Much of the time, despite your artistic vision, you can’t talk everybody into doing everything. Some people say, “Hey, you know what? That sounds wonderful. But let me think about it.” Others are more resistant. “Oh, that sounds great, but I don’t know if it’s for me. Let me get back to you.”

So what do you say when you encounter objections or clients put you off?

That’s where the art of conversation and the power of visualization come in. You want to make sure you have everything you need to show someone where you could take them.

Sometimes you might open up a magazine. “Here’s why this hair color wouldn’t look the same on you. You wouldn’t have the same lighting that this hair color was under when the photographer took this photo,” you might say. But you could show her a swatch and the color next to that. And you could show which swatch would really bring out her skin tone or bring out her eyes.

What your client sees will be a picture you’re painting for them. You talk and talk and talk until they become extremely comfortable with the look you’ve envisioned.

Tomorrow’s creation can be so fresh. Maybe someone’s style has gone a bit flat. Or they don’t realize how many styles you can create out of one haircut when someone gets creative with blow drying.

Some women don’t realize how stylish their glasses frames are or how beautiful their eyes are. So the hair hanging down over their faces obscures some of the most gorgeous parts of their look.

In cases like this, I’ve suggested they pull their hair off their face.

And she becomes a different person with that new look.

She goes to the office. And everybody does a double take.

“Oh my God, did she lose weight? Or did she have cosmetic surgery?” some might ask.

No, she just had some Grady time.