Ep 95 - Client Management and the Professional Esthetician

esthetician treating her client

What is the difference between a customer and a client? The short answer lies in client management, the process of overseeing and coordinating a professional’s interactions with the ultimate goal in building and maintaining good client relationships. Join Ella, Maggie, and special guest Tracy as they discuss client relationships and how even a 5% retention rate translates into 25-95% of profits.

ASCP Esty Talk with Maggie Staszcuk and Ella Cressman

Produced by Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP) for licensed estheticians, ASCP Esty Talk is a weekly podcast hosted by Maggie Staszcuk and Ella Cressman. We see your passion, innovation, and hard work and are here to support you by providing a platform for networking, advocacy, camaraderie, and education. We aim to inspire you to ask the right questions, find your motivation, and give you the courage to have the professional skin care career you desire.

 

About Ella Cressman:

Ella Cressman is a licensed esthetician, certified organic formulator, business owner, and absolute ingredient junkie! As an educator, she enjoys empowering other estheticians and industry professionals to understand skin care from an ingredient standpoint rather than a product-specific view.

She has spent many hours researching ingredients, understanding how and where they are sourced, as well as phytochemistry, histological access, and complementary compounds for intentional skin benefits. In addition to running a skin care practice, Cressman founded a comprehensive consulting group, the HHP Collective, and has consulted for several skin care lines, including several successful CBD brands.

Connect with Ella Cressman:

Website: www.ellacress.com

Website: www.hhpcollective.com

 

About Maggie Staszcuk:

Maggie has been a licensed esthetician since 2006 and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Stephens College. She has worked in the spa and med-spa industry, and served as an esthetics instructor and a director of education for one of the largest schools in Colorado before coming to ASCP as the Advanced Modality Specialist. 

Connect with Maggie:

P 800.789.0411 EXT 1636

MStaszcuk@ascpskincare.com or AMI@ascpskincare.com

 

About our Sponsors

About DMK:

Founded by botanical visionary Danné Montague-King, DMK is the World Leader in Paramedical Skin Revision™. Our revolutionary concept of REMOVE. REBUILD. PROTECT. MAINTAIN.® aims to match an individual’s biochemistry with the appropriate skin therapy. DMK believes that the origin of most skin conditions is a result of disharmony within the skin. Using the principles of biochemistry, DMK has formulated a range of Enzymatic Treatments and Home Prescriptives that encourage the skin to return to its most balanced and healthy state. For skin care professionals whose business depends on generating long-lasting clinically-proven results, DMK’s education-first approach has become essential. Hundreds of salons, spas, and even industry experts have recognized the effectiveness of the DMK concept, witnessed by thousands of people worldwide whose lives have been changed forever.

Connect with DMK:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmkinternational/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dmkinternational

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dmkinternational

 

About Universal Companies:

Universal Companies has everything the skin care professional needs for success. Keeping track of the latest trends and technology in esthetics, we offer products and equipment for the services clients are seeking. The independent practitioner can save on their everyday expenses, as well as enjoy the convenience of shopping across broad categories.

Recognized as the "Favorite Distributor" in the American Spa Professional's Choice Awards for the past 17 years, we see this as a continuous challenge to provide the best products, tools, and education that pros trust the most.

Beyond our extensive selection of spa products, equipment, and tools we have an education and marketing site for our customers to develop their skills and promote their business. The UCo Learning Network offers CEU courses, marketing kits, and business tools.

Connect with Universal Companies:

Website: https://www.universalcompanies.com/

UCo Learning Network: https://my.ucolearning.com/

Universal Companies on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/universalcompaniesinc

Universal Companies on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/universalcos/

Universal Companies on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Universalcos

Universal Companies on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/universalcos/_shop/

Universal Companies on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/universal-companies/mycompany/

 

About Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP):

Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP) is the nation’s largest association for skin care professionals and your ONLY all-inclusive source for professional liability insurance, education, community, and career support. For estheticians at every stage of the journey, ASCP is your essential partner. Get in touch with us today if you have any questions or would like to join and become an ASCP member.

