Hair removal is not just a fad. Not only has the desire for silky, hair-free skin been on an incline for years, but men have also shown an interest in smooth skin. Their interest doubles the potential for profit.

1. Educate Clients
It would be great if clients continually returned without any effort on the part of the skin care professional. While some might think that their treatments should be enough, they should think again because building a stable clientele requires dedicated work. It requires marketing the professional, the services, and the products in order to build a relationship of trust to guarantee a return client. But how can a relationship of trust be built?
This question is asked by skin care professionals every day. It can be a scary concept for the professional to have to market themselves, much less trying to sell the products they are supposed to promote and services that would be beneficial to their clients. However, the answer resides within the professional! They already have the know-how! Marketing to clients is nothing more than educating them with the knowledge the professional already possesses.
No one likes to feel baffled. As a result, it is important for professionals to watch how they share their information about their hair removal treatments. What the client can expect, how and why they can expect it, what needs to be done together to achieve the results they want and expect, and what they need to do at home to help achieve optimum results will ultimately be the cause of the level of trust professionals build with their clients.

2. Be Educated
Professionals, like their clients, also deserve to be educated. Spa training should always include proper skill and knowledge education for the treatment services, retailing support product lines, and helping the front desk to perform, support, and close bookings. The following questions should be considered when determining if the spa offers enough education, training, and support. Does the spa offer advanced education? Does the spa purchase from a distributor who offers education and support? Does the distributer offer ongoing education and master classes? Does the distributor’s sales representatives do more than take orders? Are they available for troubleshooting when needed? Do they have visual online support? Is the front desk receptionist trained to answer basic questions to book efficiently? Is the spa team all on the same page?
When the spa decides to bring in a new treatment system and product line for hair removal, they should receive advanced education for the entire staff. While not everyone will be taking the skills segment, all staff members should learn about benefits of treatments and the appropriate product knowledge. This will better prepare the entire spa team for any questions clients might have and could help increase the clients’ confidence in the spa’s support and knowledge.
Remember, when the front desk is well informed, it becomes the anchor for booking and rebooking clients, as well as encouraging the use of retail products. This will not only help to gain clientele, but will also help to build a trusting relationship with clients looking for dependable hair-removal professionals.
While it is not recommended to give clients all the knowledge, after all, that is what makes professionals the expert, a little sharing can go a long way.
Educating clients with information that pertains to their needs acknowledges them on a personal level. Listening to their concerns allows the professional to use their expertise and offer insight into solving a problem. Creating this mutually-beneficial relationship will develop loyalty from clients; they will continue to seek out professional advice and educate themselves on proper hair removal services.

Retail and Service Knowledge
It is during this education process that professionals should be sharing retail product information that they are confident can benefit their clients. While performing a hair removal service, they may notice that the client’s skin is very sensitive and may become easily irritated. The professional should have a sensible product available to counter that reaction. A product that they can confidently and safely apply for post-treatment. This is a perfect time to inform them that they can also purchase the item to take home and share any other benefits that it may have.
Do not forget to stress the importance of homecare that will optimize their next treatment as well as improve the condition of their skin. What a difference it will make on treatment efforts!
Professionals should be armed with
enough knowledge of the ingredients contained in the products. They should also be aware of the benefits, and contraindications of the hair removal services they offer. Take the time to learn more about what is being put on the client’s skin. Be prepared to answer both the client’s questions and questions from professionals. The learning process is never-ending. The following considerations should always be known by professionals. In regard to services, they should know short-term and long-term benefits; potential reactions and how to treat potential reactions; homecare that will ensure better treatments; and how to individualize the frequency of treatments. In regard to products, professionals should know the ingredients of each product they sell; the main purpose of the product; ingredients that can have side effects for different conditions; short-term and long-term benefits; potential allergic reactions; and the proper use of each product.

3. Allergies
All true professionals should care enough to make sure they perform a consultation and review before performing hair removal services. They should have the client fill out a client card in full, review it, and discuss red flags. This much needed part of a treatment should not stop on the first visit. Things change and often do. When working on building loyal clients, being marketed as a true professional is very important. Professionals should be so familiar with their products that it allows them to offer a fantastic experience with their services.

4. Give-Aways
Although free samples alone will not keep clients coming back on a regular basis, it is favorable to give away samples for clients to try at home. This act will carry its weight in gold with how the client perceives the professional’s trust in what they recommend. Professionals should be aware, however, that there is a regulation against taking products from a manufactured bottle and pouring or squeezing it into a small take-home container. Check with state by-laws so that insurance coverage is not affected, should anything happen.

5. Commitment
Knowledge, education, and good listening skills are all wonderful attributes that come together in harmony when it is time to stress the importance of commitment to a program when a client expects to see continued, improved results. Remember, the professional should be an established, authoritative figure, one who cares about their client’s needs. Use that authority and expertise to best determine how often they need to return for hair removal services and what is expected of them at home to
optimize results!

