So you’ve finally completed the courses, hours, and exams…and you have earned your esthetician’s license! Now it is time to roll up your sleeves, beautify your treatment space, and get to work on satisfying those clients, right?

While these are certainly integral parts of a successful skincare business they are only two of many (many) more that you will learn about as a first-year esthetician.

Where will you find clients beyond family and friends? What will set you apart from your competition? How do you intend to get the word out about your place in this industry? What will you do to continue learning with the changing trends?

In this post, NewMed Concepts spells out three questions every first-year esthetician needs to ask as they build a strong foundation from the beginning. Knowing the answers offers the best shot at success in the long run!

Start with the End in Mind: Where Do I See Myself in X Years?

You have heard the saying before: start with the end in mind. It holds true in this business, too. Without some semblance of a destination, it is far more difficult to forge a pathway.

As with any road, you may find yourself taking a turn here, opting for an alternative route there, but setting out with a general (but 100-percent truthful) vision of where you plan to end up will inform the decisions you make — even as early as today.

Spend some time pondering long-term goals and be honest (and nonjudgemental) with yourself about what success looks like to you. Start by asking, “Do I want to…”:

Start by asking “Do I want to…”:

• Establish my own practice?
• Become a principal esthetician at a luxury spa?
• Build a working relationship with a dermatologist’s office?

Skincare encompasses many avenues within different populations. It can help to examine your motives for pursuing it in the first place. Wherever you see yourself, this fantasy exercise is just the kind of brainstorming that can help you get real about your first-year esthetician goals.

Establishing a Philosophy: What Products Do I Love?

A seasoned esthetician will tell you that appointment fees only make up a percentage of their income. If you really want to generate a competitive monthly take-home, the other portion will come from retail sales.

What’s more, your clients don’t have to take your word for it! Utilizing these products during your client treatments only helps to prove to them how well they work. So experiment until you find the ones that you stand behind.

Pay attention to what products work for people of different skin types, and you’ll never feel like you’re selling them! If you haven’t had a chance to experience IMAGE Skincare lines, by the way, they are amazing.

So you have the license, you’ve developed an end-goal, and you know what treatments and products — how will you build that client base?

Building a Client Base: How Will I Reach Potential Clients?

This is a loaded question, isn’t it? It’s also probably the most important one. You have the education, you know how to provide treatments, and you know that nearly everyone needs the services you can bring them. But how will you reach them?

Pull up a blank document and just start jotting down where you think your potential clients might be and how you might be able to reach them. Remember, there are no bad ideas in a brainstorming session like this. Bullet everything. There’s time to cut the list later.

Coming out of school, likely on a shoe-string budget, your best bet is to go with what you know when it comes to marketing yourself. Here are a handful of thought-starters for kicking off your outreach efforts:

• Develop a brand for yourself, a mood, a vibe you want to carry throughout all the elements of your business. Plan your marketing ahead as much as you can.
• Establish a solid online presence. Decide which social platforms are important to you and whether you want to invest time and/or resources into a website at this point.
• Find your community and dive in. Neighborhood groups and special interest events are a good starting place. Find a way to casually bring up the work you do. Network.
• Reach out to complementary (not competitive) businesses and figure out how you can work together to gain clients. Come to the table with ideas that are profitable for everyone involved.
• Become an amazing listener. You never know where your next client or networking opportunity may come from. Be the person who listens to the needs of others. Even if it may not directly result in benefit for you, help others.
• Plan out how you intend to keep the clients you gain (client retention). Book your follow-up appointments. Create a plan for reaching out throughout the year.

One great place to start building your spa or esty business network is by connecting with NewMed Concepts.

Connect with us on social media. Find a wealth of industry knowledge in our library of weekly blog posts. Get insider info through our newsletters. And join us for constantly updated continuing education courses and webinars (some of them are even free!).

Our founder, Gayle, is also always an email or DM away if you have questions or need help with building your new business this year. Don’t hesitate to reach out!