Four Ways to Get New Clients!

 When I opened my little spa studio, I had the “If you build it they will come” mentality. And guess what that got me?

NO CLIENTS

NO MONEY

NO CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF AS A BUSINESS OWNER

NO COURAGE TO LEAVE MY OTHER JOBS SO I COULD ACTUALLY FOCUS ON GROWING MY SPA.

I really, truly thought that if I just showed up on the scene that somehow my Ideal Client would magically gravitate toward me. I thought that being a talented treatment provider and having product knowledge was enough to grow a thriving business. But guess what?? You could be the most talented treatment provider in the ENTIRE WORLD, but if no one knows you exist, non of that talent will matter!

So here are four things you can start doing TODAY, that will help you fill your books and get more clients!

1. Be VISIBLE online and in your community

Just like I mentioned above, if no one knows you exist or that you have the solution to their problem, they’re never going to give you their time or money. It’s up to YOU to spread the word about your services and the transformation you provide!

But how do you do that when you’re just starting out?

First, you need to stop letting the fear of rejection get the best of you and choose to show up online. This means get that website put together, register with Google My Business, and be active on social media.

You don’t have to tackle EVERY social media platform right now. But you DO need to choose 1-3 platforms that you feel your Ideal Client is most active on and start with those. Find a posting schedule that you can keep up with and commit to it. We recommend posting at LEAST 3-5 times a week, but preferably 1-2 times a day. Those are numbers you can work up to as you get more confident, though! For now, pick a schedule you can stick with and STICK WITH IT.

Okay, you’ve decided on the platform(s) you want to use, and you’ve started making content. Great! But is it content that makes you more VISIBLE? Or more hidden??

Here’s the thing—

Anyone can hide behind a cute graphic with an ingredient quote pulled straight from the Milady’s text book. But then there’s no connection, no vulnerability, no getting to know you, no REAL visibility! You need to show up as YOU by getting on camera and sharing your expertise with your audience, no matter how big or small.

Clients will book with people they LIKE, KNOW, and TRUST. Do you think they can like you if they never see who you are? Can they know you if they don’t hear from you? Can they trust you if you don’t show up as the expert time and time again?

Probably not. 

So get visible online by showing up as the incredible beauty professional that you are! It’s okay to post a graphic every once in a while— We do it!— But don’t let that be your M.O. 

Next is getting visible in your COMMUNITY.

This one is super effective, but it can be a little nerve-wracking because it requires you to actually… wait for it….

Talk to people.

I know, I know. It can be scary to talk to strangers and initiate a conversation about your services! But once again— They can’t book with you if they don’t know about you! And no one is going to spread the word about you like YOU could spread the word about you!

Go to events. Get involved in your community. Join a club. Join a gym. Go to service opportunities. Frequent cool restaurants where your Ideal Client probably hangs out. AND TALK TO PEOPLE.

When they ask what you do, don’t just say, “Oh, I’m an esthetician.” And take the attention off of yourself by asking a follow up question about them. Practice your elevator pitch now so you know exactly what to say to grab their attention and guide the conversation to a potential booking!

Remember, if you build it they will NOT come unless they know you built it and they know what’s in it for them. So let them know you built it by getting visible!

Now, how do you let them know what’s in it for them? That leads us to our second point…

2. Focus on TRANSFORMATION in your marketing

We see a LOT of posts from skincare and beauty professionals every day, and you know what one of the biggest mistakes we see is? (Aside from hiding behind graphics like we talked about earlier)

Simply posting INFORMATION.

Clients don’t care about information. Nobody spends money on information alone.

They buy TRANSFORMATION. They buy the solution to their problem. The missing link. The hidden key.

Think about it— 

Simply explaining the mechanics of how sunscreen works and then asking a client to buy it probably won’t lead to a sale, will it?

But explaining how sunscreen will solve their problem/fear of early aging and even more issues will probably get their attention, right?

You can’t just sell the what or the how. You have to sell the WHY.

And the WHY is the transformation.

So anytime you are creating content, think about your Ideal Client—

What problems does s/he have? What’s keeping her/him up at night? What changes does s/he want to see in her/his appearance? What results have you already achieved that will grab her/his attention?

And focus on creating content about that.

You can post informational, PSAs from time to time, just make sure you’re tying it back to the problem the clients are experiencing and how you can provide the solution, giving them the transformation they keep dreaming of!

3. Ask for REFERRALS and 5-STAR REVIEWS

For whatever reason, this is one that people get really insecure about. They feel like they’ll seem desperate if they ask for referrals or reviews, but you need to get that idea out of your mind ASAP!

Companies that are serious about making money ask for referrals and reviews every single day. And guess what? THEY DON’T FEEL INSECURE ABOUT IT!

Think of how often apps ask you to leave a 5-star review.

Think of websites that invite you to refer them to a friend.

What about the last time you went to a grocery store and the cashier asked you to take a few minutes to fill out the survey?

Major companies have affiliate programs NOT to help the affiliate make money, but to get MORE REFERRALS! They understand that word of mouth is such a powerful marketing tool and that consumers are more likely to listen to recommendations from someone they trust than from a billboard.

And it’s the same for you and your clients— Having a loyal client tell a friend that they should book with you is WAY more effective than you targeting ads that just happen to land on that friend’s page.

So ask your clients for referrals. Ask them to send their friends and family your way. Ask them to share the before and after you posted of their lashes to their Story on Instagram. It’s not desperate— It’s smart! And it helps you grow your business faster.

The same goes for 5-Star Reviews! Having the most and highest ratings on Google will help your business show up at the top of the list if someone Google searches the services you provide in the city where you’re located.

They also give you great social proof— If potential clients see that a lot of other people have had an amazing experience with you, they’re more likely to give you a try, too! EVEN if they hadn’t heard about your specific business before. 

Don’t be shy when it comes to asking for 5-Star Reviews. If a client is raving about how much she loved her service, ask her to spread the word by writing a quick review on your Google my business page.

Always remember that most clients are more than willing to support you by leaving a review or referring you to friends, but that it isn’t always at the top of their minds to do it. You need to ask and bring it to their attention first. Don’t wait around hoping they’ll decide to do it on their own— Some do! But not all. So a gentle but confident request is needed and nothing to feel bad about.

For more on this topic, click here to check out Episode 74 of The Spa Strong® Podcast featuring Shawn Hill of NiceJob, “How to Ask for Reviews Without Seeming Desperate”.

4. Be CONSISTENT

Consistency is the hardest part— Are you willing to continuously put in the work even if you haven’t seen the results you want yet?

Nothing lasting and worthwhile is built after one try, or even just a handful of tries. You can’t throw in the towel after one week of asking for referrals and not having a completely full book yet! You need to build these practices into your systems and follow through with them day in and day out.

THAT is how you’ll see results. THAT is how you’ll get new clients.

Growing a clientele takes serious work and dedication. You need to be VISIBLE. You need to attract clients with the TRANSFORMATION you can provide. You need to ASK clients to help you spread the word and incentivize them to do so. And finally, you MUST be CONSISTENT. 

If you’re willing to do all of these things consistently, we know you’ll get more clients and get closer to reaching your beauty business goals!

Stay Spa Strong,

M'Lisa