WA NT MO RE? Find even m ore information in the Successful Bu si Handbook, av ness ailable at w w w.ascpsk incare.com.
Associated
SkinProfessionals Care
Let’s Go! An Esthetician’s Guide to Success
“
Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire. —Unknown
”
Congratulations on committing to taking your career to the next level with ASCP! You’ve secured the highest level of distinction as a skin care professional by being an insured, professional, and supported member of the largest association for estheticians. This guide was created with your success in mind. We want to help you kick-start your business development, regardless of how long you’ve been practicing. You’ll find it offers pragmatic advice, thought-provoking ideas, and the encouragement you need to improve your odds of professional success. At ASCP, we believe your success is our success. When you’re ready for more in-depth support, go to www.ascpskincare.com, where we’ve compiled every link mentioned in this guide, plus a wide array of comprehensive resources for building a more successful business.
Our goal is for you to build your dream practice. Together, we can help you get there sooner.
Let’s go!
This publication is intended for the exclusive use of ASCP members. To be entitled to ASCP benefits, you must be a member in good standing. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from ASCP. © Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.
Associated
SkinProfessionals Care
25188 Genesee Trail Road, Suite 200 Golden, Colorado 80401 800-789-0411 | www.ascpskincare.com getconnected@ascpskincare.com Office Hours: 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. MST Editor: Darren Buford Design: James Sutherlin
“
Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.
“
—Maya Angelou
BY LAUREN SNOW
Defining Success Everyone measures and defines success in their own way. Our commitment to helping you build your dream practice—and cheering you on as you do it—is how we define our own success at ASCP.
1. Remain a Student of Life
5. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
Those who seek continuing education opportunities expand their knowledge and stay informed on innovations, industry relations, and opportunities for new revenue streams.
Those who are clear about their business and personal goals are able to see what they need to do to achieve them and create a path to obtain them. Setting intentions and having clear goals is essential to your success.
2. Stay Disciplined
6. Remember the Customer is Always First
No clients? Successful estheticians have the discipline to use downtime to grow their business. They work on improving client experiences, marketing efforts, and their own professional development.
When clients receive personalized attention, they feel appreciated. Successful estheticians practice saying clients’ names, being present in conversations, and always trying to practice attentiveness by anticipating clients’ needs and desires before they communicate them.
3. Work Your Network Part of a successful business is turning people who are already in your network into paying clients. Learning to consistently work your network can be the difference between full books and an empty treatment room.
7. Define Your Unique Selling Position When estheticians define their unique selling position (USP), they are able to focus on who they are as a professional and what makes them different. This competitive advantage helps you define yourself and your brand and creates a road map for your success. u
4. Be Prepared and Organized From retail inventory to treatment room stock, estheticians who take the time to maintain supplies don’t miss sales by not being prepared—and they don’t turn off clients with a disorderly business.
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what’s your path?
4
BY PATRICIA HEITZ
7 Ways to Think About Your Work Many of us never think about the deeper meaning of our work as estheticians. For instance, in our touch-phobic society, sometimes our work is the only time someone is touched at all. I invite all estheticians to adopt these simple principles of self-awareness to be able to give the very best to those we touch and contribute to the healing of our world. 5. Seek to Understand Rather Than to be Understood
1. Be a Conduit of Wellness Clients come to you for a relaxing, positive service, including a relaxing atmosphere. Make sure you give them that.
When you really listen and understand, you won’t believe how much your communication with others will improve.
2. Make a Commitment to Self-Growth
6. Keep Learning
Sit down and map out where you want to be in 1–5 years. Break it down monthly, weekly, and daily. Do at least one thing every day to bring you closer to achieving your goals.
Always remember that when you’re green, you grow, and when you’re ripe, you rot. Always keep yourself educated and learning. If you allow yourself to, you can learn something new from every person and situation in your life.
