From why Korean skincare to issues with retention...Here's our most frequently asked questions, answered!
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Happy Tuesday today, we are going to be answering some of the most frequently asked questions about skincare, specifically Korean skincare business and everything in between. We have compiled some of these questions from our Facebook group, taken them from our DMS, so I'm really excited to dive in and answer some of these most frequently asked questions with you today. The first is probably the most frequently asked question, what makes Korean skincare different than what we see here in the US? I think the main difference is the philosophy. Korean skincare definitely follows a more holistic and preventative approach, while here, we often see skincare as more of a reactive response, right? We're trying to fix issues rather than preventing them in the first place, barrier health is really a key component of Korean skincare. They have a lot less exfoliation. They definitely rely heavily on moisturizers. And moisturizing hydration is really important. And of course, they also use a lot of peptides. Here in the US, we see a lot more exfoliation, chemical peels. There's this thought that we need to exfoliate. At least when I started, I would tell my clients you need to exfoliate two to three times a week. Through the years of seeing clients and being mindful with my own skin, I realized that if your skin is properly hydrated and your barrier is healthy, you really don't need to exfoliate as often. Another important factor of Korean skincare is the interconnected wellness. Skin isn't treated in isolation. They also consider diet, the way you move your body, exercise, and also just lifestyle in general. It is really woven into their culture, not just like what you look like on the outside, but how are you taking care of yourself, your well being? They really understand that everything is connected, and I'm seeing more of that here. We're seeing more of that here in the United States, where we're really realizing that stress and hormones and environment all impact our skin, but that has long been understood in Korea and Asia in general. If we're to sum up what makes Korean skincare different, I would say it's the philosophy, the intention, really understanding that skincare is not just about how our skin looks but how we treat our body as a whole, really respecting that everything we put into our body affects our skin, our gut microbiome is directly linked to the microbiome on our face. And when we talk about a holistic esthetician, it's not about just like using organic products. It's about understanding that our bodies are like an ecosystem and everything is interconnected. Korean skincare really understands that aspect of skincare. Second question is, how do I explain to my clients why Korean skincare is better? Again, Korean skincare, it's really at, I always say, the forefront of the beauty industry, and it's because they invest billions of dollars in research and development. They create trends for the rest of the world. We have been seeing that for decades now. The K FDA, which is their version of the FDA, is also much stricter than the US FDA, so they have higher ingredient and formulation standards than we actually have here. And then last I would say that they're just honestly light years ahead in terms of, like, ingredient technology, peptides, growth factors, their delivery systems. They're all doing these things a decade before we're seeing it here in the US. Third is, I can't seem to get consistent bookings. What can I do? The first thing to do is to figure out where the breakdown is happening. Is it the location? Is it not convenient to get to where you're at? Is it in a seedy area? Is it just not a super appealing building. Second is, I would look at your booking process. Is it confusing? Is it inconvenient? Is it smooth? What does that look like? Perfect example, there's a massage therapist I absolutely love in the area. It is such a pain to book with her that every time I think of. About getting massage. When I think about booking with her, it makes me just not go through with it. I'm just like, it's not worth a hassle. I don't have time to fight her booking system to figure this out. Also treatment room. What is the treatment room vibe? Is it welcoming? Is it clean? Does it look professional? Yesterday, went and had a facial with asthma, and it was my old space. I hadn't been there for literally a year when I walked in, my mouth literally, kind of just like dropped open, because what she's done with the room was so beautiful, and that is the type of experience you want your clients to have, where it's just like kind of unexpected, and they're really excited to be there, and it's all about the environment that you provide, and then the last and this can be a little bit difficult, but you have to be honest with yourself about your skill level. Are your services delivering results. How is your facial massage? How is the pressure? Do your services make sense? Are you doing your treatments in a way that makes it feel like they're getting value and feels like it makes sense as it's happening? Don't cut corners. Everything has to feel really intentional, and you have to feel knowledgeable. There's a lot of things that go into it. I would honestly recommend maybe asking a trusted friend or a relative to come in and go through the entire processes. If they were a first time client, make them book. Have them get your marketing emails, like the welcome email, have them come in see if they notice anything. Are your walls looking dingy? Are things looking outdated? Do your stock shelves look dirty and dusty? Which would make somebody think, okay. First, it's not that clean here. They don't pay attention to detail. And third, they're clearly not busy with clients, because this place is really dusty and gross, so you have to think about all of these little things. Fourth is, how much should I charge for treatments? This is actually maybe one of our top questions, right after, what makes Korean skincare different? And I am so passionate about this, because to run a business and not know your numbers is a huge injustice to yourself and the business that you're trying to run. You should never be pricing your services based on what other people are charging, because it completely depends on your overhead and your costs. You could charge $500 for a facial but if it costs $480 to perform that service, and when I say $480 I'm talking about when you take into account your rent and your utilities and your insurance and your backbar products and