Connect with ASCP:

Website: www.ascpskincare.com

Email: getconnected@ascpskincare.com

Phone: 800-789-0411

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ASCPskincare

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ascpskincare

 

 

0:00:00.8 Speaker 1: DMK is the world leader in paramedical skin revision education with certification programs designed to give licensed professionals a thorough understanding of the skin and an in-depth study of the DMK concept of remove, rebuild, protect, maintain, created by the botanical visionary Danne Montague King, DMK offers skin revision training and education for all ages, skin conditions and ethnicities in more than 35 countries, harnessing the body's innate healing mechanisms to change the health of the skin. Learn more at dannemking.com, that's D-A-N-N-E-M-K-I-N-G.com. 

 

0:00:49.3 Speaker 2: You are listening to ASCP Esty Talk, where we share insider tips, industry resources and education for estheticians at every stage of the journey. Let's talk 'cause ASCP knows it's all about you. 

 

0:01:04.8 Ella Cressman: Hello, and welcome to ASCP Esty Talk, I am Ella Cressman, licensed esthetician, certified organic skin care formulator and content contributor for Associated Skin Care Professionals. 

 

0:01:16.0 Maggie Staszcuk: I am Maggie Staszcuk licensed esthetician and ASCP's cosmetology education manager. 

 

0:01:22.3 EC: And we are once again joined by executive director, Tracy Donley. 

 

0:01:26.6 Tracy Donley: Hi everybody, thanks for inviting me. 

 

0:01:28.8 MS: Hi Tracy. 

 

0:01:29.8 EC: This is a perfect topic to have you in on. Sure, because we're gonna talk about something that hasn't been talked about that much, and that is client management. Do we know what client management means?  

 

0:01:40.5 MS: Well, we're gonna dive into it, I think it's a good topic. 

 

0:01:42.9 EC: Yeah. 

 

0:01:43.5 TD: I think it means to boss your clients around. 

 

0:01:45.4 EC: Okay. 

 

0:01:45.8 MS: No, no. 

 

0:01:47.1 TD: No. 

 

0:01:47.6 EC: Okay. Is it just about scheduling? Is it about procurement? I don't know. So client management is actually the process of overseeing and coordinating an organization's interactions with its clients and potential clients, something we do as professional estheticians. You see that a lot of How do I get new clients? And often that is a leading question, but maybe you should ask, How do I keep good clients? The difference between client and customer is very interesting, what do you think the difference between client and customer is, Tracy?  

 

0:02:21.3 TD: I think a client is... What's the word I'm looking for? It's like you're procuring that person, you're procuring them, that's a longer relationship. A customer sounds very much like an interaction. 

 

0:02:35.3 EC: Transaction. 

 

0:02:36.0 TD: A transaction, yeah. 

 

0:02:36.7 EC: And that's exactly the definition. 

 

0:02:38.6 TD: Oh, look at me. 

 

0:02:39.6 EC: You're so good. A customer is typically someone who purchases product or services through a brief interaction, no relationship development, where a client is a longer term, someone who develops an ongoing relationship with the seller, and then who provides more personalized attention, the difference between customers and clients. So what would you say Maggie, did you have more customers or clients?  

 

0:03:08.8 MS: Well, starting out as a new esthetician, they're all customers in my mind. And hopefully, what we're gonna address in this podcast is how do you convert that customer to the client, and whether you are a solo practitioner, or you are an employee I think that's every esthetician's goal. 

 

0:03:27.5 EC: Absolutely, absolutely. Client Management is the ultimate goal of flipping that customer into a client, where does that start? Where does that relationship begin?  

 

0:03:37.1 MS: From the minute they walk in the door. 

 

0:03:38.0 EC: Okay. 

 

0:03:38.9 TD: Yeah, and I think also too, one point to note is that a customer should always become a client, and it's much easier to keep a client than it is to get a whole bunch of new customers. 

 

0:03:52.4 EC: Oh absolutely there's statistics on that. 

 

0:03:54.4 TD: Oh good, I can't wait to hear them. 

 

0:03:56.1 MS: Absolutely. 