3. Always Keep Yourself Empowered
7. Be a Part of Something Bigger Than Yourself
Focus on goals. When you have problems, don’t allow them to become roadblocks.
We have the power to help heal and ease stress, loneliness, and physical discomfort as well as boost self-esteem. We can never lose sight of this. This is not about us; it is about them, our clients. u
4. Make It Right for You and Others The first time your client comes to you, discuss whatever you see as current or potential problems for her skin, the treatment plan, and what you expect her to do at home to achieve the goal for her skin. After you both have arrived at that place, then your common goal becomes maintenance.
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Get the Job You Want
Where to Look For estheticians, there has been tremendous growth in positions within medical offices— not just dermatology and plastic surgery practices. Professionals may want to look for jobs in nontraditional areas like country clubs, cruise ships, and health clubs. Look at part-time positions that could open doors in established spas. Whatever path you seek, there is a growing need for those who are business savvy.
Who Gets Hired? Job seekers should diversify their skills, such as with hair removal, nail, or massage licenses. And retail knowledge is key. Today’s estheticians have to be hungry for business and eager to learn. Courses in communication, marketing, public speaking, and sales can help. 6
Getting Started Experts agree the most important thing when searching for a job is to have a plan and do research. Plot a career path and align yourself with a position that works you into that path.
Network and Align Yourself Because resumes won’t unlock every opportunity, you should seek out personal recommendations. Make the right impression and form contacts from the very beginning of your career and all the way through. All networking avenues, including job boards, should be included in a job search. And a personal website can help job seekers stand out—it can showcase work and experience, and it’s a great way to grab an employer’s attention.
BY MONICA SCHULOFF SMITH
Associated Skin Care Professionals offers members a free website with highquality photography and an email address. To get started, log in to the Members section at www.ascpskincare.com.
But first ensure that you have a clean online personality. Don’t make unprofessional content visible on your social media sites, for instance. It’s now common practice for employers to start their research here. Job seekers should also join professional associations, which can help them connect with others in the field. These affiliations can make candidates stand out.
What to Expect If you really want a job, you should be willing to do anything to get your foot in the door. Don’t expect a callback for every resume you walk in, email, or send out. On the day you walk in, be prepared to do a face-to-face interview, practical skills test, or even shadow an employee to learn the spa’s systems. This is how a spa’s management will see if you fit in. u
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Job Search Strategies Begin by evaluating your goals. Where are you now and where do you want to be? What type of work environment will make you most comfortable? What are your long- and short-term objectives? Do you enjoy working side by side with many people, or do you prefer the intimacy of a small business? Do you want to try something new or something more traditional? Only you can answer these questions. Let’s start by developing your road map to success. Network
Follow Up
Once you know the direction you’d like to pursue, tell people. Everyone has the potential to be the contact that leads to that one great job. The adage is true—it’s often who you know.
Send a handwritten thank-you note after each interview.
Now What? Now comes the wait. There may be a job offer, there may not. If there is, you might even decide it’s not exactly what you want and decline it. Our working lives take up the majority of our daily lives. While necessity often decides where, when, and how often we work, if at all possible, work in an environment that will allow you to grow professionally, where you enjoy the relationships with your coworkers, and, most of all, where you can be happy. If it is a job offer you’re interested in accepting, make sure you’re agreeable to all the terms. Don’t be bashful about negotiating terms of employment, but know when to compromise, especially if it is a job you really want. With a plan of action, a set of goals, and the fortitude to put your best foot forward, you’ll do just fine. Exude the confidence and passion that brought you into this profession in the first place. They will show through, and savvy employers will reward you for them. u
Job Search Use the internet as a resource, as well as your school’s career services department and state- or county-sponsored job service organizations. Don’t be afraid to send your resume to advertised positions and to employers who may not yet know they need you.
