To the permanent master about the psychology of communication: what do clients want?

We continue the series dedicated to the psychological aspects of our business. Today we will talk about how to communicate - what are the basic rules and why it is better to follow them.

The presented article is an exclusive translation of the material published on the website of the international journal for micropigmentation specialists PMU International. Magazine of Permanent Makeup. Original article - link

Finding and implementing marketing tools that help in practice is quite easy. You can create a great website, have a lot of likes and comments on your Facebook posts, hire a polite administrator in your salon, but the client comes not only to the interior or to the sign, he comes first of all - to the master.

The ideal PM master is not just someone who understands his profession, pigments and technologies. He must be able to communicate with people who come to him for the procedure. The good news is that this can be learned.

How do we communicate?

We communicate with each other through smells, sounds, visual messages, and touch. Research has shown that information is exchanged in three ways: a visual cue makes up 55% of the message; tone of voice conveys 38% of the information; and 7% of information is transmitted verbally.

Consider the first 55%. Let's talk about posture and body language. Psychologists and communication specialists suggest adopting a “soft”, non-aggressive posture. A slight lean forward during a conversation inspires confidence. Openness can also be demonstrated with leisurely gestures, good posture, relaxed facial expressions, and neutral eye contact. What is not recommended? Bored, yawning and aggressive facial expressions. To take a tense pose, stretch your chin forward and cross your arms - this means losing a client.

38% is a significant figure, enough to appeal to the advice of psychologists and speech technology experts.

Research shows that deep voices are easier to hear and sound better. If your intonation ends at the end of a phrase, the listener involuntarily expects to continue. The loudness of the voice reflects interest, sincerity and confidence, but can also signal impatience and irritation.
The speed of speech is also an important element. People like good diction, clear pronunciation, professional terminology. What do they not like? Poor pronunciation and instructive tone. If you speak monotonously, your client will probably not listen to you.

What we say. Only 7%, but extremely important.

Through words, communication becomes effective. It is better to avoid expressions such as "You must." They can be replaced by the phrase: "Would you like." The phrase "I'll try" evokes a feeling of bewilderment. Speaking in this way, you can show that you are not ready to take responsibility for the result.

Communication is not only the ability to speak, but also to listen

Listening is hard work. You become part of the conversation only if you listen carefully. If someone tells you something, he is waiting for a reaction. The client may talk about children or family problems. Just try to show interest without curiosity, without crossing the line with the client.
Pay attention to the tone and hints, try to feel the mood. This is the method of reflective listening. There are a number of methods that help you confirm that you are interpreting customer prompts correctly. For example, rephrase. "I understand correctly?"

What do clients want?

To understand the client's expectations, you must give him the opportunity to describe his desires and ask open-ended questions, such as "What do you want?". To make sure you understand everything correctly, ask a closed question: "Are we doing this?"
Focusing questions can be: "Do you agree with me?" or "Is it worth it?" etc.

And one more thing - do not forget about politeness. Please refer to the client by name to emphasize his/her importance and individuality. This is the world standard. There are some rules that you know better than we do. They depend on the communication and cultural traditions of the country in which you work. Have a nice chat!