everything else that goes into providing that service, plus paying yourself, if you have service, you charge $500 but it costs you $480 to perform it, and your profit is $20 that's not sustainable. You have to know your numbers first, and then you are able to figure out, okay, I should be charging this much because this is how much the service costs, how much I need to pay myself. There definitely is a math equation that goes into that, and we have a online community that we are building out launching April 1, a soft launch. April 1, we are going to start building out some of these Business Essentials for estheticians. And I hope you'll join the community. If you're not on our email list, I will also link that in the show notes so that you're notified of when it launches. We also had a question that said, I'm feeling burned out. What are some tips? Burnout is very common in our industry, and it happens when we give more than we receive. In the business and in the industry of service, we touch people, we absorb energy. We hear about their stressful day, and so it's really easy to get burnt out, especially if you're running your own business, right? Because not only are you seeing clients, then you have to clean up, prepare marketing, run your financials, order more stock. It is a lot. It's not easy. Being a solo esthetician. Some of the things that I would recommend first adjusting your schedule. Can you reduce your back to back appointments where you give yourself a little bit of a break in between? Also, can you take your schedule and put those clients closer together, so that you're not working an hour or two in the morning and then an hour or two at night and you have a big gap, get really creative with your schedule, and if you can stop taking clients on off hours when it's not convenient for you, there is some hustle that has to happen in the beginning, no doubt, but once you start getting the ball rolling. Um, you really need to start creating boundaries, which means don't go in on the weekends, don't squeeze clients, and if you don't have to, that can really help as well. The second is raising your prices. Sometimes the burnout is just financial, and this goes back to knowing your numbers, because maybe you are not charging enough and so you are having to work more than you should. The third suggestion to help reignite passion is take a new training, book, a facial for yourself. Find things that you enjoy, and spend a little bit more time doing that. It is hard. It's totally normal. I go through ebbs and flows where I love what I do, and then I just need to disconnect for a little bit, and then I come back and I think that's completely normal. The next question is, I post on social media every day, but I'm not getting any clients. So what do I do? I cannot stress this, enough posting in general is just not enough. You have to be seen the post and pray method does not work. I have found, and this is from experience, that the best way to grow your business is networking in person. When I started, I would literally go to the local businesses around my skincare studio, introduce myself, purchase some things, or take a workout class at the local gym, get to know the owner, invest in their business, and then in return, they wanted to invest in me. So they would share about my business, they would come in for treatments, and it worked out really well. I have a whole blog on our website. I will link this in the show notes about how I built my business from zero clients to being fully booked within a year. I also encourage you to think about what your brand story is. How do you tell your story? Do you want people to buy into you, not just your services? Think about how you can connect with your ideal client. When you post, make sure you're posting with purpose number seven, I don't know what to do about tips. Sometimes clients don't leave a tip, and it stresses me out. This is an interesting topic. Some SDS agree with me, some don't, but I truly believe that tips are just a bonus. It's not a given, and it should not be expected. You should not be pricing your services thinking that you are going to also receive a 20% tip, because not everybody tips, and it's not always 20% so you should price your services without thinking about tips in general. And honestly, I really do not like tips. I never liked ending a service or a treatment with an expectation, and I found, at least for my skincare business, that it was much more advantageous to have a little sign that said, rather than leave a tip, I would appreciate a Google review or something along those lines. And it worked out really well, because it took that awkwardness they didn't feel like they had to pay extra, because there is a psychological component to that. The price is what it is, and they appreciated that there was no expectation after also, because a lot of them did go and leave a Google review. It really helped with my website SEO, we know that consumers, generally, when booking a service, will go to Google to look at reviews. I think over 80% do this. And so the more Google reviews you have, the more legit your business will seem. And that is really helpful. Number eight, and this kind of goes back to some of the questions earlier, about Korean skincare. Somebody asked, What makes Korean skincare so magical? I would say, first and foremost, it really is that ritualistic experience that we provide to our clients through the treatments and also fostering this within their home care. I would go back to the whole philosophy of how it's different than westernized skincare, and that it's about self care and your skin in the moment, and what does your skin need? It's not just about topicals. It's about your diet, your lifestyle, how you move your body. And I think that when you combine all of those components, that's really what makes it magical, because it's really honoring the wholeness of a person. Number nine, I love this one. How do I get my clients to commit to home care? I always say that home care is 80% of the results your clients will see. It's an extension of your service. I love to educate. Don't sell. Show them and tell them how important home care is, in addition to the treatments they are receiving in your treatment room, also make it easy. They do not need to buy 10 products. Recommend just three essential products, something easy, cleanser, moisturizer, SPF, if you can get them to buy a serum and a toner, that's even better. But keep it really easy, and also think about who you are speaking to. For instance, if you have somebody who came in for a treatment, it's a new mom, and they are feeling overwhelmed with their