The #1 Mistake Made by Estheticians

You can assess the quality of an Esthetician’s training, knowledge, and expertise by way of his or her intake process. So if there is no intake process, well, that’s just a huge red flag.

(Note: I am going to use the pronoun "her" but this applies to men, women, etc.)

As Estheticians, our ammunition is our training and the endless opportunities for continuing education. Anyone who has ever had a facial by a really well-trained and licensed Esthetician knows that our intake process is very different from a salesperson looking at a person’s skin in a department store or an MLM home party. Department store, grocery store, MLM salespeople cannot do anything even close to what an Esthetician can do for their clients.

Completing the Intake Form. The Intake Form should be filled out with the client as opposed to handing her an Intake Form (or online version) and asking her to complete the form on her own. This important step is so much more than simply information on a page. It's is a huge opportunity to bond with the client as you ask her questions, record her answers, answer questions she may have, and discuss various items and issues during the process. The information you will extract due to the back and-forth dialogue as you go through the Intake Form with your client is the most valuable information you will ever receive in your career as a Licensed Esthetician.

This important step is where the "bonding process" begins as you go through this personal information and allow her to get to know you. It allows her to begin to feel more comfortable and ultimately relax into trusting you. This will allow you to get to know her too, such as her personality, goals, her fears about aging, her self-image, etc. This is a personal experience for the client who is oftentimes providing private information, and it should be treated respectfully and with great care.

It does not matter if the conversation goes off track, off topic, and away from what’s contained in the form. Consistent bits of helpful information will result from this process, so be ready to take notes. The process of filling out the Intake Form with the client is also the first step in laying the foundation for future retail sales. (More on this topic inside The Heart of Esthetics book.)