 

0:03:58.5 EC: I would say too a successful client relationship begins the moment they walk in the door with the impressions, what is the feeling, what is the vibe going on in your spa, your studio, your salon, or wherever you're at, but also it's really solidified in the consultation process. 

 

0:04:20.4 MS: Totally. 

 

0:04:20.9 EC: Would you agree?  

 

0:04:21.9 TD: Well, yeah, because that makes them feel that they're heard, that makes them understand what level of a professional you are, what you can do for them. That's gotta be number one, we're setting the tone. 

 

0:04:36.9 EC: Setting the tone, but also understanding them, what is their needs? What are they looking for? What do they want from you and what can you provide to them? And that will be the pathway into understand how do you retain them, how do you flip them into a customer and how do you retain them. And did you know to your point Tracy, that customer retention is the most effective way to grow revenue?  

 

0:05:00.4 TD: Oh yeah, that's what we do hear at ASCP. Yeah. 

 

0:05:04.2 MS: Is about developing a relationship, but is all about you. 

 

0:05:07.1 TD: Yeah, it is all about them, that's right. 

 

0:05:09.8 EC: And it's much less expensive to keep a current customer than it is to get a new one. There's a company Bain & Company that estimated that it is six to seven times... Costs six to seven times more to land a new customer than it does to keep a current customer. 

 

0:05:26.4 TD: Oh, new client acquisition. If I would encourage estheticians out there to take a look at how much... Even if it's time and it's not specific marketing dollars, how much it costs to really have new client or customer acquisition. If you do the math on that, I am telling you that you will value every single person who walks through that door. 

 

0:05:56.2 EC: Here are some statistics to that point, increasing customer retention by 5% can lead to increase in profits of 25% to 95%. 

 

0:06:06.2 TD: Wow. 

 

0:06:07.8 EC: And this is depending on industry, but I would say that our industry would be more in the 95% because of retail sales, for example, and what that would mean, not just into service dollars, but into the sales dollar component. 

 

0:06:20.1 MS: So for those people that are not business-minded, let's define what we mean by client acquisition. 

 

0:06:26.8 TD: Okay. Well, client acquisition means all of the different vehicles, channels, efforts that go into bringing that client in your door and actually having them purchase service or something, do an action that creates revenue, that would mean that you had a client acquisition. 

 

0:06:50.3 EC: You acquired them. 

 

0:06:51.2 TD: You acquired them. 

 

0:06:53.0 EC: Nice. [laughter] 

 

0:06:53.5 TD: And then you're gonna convert them. 

 

0:06:56.3 MS: You're like come hither. [laughter] Is it like a Tinder profile? Like what you put on your main page. 

 

0:07:01.6 TD: No one talks about Tinder anymore? It's really hinged. Just so you know. 

 

0:07:06.7 MS: Oh my bad, I'm sorry, Oh ____ Yeah, you can tell us all about it later. 

 

0:07:10.0 TD: Okay. 

 

[laughter] 

 

0:07:10.2 MS: I was gonna say, speaking of Tinder for those people listening, is it more than just, I'm gonna have an Instagram account and everyone's gonna come flooding through the door. 

 

0:07:20.6 TD: Heck. Yeah. It's more than that. Yeah. Any successful marketing campaign has many channels, many ways that you are reaching your client. It could be one-to-one personal engagement because you're out there socially talking to people and then directing them to an Instagram account. It could be your website and then sharing content with them through push notifications or what have you. It's always. Lots of different ways. It could be networking with a dermatologist down the road. It could be it's so many things. 

 

0:07:52.7 EC: Yeah. Somebody who wants to go solo open up shop, they can't just expect to have their social media put up the sign and think that people are gonna then come through the door. 

 

0:08:02.6 MS: Why aren't customers? Why aren't they booking, right?  

 

0:08:03.8 TD: Yeah. 

 

0:08:05.2 EC: Yeah. It's, it's much more. 

 

0:08:08.0 TD: Much more. 

