Blog | Maxine Drake

Beauty Business Marketing During COVID-19

Posted: 29 Apr 2020 02:00 AM PDT

beauty business marketing during covid-19 Marketing your beauty business is still essential even though you may not be servicing clients during the COVID-19 shutdown. Use this downtime to market your business and continue to nurture relationships with your clients.

If you continue to market your beauty business now, you'll be top of mind when businesses begin to open. You want your appointment books filled (as much as possible) when you're able to service clients again.

However, marketing under today's unique circumstances isn't business as usual, especially for the beauty industry. More people are turning to online channels to stay connected during this isolating time.

People are paying attention so be mindful of your attitude and behavior during COVID-19 as this becomes your marketing message.

Your clients or potential clients are watching — more than ever. Everything you do in the virtual world counts. What you say and do on social channels during this current state is a reflection of your brand value.

COVID-19 will change how we conduct business going forward and everything you do and say now will have an impact on your practice. How are you showing up? Are you a calm, positive leader or an alarmist? What does your marketing message say about you?

How To Market Your Business During COVID-19

Your marketing message is key during COVID-19.

During this uncertain and stressful time, it's important to speak to your clients' emotional needs. Your marketing campaigns and messages should be sensitive to what your audience may be going through.

You may have had marketing campaigns scheduled before the Coronavirus hit. Put them on hold and speak to the situation at hand. For example, we had to shift and pivot our marketing efforts on upcoming webinars, promotions, and blogs.

As you shift your marketing efforts, pay attention to the sentiment in your community, and remain compassionate in your posts. Remember that you're a leader in your business and for your clients. As people are feeling vulnerable, it's time to step up and be the voice of reason for your clients. Be calm and stay positive — calm is the new contagion!

Since most people are connecting online, use this opportunity to leverage social media and other digital marketing channels to cultivate trust and strengthen relationships with your audience.

Post content that resonates with your followers — for example, many are homeschooling their children during this shutdown. If you're in the same boat, you can build rapport by sharing your own experience or relevant resources to establish a common ground.

Also, check-in with your clients individually. You have the time and they would love to hear from you. Most estheticians are very close to their clients so it isn't "just a business" relationship.

We have developed true friendships so it wouldn't be unnatural to pick up the phone to see how your clients are doing during this pandemic. We are all going a little stir-crazy.

Meanwhile, estheticians and spa owners are exploring new ways to generate income without physically seeing clients. Many offer retail products or modalities to their clients virtually. This will allow you to continue to help your clients achieve their skin goals and maintain your relationships.

If you need guidance or are unsure what to do during COVID-19, I have created an Esthetician Survival checklist here.

Proactive Beauty Business Marketing with EIC Membership

I'm grateful and inspired by the Inner Circle members during this challenging time. Every day we are taking positive action steps to explore new ways of doing business, such as monetizing Facebook groups and delivering impactful webinars.

Some members are generating $2,000 plus revenue a week in e-commerce retail sales! We are celebrating and practicing gratitude for even the smallest wins.

Many members are taking this time to re-brand and/or create other streams of revenue, and are preparing to take their business to the next level when COVID-19 is over.

We are staying focused and learning how to monetize virtually.

This is the time to get incredibly creative and innovate our businesses. It's crucial to have the right support during a crisis than at any time in business and I'm proud that we can come together to be there for each other.

Learn with us in our affordable business and marketing membership. You still have the ability to earn money working from home!

The post Beauty Business Marketing During COVID-19 appeared first on Maxine Drake.

How To Remain Calm And Solution-Oriented During COVID-19

Posted: 22 Apr 2020 02:00 AM PDT

how to remain calm during covid-19 for estheticians

Calm is not a word used to describe how most people are feeling during COVID-19 effects. This is our first pandemic in our lifetime and many of us are out of sorts — being affected by panic, fear, and uncertainty.

"Anxiety is one of the most contagious emotions — that's why it always takes down groups of people, not just individuals." –Brene Brown

Calm is also contagious. Staying calm will allow you to make better decisions and come up with creative solutions.

Estheticians already know how to create calm states in the treatment room for clients. During COVID-19, we need to create this state of being for ourselves.

Why is it so important to stay calm during uncertain times?

As entrepreneurs and beauty business owners, we need the ability to think outside the box during times of crisis. You must be aware of your own box before you can step outside.

For most of us, this box is the way you think or operate your business when things are running smoothly. During COVID-19, we're forced to act differently if we want to thrive.

We need to get creative. Yet, we cannot tap into our creativity if we are stressed or anxious.

Stay calm by doing things that soothe your soul if you feel anxious or scared during the COVID-19 uncertainty. It could be as simple as taking a break from the media.

You may also find going for walks, connecting with nature, meditating, or playing games with family members helpful.

When you're calm, you can re-focus on your business and come up with creative solutions to continue servicing your clients and generating revenue. Keep your same goals in mind, only allow a shift in your thinking.

Discovering New Solutions During COVID-19

Here are a few things you can do right away to move your business forward during COVID-19:

Stay in Touch with Your Clients

Since your clients can't get in-person appointments with you, it's important to remain in contact no matter what. Your clients want to hear from you and this is the time to show that you care!

The form of communication isn't important. What's important is to communicate in a way that meets the needs of each one of your clients. For example, some estheticians are talking directly to their clients over the phone, while others are using text or Instagram DM to connect.

Offer Retail During COVID-19

Support your clients by offering personalized home care recommendations. This is of high value to your clients and also allows you to continue to nurture your relationships.

Many estheticians have put together "Stay At Home Care" kits, to drop in the mail or deliver to client homes. It's also heart-warming to see that many professional skincare companies have stepped up to offer drop-shipping service.

Establish Expert Positioning with Content Marketing

With the extra time available, you can publish high-quality content and improve your website's SEO so that more potential clients can find you. Superior content helps position you as a trusted expert while delivering value to your audience.

We started a "Blog Challenge" in the Esthetician Inner Circle and our members are publishing one blog per month — and loving it! They're following our "Content Marketing Strategy" format and building a presence in their communities and beyond.

Book Future Appointments

Be proactive and start booking clients for the coming months. Having appointments lined up can give you the much-needed momentum when you re-open your business. The worst-case scenario is that you need to reschedule.

You can also create special offers and presell packages for clients to redeem when things open again.

Offer Skincare Webinars or Videos

Video has never been more popular and it offers a great way to engage your audience. You can also use videos and webinars to build a virtual client base outside of your city and add new revenue streams to your business. Introduce online consultations and create an online store.

Webinars have been used by many professionals to educate clients and increase sales. Webinars are a great way to accelerate the "like, know, and trust" factor — which can be used at any point to gain additional sales in your business.

how to monetize your webinar with confidence esthetician masterclass If you want to learn how you can conduct a successful webinar, we have a step-by-step training in the Esthetician Inner Circle on "How To Monetize A Webinar With Confidence." This training comes complete with email templates and a checklist.

Remain Calm And Keep The Faith

This has been a challenging time for all of us and I do feel it's important to remain calm and keep the faith. Use this opportunity to explore different ways to run your business and service clients.

The lessons we learn from COVID-19 will demonstrate how we grow creatively and strategically in the future.

The post How To Remain Calm And Solution-Oriented During COVID-19 appeared first on Maxine Drake.