Client Development Plan: The Beginning

Looking for new clients without having a Client Development Plan in place...is like buying your dream car without learning how to drive.

There are lots of moving parts with regard to client development...that is, if your goal is a loyal clientele. (On the other hand, if you work in a spa that does not rely on return clients, this may not be relevant to you.)  Client loyalty is not based upon the service menu or the product line; nor is it based upon the location or décor of the business. It’s based upon something intangible: The Client Bond. 

Estheticians are not in the service or sales business. We are in the relationship business.

To demonstrate this, below are two scenarios. One begins to lay the foundation for a strong client bond which will lead to a loyal client. And the other will not. You decide which is which.

Scenario #1:

A prospective client has heard about you and goes online to find your website.

• The landing page includes some text, and somewhere on the page there are links to services.
• The prospective client clicks on the "facial services" link and they are taken to an automated, serve-yourself, booking software.
• The prospective client -- who has not yet been seen by the esthetician, hasn’t spoken to him or her, hasn’t had their skin evaluated -- must choose a facial service from the options given.

Scenario #2:

A prospective client has heard about you and goes online to find your website.

• The landing page has a 1-2 minute video of you introducing yourself and offering an overview of your services, your experience, your training, your skin care philosophy, etc. Instantly the prospective client gets to see you and hear you, and gets to know you a bit. A bond has begun.
• Rather than forcing a prospective client (whom you have not yet seen in person) to decide which facial service he or she should have, instead you explain in your video that you are a professional esthetician and you always want to give the best/customized/safest service to each of your clients...and to do that, an in-person consultation is necessary. For that reason, you have created a service specifically for first-time clients, and that’s the facial they should choose for their first visit.
• This First-Timer Facial will include a consultation and skin evaluation at which time you will gather all the essential information, including the client’s skin care goals, which will then allow you and the client, together, to decide upon the best customized facial service for that client, on that day.

“First-Timer Facial”

The First-Timer Facial is something I created for my spa over 20 years ago, and it was a requirement for all new clients. The creation of this service made it easy for the client and easy for the Estheticians. I know the name isn’t particularly clever or pretty, but it states very clearly what it is and who it’s for, and that was my goal.

A prospective client should not have to bear the burden of sorting through a menu of services in an attempt to figure out which facial they need. That’s OUR job! We are the trained, licensed, skilled experts, and we want clients to depend on us for guidance related to all of their skin care needs. 

Of course, I understand how convenient online booking is; however, a first-time client requires a more personal and specialized customer service experience. Here is an excerpt from The Heart of Esthetics online course related to this topic:

Studies show that 60% of people define their skin type and home care incorrectly. A licensed esthetician is trained in skin analysis to provide accurate information, create an appropriate treatment plan and make home care recommendations to enable you to meet your skin care goals.

Another really great reason for creating a First-Timer Facial is if you have a receptionist (or someone other than you who fields requests for information about your services). Odds are very low that the receptionist will be able to remember and eloquently explain to prospective clients in sufficient detail all the items on your service menu. Whereas, if you have some version of my First-Timer Facial on your menu, the receptionist only has to know -- and be able to explain -- the details of that one facial.

Details of the "First-Timer Facial" are available in The Heart of Esthetics book.