Better Your Beauty Business By Breaking These Four Bad Habits

Beauty Business

As a beauty business owner, you have a lot riding on your shoulders as you work to make your lasting mark in a competitive industry. Along the way it’s easy to fall into some bad habits that could slow you down on the path to success.

Fixing or avoiding these bad habits can boost the amount you can get done in a day and make a lasting impression on your clients (good or bad). Work smarter, not harder, to accomplish more than you dreamed you could. But be aware if you’re doing these 4 bad habits while you’re working…

1. Don’t Depend on Yourself to Do It All

Do you feel like a one-woman show? It’s easy to think, “My business is my baby, and I can’t trust anyone to care for it the way I do.”

Fight the urge to do everything yourself. It is okay…appropriate…reasonable, even, to pass on some of your responsibilities to other employees and partners.

Give yourself permission to accept help. Surprisingly, your partners or employees might do a really great job. They may have more time to devote to a job than you do. Trusting others with some of your tasks will boost productivity and employee satisfaction while decreasing your stress and the demands on your time. And they may just be waiting to get the go-ahead from you, to take on more responsibility and help you grow.

Think you can’t afford to hire partners or employees? You can’t afford not to! Hiring a PMU marketing agency is one example of a partnership that will free up your time to focus on your artistry. Let them focus on growing your brand and client base. Their expertise will pay for itself as they help you grow your business.

2. Staying Too Busy

Busy-ness might be the new status symbol for this generation. Staying busy means you are important and leads to happiness and wealth, right? Actually, working too much over a long period of time is not good for the health of your business, employees or yourself. There’s a fine line between having a full schedule in a busy salon, and filling your time with small tasks. As Stephan Covey wrote in his bestselling book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “It is possible to be busy-very busy-without being very effective.”

Why does being busy not always equal maximum productivity?

  • ❖ Burnout – Burnout occurs when you are overly stressed, out of energy and unhappy because of working long hours without the proper rest and relaxation. If you’re stressing yourself out, you may be underutilizing your employees. If you are burned out or unhappy, it can start to affect everything else, from your work and personal relationships to your client connections and brand. Your clients are your top priority, so save the most energy for them, and delegate tasks that others can do for you.
  • ❖ Decreased Productivity – Does it ever seem like your work takes all your time? You are not alone. If you allow yourself sixteen hours a day to devote to your business, there is a good chance you will be able to fill all that time. However, if you set limits for yourself and work only eight hours in a day, you may be surprised how much you can accomplish in half the time. Reducing your time at work and allowing yourself time for friends, family, and relaxation can significantly improve your productivity during working hours.

Try assigning less time for tasks, and leave time for you (and your employees) to relax and recharge.

3. Not Automating Parts of Your Business

If you’re relying on paper notes, scheduling books, individual texts or Messenger trails to keep up with your appointments, your client management system could use some upgrading.

Automated services and technology can handle everything from your bookings to your routine daily, weekly, and monthly accounting tasks. Automated technology can give you back the time you spend scrolling through different types of media to locate a client’s appointment and decrease confusion and misunderstandings. Need to streamline your booking? We can help with this!

4. Spending Too Much Time On Your Phone

Have you ever been with a professional service provider when they took a phone call or checked their most recent text, Facebook message or Instagram comments? How did that make you feel? More importantly, what was the provider not doing when they were on their phone?

Picking up your phone to answer messages or take phone calls takes your focus away from everything else. It can leave your clients with the wrong impression if you pause their service to check something that could be dealt with later.

Exceptions are understandable–you may be expecting news about loved ones or trying to put out a fire. For the most part, however, limit your phone usage to certain times of the day and stash it away while working with a client. If you don’t want to miss a booking opportunity, consider hiring a partner to handle your bookings and social media marketing for you so that you can limit the amount of time you spend on the phone or social media. Want details? We can help with that!

Pass Along Responsibilities and Take Back Your Time

With so much to do to keep your business up and running, it’s normal for a business owner like you to have a long to-do list that keeps growing. Your full schedule can be a sign that you are doing a great job. But, to take a quote from an Ed Sheeran hit song, don’t let your “bad habits lead to late nights.”

