Who is your ideal client?

By Liz Kline and Maggie Staszcuk 

Getting to the point of having the clientele of your dreams is not always easy. You may love waxing but are only doing facials, work as an employee but dream of owning your own suite, or have a holistic mindset but are working in a medi-spa. So, how do you reach your ideal customer and build a loyal following?  

When you first begin your esthetics journey, you may want to jump in and do it all. But when the day comes that you realize your strengths and values, it’s time to start considering who your ideal client is.  

Identify your target audience. 

Do you find yourself taking appointments for esthetic services you do not enjoy or may not be good at?  Are you looking to change your service menu to make yourself happier and your day more enjoyable? Let’s use brow lamination and lash extensions as an example. They may be services you love to provide; you find joy in them and that’s all you can see yourself doing. But the clientele you currently have may be for facial treatments and body wraps. Start to think about how you can change that. Is it the location you are in? Perhaps you are in a resort setting where facial treatments and body wraps are more highly sought-after than brow lamination or lash extension services. This might prompt you to consider moving to a different location or spa with a demographic that favors brow and lash services. If that’s the case, start researching different locations. If changing locations is not an option, then maybe your marketing can be adjusted. Are you advertising that you offer brow lamination and lash extensions specifically, or are they lost in a large service menu offering anything and everything? Start posting on social media and your website who your ideal client is and the services they would find at your spa. Use before and after photos targeting that market. Get yourself involved in different groups that have the audience you want and start putting yourself out there in the world to advertise your offerings.  

Assess and streamline your client workflow. 

A client workflow is the process of selling and delivering your personalized services to clients from beginning to end. This gives you a bird’s eye view of what you want to do and how you will do it. For example: you start out knowing you want to perform a specific service, so you advertise and target that market. That targeted client base comes in for that service and receives a full experience, from before a transformation to after it’s complete. You sell that client on the service you provided and the products you used and build that relationship. You then rebook them for a future appointment, ask them for referrals, or offer them a discount program—whatever your strategy may be to entice referrals. A few days later, you could follow up and ask about the results of the service and how the products you sold them are working. Every step of this process is your client workflow. If any step in this process is not working, reassess what you’re doing and adjust until you get it right and nail it down.  

Whichever path you choose in the skin care industry, it’s crucial to build a loyal following with your ideal clientele, keep your books filled, and make the most out of your workday. You control your career—so why not make the most of it?  

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