The Lost Art of CONSULTATION IN BARBERING

By Matt Clarke

I believe consultation in barbering is a lost art. Too often, it’s reduced to a quick question— “What are we doing today?”— rather than the ongoing, active process it should be. A proper consultation isn’t just about asking what a client wants or dislikes about their hair. It’s about truly understanding who they are.

For me, consultation begins the moment a client walks through the door and continues throughout the entire service. It’s about subtle, intentional engagement—using conversation not as idle chit-chat, but as a way to gather meaningful insights that allow me to offer the best possible service.

If I know a client is juggling work stress, wrestling with the morning school run, managing a long commute, or going on a streak of dates, I can tailor his haircut to fit that lifestyle. That’s how I move from being just a barber to becoming his personal hair care professional.

My goal is to create an environment where he doesn’t need to micromanage his haircut. He can come in, sit down, have a chat, and take a break from life’s pressures—knowing I’ve got him. He trusts that I know his hair better than he does and that I always have his best interests at heart.

That’s real consultation. That’s the connection that elevates a haircut into a service—and a barber into a trusted professional. As barbers, we often feel stuck in the grind of the bread-and-butter 3/4 back and sides, brushed across, with a soft parting. And I can tell you now: once you’ve positioned yourself as what I call ‘the hair care professional’, then all your recommendations to your clients will be taken. Because they trust you. You know what’s best for them, and all those cool adjustments or styles you’ve been dying to try? They’ll say yes.

Here’s the thing: the more trust you build, the more creative freedom you get. You move out of that “just do what we did last time” box and into a place where your clients are excited to hear your ideas. They start saying things like, “Whatever you think, mate.”

And I promise you; there’s no better feeling than knowing you’re not just cutting someone’s hair— you’re curating their look. You’re helping them feel more confident walking into that meeting, that date, or just heading out for a beer with the boys.

This level of service does more than lift your day-to-day. It lifts the whole industry. The more we show up with purpose, creativity, and care, the more clients understand our value. And you know what? That leads to being able to charge more. Not because we slap on a price for the sake of it, but because the service matches it. You’ve put in the time, the skill, and the thought.

When you’re known as someone who truly looks after their clients, you stop chasing the numbers and start attracting the right people. The kind of clients who respect what you do, and who come back like clockwork.

This isn’t just theory—I’ve seen it work time and time again with barbers I’ve mentored and trained. When they shift their mindset from “haircutter” to “hair care professional,” everything changes. They start to retain more clients, who begin rebooking before they’ve even left the chair. They get referred more often. They’re no longer in that stressful hustle for new walk-ins every week.

It’s a common story you hear, but one of the barbers I’ve taught was a very talented barber but was still struggling to build a loyal clientele, he completely turned things around by embracing this mindset. He stopped focusing on the transaction and started focusing on connection.

He got to know his clients, remembered the names of their kids, asked about their jobs, made notes about product preferences. Within six months, he wasn’t just booked out—but had a waitlist. He was able to raise his prices because his clients weren’t coming for the haircut anymore— they were coming for the experience, for the relationship, for that sense of being looked after. That’s the power of shifting the way we approach consultation.

Even more powerful is how this approach creates consistency across a team. I’ve worked with barbershop owners who have implemented this style of consultation training with their staff—and they’ve seen a noticeable improvement in the overall client experience. Suddenly, every barber in the shop is aligned.

Clients know what to expect. The service feels premium, even if the haircut itself is basic. Morale improves, confidence grows, and staff start to understand the deeper impact of what we do beyond the scissors.

This is what I talk about in my education. One of my newest classes is called Hair Care Professionals: Your Guide to Curating Your Dream Clientele. It’s designed to help barbers—from apprentices to shop owners—rethink the consultation process, build stronger relationships, and create a client base that values you for more than just a clean fade.

Because here’s what I know after over 12 years in the industry and two Australian Barber of the Year titles: your technical skill is only part of the job. What really sets you apart is your ability to make people feel seen, understood, and looked after. That’s how we raise the bar in barbering.

That’s how we move from being hair cutters to hair care professionals. It starts with the conversation. And it never really ends.

@the_sophisticated_scumbag