 

0:08:08.7 EC: And it's not to even discount or put efforts into Facebook ads Solely. Because as Tracy, if I'm understanding you correctly, you're saying it's like a salad. 

 

0:08:18.9 TD: It's a salad, it's a salad and you want some nuts and sometimes you want some cheese [laughter] and sometimes you put a little cranberry in there. 

 

0:08:27.6 MS: Yeah craziness. 

 

0:08:27.7 TD: Do I sound hungry?  

 

[laughter] 

 

0:08:30.2 EC: But not to discount your current clients and what they can do. And what that mean s is far as here's another statistic is that your clients provide a huge return on investment, a larger, like your current client lists provide a larger return on investment in that they're much less expensive to keep than it is for new client acquisition. And a statistic on that is the probability of converting an existing customer into a repeat customer is 60 to 70%. While the probability of selling to a prospective customer is five to 20%. 

 

0:09:11.1 TD: So what I would say to that is automation, automation, automation, meaning there are easy ways to be able to maintain that and keep that client. And it could be as simple as things that your scheduling software offers like reach out. 

 

0:09:27.5 MS: Like newsletters or we haven't seen you in a whiles. 

 

0:09:31.3 TD: Or Hey, a new special, it doesn't even have to be a discounted special. It could be just like, Hey, we have this new service. I just, I'm doing this brand new facial, and here's what it is. Or just reminding them, Hey, it's summer, have you came in to buy your huge shipments of sunscreen?  

 

0:09:49.5 MS: Staying in their face. 

 

0:09:51.2 TD: Yeah. It's just little things. 

 

0:09:52.7 EC: In other words, keeping contact, whether it's digital or personal. 

 

0:09:57.1 TD: And it doesn't have to be hard. 

 

0:10:00.9 EC: And then they say a 2% increase in customer retention is equivalent to decreasing your organization's cost by 10%. According to leading on the edge of chaos by Emmett Murphy and Mark Murphy. 

 

0:10:08.4 MS: So how do we turn a customer into a client?  

 

0:10:12.8 EC: First thing that we're going to do is become a trusted advisor. This is making yourself indispensable in their lives. You're the expert in your field show and provide that expertise to your customers so you can gain their trust and build loyalty. Whether the touch is with social media or automations like Tracy was talking about or just a personal phone call. 

 

0:10:33.7 TD: Well, I was just going to ask you, does that mean then if your client is texting you all the time saying, Hey, I have this huge zit. I don't know what to do, or I just broke out on my chest. What... Should you be taking all those?  

 

0:10:46.3 EC: No setting boundaries. 

 

0:10:48.8 TD: Oh, boundaries. 

 

0:10:50.0 EC: Having boundaries, but being a trusted advisor in a business setting. 

 

0:10:53.2 TD: Okay. Good reminder. 

 

0:10:57.1 EC: Within business bounds. 

 

0:10:57.2 MS: I think that also in terms of turning that customer to client and being that trusted advisor, you're showing them educating them. That's part of consultation. That's part of analysis as well, educating them but also listening to their needs. 

 

0:11:10.8 EC: Yes. And understanding what they want not. I came in for a purple and I'm gonna give you red. 

 

0:11:17.7 TD: Hey guys, stop. Let's take a quick break. 

 

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0:12:00.5 S2: Let's get back to the conversation. 

 

0:12:02.6 TD: So I have a question to both of you. So when you have your practice, are you, how, how are you continuing to educate? Are you pushing them to certain bits of content that they may find relevant online? What, walk me through that just a little bit. Give me some examples. 

 

0:12:21.4 MS: That's not my perspective, but I would say educating them in the sense that there's always ongoing dialogue. It's not that a client comes in, lays down on the bed and it's silence because they want to relax. It is this is what I'm noticing happening on your skin today. Let's talk about what you've been using at home and why or why not, that is working for you. So educating in that sense and whether it is a new customer that you're gonna convert to client, or it's somebody that you're seeing ongoing. Somebody's skin isn't stagnant, it's always changing. There's always new developments. So having that dialogue with the client to say this is What's happening with your skin. And also that client wants to see improvement and wants to see change. So educating them about how do we accomplish that change, whether it's just for today or ongoing. 

