In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, your esthetician practice might be struggling with plenty of unexpected challenges. In most states, businesses within the beauty industry aren’t allowed to serve clients in person. 

You may be worrying about how to sustain your business during these uncertain times so we put together a list of strategies to bring in revenue while you can’t offer your usual services.

1 | Pre-sell services at a discount.

At some point, you’ll be able to open the doors of your practice again. Offer an incentive for current and new clients who purchase services now to be used at a later date.

Many people are looking for ways to support their favorite businesses while they can’t book appointments. By providing a discount for popular services, you’re giving clients a way to show their loyalty, as well as a chance to save a little money.

2 | Sell gift cards for products and services.

Usually, when we consider buying gift cards, it’s with other people in mind. You can encourage your clients to purchase gift cards for themselves to pay for future services or products they need. Even if you don’t normally offer gift cards or certificates, these aren’t normal circumstances. 

Media outlets across the board have featured articles that suggest purchasing gift cards as a way to support local businesses and service providers so it’s already on the mind of your clients. Send a simple email to make sure they know that you offer this option.

3 | Offer virtual consultations.

Even though you can’t meet with clients in person, there are plenty of ways that technology can help you connect. Consider offering virtual consultations to help address skin issues and other concerns.

Since you won’t be able to perform a thorough hands-on analysis of your client’s skin, you’ll want to charge a discounted rate, which is also an incentive for people to try this new option. You can help clients choose products, like a vitamin C serum, or get started on a skincare regimen. 

4 | Raffle off a special service.

Choose a select service you want to promote or one of your most popular treatments to give away in a raffle. Current or potential clients can buy tickets for the chance to win a free treatment. You could also host a virtual auction, with the treatment going to the highest bidder.

You can advertise your raffle on social media, which is a great way to attract new followers. You could even offer extra entries to people who share about the raffle on their own social media accounts or to those who write online reviews for your practice.

5 | Use social media to provide extra value.

Social media is one of the most important tools for businesses during this time of social distancing. Your job as a business owner is to serve your clients, and platforms like FaceBook, Instagram, and YouTube allow you to provide value even when you can’t see clients in person.

Let’s say that you have a client who regularly comes to you for microneedling treatments. While she’s unable to continue her normal appointments, she might start researching microneedling tools for use at home. Instead of blindly choosing a product on her own, you can offer recommendations on the best options and even demonstrate how to use them properly.

You can do product reviews, tutorials, and even host live question and answer sessions. Not only does this offer valuable content for your clients, it also demonstrates your expertise and creates visibility for new clientele.

Bonus Tip!

Right now is a great time to take care of your continuing education requirements if your esthetician’s license is up for renewal this year. Click here to try Kudos and get a discount on your first course!

The Bottom Line

While the uncertainty of the current situation can be scary, it’s a great time to get creative in your esthetician practice. Even though you can’t provide treatments, you can still offer plenty of value to current and potential clients.

Thank you!

Take Care,

Megan