Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/526887
LS: Human beings? OK, probably more specific than that. All of the previous questions are important, but if you can't give a reasonable answer for No. 5 … oh boy, that's not going to sit well with your favorite expert business columnist and her dumb sidekick. Here are some answers that we'd find acceptable: "The health club down the street;" "my kids' elementary school;" "my website and Facebook page;" or "the blimp I hired to fly over the city." These are just examples. Clients move and lives change. You should always be cultivating new clients, and the best place to do that is the place where you currently find your clients. Look back at your client list and determine what their source is. What does that tell you? How can you use that information to get more clients? What is your leading source of new clients? You get 5 points for knowing; subtract 3 points for not knowing. 5 How many clients are on your list? How many total clients do you need to fill your schedule? Earn 5 points for being within 10 percent of your total; 0 points for saying, "What list?" KC: Call me crazy, but my guess is your goal is to have a full schedule every week, right? Whether "full" to you is 25 services or 40 services, simple math tells us that unless every client comes in every week, you'll need more clients on your list than available appointments. The overall number you need will vary based on how clients fit into these categories: • Regulars: your core clients who book consistently. • Periodic-but-faithful: clients who may only book a few times a year, but when they do want a facial, you're the one they call. • Long-time-no-see: clients you haven't seen in a really long time. To maintain a full book, you want to keep your regulars happy by offering great treatments and customer service, increase the frequency of your periodic-but-faithfuls' visits through incentives, and send "come back" messages to the long-time-no-sees. 6 Your goal is to have more clients in the regulars category than the periodic- but-faithful and long- time-no-sees. What is your clients' preferred day and time to book an appointment? Add 5 points if you know most of your clients' preferences; 0 points if you answer, "But what about me?" 7 LS: The end of the workday is the best time for me. Do you know your regular clients' preferences? Do you log it? You should have a little database—an online client management program, spreadsheet, or notebook—where you keep this info so that you can examine your schedule and also know who to contact should you have an opening. Are you using social media to market your business? 5 points if you have at least one social media account for your business; 0 points if you answer, "What's social media?" 8 KC: Social media accounts, like Facebook and Instagram, are a fantastic way for estheticians to keep in touch with clients between appointments and remind them to book their next visit. They work best when they're updated regularly and use a mix of original posts from you and shares from other accounts, like ASCP. Use these outlets to let clients know about new techniques, open appointments, and other inspiring messages you'd like to share. Learn more about making social media work for you: watch our "Succeeding with Social Media" webinar at www.ascpskincare.com. Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 33 points points points points