Interviewing Thinking ahead about what questions an employer might ask is a good way to be prepared. Don’t feel ambushed, however, if employers hit you with a difficult question you didn’t anticipate. It’s part of their strategy to see you think on your feet. And remember, an interview is a two-way street. Ask yourself: Do you want to work for this person? In this environment? For these kinds of clients? When you ask questions other than ones about salary, vacation, and benefits, it shows you’ve invested time in the process.
Need Work?
Employers post jobs in the classifieds on www.ascpskincare.com, in the Members section under Career Development, “Classified Ads and Business Opportunities.” 8
5 Skin Care Resume Tips The average employer spends only 20–60 seconds reading each resume. Arrange yours in readable sections: name and contact information; a bulleted list of your skills, techniques, and modalities; work history; education; professional licenses/memberships/honors. Keep the following tips in mind to make every word count. 1. Know What Employers Want Skin care training and experience aren’t the only ways to impress an employer. They’re always looking for two vital factors: retail skills and customer service skills. If you’re experienced in these areas, mention it, even if it’s not from a skin care position!
2. Get the Details Right Misspellings and grammatical errors say a lot to potential employers about your organizational skills and attention to detail. Have someone you trust look everything over before you send it out.
3. Include a Cover Letter Always include a cover letter—as a separate page for mailed applications or in the body of the email if you’re sending your resume as an attachment. Cover letters are three to four short paragraphs. This is where you
can display your personality, highlight your best qualities and qualifications, and show your interest in this position.
4. Keep It Short, Relevant, and Readable Use two pages maximum, covering the last 10 years of work. Everything on the resume should be relevant to the job you are applying for and presented neatly (no colored paper or fancy fonts!) so it’s easy to read at a glance.
5. Emphasize the Positive What did you accomplish in previous jobs? Back up your achievements with data if you can. “Increased retail sales” is good, but even better is “Increased retail sales 30 percent by improving displays.” u
For more advice on resumes and cover letters for estheticians, including samples, read “A New Graduate’s Steps to Success,” available at www.ascpskincare.com/students.
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your image
BY ANNE WILLIAMS
Communicate Professionally • Clients respond to professionals who treat them as equals, speak honestly to them, and include them in the planning process. • Be responsive to clients’ needs. Return phone calls and emails within 24 hours. • Skin care professionals regularly require 24-hour notice from clients to cancel an appointment—show the same respect, and give 24-hour notice when rescheduling is needed. • Never use profanity or slang when speaking or emailing with clients. • Strive for professional language. Eliminate “yep,” “nope,” “like,” “kinda,” and “ya know” from all professional interactions—phone, email, social media, etc. • Speak in lay terms to clients. For example, a client is unlikely to know what an emollient is; explain it’s a product that softens the skin by slowing the evaporation of water. u
Be the Client Have you received a treatment in your own office space? How comfortable is your table? What’s it like to sit in the client-intake chair? What noises and smells do you pick up on? Does the tick, tick, tick of your clock slowly drive you crazy by midsession?
Communicate carefully and frequently with clients to find out their goals and skin care concerns. Checking in before, during, and after services can help keep you on target with each client’s wishes.
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BY KARRIE OSBORN
3 Tips for First Impressions
1
The Phone If your ringback tone is “Sexy and I Know It,” if your outgoing voice message says anything like “You know who this is” or “You know what to do,” or if you answer your phone with “Hey,” change it. Remember: be professional.
2 3
Social Media Did you do a little too much celebrating at your cousin’s wedding this weekend? And did you decide to share posts and pics on Facebook? If your page is public for everyone to see, then your clients are also going to know you danced on the tables until dawn. Create a separate business presence on Facebook or Twitter for clients.
The Office Avoid clutter and dust collectors. Appropriate inspirational sayings and posters are fine, but avoid anything political, religious, or otherwise a hot topic for clients. Make sure sheets are soft and inviting, not nubby and well-worn, and that any aromas you use are subtle and welcoming, not brash and artificial. If you work from home, make sure the front lawn is not littered with toys, bikes, or dog doo. u
55% of people’s judgments of
93% of people’s judgments of
others are determined by physical appearance.
others are based on nonverbal input like body language.
