5 Things You Need To Do Before Charging Your First Lash Client
Now that you’re certified to lash, you’ve got your business license, you’ve already spoken with interested clients…what’s next? Launch date? Before you dive right in and start filling up your books, we’ve picked out 5 major stepping stones you need to manage before launching your lash business. These steps will pave the path for success and ensure that both you and your business are fully prepared for the road ahead.
Branding is Everything
Whether you were born with the creative gene or not, it is imperative that your branding does your lash business justice. First off, you’ll need a name, logo, and colors so that, in future, your brand can become easily recognized across the lash industry. You can either create something impactful on your own, or you can enlist a service to professionally design your brand for you. Once you establish what fits, you can use your branding throughout marketing and with your social media profiles. Want to learn how to do this on your own? Check out our Instagram Branding E-Book!
Tailor Your Cancellation Policy
Imagine your client is gushing about how naked she feels without lashes and ooh, she can’t wait to be in your chair! She’ll be here in 15 minutes, so you get the music and lighting just right, your tools are sanitized, and you settle in to take a sip of your iced macchiato when you see the text notification. “OMG I’m so sorry - I have to cancel, something came up!” Ahh… The whole vibe is off and now you're EXTRA early for your next client, but inside you feel like a deflated balloon. Clients mean well, but “meaning well” does not recover the time or money that could have been otherwise reserved (for another client, backend tasks, rest, etc). With a proper policy, your client can review your no-show fees or deposit restrictions in order to retain their appointment. It is worth investing the time to create a policy that protects and maps out your rates and responsibilities prior to the start of service.
Setup Social Media
You’ve heard time and again about how social media is an incredible tool for businesses and business owners; the same goes for lash artists and their business. You have access to client communication, both individually and as a group. Whether by intention or chance, you have the options of free or paid promotion. Your clients can use social media to share your content or when they’re happy with your services, which will attract new clients, as well.
Apply for a Business Bank Account
Have you been using your personal banking account for your business expenses? Here’s your friendly reminder to apply for your business bank account. There’s a reason why “business” and “personal” don’t live in the same neighborhood: some things work better when they’re apart. Whether you manage it on your own or you hire someone to do it for you, keeping expenses separate is important to save yourself the confusion and headache later on. As an added bonus, it makes organization a lot simpler around tax season (and who doesn’t love that?).
Suit Up with Insurance
One of the foundations for a successful business is insurance. You’ve invested time and money into your baby (lash biz) and your coverage should show up the way you do. Having a policy to protect both you and your business from losses and claims is the peace-of-mind you need to secure your investment. Don’t take the cheapest route here, either - if there’s any arena in business where it makes sense to spend more, this is it.
Launching your lash business, or any business really, takes more than just a few steps. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Dreams take work. Surely, there are things that will test your patience and ability, but if you equip yourself with the right information and work through the necessary steps, there’s nothing to stop you!