6. Competitive Pricing
When it comes to pricing services, the professional should not short change their worth or overprice their worth. In order to secure the clients’ return visits, professionals need to know that the services and products they offer are not only competitively priced, but are also top notch. Professionals should consider whether their prices are affordable for their community and if they offer package deals or membership programs to repeat clients. They should also determine their client base. Are their services available to men, women, or teenagers? Is this information visible in their advertising?
Do research before setting prices and check what is being offered in the area. Before setting prices, take into account what packages are going to be offered. Professionals should map out the pricing they would like to implement with all of their hair removal marketing programs, memberships, and loyalty rewards. Do the math until it comes up with a win-win where the overhead is matched and there is enough money left over to turn a satisfying profit.

7. Encourage Referrals
Offering a discounted service through a referral program is a great incentive for loyal hair-removal clients. They are probably already chatting about the professional and the services they offer. Refer-a-friend discounts benefit the professional and the clients. It is a simple solution for them to keep clients coming back and it is a way for clients to save money on hair-removal services and feel appreciated.

8. In-House Cross-Promotion
Cross-promotion offers amongst team members is another way to encourage hair-
removal services. For example, if someone comes to the spa for a hair appointment, why not offer a quick eyebrow service while they are shampooed or while they are waiting for their color to set? Offer a demonstration to a new client to illustrate the benefits of professional hair removal. Every demonstration is a perfect opportunity to discuss benefits about hair removal services and products.

9. Online Booking
Programs are in abundance on the Internet and allow the client to schedule hair-
removal appointments with ease. The client can book at their convenience, at any time of the day. Many online-booking programs allow the professional to add in loyalty perks, rewards, offer booking incentives, and fill in cancellations with a wait list for appointments.

10. Minute Packages
These packages began with electrolysis decades ago as a way to perform ongoing, segmented treatments (generally due to the pain levels of electrolysis) and to help control
hormonally-induced facial hair while working on refining and/or reducing growth. The minute package offers fairness to the professional, who is working diligently to help their clients, and fairness to the client, who is committing to a partnership with the professional in a quest for results. Preset hourly rates into minutes and offer a discounted rate when the client prepays for time. This way, the client does not need to worry about having money to come in for a quick two- to five-minute service. It is prepaid and available on a drop-in service.
Do a rate breakdown for the minute packages. For example, break down a full-face hair removal service into minutes. Set a minimum, hourly revenue, such as 60 dollars. Give the
client different time options to choose from, such as 60 minutes, 120 minutes, and 180 minutes. Break down the time options into their cost per minute, with the longest time option offering the best per-minute value.

11. Memberships
Memberships are a growing trend that allows a client to receive special pricing by agreeing to stay loyal for six months, a year, or at least month-to-month. Regulations on membership programs vary, so checking with the state or province to best ensure compliance. Membership examples include offering unlimited bikini hair removal for a monthly cost. For example, professionals can charge a one-time initial fee and then charge monthly payments for unlimited
bikini services.

Passbook Memberships
These memberships are short-term savings book incentives for clients who are more seasonal or just want to test a series of treatments before committing long term.
Passbook membership examples include buying five bikinis and getting one free or buying three upper lips and getting a free eyebrow. The possibilities are endless. Do not be afraid to be creative. Mix it up!
In order to get clients, make sure marketing efforts are being heard by the right crowd. Social media has changed the way professionals communicate with clients; it is a great way to reach thousands of people all at once. However, professionals need to make sure they are hitting the right audiences. Before they start gathering their marketing materials and printing catalogs, they should ask themselves if they are targeting the right clients.
Have friends look over the materials and convey what they see. If the message is not clear, change it! For example, if the target market is the male, full-body hair removal, are there pictures of men in the marketing materials? Does the menu stipulate men’s services? Is there a referral program with local, male-dominated businesses?
Professionals can also hire a marketing company to help them. They have many options today to make something wonderful.

12. Theme-Inspired Services
Prepare e-newsletters and messaging that can be issued as a specific theme special. Allow enough time for them to get their appointment booked if they are not on any specific package or membership program.
In an age where every month has its own holiday, professionals are perfectly aligned to utilize these monthly themes to their advantage! They can offer services that coincide and integrate to the culture of the times.
Prepare a yearly list of themes to coincide with services and retail specials, such as major holidays, birthday offers, spa specific holidays (such as an anniversary), social media event days, and charitable months (like breast cancer awareness in October).
A list of various specials can also be prepared and matched to the themes. Cute and catchy phrases can be used to attract clients such as ‘Spring has sprung. Time for pruning!’ ‘Bikini season is just around the corner!’ ‘No shave November, let’s do it together!’ Endless opportunities are there for the taking. Do not be afraid to do what no one else has done!"
Everyone wants solid information. Clients want information they can process and information that helps them get a clear picture so that they can make the right decision for themselves. There is no need to sell clients. When the professional owns their information, truly understands the ins and outs and hows and whys and applies it to each client’s personal needs, desires, and expectations in a manner that helps them process clearly, their chances of gaining trusting and trusted clients will be in their favor.

Lina Kennedy is a chief pioneer, collecting many feathers in her cap. An expert on professional sugaring, Kennedy regularly writes articles for industry magazines in North America and Europe. As president of Alexandria Professional, one of her personal goals is to ensure that each professional trained in the art of body sugaring learns and understands the exceptional results that they and their clients can achieve through The Kennedy Theory™ for sugaring and The Kennedy Technique Theory™.