From Businessinsider.com: “12 Statistic-Driven Ways To Make Lasting First Impressions.”
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BY WILLIAM J. LYNOTT
The Laws of Likability People like to do business with people they like. When it comes to a highly personal and sensitive service, such as that provided by an esthetician, likability can spell the difference between failure and success. Here are some tips from The 11 Laws of Likability by The Law of Similarity
Michelle Tillis Lederman.
Look for common interests and backgrounds, or shared experiences and beliefs, to find similarities that can help you build connections with others.
The Law of Self-Image Before you can expect others to like you, you have to like you.
The Law of Mood Memory It’s not a good idea to bring a bad mood to work.
The Law of Authenticity
The Law of Familiarity
To be likable, you must learn to be your true self.
Building familiarity with clients is another way to make them feel comfortable with you.
The Law of Energy
The Law of Giving
Be true to yourself and to your energy in a given situation in order to be perceived as authentic and sincere.
There is extraordinary value in doing things for others simply because you want to, not because you expect anything in return.
The Law of Listening
The Law of Perception
Listen to what is being said rather than thinking about what you want to say next.
Keep yourself aware of the signals you are transmitting about yourself—and the ones other people are transmitting to you.
The Law of Curiosity If you remain curious in your conversations, you will remain comfortable and genuine.
The Law of Patience Some clients take longer to reach and are more difficult to be around. u 13
BY MONICA SCHULOFF SMITH
Eliminate Customer Service Pain Points The new face of business requires that professionals evaluate their pain points and correct them. Pain points are tied to customer service. They are a snag or irritation that motivates a client to seek a solution or an alternative. Each of your contacts or interactions with a customer can be a pain point if situations aren’t handled well. In baseball terms, pain points are strikes against you. If customers experience too many pain points, they may simply stop doing business with you. Janet McCormick, skin and nail care educator and spa consultant, agrees and adds that “good customer service is really the easiest, least expensive, and most effective way to market your business.”
Common Pain Points THE APPOINTMENT
• A phone that isn’t answered promptly. • An answering machine greeting during off-hours with incomplete information. • Being put on hold several times when booking an appointment. • Getting an answering machine during business hours. • Poor driving directions to the spa. • An incomplete, outdated, or nonworking website. THE ATMOSPHERE
• Being ignored or left alone for long periods of time in the spa. • Inappropriate staff conversation in front of customers. • Lack of recognition or not feeling valued by the spa. • Not being listened to. • Poor sanitation and housekeeping. • Sensory issues (too cold or hot, noises, ringing phones, unpleasant smells).
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THE TREATMENT
• An unprofessional, uncaring, or less-than-knowledgeable service provider. • Not getting appropriate pre- and postservice instructions. • Poor technical performance. • Service provider running late. • Shortened services. • The hard sell. THE CHECKOUT
• A policy against putting a tip on a credit card (tax laws may necessitate this, unfortunately). • Informing customer too late that you don’t take checks/credit cards. • Waiting in line to pay.
Ounce of Prevention “Professionals must be trained on how to respond properly to clients, in every part of the service, from entrance to exit,” McCormick says. “The professional needs to be intuitive. Watch a customer’s eyes and his or her physical response to everything. Pay attention and you can correct pain points by eliminating irritating activities.” u
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Emme Diane Burg In practice since 2000 Emme began her career at a day spa and later switched to a medispa. Today, she combines her love of both areas to ensure her clients receive treatments that are both relaxing and results-oriented.
Q&A What did you love about being an employee?
How can estheticians set themselves up for a long career?
I was very lucky to have amazing employers who fostered my love of learning and provided me with invaluable ongoing education. Also, working collaboratively in a team, I learned so much more about skin care, customer service, and the industry as a whole than I would have on my own.
