I want to Gain more clients without discounting my prices.

How does discounting your services make you feel? Maybe it’s because I’m a Capricorn and Enneagram 7 and 9, but it just doesn’t sit well with me. It’s the same amount of work for less money. How is that fair?

I give so much of myself to my clients, I listen to their stories (and care for each and every one of them) and work really hard to deliver the most beautiful set of lash extensions or custom website every time. So working with more clients and giving a discount to gain them doesn’t make me warm & fuzzy.

I know that sounds funny, as they are so different, but I’m a creative at heart.

Groupon?

When business starts to dry up, discounting is sometimes the first thing to pop into our minds. I have a few reasons for not liking to discount my services and the number one reason is that it doesn’t attract my dream client. Maybe I’m scarred from when I ran a Groupon for lash extensions when I was first getting started. It was wonderful because I had a lot of people to work on as I learned my craft, but it barely covered the cost of supplies!

I also think people get used to the lower price and when you go to raise your prices they are the first ones to vanish. My ideal client is one that books multiple services and buys product. I need to not feel limited by their wallet. 

Rebrand

The beauty of a slow period is that it can give you time to grow and rebrand. A quick look at your competition can tell you if you’re standing out in the crowded landscape of social media and Google.

Assessing your brand is necessary a few times a year as new businesses are popping up. Is your business as appealing online as everyone around you? It’s not about becoming like your competitors, it’s about making sure you are standing out and attracting the right clients.

The economy is a real thing right now and many of us are having to take a good look at our businesses to see what changes we can make without spending a lot of money. 

Here are 5 things to consider as you take a deeper look at your business.

1. Why did it dry up? Is it the economy, not offering quality service, your pricing, or your competition?  

I know it can be difficult to look at ourselves objectively. But if you want to confidently charge higher prices for the same services as other beauty biz professionals, you have to get real about the quality of service that you are delivering.

I’ve had to be real about pricing in my business. Before Covid I had a beautiful spa in LA, but at the end of 2020 I moved to new town and had to start from scratch. I reopened with a new higher priced menu in my home studio. *** crickets***

I had to be real about my circumstances. This new town is not as affluent as the million dollar neighborhood I had left behind. I was also competing with lash artists that were charging $20-$50 less than I was. So as painful as it was, I dropped my prices to be competitive and started building a clientele.

And it has been a slow build, but I’ve heard the same from other beauty professionals in my area. My cleaning lady client said she has had to hustle a little harder to find new clients.

Still, it’s a good idea to take the slow down as an opportunity to tighten up your business. Make sure your online persona is as good or better than your competition. Do some keyword research and make sure your website copy is optimized for SEO (getting found on Google). 

2. Are you being found organically?

What does organic search mean? This is when someone goes to Google search, types in “Lash Extensions near me” and your name shows up in the search without you paying for an ad. This is GOLD!!!

When you finish reading this post, go to the search engine and type in your keywords and see how your business shows up. And then ask a friend who lives in another area to do the same with the same keywords. (Because the search engines sometimes show the business closest in location, you may show up as the top listing, giving a false result). If you are far down the list, there are things you can do but that is a blog post for another day.

Social Media is a beast to keep up with and when you get busy do you stop posting? I think we’ve all been guilty of that, but if your business takes a deep dive when you stop posting this can indicate that you are only getting clients from only one source.

By the way, you are less likely to rank high on a search engine with just a booking link app. Especially in a crowded market. A website is essential in getting yourself found on search engines like Google.  So don’t fall into the trap of just using a booking app “website”. I have one with Gloss Genius and believe me, it’s not at all the same as having a strategically-built custom website designed to attract clients to your business. 

3. Before I go to a new salon, spa, esthetician, or yoga studio I always search them up online. I think these days most other people do as well. So what are clients seeing when they search for you? 

Is it an image that makes you proud and represents your vibe, your mission statement, and your price point? 

I’ll be honest, I’ve searched up my local competition and what I have seen is pretty amateurish. They either only have a booking app link or one of those free websites that look flat, dated, and unemotional. 

Then again, they aren’t charging the highest prices either. But if they wanted to raise their prices or just level up their image, a serious rebrand would be needed. 

Now I know once we are fully booked that’s a different story. A steady clientele makes marketing a little less of a priority, but when you’re ready to raise your prices or promote a new service make sure your online presence is on point!

4. Instead of a discount to gain clients, how about adding a free service? 

I always add a free brow wax when I am doing any kind of promotion. It only adds a few more minutes to my service (I’m no fancy brow artist that colors them in, but I’m great at a clean-up!).  But it also keeps me top of mind for brow waxing every four weeks.  This has worked for me since 2008, so whatever inexpensive and quick service that you want to promote can be shared in your monthly newsletter (I do mine from my booking app) and all over social media. 

Download the Freebie: 4 Secrets to Building Clientele (it covers this and other tips that helped me SKYROCKET my business!) Link below

5. Create packages that have a small discount built in.  

My ideal client book a Brazilian Wax, Brow Wax, and a Lash fill, so I have a package and they save $10. This rewards my loyal clients and keeps them on schedule.  I also have a lash fill package where they can buy three lash fills for a $15 discount. All of my regulars buy this every few weeks.

These are just a few ways that helped me gain clients without giving big discounts or using a service like Groupon (don’t do it!) When I lived in LA I was booked solid and listed 1st on Google for my area for many years. Marketing and a strong online presence was my secret sauce and still is. 

Except now I have scaled back my beauty biz to prioritize my website design biz. I’m ready to pick up laptop and work where I want (although I do love my little studio!)

Follow this blog for more beauty business and marketing tips.

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Cheers! 🥂

April Banda