- Be patient: You may start out in the business thinking you should earn a certain amount of money and have a large client base. However, that all comes with time. You can expect to put in long and often unpaid hours to build up your client base and gain professional experience. You will only be as successful as you want to be, and the more work you put into growing your aesthetic career, the more successful you will ultimately be. Remaining positive while you grow your business can be hard, but it is essential. Use downtime when you have no patients scheduled to be proactive. Don’t get discouraged. Let that feeling push you harder to grow your business. We promise your hard work will pay off.
- Master Sales: The only way to build your client base and create your ideal clientele is to master the art of sales. Even when a client is through your door, your sales should not stop. From the consultation to the follow up you should make that person a priority and keep them coming back for more. That is what we call a legacy client, and they are the type of client that is going to help build your client base as well as keep a steady stream of income flowing. Mastering sales is all about building relationships and making your potential clients feel special whether you are selling treatments or products.
- Market Yourself: From brochures in your office to your website and social media, marketing needs to be a focus. Your brand is important and it needs to be reflected everywhere a potential client may look. Creating content is a great way to market yourself and show-off your expertise. Start a blog or create a short e-book, something tangible your potential clients can read. Besides marketing materials, you need to be out in the world marketing yourself and networking. The cheapest form of marketing is talking, so get out there and form relationships. However you choose to do it, you need to market yourself. Clients aren’t going to magically walk through the door, so marketing is crucial.
- Career Advancement: I know you’re probably tired of classes and additional trainings, but they are only going to help you in the long run. A great aesthetician will invest in continuing education to make themselves better and better for their clients. Stay up to date on the latest trends and products, learn a new technique, or take a sales class. All of these options are going to help you in the long run, and your clients will ultimately notice and appreciate your hard work.
- Don’t cheapen yourself: We’ve talked before about the type of clientele that deals sites such as Groupon can attract: those that are always chasing the best deal or newest product and treatment. Chances are, they are not going to be repeat customers and are not willing to pay full price. You can offer small discounts to help keep people coming back, but the right clientele will be willing to pay full price for your excellent services.
Growing your aesthetic practice is all about hard work. The more you put into it, the more results you will see. We hope these tips can help you begin to grow your practice, client base, and ultimately income.