Find Your Next Barber Using These Simple Tips

Do A Background check

No we don’t mean look up their record. Find a barbershop in your area on Google or Yelp and start reading the reviews. Google tends to be a better resource than Yelp. If you use Yelp, make sure to check out the “not recommended” reviews to get a complete picture of the barbershop. You don’t need to read every review what you should be doing is scanning for names. Look for which barbers names are mentioned the most often in the best reviews. Chances are if this barber has a lot of positive feedback, they’re probably pretty good at what they do.

Some appointment booking systems have the ability to leave feedback internally. These are reviews that you only see when you are booking an appointment. Go through the process of booking an appointment to see who has the best feedback from customers. Just make sure to not actually book the appointment or to cancel it if you don’t plan on showing up.

Find a portfolio of their work on Facebook, Instagram or other social media platforms. Search for “[Your City] barber or look at hashtags like #[yourcity]barbers A lot of barbers will advertise their work on these platforms. Look for pictures of styles that are similar to what you’re looking for. You’ll also want a barber that is experienced with your texture of hair. Look for a portfolio that shows haircuts on the same texture of hair that you have.

Don’t walk in! Good barbers are usually very busy. In general, when you walk into a shop. You are going to get the first barber available, which in some cases means you are getting taken care of by a barber that is either new or doesn’t have a lot of clients. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they are a bad barber, but in many cases, good barbers have a lot of loyal clients which means they may not be available for walk-ins. Book an appointment, look for barbers with the least available amount of appointments. This usually means they are very popular.

Check References

One of the best ways to find a good barber is to ask people with good haircuts who cut their hair. If you see somebody with a good haircut. Just ask them who cut their hair. They’ll probably be happy to tell you.

There may be some awesome barbers in your area that don’t have a lot of reviews or public feedback yet. Maybe they just moved to the area and they’re just starting out. Not having a lot of reviews does not mean that barber doesn’t know what they’re doing.

During the haircut

Pay attention to what the barber is doing. Is the barber taking the time to ask the right questions or are they rushing through the consultation? Know how to talk to your barber so you can get the haircut you want. Do they seem confident in what they’re doing? Are they giving you their full attention or are they easily distracted by their phone or talking to other barbers? These are all red flags that you want to avoid.

There’s a saying in our industry, “The first haircut, is the worst haircut”. In many cases, the barber needs a few opportunities to really learn your hair and what you like. If you find a barber you like but the haircut isn’t 100% perfect the first time, we recommend going back to that back at least 2 more times to give them the opportunity to dial in how you like your haircut. Give the barber 3 chances before moving on.