Have you read the story about Susan Parker-Jones, a woman that travels 400 miles six times a year to return to the only stylist she trusts with her looks?
Even though this is an extreme case, it speaks a lot about loyalty, especially in the beauty industry. It’s definitely not easy to build such a loyal customer base, but once you do it - it means a steady stream of customers, which equals a steady cash flow.
This is probably every beauty artist’s ambition. However, when you are just starting out, it can be hard to make clients appear from seemingly nowhere. Especially when you didn’t have previous clients that can put in a good word about you.
How to get first few Clients to Rebook the treatment & keep coming back?
Here, we are talking from the experience of our students at PhiAcademy, which is probably a bit easier due to the huge network our students get access to, but these recommendations can apply to any beauty artist trying to pave their path.
You’ve probably heard before that practice is the key, and muscle memory will give you confidence. At the same time, you are building confidence, your clients are building confidence in you. And here’s how to improve and speed up that process:
Client Care and Communication in Beauty industry (PMU)
● For example, make sure they know that you are not there to completely change their eyebrow shape and style but to follow and enhance their natural structure.
● Comfort your clients by letting them know that even a few strokes can enhance their look and that they don’t need that full-dark-thick eyebrow look the first time.
● Ask them for references. It’s most likely that they’ve seen someone whose brow look they admire, so let them show you the photos. This way, you’ll be able to understand them, and they will be more confident in you.
● Be honest with your clients. You don’t have to tell them you’ve just started, but you can be straightforward with expectations. Setting unrealistic expectations can harm your reputation long-term
Ask for your client’s approval at each stage of the process
● Once you finish the mapping, make sure your client likes the mapping. Let them know to tell you if even the tiniest thing needs to be changed.
● Draw in the planned stroke, and check whether the client has any adjustments. What’s more, you can encourage your client to take a few selfies, send pictures to friends, and take a look at the full-length mirror. It may take a bit more time, but you’ll be 100% sure that your client feels comfortable before you proceed. What’s more, your client will appreciate this.
How to Showcase your work?
Considering you are just starting out, you probably don’t have a lot of work you can show off, but it’s important to showcase your previous results, even results during the training.
Make sure you’ve started your Instagram account, where you can raise awareness about your work.
Our students at PhiAcademy are equipped with amazing photos of their work during the courses, and can proudly share everything they’ve accomplished during their training.
Besides having a strong network of people that can recommend their services even in the early days of their career, this proof of their work is what helps them build confidence, as well as gain almost instant trust from their clients.
We can say that we’ve built our reputation via the quality of our work only, so being PhiBrows certified is a huge benefit when it comes to earning customers’ trust and loyalty.
If you were wondering if you’re a good candidate for PhiAcademy, make sure to read our article on this topic.
4 golden communication rules for top-notch client experience
The artist-client relationship is something that we closely pay attention to, and here are 4 communication concepts that successful beauty artists are recommending:
● Everyone likes to feel special, so make sure you are personally approaching each client. It’s scientifically proven that people feel more comfortable when they are called by their name, so the next time you receive a new client, write down their name and make sure you call him/her.
● If a client wants to talk, don’t neglect it. Some of the clients prefer talking all the time, while some of them prefer staying quiet. And your task is to check the situation at the beginning and follow their desire.
● Stay positive and friendly. When it comes to beauty treatments, clients prefer spending their precious time with someone who makes a positive atmosphere, and it can greatly increase their satisfaction.
● Devote your time to learning about your client. If you find out that your client is mostly working 9-5, next time you are suggesting available slots, you can say: “I assume you’d prefer a slot in the evening, considering you’re at work till 5 pm”. They’ll appreciate the fact that you are listening attentively, and will feel more special.
For more information on client-artist relationships, make sure you check our article - How to build effective client relationships.
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