Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/460894
Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 37 You cannot always choose what happens and when, especially if you want to join a large charity event that has been scheduled way in advance, but you still have to make the time to participate. A few weeks before your busy season is best. Plan to do something at least once every season. If your schedule doesn't match up with events being planned by other groups in your area, you can do your own charity drive. Host your own fundraiser at your spa, inviting all of your clients plus their friends to come and share in a worthy cause. (For ideas about hosting and promoting a spa party, see "Party On!," ASCP Skin Deep, January/February 2015, page 16.) Make a goal, such as a dollar amount you want to raise for the charity of your choice. Announce that you'll offer a percentage of sales or match a certain dollar amount. Collect used shoes, clothing, canned goods, school supplies, toiletries, blankets ... there are so many things you can do. Give From the Heart Regardless of what you choose to do, do it with an open heart, a smile on your face, and a spring in your step. Nothing is worse for your reputation than joining a charity event and then acting as if it is an annoyance or interruption to your very important life. Never be late or leave an event before it's over, and always be sure to send the coordinator of the event a thank-you note. He or she is certain to be connected with many people from your community, so ensure there will only be good things to say about you. Volunteering can help you find the "real you"—the one gifted to help in a moment, on a day, with a person who really needs it. In the process of helping others, you will have helped yourself. Lynn Parentini is a respected author, educator, esthetician, massage therapist, former makeup and skin care salon owner, and supporter of Dress For Success. She is a member of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the National Cosmetology Association, and is the author of The Joy of Healthy Skin (Prentice Hall, 1995) and Stone Journey (Esthetic Alternatives Inc., 2000). Contact her at lparentini@ymail.com. This isn't a time to sell. It's a time to connect and learn about people in your neighborhood. The promotion of your business is an unspoken thing that happens on its own.