 

0:13:23.8 EC: And that's really what that part. I echo what Maggie's saying 100%, it begins at the initial consultation and then it travels every single appointment thereafter. And what happens is the client understands and it's not just, what are you putting on your face? It's what's going on in your life right now that could be causing it? And you're getting to the bottom of reasons. They're getting to know and have associations and they're being more educated when they come in. "I know I have ate a lot of sugar this week, I'm really stressed out, I have this, I know I need you." Great, let's do this, and let's do this kind of a treatment then or a service or protocol, and you're conscientious maybe they need a little bit of alone time in there versus a talk time, it really is a trusted two-way street, if you will, that's growing at the same time, you're really developing a relationship more than just providing a service, and that is, I think key. And I think that's one point not to get lazy over there's, as Maggie was saying there's, your skin goes through seasons as well, and it's different needs, things change, we've seen that in the skin needs over the past two years, three years, and so I would say that would be... I would agree. 

 

0:14:28.6 TD: So it's kind of like looking at your relationship with your client as a marriage, so you don't want to end up getting divorced. Wow, I'm really taking this to a lot of dating and... Hinge, what's on my mind. 

 

0:14:43.4 MS: So you swiped left there, clean that up. 

 

0:14:43.5 TD: Just look for a new client? No, meaning like you don't wanna just get lazy in your marriage, you wanna still keep engaging and asking these questions and bringing relevant information into the relationship. 

 

0:14:57.4 EC: And you wanna keep trying, and that would translate, I would think, into being providing good customer service. 

 

0:15:04.9 TD: Yeah. 

 

0:15:05.0 EC: In any relationship that you're in, you wanna keep trying and not lazy, but in not putting all your effort into, let's say in a marriage, for example, would be you put all the effort into the kids, but you lack into your marriage or you're at work all the time and you're not dealing with your relationship, and that's the same here, is not to put too many eggs in the new client basket to really take care of what you've got there because it's... As we heard, statistically, it makes you more money. 

 

0:15:32.7 MS: I think that the esthetician who is treating each client with the same service day in and day out, regardless of who that client is, is one missing out on client retention, and two, failing to share knowledge and educate and understand that each client or customer coming through the door is an individual with individual needs. 

 

0:15:56.9 TD: Well, I'd even think career satisfaction, I mean, you don't wanna have a factory line... Right. That sounds terrible. 

 

0:16:03.7 EC: You can look back at my notes and see when I'm passionate about something like I went through a dermaplaning phase, and I dermaplaned with this and I... 

 

0:16:09.1 TD: Yeah I really remember that phase. 

 

0:16:12.3 EC: Like, "Ooh I'm so excited about it and impassioned by it, and oh I know I'm going through this kind of a phase where I wanna take this information and apply it to this person in their unique way that they need to receive it, and... 'Cause you wanna keep it fresh to Maggie's point, and it gets boring. 

 

0:16:29.5 TD: You know, an idea, just throwing it out there, is that... I think if you wanted to keep it fresh for some clients, even being able to push The Rogue Pharmacist podcast that we do, because let's say you're talking about vitamin C, sharing that information with your client is kind of involving them in the process of their skin health. 

 

0:16:54.1 EC: Sharing the podcast or sharing the information... 

 

0:16:56.7 TD: Yeah. 

 

0:16:57.5 EC: Positions, you as an expert, so explaining why they need it, with the information that you learn from those things, absolutely. And it's impassioning, and you start looking at... When you listen to something like that and you get inspired, you start looking at everyone thinking why they need Vitamin C and Retinol. 

 

0:17:11.6 TD: Totally. 

 

0:17:12.4 MS: What form of Retinol do they need, what form of Vitamin C do they need. 

 

0:17:15.7 TD: It's like you become obsessed. 

 

0:17:17.4 MS: Ugh, you definitely don't have it in your routine and that's... 

 

0:17:19.5 TD: Yeah, I can tell. 

