opted for a package-approach: “The colour service we offer is 30 minutes which includes consultation, application, development time and wash and style. The price for this is £35.
Bobby Gordon, founder of Fella Soho, Canterbury and Folkestone explains that they get a mix of requests for both grey coverage, dubbed Camouflage Colour, and creative services, and shares the great thing about the former is that it's so quick. "It takes a couple of minutes to apply and stays on for only five minutes. We charge £25 for this," he says.
Break It Down
Meanwhile, Wez Jones, owner of The HeartBreak Club, explains a different approach: “In our shop we definitely get more requests for creative colour rather than grey coverups. At the moment it’s all about buzzcuts and colour – especially soft pinks and blues. But how long can these creative colours take to produce? “A full colour service can be anything from 45 minutes to two hours depending on what the client’s aim is,” says Wez. “For example, if a client has dark hair and wants pink hair, that’s at least an hours’ bleaching process and 30 minutes toning and / or colouring.”
With so many variables within creative colour, Wez shares that he finds it most effective to break down the pricing for these services: “We charge for time and products, typically charging by the hour then adding on the cost of the product used; our colour services are usually between £80-£100.”
Harps Bhogal, owner of Odyssey Male Grooming, agrees that it can be hard to pin down a one-size-fits-all appointment approach, sharing that flexibility is key. She says: “For a scalp bleach we like to block out 45 minutes, followed by up to 50 minutes for development time, however this may need to be adapted for different hair lengths.” As you should be providing a patch test at least 24-48 hours prior to a colour service, you’ll have the chance to assess the client’s hair length, and will be able to discuss timings with them, to ensure they understand how long the service might take.
If you're not already offering colour services in your barbershop, why not check out this convincing article?