Keep your passion alive by investing in yourself; ongoing education keeps you abreast with the latest in the industry; personal development, because our job can be emotionally taxing at times; exercise and a healthy lifestyle, because aside from the physical nature of our work, our clients look to us for inspiration/motivation to live their healthiest, most beautiful lives.
What do you love about running your own practice? I always dreamed of owning my own practice, and it has far surpassed my expectations. Aside from creating my own schedule and having financial freedom, I love being able to select and customize exactly what treatments, products, and protocols are best for my clients.
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What’s the biggest challenge you faced pursuing either path? While starting my own practice, my biggest challenge was me! My fear of failure, selfdoubt, and uncertainty were debilitating. But with daily, consistent action (even when I didn’t feel like it), I bravely walked through my fears and my business has steadily grown.
Adeena Wagner In practice since 2010 Adeena worked at a medispa doing acne treatments, consultations, microdermabrasion, and peels, as well as cross-selling laser treatments, Botox, and fillers. Three years ago, she opened her own spa in San Diego.
Q&A What did you love about being an employee?
How can estheticians set themselves up for a long career?
I liked receiving more training, steady clients, and a steady paycheck—and being free from the pressure of running my own business. That side was taken care of, so when I was at work I could focus on my clients, and after clocking out I could “clock in” for quality time with my family.
Get a mentor/business coach, join a networking group, invest in continuing education. Charge what you’re worth; don’t devalue your skills and education. And since we give so much of ourselves to our clients, it’s important to make time for yourself. Lastly, let your personality, knowledge, and customer service shine by developing great relationships with your clients.
What do you love about running a practice?
What’s the biggest challenge you faced pursuing either path?
It has caused me to grow personally. I can be my own creative boss and bring in products and services that I am passionate about. I like having the freedom to make my own schedule around my family, implement my own ideas, plan strategies to take me toward my goals, and be directly rewarded.
For me, the biggest challenge in being an employee was only being able to make a set amount of money. In pursuing my own practice, I put in 60–80 hours a week and sometimes I feel burnt out—but my love for my family, my entrepreneurial spirit, my network of fellow encouraging estheticians, and my passion for people and skin care keeps me motivated. 17
market yourself
What’s In a Name? Marketing is the process of getting your name out there and establishing trust with potential clients. So, where do we start this process? With the name of your practice, of course! The moment you name your practice, you stop being a person who provides skin care services and you start being a business. If you don’t have a business name, choose one carefully. Many practices tend toward either the clinical (Center for Esthetics) or high-end recreational (The Works Spa). Some choose to narrow their target market (For Women Only); some simply identify themselves by location (Southside Skin Care Center); even others list specialties or credentials (John Doe, NCEA Certified, ITEC, CIDESCO).
Stick to the Message Your marketing efforts must be consistent. This means you don’t change your focus with the changing winds. You can’t be the “wax gal” this month and switch to being the “antiaging gal” next month. This will not build trust with either group. And you won’t be able to market effectively.
Stay Short and Sweet Keep your focus clear and consistent. Don’t complicate your marketing message with unnecessary information. Decide what you want to communicate, who you want to communicate it to, and don’t add information to distract from your plan.
Keep At It Your marketing tactics should be long-term. Just because you may get tired of seeing the same old faces doesn’t mean it’s necessarily time to move on. Think of marketing as water splashing against a rock: after just a few times, it does nothing to the rock. But consistently splash water against the rock in the same place, and you will wear away the rock—the rock can’t resist. u
Keep your focus. Keep your momentum. Stay consistent. 19
“
Success in life could be defined as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals. —Deepak Chopra
”
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BY ALI DAVIDSON
Maintaining Your Digital Brand The world has evolved, and now we must exist in two places: the real and the digital. Maintaining your digital brand is not too far removed from how you maintain your physical one. Following are some common digital-world questions answered in real-world terms.