Make the most of each day going forward by figuring out now where you can change the amount of work you are doing. If you can, pass along some responsibilities to employees or partnering agencies who can take specialized business aspects off of your hands. Let software and technology take on some of the workload for you, as well. Spreading out the responsibilities can free up your time and let you immerse sharing your gift with your clients.

7 Strategies to Manage Your Rapidly Growing PMU Business

Growing PMU Business

After months of hard work, you’re finally hitting your goals. Congrats! Your salon is every PMU artist’s dream. It is buzzing with client chatter, and the phones are ringing off the hook. Everyone wants to schedule an appointment with YOU.

Lots of PMU artists hope to be in your shoes one day and learn how to grow a PMU business. But with growth comes different responsibilities, and you might find yourself wondering what’s next and how to manage everything that comes with scaling your business.

Growing fast is a good problem to have. To avoid a “good problem” turning into a plain “problem,” you need strategies to handle your success in a controlled way.

Growth is exciting but requires attention. If left unchecked, your busier-than-ever schedule or lack of experience with technical aspects of the business could snowball out of your control and hurt your business in the long run.

You don’t want a poor reputation because you couldn’t keep up with increased demand, didn’t have time to monitor and respond to client feedback or had a technical problem with your booking software that you didn’t know how to fix.

If you’re in the midst of fast growth or wisely doing your research now to better handle future growth issues, we have six suggestions to help you steer clear of significant problems.

1. Keep Customer Service Top of Mind – Always

As your schedule gets busier, it’s easy to let client feedback and reviews slip under the rug. Your clients are the reason for your success. Keep them happy to keep them coming back and sharing your name in their social circles.

It is important to always have a listening ear for praise and complaints. Pay attention to client feedback, and make sure you are responding to every message, review and email. Your clients are looking for communication that is genuine and personal. Personalized responses to their comments will help them feel heard and appreciated.

Client feedback can give you ideas about what you should do more of and what can use improvement. Your marketing team can also assist you with client satisfaction and responding to clients appropriately. Be sure to educate your team about your expectations when interacting with your clients and the feedback you receive.

2. Watch Your Spending and Adjust as You Grow

Inspect your bank statements and bills to see where you are spending money. Check what you spend on rent, utilities, supplies, marketing and technology services. Then, determine how you expect your growth to affect your finances and adjust your spending accordingly.

For example, have you been paying a monthly service fee for a service or product you no longer use or that is not helping you grow your client base? Cancel it and put the money towards something else that will improve your client experience. It may be helpful to talk to your marketing partner about what will bring you the best return on your investment.

3. Save Time With Software Solutions

The artistry that you offer your clients is the main attraction. If other tasks are getting in the way, look for ways to simplify. There are many software solutions you can use to make administrative tasks such as bookkeeping and scheduling easier and less time consuming. Cutting back on the time you spend on administrative tasks frees you up to focus on your art and your clients.

4. Lock In a Great Location

Finding the best location to lease for your salon will depend on a variety of factors. Be sure to take into account ease of access, proximity to your loyal clients, and surrounding businesses. A location near other high-end stores and boutiques can help boost the image of your own salon even before you open your doors.

Leases on commercial spaces can change periodically. To avoid losing your space or having your rent increased, you may want to consider a longer term lease. Typical leases for businesses can be three, five or even ten years. If you are contemplating expanding your business or sharing space with another artist, you may need to plan now by finding a larger space.

5. Know When to Hire Great Help

When you first started out as a PMU artist, you may have only had a few clients a week. You had time to devote to your social media marketing and managing your finances. Now that your salon is thriving, your schedule is full of appointments with clients. You may struggle to find time to grow your business.

Learning to hand over your workload to someone else can be the most challenging part of growth.

Decide what others can do for you. Your skills and experience as a permanent makeup artist bring clients through the door. That talent should remain the core of what you do. Perhaps, it is time to hire a partner to help with your social media campaign or bookkeeping so that you can concentrate on what you do best.

When hiring others, find experts who understand your vision for the future. You may be pleasantly surprised to find talented individuals who can boost a particular aspect of your business. For example, you might know some about social media marketing for makeup artists, but the person you hire may be able to bring experience and options to the table you may not have thought of before.

6. Seek the Advice of Other Entrepreneurs

Great entrepreneurs are willing to ask for and accept advice. Find other experienced business owners who have been down the same path you are on now. Join a PMU or a small business owner’s organization to learn about strategies that worked for others. Their advice could be invaluable. Highstoke Society provides a blend of networking opportunities and educational resources for growing PMU professionals like you.

