Expert Advice: How can I get more clients?
Beauty business mentor and educator Katie Godfrey shares her top tips to stay ahead of the game.
One of the questions I get asked the most in my business mentoring is “How can I get more clients?”, so in this article I want to share my top tips to stay ahead of your game and to make sure you stand out.
However first you need to work on yourself before attracting the type of clients you want.
Train, train, train!
Education is the key; even if you have already completed a training course why have you stopped there? Keep attending regular training courses and workshops. I would recommend doing at least one course a year and put that into your budgeting.
I flew all the way to New York to learn Russian volume lashes, because at the time (in 2014) there was only one company I could find that was doing Volume close to home. I wanted to train with who I thought was the best so I could offer the best in my salon and to my students.
I know it sounds a little crazy to fly across the world and I am very lucky I was able to, but it was worth every penny and made a huge difference to my company.
I'm not suggesting you go all the way to New York, I'm just advising you to make sure that you train with someone or a brand who you look up to, that inspires you and has great reviews. They may not be on your doorstep and you may need to travel, even if it's a 30-mile trip it will benefit you greatly.
You may only pick up two to four tips in each training session that were different to your last course but it keeps you up to date, fresh and on top of the game.
Stay knowledgeable
I love the saying ‘All great leaders are readers'. The industry is forever changing, new products, new techniques, new treatments plus learning how to run a business and how to gain more clients. All of this can be done through reading.
It doesn't have to be a book, it could be research on the internet, Facebook industry groups and forums. There are tons of ways. This will always keep you up to date with what is happening in the industry.
Charge what you're worth!
Don't be cheap, charge what your worth. Training takes a lot of time and investment. Building up your business takes a lot of effort and you have outgoings. You need to make sure you charge correctly to be running a profitable company. After all, if we are not charging right then you might as well go and work for someone else.
Look at your figures and see how much you need to make per hour to bring you the income you require. If you charge low, you attract low paying clients. If you price high, you attract higher paying clients. Make sure you know your target audience.
Be sociable
On social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook ensure that your posts are not too sales like! Yes, do put your portfolio up as clients will want to see your work but they don't always want to know if you have a free space or a special offer on.
Social media is called ‘social' for a reason and not a selling site. Share your tips on how to make their treatment last longer. Throw in a competition, share images of before and after and how they should look after their treatment. Add some inspirational quotes as everyone likes a good quote! Engage with your posts and be interactive with your followers' posts too. It is all about relationship building which will help you in the long game.
Katie Godfrey is a Business Mentor, beauty salon owner, CEO of KG Professional, offering ABT-Accredited courses and hosts the podcast channel The Life Of KG.