Improving the client experience as a makeup artist - IYKO Professional

As a working makeup artist it's very easy to get swept into the art of it all, nose dive into the creativity side and improve our artistry skills, but in this process we can sometimes forget to treat it for what it is... a business. 

Offering just the best makeup looks to your clients isn't enough, I've been in the industry long enough to tell you for free that people talk, it's a smaller industry than you think. How you act, your professionalism... if you don't keep these in mind whilst offering your amazing makeup services. It will gain you a reputation that will stick. 

So how can we create an amazing overall experience for our clients? Here are a few easy tweaks to elevate your makeup game in and out of the chair. 

Email calendar invite, reminder with expectations of the appointment.

Having a calendar invite gives you the opportunity to put in all the FAQ's for your customer, it gives you the shared information of the appointment so you are both clear on expectations and minimises unnecessary back and forth so your inbox doesn't get cluttered. it also adds a layer of professionalism that solidifies you as a business that should be treated as such. 

location, time, phone number, amount pending, FAQ's, app reminder. (gmail) here's a preview of mine below. 

You can set a reminder for as short or as long as you want, and you can also do as many reminders. 

I usually do one 1 day before, but you could for example, do one reminder a week before and then a few hours before on GMAIL - On the main edit page of your calendar invite there is a section to add reminder, it's pretty self explanatory from there. 

Having clear deposit holds and terms. 

How does having clear deposit holds make the experience for the customer you may ask? 

Well, it's more damage control before the damage happens. You WILL experience conflict and difficulties with your clients at some point in your career, it doesn't happen all the time but there are times where customers cancelling last minute and messing up our schedules can send us through a loop, and if we aren't prepared to deal with these in the smoothest and most professional manner, it could escalate to something worse than it ever needed to be. Clients can sometimes forget that their cancellation can make a huge impact on our business, so by booking us without being 100% on the booking (it's common for clients to hold a 'preliminary booking' with us incase they have plans to secure a slot with you, but then cancel when the plans fall through) this blocks off a time in your diary that could have been given to someone else and wont be easy to replace last minute. 

Having a clear non-refundable deposit secures the serious bookings from the non-serious ones, and gives clear terms in writing to protect you from any backlash. Reschedules can happen on your discretion etc. depending on the relationship you've built with the client. 

How do we do this? It can feel like you're being a pain asking for money, but it doesn't have to be. It's as simple as mentioning the second a client enquires - If you give your rates, book them in and then mention it after, you can naturally feel a little like you're 'begging' for something you are entitled to.

eg. look at the difference from these two sentences. 

"Perfect! I am available that day and time, my rate is 'x' and I take a 'x' non-refundable deposit to secure the booking which is deducted from the total on the day. When you're ready to send the deposit over I can send you the payment details and we can get you booked in :)" 

vs. after confirming your availability and booking: 

"Perfect! I've put you in the diary, I need to get a deposit from you to secure the booking which is deducted from the total on the day, let me know when you're ready to send the deposit over and I will send you the payment details."

The first message sets the terms and ALL the details in one message, no room for confusion, very assertive and gives no room for you to be open or agreeable to any negotiation, which is ideally what you want. 

The second message opens up a sea of questions, and also... imagine from the clients perspective - you think you've booked an appointment that you assume you don't need to give anything upfront, and then you're asked for money? It seems silly but it can taint the experience. 

Hygiene standards.

DO. NOT. ASSUME. YOUR. CLIENTS. AREN'T. LOOKING. AT. YOUR. HYGIENE. STANDARDS. It's so easy to get complacent and think your clients don't notice if your brushes aren't 100% clean, if you use the lipgloss/mascara right from the wand or blowing on your brushes/eyeshadow... they notice alright, and don't ever forget it.

Just because they don't say anything directly to you (and props to them if they do tell you off because they have every right to) doesn't mean they won't talk about it. How do I know all this? Because their clients are telling me... their new makeup artist, and they're pointing out how clean my brushes are and how hygienic I'm being in comparison... don't ever let this slip. Ever. 

Personal presentation. 

This is one I will admit to slacking on in the past, it's easy to not care about your own presentation when you're glamming other people, I mean, we're self employed, we finally have no one telling us how to dress or what to do, so why should we care? We're not the ones that need to look good are we? 

Oh, I kick myself now...

How you present yourself is an exact reflection of how you run your business and your customers perceive you in that way. I think if you've spent years in retail beauty and have been forced to be outrageously glam from 8am to 9pm 5 days a week, that nectar of freelance freedom tastes extra sweet, but there's a reason why most workplaces when in employment have a dress code, and you're as much of a respectable business as the next, so hold yourself to the same standards. 

Tidy and organised work station. 

Same as hygiene standards, do not think your clients aren't looking. It reflects exactly the same and is an extension of your personal presentation, when I used to train my artists when I was in store, I would literally chase them around telling them to keep their work stations tidy like a parent would chase their child around to tidy their rooms. You may feel like it's not important, but it is. I'd in fact fail my artists if their station was a mess at the end of the assessment. Those dreaded words coming out of my mouth: 

"Great work on the makeup BUT your work station is a mess, no so pass"  

Think of it this way, you have the option of two different stores but from the same brand, offering literally the exact same products, but one store is a mess, clothes all over the place and no order or organisation vs. the store that is immaculate, all sizes in order and neat and tidy.. which store are you going to? which one feels more of a luxury experience even though they offer the exact same product?  exactly... do not overlook this detail. 

This is why I created The IYKO HANA Pro Kit Backpack, to make the presentation of your station look more professional and easier to manage and keep tidy. 

Do you agree with my points? What are your thoughts? Would love to hear your feedback in the comments! 

Thank you!