The First-Timer Facial

THE "FIRST TIMER FACIAL"

Below is an excerpt from my book "The Heart of Esthetics: Creating Loyal Clients & Achieving Financial Success" in which I explain the First Timer Facial. Of course, there are more details in the book, but this will give you a general idea. Feel free to adapt my creation to fit your own esthetics business. 

The First-Timer Facial is not intended to be a big money-maker. Rather, it is an investment in a future loyal, long-term client. Financial success in our business is about client retention, and that begins the moment of first contact with a client. 

From The Heart of Esthetics, Chapter 5: "The Formula - Step 3"

"During my Business Essentials 101 class, I would ask the attendees a specific question, and 99% of the time, somebody in the class gets it right. Here is that question: “When a potential client calls a spa, what question do they always ask?”

The correct answer is: “How much are your facials?”

These potential clients do not ask this question because they really want to know the price. They ask it because they don’t know anything else to say to whomever answers the phone. And what is the typical response from the front desk staff? They give the price of the spa’s lowest-priced facial, of course. And that’s a problem!

A reception staff that is properly trained will know this is a caller’s most often-asked question, so they are prepared to engage in conversation with those potential clients. And that’s very good!

To make this situation easy on my reception staff and any potential client who calls in, I created what I called the “First-Timer Facial” (FTF). It’s not a fancy name, but it serves the important purpose of making it clear to anyone viewing my menu for whom this facial is intended.

The First-Timer Facial has a set price and a specific amount of time, but the components of the facial are determined when the client arrives and meets with the Esthetician. What this means to the client is that he or she does not have to know his or her skin type or current skin care needs and is not forced to choose a facial from a complicated spa menu.

And for the front desk staff’s benefit, there is no need to “sell” a particular facial. The receptionist only needs to know the components of the FTF and be able to explain to the potential client that his or her facial will be determined in conjunction with the Esthetician based upon a detailed consultation and evaluation. After all, it is part of the Esthetician’s job to determine which facial treatment is best for our client, right? It’s not the responsibility of the client.

With the First-Timer Facial, the pressure is taken off the client and the front desk, and trust in the Esthetician’s expertise, and the bonding process, has already begun. FTF must include at least 15 minutes of pre-facial consultation/chat time and 15 minutes post-facial time for discussion and recommendation of home care products and protocol."

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