skin. You know that they probably aren't sleeping well, they're probably stressed out. If you give them an easier, more simple routine that is manageable, they are going to be much better off. Following up is really important. So after you recommend sell a product, check in after a week to see how they're doing. Clients do appreciate that. It's also a great way to recommend further products and keep that conversation going. Ooh. I also love this question, what are some ways to create a memorable client experience? I love an experience, whether it's in the treatment room a restaurant walking into a building, a home, I love like these little moments, and I love just the experience and the feelings that spaces evoke. I would say some of the things that just come to mind is obviously always greet clients by their name, to make them feel special, make sure you have eye contact and make sure you were warm and friendly, even if they're late. I am not the aesthetician that would say you're 10 minutes late. No, I would always just be super warm, friendly and welcoming. I would also say following up after appointments is really important, because it shows them you care, and it starts to build that relationship, and that is what is really essential in our industry, creating a seamless experience, like going back to booking. What is the booking experience like? What is your website like? Do they know where to come for their appointment? Do they know what to expect before their treatment. What does your treatment room look like? How does it smell? What kinds of sounds are happening? The whole package really creates a memorable client experience. Number 11 is, I hate giving facial massages. Convince me why it's important? Oh, I really think facial massage is so crucial. Some estheticians don't like to do it, obviously, and that's okay, but I want to dispel this myth that facial massage is just like fluff within a facial because facial massage really is so important for skin health, it increases circulation and oxygenation within the skin. It helps with lymphatic drainage, removing toxins, and it also really helps relax the client. And let's be honest, who doesn't love that? I always say, if you can just do five minutes of focused facial massage, it's like the cherry on top number 12, I keep seeing trainings for estheticians on how to make six figures. Are they worth it? I want to really say, be careful, because there's so many unqualified people selling these programs who have never even ran a successful skincare business in their life. They like to pretend they have. They like to have this facade on Instagram, like they are really successful, and it is more often than not the case. I always recommend, if you find somebody that kind of speaks to you, do a little research. Investigate what business did they have? Why did they get out of their business? Was it because it was super profitable and they sold it and they wanted to move on to something else and help other estheticians? Or was it because they weren't successful in their business and now they're just moving on to something else, hoping that throwing mud at the wall, it will stick and this will come to fruition. But I also want to say that making $100,000 or more, making $100,000 in general, it means nothing if your expenses are 70,000 right? The truth to success is about profit, sustainability and strategy, and it's not just revenue. And I really think a lot of these programs try to make it seem like it's really simple, but there is so much more that goes into it. And so if you are looking for a training program truly that it, I would go into the different esthetic Facebook groups and do a search on that program and see what other people are saying about it. I also want to. Mentioned that in our educational platform, launching on April 1, we will have some free resources if you need help in that area. Can you combine Korean skincare with other brands? Yes, I always say you absolutely can combine Korean skincare with any other line that you so wish It pairs well, you don't have to worry about too much in terms of kind of interchanging. And I say, go for it. This one's kind of silly, but we do actually get this question quite often, is Korean skincare only for Koreans? Absolutely not. Their skincare is for any skin type, any skin concern, and actually it really focuses on barrier health and hydration, and that benefits everybody. How do I raise my prices without losing clients? Oh, this is a good one, and can seem really scary. Raising prices often is necessary, and that goes back to really knowing your numbers and assessing the health of your business regularly. But there's some tricks that I've used throughout the years when I raise prices that worked really well. One is you add value before raising the prices. So that includes marketing, how you talk about your treatments, how you deliver this story of what they can expect during their facial and then the second is adding in complimentary upgrades that really don't cost you any money or add time to the facial, but making It sound like they are getting something extra for free. The last one is, what's one thing I should stop doing in my business? That was a question that we were asked recently, like, if you could give one piece of advice of something that you see estheticians doing so often that they should not be doing? What would it be? And honestly, there's several things that come to mind, but what I really feel like I see often is estheticians comparing themselves to others. And I think it's so important for us to realize that our journey is ours, and to stay focused. I am not one to look at what my competitors are doing. It does not really matter what Mary down the road is doing. They are doing their own thing. We are in an industry of relationships. Our clients find us and stick with us because they like us. I was at a mastermind this past summer, and I can't remember her name, but she had a great point. She said, the more that you focus on what your competitor is doing, the more you become like them. And the reason why that isn't good is because you want to stand out and be unique, and you want to start and run a business that is true to yourself and your vision. I like to pretend like I'm a race works to put my blinders on and just keep moving and not worry about what others are doing around me. Okay, that's a wrap for today's FAQ episode. If this helped, please share it with a fellow esthetician, and don't forget, our new educational platform launches April 1. We also have show notes with links to blogs and resources. I hope you guys have a great week, and I'll see you next Tuesday!