As a beautician, your client list is potentially endless. The analytics firm GlobalData has revealed that the health and beauty sector will be worth £26.7bn by 2022, and it is predicted to be the fastest-growing sector in the upcoming years. That means more clients, but also more competition on the market.
Whilst hairdressing and beauty salons could once rely on word of mouth to grow their customer base, the internet has now become a tool to draw in new clients. It is therefore important that you brush up on your tech skills so that your business can excel, both online and in person.
Have a well-designed website
A well-designed, easily navigable website is of paramount importance if you want to grow your beauty business. Having an appealing, aesthetic web design gives off the impression to users that your business is professional and of high quality – somewhere where they would want to go for their treatment.
Uploading high-quality photos of your work onto your website is also key: by showcasing what skills you have to offer, a client is much more likely to trust you to take care of their beauty qualms. You can even put these images into a gallery, enabling the site user to browse a selection of the different looks that you can create.
As mentioned previously, word of mouth is no longer a reliable option if you want to expand your client list. In the digital world, reviews left by customers can be the deciding factor for those considering your services. By publishing the best reviews on your website, you can show visitors to your site that you have a great customer track record.
Write blogs
This seems slightly odd – after all, you’re a beautician, not a writer. However, many famous beauticians grew their beauty empire from the once humble blog: influencers such as PixiWoo and Fleur de Force started up posting online content offering advice on different beauty products, and then were gradually able to expand and grow their business to an international scale.
Of course, you may not get to be a worldwide brand by posting a few blog posts once a week, but it is a good way to attract new customers onto your site, thus increasing awareness around your business. For example, if a person googles a certain beauty query, and your blog offers the answer, then you give off the impression that you are knowledgeable in the field, and thus can be trusted.
Blogs are also an important tool to up your SEO – search engine optimisation. By using keywords that rank highly in Google search engines when writing your blog, you are more likely to rank higher on the search engine, and thus become more visible to those who are seeking out a beautician.
Social media
Social media is a more personal way to market your business. By linking your social media to your website, you are creating a direct link between your different online profiles. Perhaps you choose to create a Pinterest account, uploading photos of high-quality content to showcase what you have to offer.
Another fantastic way to upload images is Instagram: it is incredibly popular, reaching 1 billion monthly users in 2018. Not only does this allow you to display your expertise in the beauty industry, but it also allows you to market any deals or discounts that you may want to offer. Everyone loves a bargain, so this is a fantastic way to reel in new clients, as if they like your treatment then they are likely to come back.
You could decide to upload makeup tutorials or beauty tips onto Youtube, linking your Youtube account to your website. Whilst you shouldn’t rely on Youtube alone to market your skills, it’s still a great way to advertise yourself, completely free of charge and can be a great way to direct your fans back to your website.
Freedom
If you don’t want to be tied down to a salon, and want the freedom to control your own business, then working for yourself as a freelancer is a perfect solution, as you have complete flexibility over the clients you want to take.
Being your own boss is also great if you are new to the industry – you can carry on your day job, and work out of hours to test the waters, easing you into the beauty sector instead of plunging you in headfirst.
However, the issue with working for yourself is that you start from scratch. Unless you have already grown a reputation amongst the community via working at a beauty salon, it could be tricky getting in clients who have no idea what you can offer. This is why building a website is paramount – by improving your online presence, you are sure to bring in more customers.
How do I build a website?
Nowadays, you don’t need to be a coding genius to build a great website. Go Sitebuilder is one of the best website builders in the UK: we have extensive knowledge in the area, ensuring that you can build your website stress-free. We offer all of the aforementioned and more – why not see for yourself, with our 14-day free trial.