What’s In A Name? Quite A Bit Actually

Today, I was listening for words to an oldie but good song and wondering,

what’s in a name? Quite a bit actually, especially if part of the name was changed!  Nowadays, the beats of old songs are being used with new words, which can be a bit annoying if it normally gives you flashbacks from a happy childhood moment.  The same seems to be happening with names of hairstyling services!.

Often, a client will call to ask if I do a particular service.

  Not having a clue what they are talking about, from past experience I learned to ask them to describe it.  Most times it turns out to be something I do all the time.  Because of immigration, more diversity and/or less fear of offending societal norms, people come up with really creative names for hair services.  Some of them are:

• Crochet braids – turned out to be what we called “interlocking”;
• Creaming, treatment, conditioning/defrissant, perm, straightening – a relaxer depending from which cultural background you are from;
• Straightening, blow-out, silk press, pressing, bump & curl, – a blow dry on super curly natural hair;
• Passion twist braids, butterfly locks, faux locks – braids wrapped with different types of braiding hair.

I could go on, and on.

The lesson here is, what’s in a name? quite a bit actually

as you could be missing out on making money.  See, if you went ahead and said you do not provide that service and later discovered you did, damn it!  So far, because I have a perfectionist gene that dislikes saying “I can’t”, I will ask probing questions to make sure.  Asking questions will either confirm one of four things:  

I don’t have a clue;

I know it by another name;

It is easy to do;

It just needs a slight adjustment in something I already do.

For hairstylists in this era asking what’s in a name?  Quite a bit actually, as you could as they say be throwing money away.

By Paula Barker, Silkie Locks Hair Design