The beauty business is noted for being recession proof. When times are tough, lipstick continues to be one of the few things that cost is less important that the way it makes the wearer feel. Considering this fact, many people who enter the beauty business think that it will be an easy way to make a good living.
Just hang an open sign and the customers will flock to your door. Wrong.
In the last few years, Total Image Solutions Salon & SPA with Private Studio Salons in University Place, Washington has had 5 stylists and skincare professionals move in and start their businesses, only to be met with heart wrenching challenges that they found themselves not ready to face.
These challenges were not- how to pick the right hair color for a client or what lipstick to sell them. Beauty school prepared them for that task. No, the challenges had more to do with finding out who the competition is and compete with the "phantom" competition...
Who is it? Who can it be? It is not the other hair stylists out there.
No, No, it is the drug store.
You see, new business clients were not people who were already going to a salon BUT the ones who weren't. They were what is commonally called in the beauty business--box dye clients.
They do their own hair color until it looks so bad that they need help.
Now it is your job to make sure they know where to find you. You must go out and find them! Everywhere you go, your open sign has to be 'on' in your head. You are your own Public Relations firm. As an independent business professional, you now have to wear many hats and the most important one is the one of "marketer".
If you won't talk about how good you are at helping others, then who will?
The 5 tips for beauty business successs--
1. Always carry your business cards to pass out.
2. Don't feel like you have to be perfect to talk to someone
3. Go to the drug store and offer to help someone looking at color, who better than you to help?
4. Have regular business hours and stick to them--after all the drug store does
5. Believe that you have an obligation to help others by sharing your skills and talents
The way to ensure success in any business, whether it is the beauty business or a bar, is to make sure you know your audience. Who is your audience? Make sure they know you are open for business and you will be successful.
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