7. Tailor Your Approach to Your Needs

As you grow, experiment with different strategies to keep up with changing demands, ideas and trends because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to growing a PMU business. Think about your strengths and weaknesses. Focus on learning about the areas that will benefit you the most. For some, it might be perfecting their skills in the latest PMU techniques, while others may see more benefit from expanding their social media presence.

You are not alone. Even great PMU artists face struggles as they grow their businesses. However, employing proven marketing and growth strategies can help you overcome these hurdles and build your business into the successful PMU salon you dreamed of running. Plan for success, use technology when you can, and rely on advice from other entrepreneurs and PMU marketing experts when you need it. You can be a successful entrepreneur.

Infographic

A successful PMU business experiencing fast growth and success is what every artist dreams of. But know that it comes with different responsibilities that require attention. Otherwise, it can turn into a problem that will give you a headache. Here are some suggestions you can consider to prevent any growth issues in the future.

7 Strategies to Manage Your Rapidly Growing PMU Business Infographic

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The “Beauty” of Networking as a Beauty Entrepreneur

“No man (or woman) is an island.”

This well-known phrase from poet John Donne, means that no one can get through life alone – we need each other. If we want to succeed, we need to develop relationships and lean on one another. Your skills as an artist can take you a long way, but the people you surround yourself with to support you as a beautypreneur will contribute to your success.

We need each other!

What is networking?

Networking is talking with others working in the same industry to develop mutually beneficial professional and social relationships. Starting a conversation, a relationship or a friendship with another PMU artist could result in sharing ideas, or just simply supporting one another through the process, in a way that benefits you both. For example, you could learn PMU tips and tricks from someone you meet at a trade show to take back to your salon.

That’s the beauty of networking.

Your goal is to meet people in your industry or a closely-related field who can help you grow as a person or brand. Maybe you learn insider tips and tricks for how to grow a PMU business. Perhaps you meet potential clients who turn into paying ones. You may even learn to master new strategies to improve social media marketing for makeup artists. Or you find your business bestie that understands what you’re going through because she’s also on the same path.

How to Network

Virtually

Social media is a great place to start. Not only can you cast a wider net with your branding and advertising through social media, but you get to keep in touch with clients and people in the PMU business that you admire but cannot meet face-to-face.

To network through social media platforms, stay engaged with your following by taking the time to reply to messages and posts.

Support the pages of those in your profession that you respect. Send a message introducing yourself and praising their work.

Over time, a virtual friendship can grow into a deeper, meaningful relationship in which you gain referrals, insight into new skills, tips and tricks of the trade or inspiration.

In-person

There is no substitute for networking face-to-face within your industry and community. Getting involved with a professional PMU organization is an excellent way to network. Personal interactions with others at trade shows, continuing education classes, or even social gatherings outside of the beauty biz will take your trade to the next level.

  • Seek out social and professional opportunities. Start with local meet-ups with professional and social organizations relevant to your business or of interest to you.
  • Focus on building relationships instead of building clientele. Put people first, and the business benefits will follow.
  • Set a goal to have a meaningful conversation with one person at first and then build up to a handful from there.

Have trouble remembering names? Lots of people do. Try this trick: ask for their business card and then write something positive and memorable about them that you can refer back to later.

Four Benefits of Networking

1) Creates a Support System – It’s always helpful to surround yourself with people who understand you. Other business owners and beauty entrepreneurs can identify with what you’re going through, whether you’re at the beginning stage of opening a business or considering additional certifications. Surrounding yourself with other entrepreneurs will encourage and inspire you, and uplift you when you need it.
2) Helps You Stay Trendy – By “trendy,” we don’t mean fast fashion. We are talking about current beauty industry trends like valuable tools of the trade, new PMU applications or business software that allows you to do more for your clients and provide higher quality services. We learn through observation, so watching and listening to what others are doing can help you become a better artist.
3) Helps You Grow Your Business (or others’ businesses too) – Learn what worked or didn’t work for others, and take those lessons back to what you are working toward yourself. You never know where inspiration will come from, or if you can inspire someone else. Get ideas about everything from managing employees to handing out client swag bags. A little further along in your career, you might be the positive example for others that they needed to see!
4) Builds Your Business Prospects and Leads –The more people you get to know, the more they get to know you back. Advertising your business is about getting your name out there. You could meet people who can positively influence your business. The relationships you build could lead to more word-of-mouth referrals, “shoutouts” on social media or partnerships. You might even meet people who want to book your services for their own PMU needs.