How often should I post on my social media accounts? This is an everyday maintenance task, akin to getting dressed in the morning. It only takes a few minutes. Your business should have something positive to say every day. You want to post genuine, valuable content for your followers—something that makes them smile, want to share, or take action (like book an appointment). Resist the urge to post things that are overtly salesy; that doesn’t encourage anyone to follow you.
Do I really need to constantly keep checking my social media notifications, direct messages, and email? It shouldn’t take more than a minute, and it can save your image. When someone comments on your posts, it’s like the midday eyeliner run—you can’t just ignore it. Address all issues. If you’re pressed for time, hit the “like” button or send an emoji, so your followers know they’re being heard. As for direct messages through social media messenger services, write a brief response saying you’re with a client and will get back
to the person soon. Save it into the notes section of your phone so you can quickly paste it in as a response to all messages that aren’t time sensitive. For email, you can similarly set up an immediate response that will automatically be sent to anyone who emails you. This will let everyone know you aren’t ignoring them even if you don’t have time in that moment to reply.
Is posting on my own social media page enough? Nobody likes the friend who constantly talks about “Me, me, me, me, me!” and doesn’t even bother to respond when someone changes the subject. It is essential to your digital footprint that you interact with other people’s posts on social media. You must interact, engage, and actually be social for your social media presence to thrive. Post positive, encouraging comments to your followers and watch as your following grows. u
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You Need a Website! With few exceptions, businesses in today’s world require a web presence.
Not sure where to start? Watch our overview video “Using the ASCP Website Builder” at www.ascpskincare.com. This is how easy it is: • Set up your profile. • Choose your template and color scheme. • Pick your pages. • Use our preloaded content or add your own. Those are the basics, but if you want to take your website to the next level, you can easily add online scheduling and other features. u
Need photos? Check out the ASCP Photo Library in the Members section of www.ascpskincare.com under “Business Tools” for hundreds of spa and skin care images you can use to promote your practice.
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Get Social Chances are you have some sort of social media account, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, or any one of dozens more options. Here are some tips, starting with this: create separate accounts! Facebook
• Only post content you want your clients to see. • Post occasional specials for your Facebook friends to build your audience. • Check out www.facebook.com/ASCPskincare for content you can share.
• Don’t forget email! Email is the original social media. • Keep your subject lines shorter than 50 characters. • Avoid words likely to direct your message to spam filters, like “free.” • Always include your contact info.
Twitter • Choose a handle that is professional and reminds people of your business. • Follow others in the profession for inspiration and ideas. • Post openings in your schedule to try to fill your appointment book. • Retweet content curated by ASCP by following @ASCPskincare.
Others • There are plenty of options. Find one that gives you what you need. • Join www.skincareprofessionals.com, a valuable site for networking with other estheticians. • Create a LinkedIn profile to help you in your job search. • Establish a YouTube channel—a great place to post videos of techniques, tours of your treatment space, or client testimonials. u
* Check out our webinar library for more resourses!
According to the Pew Research Center, 79% of online adults say they use Facebook, 32% say they use Instagram, 31% say they use Pinterest, 29% say they use LinkedIn, and 24% say they use Twitter.
Make Word-of-Mouth Advertising Work for You The busiest esthetician practices are ones that work every day to invest in growing their business. Every client can be viewed as a career opportunity. And there is a lot you can do, with little cost or inconvenience, to help bring new business your way faster. Remember that every happy client is a potential member of your personal marketing team. Following are some ways to facilitate that relationship. Do a Great Job with Every Client Seeing that each client is extremely pleased should be your goal. This means you need to build a solid relationship, provide professional advice, and listen to your clients’ skin care concerns. When clients book an appointment, make sure you address their individual needs from beginning to end.
