April 2021, Business

Quality vs. Quantity

April 1, 2021 | by Arlene White

The importance of quality
clients and ways to target them

I remember the day my spa doors opened. The excitement and pride as I lookedaround my space, designed to my exact specification. Top of the line equipment,cabby bottle labels all facing forward, glistening floors void of wax splatter. Fastforward to years of wax dripping scars on the floors, bottle labels non-existent andmy space now in need of an upgrade.

When my doors opened, I had no clientele, so I focused on getting people inthe door quickly. I allocated most of my advertising budget on discount couponsand spent my days off taking every available class to increase my menu. I wanted toensure that no matter what the requested service, I could say yes. My first goal was finally reached; I was booked out 90 full days! Why didn’t I feel like celebrating? My calendar reflected a successful practice, but my bank account told a completely different story.

“I needed a clientele who not only showed up but showed up regularly, on time, sent me referrals, and was committed to home care.”

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HONING IN

It’s emotionally taxing to look at your business with clarity. There are many successful TV programs to prove this. What would Tabitha do?

I began by digging into my client retention. What percentage of my filled calendar were quality, loyal regulars? When I subtracted the advertising fees from the discounted rate I actually received for my service, it barely covered my product cost, much less my time. Most of these discount shoppers were one-time “visitors”.

My service to retail sales ratio was at only 7%. These clients were not only receiving a discount but not purchasing retail! At last check, the industry standard was only 10 – 15%, meaning for every $100 in service sales, the average esthetician sells $10 – $15. My goal became 30% or $30 per every $100 service. Ultimately, I blew it out of the park with a 52% monthly average.

STICKING TO YOUR NICHE

My ever-expanding menu was overwhelming. I knew a little bit about everything but was an expert at nothing. I had to figure out what I really loved doing and become an expert. You don’t want to go to a General Practitioner for brain surgery, right? Why was I making myself a general practitioner?

I became an expert in what I loved, more results-oriented, aggressive treatments. I contacted a fellow esthetician that loves performing more spa, relaxing facials and began sending my “fluffy” facials her way. Guess what? She began referring all her clinical facials my way. No business loss there!

TARGETING QUALITY CLIENTS

Now I needed to articulate what the perfect client is to me. I needed a clientele who not only showed up but showed up regularly, on time, sent me referrals, and was committed to home care.

The biggest game-changer to my business came when I changed my intake questions during my consultation. If I was going to be 100% committed to my clients, I wanted the same.

To make this happen, I completely remodeled my first appointment with every single client. I began by scheduling more time with my first-time appointments. Time is money but these extra few minutes redefined my practice. Along with the standard intake questions, I added very poignant questions.

1 When you and I work together, we will begin seeing results. If you could choose one result for your skin, what would it be?

2 What are your expectations from today’s appointment?

3 What results are you committed to working toward by your next appointment?

4 How many days from today do you want to reach those results?

5 I am going to spend a few minutes after your treatment to educate you on home care products. Are there any types of products you wish me to focus on now? I.e., eye treatments, neck, etc. 6 Are you committed to investing in skincare that will catapult you towards these results?

These questions created transparency for us both. They understood my practice and I understood their commitment. Yes, this was intimidating for some, but a huge relief for the type of client I was looking for.

I asked new clients to join my social media page during their first appointment consultation. This guaranteed frequent communication and gave me the visibility to ask their friends to also “like” my spa page. My page went from 330 likes to over 2,000 in only 45 days.

For those clients not on social media, I sent e-blasts or texts at the first of each month, celebrating success and detailing events. Lastly, I held quarterly VIP nights, inviting my loyal customers to bring their friends and family in for mini treatments, wine nights, and FREE service drawings.

Love what you do. Celebrate your successes and do not be afraid to make the necessary changes to get you there!

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