Listening to podcasts is one of my favorite things to do. I always make sure to have lots of episodes downloaded every week. Some make me laugh, some make me cry, and some light a much needed fire under my Jennifer Lopez (that’s code for my kind of big, but not quite as sculpted backside). One of my favorites is The Influencer Podcast by Julie Solomon. This podcast is full of little gems of information that never fail to inspire. One such little gem came from an interview with influencer and coach, Sterling Griffin. On this particular episode Sterling said something that really stuck with me, he said simply “money is the result of a desire to serve.”
YES! Light bulb moment!
When you work in an industry like aesthetics, surrounded by premium products and services, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the cost of things. When technology and innovations change by the minute it can feel challenging to create effective and affordable treatment plans for our clients. In an effort to be mindful of our client’s budget we often hold back information or minimize the benefits of something we offer. Although we mean well when we do this, we are not serving anyone.
Today I want to ask you to set aside your doubts, fears, and thoughts about money at all. When I talk to aestheticians around the country (and I include myself in this group) the majority of us did not get in this industry for money. Sure, we’d love to be millionaire celebrity aestheticians but that’s not what drives us. What drives us is a desire to serve others through beauty. Our work is that of appearance, yes, but it is not simply superficial. Every day we help our clients to feel better about themselves. We make them happier when they look in the mirror so that they have the confidence to go on that job interview, or ask that person out on a date, or stand up in front of that group to give the presentation. We help the teenager get their acne under control before prom, or a new mom to improve her discoloration before going back to work.
We are not just working with the outer appearance, we are serving an inner need to feel our own kind of beautiful.
I remind you of this because it’s this purpose that calls us to never hold back information from our clients. They want to know what you can do for them. Our calling is educating, not selling. Remember, your client came to you because they wanted advice. You did not walk outside, drag them into your treatment room, shove a bunch of skincare down their throat, and take a credit card from their purse! No way! Our number one goal is to cultivate lasting relationships built on trust, and the first step in building that relationship is your client being able to trust that you will always share the full range of treatments available. Clients want solutions! If they did not want your expert advice they would not have made the appointment!
This does not mean that you should have the expectation that your client will buy every single thing you offer. I mean, we’d all love pockets deep enough for that! It simply means that you will never withhold information or judge what your client may or may not value without talking it through and allowing them to decide. There is nothing more frustrating to a client than an aesthetician unwilling to share information and explore options. Don’t hold back, this is the stuff we love!
When you treat your clients with a true desire to serve their needs, business growth will be a natural result. Your client will be happy, you will be happy, and our entire industry will be a better place because of aestheticians like you!