Ask for Repeat Business The majority of your clients love you and will want to come back often. If you don’t get them rebooked, however, their hectic lives take over as soon as they leave. Weeks will go by before they think of you again. 24
BY KEITH WEST-HARRISON
You can’t assume your clients know how often to get facial treatments or even what the next steps in their skin care regimens should be. They look to you to tell them when they should come back. It’s as easy as saying, “I want to see you again in four weeks for a facial. Let’s have Becky at the front desk check my schedule.” Do you ever get out of the dentist’s office without rebooking the next checkup?
Ask for Referrals In my experience, most estheticians don’t know how to properly ask for referrals. The best thing to do is simply say, “Mary, it has been a pleasure working with you today. If you have any friends who are half as nice as you are, I would really love to see them.” What a great way to let your clients know you like them. They will leave flattered and become part of your word-of-mouth marketing team. The people who love us or love our skin care practice become our client evangelists. Your client evangelists have a vast impact on how quickly you build your business. These people: • Are loyal to you and return often. • Are social influencers and connectors. • Build buzz and sing your praises. • Connect you to people you wouldn’t otherwise meet. • Give you new ideas for skin care products and services. • Passionately recruit new clients for you. • Sincerely believe in you. The essence of these factors is that they feel loved and want you to feel it, too.
Business Cards as Referral Tools Follow the rule that no client leaves your practice with fewer than three business cards. Present these when you thank the client for coming in. “Mary, it has been a pleasure working with you today. If you have any friends who are half as nice as you are, I’d love to see them. In fact, here’s a business card for you and two for your friends.”
Follow-Up Calls Ideally, you should schedule your call to new clients at least one or two days after a service and/or product sale. During this call, you can handle questions about future services or results of a product. This is a good time to encourage clients to reschedule. Try a simple script in your follow-up call. “Hello Kathy, this is Linda at the Serenity Skin Care Center. I wanted to give you a call to see how you are doing after the facial treatment you had on Tuesday. How does your skin feel now that you’ve been using the Hydraplenish for a few days?” u
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No-Stress Marketing Materials You don’t need to know graphic design to create compelling marketing materials. Just take advantage of your ASCP member benefits, available at www.ascpskincare.com. Client Newsletter Generator Create your own informative newsletter by entering some basic information, then choosing from dozens of articles about skin care, general health tips, and other aspects of wellness. Then, print and mail, or email to clients.
Client Brochures Print a few brochures to have around your workspace or hand out to prospective clients. You can even customize them with your name, contact information, and website.
Business Cards Need business cards? Use discounts from ASCP partners on printing. Carry some with you, and consider including a deal or discount on the card—you never know who might turn into a new client.
Gift Certificates Gift certificate forms, downloadable from www.ascpskincare.com, are a great way to let your clients spread the word to their friends and family. Members also receive discounts on gift card services from ASCP business partners. u
Prospective clients will hold on to a color card 10 times longer than a standard card.
e t a c fi i t r Ce
Statistic courtesy of www.thedesigninspiration.com/infographics/business-cards-stats.html
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10 billion The number of business cards printed each year in the United States. How does yours stand out?
Statistic courtesy of www.thedesigninspiration.com/infographics/business-cards-stats.html
take care of yourself
BY KARRIE OSBORN
The Importance of Liability Insurance Whew! You already have top-
After a year and a half, Elaine received notice from a lawyer that this former client was suing her for $100,000. Luckily, Elaine was a member of ASCP. From the first time Elaine let us know about the situation, our liability insurance and membership staff were there to support her—no matter how long it might take. Throughout those 18 months, the insurance company spoke on Elaine’s behalf to the client, the lawyer, the doctors, and others involved, so Elaine could get on with her life and her business. Finally, ASCP reached an agreement with the client to settle out of court for more than $30,000. Best of all for Elaine, she didn’t have to pay a cent of it—her $259 membership with ASCP covered everything. Now Elaine knows, better than most people, how estheticians need to protect themselves with ASCP’s individual liability insurance—so if a client gets steamed, your bank account won’t end up in the red. If you have any questions or concerns about a potential claim, call us immediately at 800-789-0411. u
notch liability insurance as part of your membership with ASCP. That’s good, because accidents can happen to anyone. Elaine* used a facial steamer on her clients almost every day, so she never guessed it would malfunction and spit hot water during a treatment. Unfortunately, it did. The client’s neck was burned. At first, Elaine didn’t think the incident would turn into a big deal—the client said she’d visit a doctor, and one of Elaine’s coworkers reassured her that the water wasn’t hot enough to cause a serious injury. One week later, Elaine called ASCP, very upset. She had received a letter from the client to say that the burn was second-degree. Plastic surgery might be needed to remove the scar—and the client expected Elaine to pay all medical expenses. Six months later, the client was still considering plastic surgery and was now also talking about laser surgery.
