Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/968907
The Importance of the Client Connection Advertisement Shelley Hancock www.shelleyhancock.com 925-392-8114 Skin Care Associated Professionals M E M B E R Shelley's Show & Tell Workshops, TV and Radio Show I've learned a thing or two over the 30 years I've been in this industry, but the single most important thing I know for sure is that if you cannot truly connect with your clients you will not create and sustain a successful business. I've worked with Estheticians that have a wall filled with certificates showing how much they've studied their trade, and while it's very impressive, many of them don't know how to make a connection with their clients. Our industry is very personal. We touch people for a living, literally and emotionally. We help people with their insecurities about aging, about how they're perceived by themselves and by others. We help them through the pain of acne (both physically and emotionally) and help heal the scars that are left behind. I've often wondered if creating that connection is something innate in a person or if it is something that can be learned. I think it comes easy to some, while others definitely struggle with it. I truly believe that the reason I've been very successful in this industry is because I have been able to create that connection with my clients. I'm not a highly technical Esthetician. Don't get me wrong, I do know a thing or two, but I don't rely on my technical skills to keep those clients coming back. I rely more on the connection I've built. I have clients that been with me since 1988. We've grown up (and old!) together. Our clients are not looking for us to know everything about skin care, but to care enough to find the answer when we don't know. I must say, though, that our clients are quite savvy today compared to back when I got started. It was considered cutting edge back in 1988 if you had aromatherapy in your steamer. Nowadays that would be considered old-fashioned and won't make the cut with this new era of clients. They have easy access to information on the internet and they want to know that you are up on the latest treatment technologies. Gone are the days of the fluff and buff if we want to have thriving businesses. I personally find it much more exciting to use cutting-edge equipment that truly makes a difference than the European facial I learned in school so many years ago! I have built and sustained a successful skin care business by staying connected to my clients and staying current with technology. Food for Thought: What is the connection like between you and your clients?