***Bonus*** Networking forces you to hone your conversation skills. You’ll become more confident and comfortable speaking with people.

Networking Is a Two-way Street

To make a friend, you have to be a friend first. Be willing to scratch someone else’s back before they scratch yours because one thing is for sure–the more positive you put out in the world, the more you get back. So, go ahead and plug a related business on your social media page first. Recommend another PMU or beauty artist to a client looking for a service you don’t provide. Your goodwill will be returned to you.

Go Further With Networking

An African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” Your expertise, skill and talent in the beauty industry have taken you this far. Forming relationships with others in your industry and social groups will take your business even further and can impact others in a positive way. You stand to gain enriching and supportive friendships, valuable business connections and leads, and priceless information and strategies.

How Brand Loyalty Impacts Your Success as a Permanent Makeup Artist

Every permanent makeup artist knows that the success of your business depends on filling your schedule with people who value your artistry. The only thing better than a new client is a repeat client and one that is willing to pass your name along to anyone who needs your services too. Loyalty to your business is not only a high compliment, but can help your business keep growing.

Loyal clients are clients so ecstatic over the “Wow!” brows you created for them that they can’t stop talking about you. Ideally, everyone they tell about you would book an appointment with you, and your business would be set for life with the domino effect of all the rave reviews you get. In reality, though, good news spreads slowly. Your client might even be reluctant to let anyone know they had help getting their eyebrows so perfect.

Clients that are loyal to your brand act as brand ambassadors, spreading the word about your incredible skills. They value your services so much that they promote them for you. Loyal clients are more likely to talk about your extraordinary services with friends and family.

So, how can you build brand loyalty and get more clients for your PMU business?

It starts with giving your clientele a positive and unique experience every time they come in. Keep reading for tips on how you can build client loyalty.

Keep Interactions Positive

Your face-to-face and social media encounters will influence how your clients feel about you. Feelings are strongly tied to memories. So, a pleasurable experience will stand out in your client’s mind and make your business a positively memorable one. When asked for a permanent makeup artist referral, they will easily recall and share your name.

Develop Your Tone
How do you want your clients to remember you? Do you want to be reassuring and gentle? Do you hope they see you as trendy and witty? Choose how you want to “sound” and then clearly communicate those tone expectations with your employees and partners so that they maintain your brand standards.

Dedicate to Customer Service
With so many of your client interactions occurring through social media, make sure that you are responding to all questions and inquiries, sent via website or social media, every day. If you don’t have the time and have the means, consider hiring a dedicated team member to help with customer service. Make sure that you create and stick to your standards, including quickly replying to client questions and remembering to thank those clients who praise you. It might even be helpful to save your favorite responses to common questions.

Share Your Story

Your clients want to feel like they know you. Connect with your clients and online followers by sharing your story with them. Tell them why you chose permanent makeup, what you love about what you do, share your expertise, and tips for how clients can keep their brows and lips looking great. But number one rule, keep it relevant and professional.

You’ll capture and hold their attention which will also make them remember you better and feel closer to you.

Want to know more about building your story? We have a new blog about that. Click on the link to learn more.

Offer a Rewards Program

Want existing clients to spread the word about your brand while building your client base at the same time? Make it easy (and incentivise) for your clients to share the word with an rewards program.

Some tried-and-true examples include a dollar amount or percentage off of touch-up services, a voucher for a discount on a different service or a universal discount good for any of your services or products. You can give out incentives at the end of a service to encourage repeat business or tie it to a referral program, which gives existing clients a special discount on their next service if a new client mentions their name.

Other ideas include a skincare goodie bag or a gradual rewards system in which the prizes get more valuable with each referral.

Create a Community

Now more than ever, individuals are looking for causes they can get behind, especially one as easy as growing a tight-knit community.

Use technology to bring your audience together. Establish an ongoing and fun network with your followers on social media by engaging with them. You’ll not only get a better understanding of your clients’ interests, but you’ll also create devoted followers who are proud to be in your “family” and promote your PMU service through favorable word-of-mouth advertising.