 

0:17:19.9 MS: Check... That's easy, but yeah, absolutely. To share those tidbits, or when you're sending the newsletter or whatever, sharing those pieces of the industry, of your industry, sharing that to you just took a class on. 

 

0:17:37.5 TD: Oh, I love that idea. 

 

0:17:39.2 MS: Sharing that you just attended a trade show and sharing that passion that you first of all it establishes. Hey, I'm an expert, and I'm not a lazy expert. 

 

0:17:49.3 TD: Right. 

 

0:17:49.9 MS: I am a... I care enough about my career, whether it is social media for new clients or whether your existing clients look at that, or if it is for... Via newsletter, whatever. Or in person, Hey, I learned something new. You wanna try it? Today, sure. 

 

0:18:05.2 TD: That's my favorite actually. I have to tell you, when I go in for a treatment and someone says, Oh, you know what, I just took this class on blah, blah, blah, and I'm like, Yeah, I'm in. Can we do it today? No. Okay, wait tomorrow, can I get on your books? That's my favorite. 

 

0:18:20.1 MS: Like, yeah do you wanna get in. 

 

0:18:20.2 TD: It's just so easy. Yeah. 

 

0:18:20.6 EC: Yeah, yeah absolutely. And that your enthusiasm is contagious. Your passion is impassioning others. And they're excited. And there's a lot of things that happen with that. 

 

0:18:29.4 MS: I think it's important too to remind not to always be selling, 'cause when we're constantly in sales mode, that's one thing I think estheticians are fearful of right, I don't wanna sell, but then don't always be selling your services. Don't always be selling. Be really more cooperative. One example I can think of is in an initial consultations, I'm thinking of everything, I have them bring all their stuff, I have them bring all their stuff, and I'm saying, Okay, sometimes I go "Oh, jeez," in my head. 

 

0:19:00.9 TD: You would definitely say that about me... 

 

0:19:02.3 MS: Well, first of all, you'd probably come in in shifts. 

 

0:19:05.8 TD: I would. 

 

0:19:06.2 MS: 'Cause you probably have a lot of stuff. 

 

0:19:06.7 TD: Seeing suitcases rolling in. 

 

0:19:08.4 MS: But I look at their stuff and I think, Okay, they really have... In my head, I'm calculating first here that they need second tier that they need... What's the immediate priority, they have a full cleanser from Blah blah, that's not the best, but it's really not a priority right now, so not selling, but... I mean, I'm selling, but I'm not overwhelming. I'm not just selling for a sale that day, to meet a quota or if you will. 

 

0:19:29.8 EC: You're not doing a hard sale... 

 

0:19:32.7 MS: No, I'm collaborating, I'm telling them. Oh, you know, there's times when it's something I don't sell and it's something you can get that at... Like a big box beauty store, and I'm like, "Good job. This is not bad. This is not bad. I have something better, but this is not bad. Good job, high five, you're doing the right thing." Pointing out what they're doing, so you're creating a relationship with them. 

 

0:19:53.4 EC: To your guys's previous comments, it's your passion and enthusiasm for whatever you've learned or whatever you're doing, it just naturally sells itself. If you're not believing in your treatments, you're not believing in your products, you're gonna have a really hard time pushing your clients to receive that treatment or buy that product. 

 

0:20:12.2 MS: Absolutely. 

 

0:20:13.4 TD: So well said. It seems like, too, when I think about... I'm sitting here thinking as you guys are going through the details and comparing different people, service providers in my life, and you know the ones that are truly present with me, truly present, they're not just going through their little checklist in their mind, but they're present... That's the long relationships. That's the ones that I've had for 16 years. 

 

0:20:45.3 MS: That's your hair stylist?  

 

0:20:45.4 TD: My waxer. 

 

0:20:47.4 MS: Your waxer, okay. Yeah, somewhere you feel safe. Safe in the relationship. You've been married to your waxer for 16 years. 

 

0:20:56.8 TD: Yeah. That's a vulnerable treatment, too, if you know what I mean. 

 

[laughter] 

 

0:21:02.0 MS: That is an opportunity for a very loyal. Mine is my hair stylist. 

