How are we going to get the girls back?
How are you planning to get your clients back in the door and keep them there once the financial pressure hits? We all now should know that reducing our service price leads to disaster for us personally in terms of finances and day to day running of our business, but also creates this decline in prices across the board. Example - If Betty reduces her prices to get in the clients by 10% then you will immediately feel you will also need to do this, (‘its only 10% i'll raise them back when it settles…right?!”)
You will think you need to, to get your clients back or find new ones now we have had a drop off in clientele returns from covid. So 'girlfrand' drops 10%, so you drop 10% too (just for ‘Covid' remember), so then 'so and so' drops 12% to compete with you two. Before you know it, it now is your surrounding area’s standard pricing.
OH CRAP, WHOOPSIE!
Fast forward a couple of months and your financially needing to resume your previous pricing to maintain profit…you might then think,
‘Well, now I’m not able to increase them because money is tight for clients.’
‘They just won’t pay that around here’
‘Ladies now feel its not essential, they went without them in covid and can just get a lift or a tint for cheaper’
So if I increase they will not want to continue…ill just leave the price for now and look at raising in the future…..If the other local artists do so too? (Still not profiting for two+ months?)
THAT IS SCENARIO ONE…NOT IDEAL...LETS THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE SHALL WE!
- Firstly we need to show clients what they will be missing if they choose to go somewhere ‘cheaper’, make them feel that it would be a horrible mistake to move to another artist with less quality. How? Do a model set, your best work possible, take all day if you need to! Make every fan perfect, get every lash covered, style it beautifully. Then post it…HEAPS!, send it to clients privately in a link with some beautiful imagery (canva is great for this!) With a little welcome back post covid paragraph explaining what you have been working on. Etc. Just posting this to your social media is not enough you need to reach out personally. Keeping existing clients or getting back past clients you have a personal relationship with is much easier than finding new clients!
- There is also the obvious of showing some updated hygiene policies, but really we are all over seeing that, so make it not so generic or just put a brief summery of what they already received in some cute wording to subconsciously ensure them that it is still safe to have this service provided to them due to your implemented standards!
- Turn up the luxury factor! This has been a dying portion of our industry in past years and it has then reflected on our pricing. I know that I would be much happier handing over my hard earned money if I walk out feeling a million buckers afterwards, rather than paying $10-20 less and just being put in, rushed through, receiving average work and then out again. So instead of doing special discounts etc, remembering that is what everyone else does also, Why not implement some beautiful new luxury aspects into your services to make your price absolutely worth paying! There is so much psychology behind how people spend their money! Think about how $10, $15 or $20 per person will add a lot to your weekly tally, but $10 for the individual person is not a big investment to make per fortnight to feel amazing, special, valued as a customer etc. They won’t think twice about paying your previous normal price or even a small increased price once they get to feel the experience of luxury you provide them! Especially after being cooped up and restricted on services for so long! We want to beat out other potential services they may look at taking back up, and if we provide something special on top of our service we are definitely going to be higher on that list!
Some small luxury inclusions may be:
- 5 min cream/oil hand massage to combat the dryness due to over sanitising
- Lash bath after each service to gently wake them and also great for freshening up the lash line after treatment (always use warm water!)
- Soothing eye mask treatment accompanied by dry hair/face rub after service
- Meditation music option during service
SOUNDS GREAT BUT HOW DO I SHOW THEM THESE UPDATES YOU MAY ASK?
- As above you can send out a personalised message with a link to show them your work and other updates!
- You could make a small video of your updated space and run through any new additions you have or will be implementing to show your clients of the luxury they will receive with this new normal way of appointments. Make it feel warm and inviting still, not cold and sterile! We have to adapt to this way of servicing our clients but you don’t want them to feel like there has been a huge change that will now make it Un-enjoyable! Max 2 mins long!
- Ask a returning customer to do a review of your updates that you can then share online and tag previous clients
- Be humble and just show up. You don’t always have to give someone a financial incentive to gain their support, ask for the support of your clients in this time, after all your adding something special for them to show your appreciation for their business, you don’t need to feel like giving a discount just to ask for their support!
Take away from this is not to reduce your prices, but to increase your value.
COVID is now forcing the LUXURY back to our industry and you need to be on the front foot of it. It will always set you apart from your close competition which is needed now more than ever with dwindling clientele available!
Keep going #lashkillers, Love Kayce xx