Ep 306 – Five Personality Traits Your Clients Will Love

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0:01:40.3 Maggie Staszcuk: Hello, and welcome to ASCP's Esty Talk. I'm your co-host Maggie Staszcuk and ASCP's program director.

0:01:45.9 Ella Cressman: And I'm Ella Cressman, licensed esthetician, certified organic skincare formulator and content contributor for Associated Skincare Professionals.

0:01:53.9 MS: Ella, we have a shout out today.

0:01:55.4 EC: Ooh.

0:01:56.2 MS: Yes. This goes to Delia Rose. She is a mover and a shaker in the industry. A long time listener. She always tells me she's listening when she's driving to work. So hey, Delia, she gets things done and I love her. And this shout out is for her.

0:02:12.4 EC: Ooh, ten and two, Delia. Ten and two. Oh, thanks for listening. That's awesome.

0:02:16.8 MS: So Ella, I came across this article from the US Chamber of Commerce, of all things, and it was all about personality traits that your customers just love. And it really got me thinking. It's not just about what you do for your clients, but how you show up for them. That can make all the difference.

0:02:34.4 EC: Absolutely. I think so. I think this is about the clients for sure and how they feel. What is that saying? They may forget your name, they may forget what you talked about, but they'll never forget the way they made you feel.

0:02:46.9 MS: Yeah, I've heard that.

0:02:48.1 EC: Okay, something like that.

0:02:49.4 MS: So today we're breaking down five personality traits that'll not only help you attract new clients, but also keep them coming back for more. So number one was empathy. And I think this is so important in the industry. Empathy is all about putting yourself in your client's shoes, understanding what they need even before they ask. And when you show empathy, you're not just solving problems, you're building trust.

0:03:13.0 EC: I would wholeheartedly agree. And honestly, beyond this industry, I think the world needs empathy. I think when you put yourself in somebody else's shoes or understanding their circumstance, that just breeds a better environment, period. When you understand maybe what they may be thinking and you can feel what they might be feeling, it helps with your approach, for sure.

0:03:36.0 MS: Yeah, I agree. It's the secret sauce in the industry. And it can make the experience amazing, and your client's self esteem go way up. We've talked before about clients come in who are not feeling right about themselves. Whatever they're suffering from, maybe they are experiencing acne. And empathy can really turn a client's day around.

0:03:55.6 EC: Even in some selections, like, I empathetically feel what clients want to listen to. They might not be into '90s hip hop, or they might, and that might be something that changes their day. I gave the story a couple, I don't remember, maybe a couple months ago, but I had a client in and we were listening to '80s love songs and Tiffany came on and what that client needed at that moment was to shout at the top of her lungs to the song. And it was perfect. So I love that.

0:04:23.8 MS: Number two is resourcefulness. This means being able to think creatively and come up with solutions on the spot, especially when you don't have all the answers in front of you. And it's about making things work with what you've got. And I think this really speaks to the aesthetics industry. So it isn't just about fixing problems. It's about thinking on your feet. And when a client asks about something you've never heard of before, say, how do you stay cool and find a solution? Being cool under pressure.

0:04:53.1 EC: I think honesty is probably key with that. Resourcefulness and honesty kind of are going hand in hand here because you're going to say, let me think about that, or maybe it's something like, I'm on a medication and how is that gonna affect my treatment? There's another example of that a quick little search with your smart device will help you, and that's being resourceful, or understanding maybe they're asking about a specific type of treatment that you've never heard of. A quick little search and understanding why that might be appropriate or how you need to adjust your treatment if they're gonna have this coming up imminently, then that could be good. So just feeling confident and being. Not being afraid to say, I'm not quite sure, but I'll get back to you on that.

0:05:34.4 MS: It's being cool under pressure, and I think that you nailed it. Honesty is key, and if you don't have the answer, don't wing it and lie. But saying, I don't know, let me find out and I'm gonna get back to you.