 

0:21:06.3 TD: Yeah. 

 

0:21:06.7 MS: As I used to work in a salon, so I would just talk with whoever was not... I would tell them exactly what I wanted, what color to lift it to, where I wanted it placed. 'Cause we had just a little bit of time, so I would jump around and when I left the salon and just with my practice, didn't have those perks anymore. I have that relationship with my staff, they're gonna tell me, "You've got some grey hair." 

 

[laughter] 

 

0:21:28.8 EC: How dare they?  

 

0:21:29.0 TD: No I don't. That's a highlight that's from the sun. 

 

0:21:33.0 EC: Yeah. 

 

0:21:33.3 MS: "That is wisdom, Brandy." 

 

[laughter] 

 

0:21:38.8 MS: You call it grey hair, I call it experience. But they're gonna tell you different things. They're gonna hear you out, you're gonna hear them out, because you're with them for hours at a time. And you know what I've done, with Brandy in particular? I trust her with my hair, as I've sent her probably 15 people. 

 

0:21:56.8 TD: Oh yeah. Talk about referrals. Yes. 

 

0:22:00.1 MS: Who she has retained. And those are my clients that I send. "Oh, I have an appointment with Brandy," or "I just came from an appointment with Brandy." I'm like, "See, when you find someone good... " 

 

0:22:06.3 TD: And what a great connection, then too, to have. It's like your loyalty... It spreads then. 

 

0:22:13.7 MS: Absolutely. 

 

0:22:15.2 TD: I love that. 

 

0:22:16.6 MS: So let's talk about... Those are things that you can manage, but how about an esthetician who's an employed esthetician, who works for someone else, as far as client management. There are certain expectations that are set by an employer, right?  

 

0:22:31.1 EC: Yes, to a point. But I think as an employee, even though your employer is setting standards, you are still responsible for maintaining the relationship you have with that client and converting that customer to client. So the minute that customer walks through the door, even though you are an employee, it is your job, to retain that client, to retail to that client, to get that client to re-book to come back through the door, you cannot rely on the employer to do that for you. 

 

0:23:06.5 TD: That is called an intrapreneur. 

 

0:23:11.8 EC: An intrapreneur?  

 

0:23:11.9 TD: That's an intrapreneur. 

 

0:23:12.0 EC: That's a new term I'm learning. 

 

0:23:12.6 MS: That is interesting. 

 

0:23:14.4 TD: Yes. 

 

0:23:14.7 MS: Tell me more. [chuckle] 

 

0:23:16.5 TD: Well an intrapreneur is an employee, but does have a responsibility to maintain and build their client base, and it's taking an approach of viewing yourself, not as "I'm an employee. I punch the clock, I'm here for this many hours." It's intrapreneurship. You don't have all the headaches that go along with paying your lease and inventory, and all the hard costs, but you still should have the passion and view your business, your book of business, as intrapreneurship. 

 

0:23:49.8 MS: So I'm hearing you say, "Don't shy away from going the extra mile. Don't worry about it, but do it, not for the quota, which would be a short term, but do it for the long haul." 

 

0:24:04.6 TD: Yeah. And honestly, you guys, it's career satisfaction. I mean, we all have had those days where you're looking at the clock and you're like, It must have been an hour's gone by and it's five minutes. No one likes that. Be in it. Be in it. Be present. 

 

0:24:20.6 MS: Be intra in it. 

 

[laughter] 

 

0:24:23.2 TD: Be intra in it. But be present. And it takes actually less energy to just be really present with your client and doing what's right for them and connecting with them, than it does to just not. 

 

0:24:36.9 MS: So what advice would you have for the solo, single esthetician for being present when they do have to worry about rent, they do have to worry about social media posts and content creation, and "Did I pay my insurance," because that's the most important thing. 

 

0:24:51.8 TD: Right. Make sure you're insured people, 'cause accidents happen and those people sue. 

 

[laughter] 

 

0:25:00.1 TD: No, they really do. 

 

0:25:01.1 MS: They do. 

