Are you contemplating on getting a lash franchise and starting an eyelash extension business? If so, then congratulations! This industry is quite exciting, rewarding, and highly competitive. And you’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for tips on how to get there. There are so many risks you could face and mistakes you could make. If you’re unable to manage the business properly, you could stumble on some of them.
Today we’ll share with you some important things you need to know when you start a lash franchise. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you’ll be able to assess whether or not you want to enter the industry.
Lash franchise: Defining your business goals
Before you launch your own lash franchise, you need to ask yourself what your short-term and long-term goals are for the business. You don’t just wake up one day and say, “I want to start an eyelash extension business.” You need to have a clear path to make sure you can measure your progress along the way.
Below are some guiding questions that will help you in deciding your suitability for the eyelash industry:
-
- Have you given eyelash extensions to other people in the past? If so, what was their feedback?
-
- Do you need to undergo other training to run your eyelash extension business?
-
- How much time are you willing to spend to run your own eyelash extension business?
-
- How much do you need to spend to start the business, and what are the ongoing costs related to your business?
As soon as you have answered these questions, you should have a very good indicator of what you expect to get when you run the lash business. You can refer back to these answers when you set specific targets in the future. They can also help you decide the steps you need to take so you can set up shop.
Important things you need to know when starting a lash franchise
The beauty industry can be challenging at first, but building a business from scratch takes a substantial amount of effort and time. Below are some things a lot of people usually ignore when they start a lash franchise:
1. Be proactive and ask your clients to schedule their next appointment
When starting a lash franchise, acquiring new clients to visit is just the first step. You want them to visit again in the future. But then, the problem is you can’t just expect them to visit on their own. In short, you need to be proactive and ask them to schedule their next appointment.
After the appointment, it’s a good idea to make it a habit to ask the clients if they’d like to schedule their next appointment with you, whether it’s a refill appointment or not. Many people would think this is uncomfortable, but it’s imperative for the success of your eyelash extension business.
If you didn’t want to do this, you can follow-up with your clients after their appointment so you can see how their lashes are doing. This doesn’t only show that you care, but it’s also a great opportunity for you to ask if they want to schedule an appointment.
2. Don’t forget about referral marketing
To build your clientele in a short period of time, you will need to invest in referral marketing. This technique is all about incentivizing your current clients so they will recommend you to their family, and even friends. After all, research has shown that referred clients have a 16% higher lifetime value, compared to non-referred clients. They are also 18% less likely to leave your business. And this research comes straight from the Wharton School of Business.
Referral marketing is very effective because people always trust their friends and their family. Also, it’s very targeted, meaning, the referred client is most likely to be interested in your services because they were recommended personally.
3. Make business cards for your clients
In the marketing world, business cards are essential, although not many people will agree. When it comes to setting up your own lash franchise, investing in business cards is a great idea, especially since they aren’t really that expensive.
One way to use your business cards is to give them to your existing clients. If someone asks them where they could get their lashes done, the clients can easily pull out your business card. This is a great way of getting new clients!
4. Reviews are very important
While a lot of people are familiar with social media marketing, some don’t know about local search. The idea here is that when people look for “lash salons near me” on Google or other search engines, you want your business to be at the top of the search results. To do this, you’ll need a Google My Business listing.
But what’s more important is to get online reviews from your clients. Research shows that online reviews help increase sales by as much as 270%. So, whenever your client tells you that they love their lashes, always ask them to write a review.
5. Use scheduling software for marketing
Most lash techs would think that scheduling software can only be used to schedule appointments. Although that is correct, you also need to know that you can also use it to get more clients as you build your business. For example, some scheduling software options can connect you with your own marketplace, allowing your clients to easily search for services like yours. This is the equivalent of getting your business listed on the first page of the Google search results.
So, when people type “lash extensions in my area”, your business will show up at the top of the page, along with the feature to allow clients to book your services online, right then and there. This feature makes it very easy for your clients to make an appointment, giving your business a competitive edge.