(*Based on an actual case from our files. Name changed to protect privacy.)
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7 Mistakes Estheticians Should Avoid In our industry, being careful every time we treat a client saves us from a lot of headaches and the possibility of losing business, our license, or worse—hurting a client. Of all the mistakes that can occur in the treatment room, there are seven common and expensive treatment room mistakes that are consistently made across the country—perhaps even in your own place of business. 1. Mishandling Sensitive Skin The way you approach this skin type makes all the difference. Think protection. The key is to not overdo it. Hot water and vigorous rubbing during treatment can increase the risk of flushing. Pretests must be conducted prior to the application of aromatherapy. Be vigilant. Ingredients in cleansers and moisturizers, such as lanolin or vitamin E, can cause flare-ups in clients with susceptibility. Be alert to complaints from clients with delicate skin, particularly when they make comments regarding skin sensations such as intense tingling, stinging, and especially burning.
2. Not Maintaining Microdermabrasion Liability Although most estheticians can easily cite the reasons for a client to receive microdermabrasion, few can list all the unsuitable candidates for the procedure. Most machine operators do not take personal responsibility for regular maintenance checks nor do they maintain records to ensure continued safety. As skin care specialists, we must acknowledge that we are taking a great risk operating these machines and that it is ultimately up to us to make certain we are vigilant and that we are covered by liability insurance.
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BY VICTORIA L. RAYNER
3. Waxing Without Care The vast majority of esthetics practitioners who perform hair removal with hot wax are diligent, but a word of caution for those who are not trained properly or who are not careful waxers—it can be your worst nightmare. If the wax gets into hair that is not being removed, it is difficult to get it off. More seriously, waxing can tear or burn the skin, with second-degree and even thirddegree burns possible.
4. Promoting Artificial Tanning Devices For obvious reasons, the manufacturers of sunlamps and tanning beds would like us to believe that artificially induced tanning is somehow safer than the harmful effects of the sun’s radiation, but nothing could be further from the truth. New studies continue to emerge about the dangers of tanning beds. This presents an opportunity for you to offer spray tanning or other sunless tanning technologies, and have a discussion with your clients about the dangers of tanning beds.
5. Interfering with Medical Care Simply stated, we are not physicians, and we should not pretend to be. If your client is under medical care and you do not confer with her physician to coordinate your therapy, you are operating blindly. You need your client to provide you with an accurate description of her skin history and, in all probability, there may be major gaps in the information relayed to you. The solution, with your client’s permission, is to contact her doctor.
6. Practing Beyond the Scope of Licensing Regardless of our expertise in the field of skin care, we are not trained to be substitute medical providers, nor are we qualified to safely perform medical procedures of any kind without a medical degree.
7. Not Selling If you are fearful of selling, think of home care as what it really is—an added dimension to your skin care therapy. It can never be wrong to recommend product purchases, because you’re offering your clients an ongoing benefit, an extended result of your treatment outcome. Hang in there and do not automatically take no for an answer. u
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240,000 The estimated number of skin care professionals in the United States. How will your ASCP membership help you stand out?
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