0:05:47.2 EC: I learned that in sales when I was in skincare sales. I told you the very first sales call I went on, I didn't wing it, and I melted under pressure. They asked me what form of vitamin what what are vitamin C was stabilized with, and I choked. I made something up and I look like a real, real idiot. So I learned quickly to go, I don't really know. Let me get back with you on that. I'll find out. And I came back with such a wound up punch to the answer most of the times. And then I had it for the next time. I didn't have to fumble. They didn't lose their confidence in me or my answers. They learned that they could trust me as a resource.

0:06:23.1 MS: Have you ever been in a treatment room situation where all of a sudden you are out of the product that you need or your wax wasn't heated and you did have to wing it?

0:06:35.7 EC: Oh, yeah, the wax one for sure.

0:06:38.1 MS: Yeah.

0:06:38.8 EC: Yeah. Let me draw this out special or we're going to start with this. A warming towel. [chuckle] Absolutely.

0:06:47.5 MS: Yeah. I mean, that's being resourceful, too.

0:06:49.6 EC: Absolutely. And increasing the experience, too. That's awesome. Good idea.

0:06:54.1 MS: All right, number three, active listening. So active listening is about giving your full attention to the client, asking questions, reflecting back what they say to ensure you really understand their concerns. This is so important in the industry, and it isn't just about nodding your head. It's about making the client feel like they're the only one in the room.

0:07:18.5 EC: I love that. I feel like the world also needs more active listeners. Instead of listening to respond, listen to understand instead of listen to respond. Have you heard of that one?

0:07:30.1 MS: Yeah.

0:07:30.7 EC: Because that is really important. And when you ask confirming questions, so what I hear you say is, or can I just confirm that this is what you're experiencing, or I know. Throwing a little empathy in there. Me too. I've often felt like this when... Then they might. Yes, you get it. You understand exactly what I'm talking about.

0:07:50.6 MS: Yeah. It's that moment when you ask the right question, you're reflecting back and the client says, "That's exactly what I mean".

0:07:58.2 EC: Absolutely.

0:07:58.8 MS: You've cracked the code.

0:08:00.1 EC: Done.

0:08:00.7 MS: Yeah. So this is a great way to build rapport, build trust, make the client feel important and they're gonna want to come back and see you.

0:08:11.3 EC: Hold that thought. We'll be right back.

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0:08:58.9 EC: Okay, here we go. Let's get back to the podcast.

0:09:01.9 MS: Okay. Number four is humor. Humor is a really powerful tool for creating rapport and easing tension and it helps make the experience more enjoyable. It's putting the client at ease and ultimately making them feel more comfortable and even maybe engaged. And I think that humor is like the cherry on top of a great service.

0:09:22.4 EC: Absolutely. When you can cut up with somebody, it makes all the walls come tumbling down. And if the walls are tumbling down, you are going to have relationships, not just a client. And a relationship is smart business.

0:09:38.9 MS: Ooh. Yeah. Very good, Ella.

0:09:41.7 EC: Yeah.

0:09:42.1 MS: I think also too, sometimes you have clients, whether they're new or repeat clients, where they are nervous about the service they're receiving. Maybe it's their they've never had the service before or they're anxious about pain, whether it's chemical peels or extractions, or they're going to get waxed. Maybe it's an uncomfortable area that they are getting waxed. Humor can really lighten the mood.

0:10:08.6 EC: Absolutely. Or even maybe your wax isn't on like you said during the resourceful part, but you throw in the humor and the empathy and there you go. It's not as unpleasant of an experience. And if you're just frozen in a mistake and if you crack a joke instead or find a way to have them smile, you are in.

0:10:28.6 MS: Number five is responsibility. Responsibility is about owning the customer experience from start to finish. When you take full accountability, clients feel valued and know that you're committed to making things right for them.

0:10:43.1 EC: This is really key. I had this instance last week where it was outside of my clinic, but it was a like a customer service issue, really owning up to what? Really nothing that we did was our fault. Let's just say that. I think you're spot on. Like, responsibility is key. I am so sorry that I didn't schedule your appointment the right way. Let's give that example. I had it a couple weeks ago. I had accidentally double booked. What happened is in my com... I had a little flub with my computer system and I didn't hit save. So I had a client come in two at the same time. I was like, oh my goodness. So I took the first one and then I rescheduled the next one. I said, "I am so sorry. This is completely my fault". And then I gave a little discount, a little incentive for coming back for the inconvenience. But I didn't tell her it was her fault. I didn't tell her she wrote it down wrong. I didn't say anything, which is perfect. On the flip side of that, when I have somebody maybe no-show or call in too late, if they are taking responsibility and I feel like their rationale is genuine, I'm going to be softer to that as well.