 

0:25:02.6 TD: And it's bad. But I guess I would just say self care becomes even more important for that solo esthetician, and maybe it means... And I'm a little bit more woo-woo than maybe Maggie is, so she'll have different advice, but I think that grounding and clearing yourself so that you have that moment when you're the client. If that means that you need to space out your appointments so that you have that time to clear that space. It doesn't mean that you're not gonna go in there with a mission and be like, "Hey, you know what? This person needs these products and I am gonna sell some retail." You can be poignant and direct about what you wanna do, but be present. I don't know... 

 

0:25:46.9 MS: Yeah, I think to that point, you are the business. It's just you, and so as a solo esthetician, you are the business, and so establish your business plan accordingly. Yes, you're benefiting your client, but you're also benefiting you. Charge by the hour, if that works better. Rather than setting this menu of services that everyone else on the block is doing and you're killing yourself to meet those needs or those demands, and if you need more time per appointment, then give yourself more time. Sometimes I think aestheticians or just business owners in general, they get into the weeds and they just need to stop for a minute, have that moment of meditation and realize, "This is my business. I can change it. I can adapt to benefit me." And as a result, they benefit their business. 

 

0:26:36.9 TD: Well, you can even time block. Depending on what type of personality you have, maybe you need to compartmentalize everything. So it's like, "Okay, I'm only gonna think about the financials from 8 o'clock to 9 o'clock. That's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna work on paying the bills, thinking about the financials." And then after that, you're going to say, "Alright, now I'm gonna get into the mode where I'm thinking about my client. I'm all about them, and I'm giving myself over to that process." 

 

0:27:08.2 EC: I'll say it. Let it go, during my client time. 

 

0:27:11.0 TD: Are you just trying to make me sing on this podcast?  

 

0:27:13.3 EC: Yeah. Do it. Do it. 

 

0:27:13.9 TD: I just want to so... Let it go. 

 

0:27:16.0 EC: Do let it go in that time that you have allotted for the client. Let it go. Don't worry about the cheque. Don't worry about sending the email. Don't worry about those things, that is the time that they have paid for you, and I love the idea of setting in your schedule time for the business. But then also to what Tracy was saying about self-care is if you're doing that, then you're not taking it home. If you're scheduling time to handle your stuff, then you're not bringing it home and you're more balanced and the more balanced you are... I think setting a goal of seeing three to four people a day, if it's facials is realistic and very profitable, just change your rate to accommodate what needs to be covered in four, five... I think I would top out at five personally. I do. 

 

0:28:04.3 TD: I love that you just said, "Change your rate." You guys, you can change your rate. It's okay. 

 

0:28:10.8 EC: Don't be afraid. 

 

0:28:11.8 TD: Don't be afraid. 

 

0:28:12.9 EC: And it's scary to do that, but don't be afraid to do it. Right now to see time, 'cause everybody's doing it from my acupuncturist, my massage therapist, to me. I raised my rates this year, and it wasn't even scary. I didn't blink an eye, I'm like, "Boom. Boom." My costs are going up, so are yours. Groceries going up, so... 

 

0:28:32.0 TD: Yeah. Inflation is like almost 8%, so raise that. 

 

0:28:35.6 EC: Raise it 8%. 

 

[overlapping conversation] 

 

0:28:39.3 EC: Yeah, don't be afraid. Now, listeners, we wanna hear from you, what are some client management techniques that you use? Let us know. Reach out on our social media platforms, especially Instagram and Facebook, or by emailing getconnected@ascpskincare.com. We wanna know all the details. In the meantime, thank you for listening to ASCP Esty Talk. For more information on this episode, or for ways to connect with Maggie or myself, or to learn more about ASCP, check out the show notes and stay tuned for the next episode of ASCP Esty Talk. 

 

0:29:15.0 S2: Thanks for joining us today. If you like what you hear and you want more subscribe. If you wanna belong to the only all inclusive association for estheticians that includes professional liability insurance, education, industry insights and an opportunity to spotlight your sick skills, join at ascpskincare.com only $2.59 per year for all this goodness. ASCP knows it's all about you.Page Break 

 

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