0:11:51.1 MS: That is amazing customer service, number one. And it also makes the clients feel like they're in great hands.

0:11:57.0 EC: Absolutely. Because you care about them.

0:11:58.6 MS: Yeah. You care about them. You've got a great I've got this moment with the client. All of these are building rapport, building trust, making the client feel cared and taken care of and only just furthers their desire to want to rebook with you, I think.

0:12:14.4 EC: Again, it's a relationship business and I think we have focused on the treatment or the service. If I master the service, it's going to be so key. Something that you said earlier in today's conversation of things happen, basically, this is what I heard you say, is that sometimes things happen and it's how you handle those situations. And in handling those situations, the way you make them feel that they have been heard, that you understand what they need, that you have the ability to take care of whatever their needs are, that you hear what they're saying and maybe you throw in a little bit of fun with it. They're going to remember that longer than earwax wasn't turned on or you messed up an appointment. It's the relationship part of it. They're going to fall in love with you as a professional. And when they're in love with you as a professional, they're sending their friends, they're rebooking, they're loyal to you for retail. All of those situations.

0:13:11.9 EC: I wanna share a couple of things in, I guess perfecting some of these personality traits are key. I have had the pleasure of, I mentioned, like, your clients fall in love with you. I've had the pleasure of developing relationships. And I want to share a story with you. So recently I had a client who sent me a text message, and she said, this is kind of sad. So sorry about that. She said, "I can't make my appointment today. My mom died two hours ago". And I'm like, chills all over. He can't be funny with that. Like, there's no humor that you can throw into that. I'm like, "Absolutely. No problem. Let me know if you need anything". I mean, what else can you say, really?

0:13:54.9 MS: Right.

0:13:55.6 EC: This is a client that I've actually developed a fun relationship with. I've been, I will say, like, with her through breakups, with her through career advances, with her through relationship challenges, with her friends and such. And my heart just hurt so bad for her. So a couple of, maybe about a week later, I sent her a voice memo that she could listen to whenever, "Hey, I'm just thinking about you. You don't have to respond. I just want you to know that I'm sending you good vibes", because I was. And it wasn't in an effort to solicit her to rebook with me. I didn't charge her a no-show fee. I mean, come on, that would be crazy. I just wanted to let her know that I was thinking of her. And about a week later, she sent me a text that said, "I got your message. I just can't talk". I'm like, "No problem. Like, no problem. You don't need to talk". And then today, on my way up, she was like, "Do you have any openings anytime the next week? My skin needs your services and my heart needs our time together". And I thought, oh, my gosh, "I'm honored. I love that".

0:15:00.6 EC: She's going to come in. You better believe I'm going to take care of her. I am going to put on her favorite music that I know because I heard her, I listened to her. I am going to find a way to let her feel safe, to feel whatever she wants to say or not say whatever she wants. She's gonna leave not only her skin feeling good, but her spirit feeling better, hopefully. So I think these are not just... I mean, it's cute, right? The US Chamber of Commerce is saying these are some really great personality traits, but really, it's about long business. And let me tell you about that client. That client has actually sent me about 10 people. So it does. It is important.

0:15:40.8 MS: At the end of the day, whether you're being empathetic, resourceful, active listening, cracking a joke, or owning it with responsibility, it all leads to building those amazing, long lasting client relationships. Now, listeners, we wanna hear from you. Which of these traits do you feel you rock the most? Or maybe there's one you're working on perfecting? Share with us on social media through Instagram, Facebook, or by emailing getconnected@ascpskincare.com. Thank you for listening to ASCP Esty Talk. And as always, for more information on this episode, or for ways to connect with Ella and myself, or to learn more about ASCP, check out the show notes.