Brand Loyalty Boosts Business Success

Traditional advertising only goes so far. Your clients are looking for a brand whose reputation they can trust and feel connected to. In many cases, they are more likely to listen to their best friend’s review over an advertisement.

It sounds simple, but all you have to do is ask. Make sure that at the end of your appointment you ask your clients to spread the word, and if you have a referral program remind them about the incentive. Don’t be shy! A gentle reminder is sometimes all you need to stay top of mind.

With a few simple steps, you can get more PMU clients and keep existing ones coming back by focusing on building loyalty. Encourage more referrals by giving your clients a wonderful and unique experience. Then, engage with them on your social media platforms, chatting with those who have questions as well as those who leave positive comments or reviews. Create a brand story that appeals to them. Consider a reward program to encourage repeat business and referrals. Most importantly, build a community where your clients can relate to you and each other.

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Interview with Ana Square of The PMU Masters

How many personal pics are too many on your Instagram feed? What should every PMU artist know to grow their business using social media? Ana Square, editor and chief of PMU Masters and owner of Ana Square Microblading, shares her expertise on all things social media and how PMU artists can build a strong presence using their social media profiles. Watch here:

 

 

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How to Find your Ideal Permanent Makeup Clients

We all have an ideal, dream client that we wish we could duplicate and see each and every appointment. While you can’t always have the perfect client, you can make moves to ensure that you are attracting the right type of client that will want the services you offer and will be ready to pay and book an appointment.

Identify Your Ideal Client Profile

You can’t be everything to everyone. In business, you can go crazy trying to make everyone a client. Save yourself the time and hassle, by putting on paper who your ideal permanent makeup client is (target audience). Think about what services you offer, who you already serve, and who can benefit that isn’t already a client. You may also look at competitors in your area and see what types of clients they are servicing.

Ask Yourself These Questions

➔ Who are your current clients? (Age, income, skin type)
➔ What is the desired result my client is looking for? (Replace hair loss, feel confident, save time getting ready, etc)
➔ What are your competitors doing? (Who are they serving, how are they showcasing their work?)
➔ Where are they spending their time? (Are they using social media, are they looking at newspapers, are they walking past your store?

How Can You Reach Your Dream Clients?

Once you identify your ideal PMU client, you will have an even better idea of how you can connect with them and meet their needs. The goal is to make your presence known and create a relationship. Potential clients are more likely to choose your business when you offer personalized interactions. You may have heard of a few ways to advertise and market your permanent makeup business, here are a few to consider.

Social Media

Social media marketing for makeup artists is one of the best ways to connect with new clients. Think of your Instagram and other social profiles as your online portfolio of work. In fact, this is likely one of the first places that a client will learn about you.

Research your target audience’s most used social media channels. Encourage a following by adding social media buttons to your internet marketing materials such as your website, YouTube channel and emails. (This works for business cards, fliers, storefront decals and coupons.)

Promote participation by replying to comments, asking questions and posting engaging content on a regular basis. Brand-specific hashtags are a great way to broaden the reach of your content.

While the above suggestions are basically free, you can pay to amplify your efforts on social media by purchasing ads or partnering with social media influencers who have already developed a relationship with your niche market and can help you capitalize on their followers.

How and Where to Gather Reviews and Testimonials

Online reviews are important for proving the value of your services to those who don’t yet know you. There are a couple of places where new clients will look for information about your business and see your reviews. Google My Business is a MUST for every business. Take your time to set up your profile and add contact details and photos. Yelp, Style Seat and others are also places where potential clients may find you and see your public reviews.

Don’t be afraid to make the ask! The only way you will grow your reviews is to ask clients who are satisfied to leave you a glowing 5-star review. Word of mouth goes a long way and a consistent stream of positive reviews build trust with future clients or those who are having a hard time making a choice.

Build an Effective PMU Website

It’s no surprise that your website is also a great way to showcase your work. Here are a few key ways to make sure your website is ready to show when potential clients are looking for your services:

  • Make sure that the pages of your website make reference to permanent makeup services and specifically what you offer with descriptions for each service type
  • Indicate where you are located
  • Add a map to your website along with contact information
  • Add photos of your work
  • Consider adding reviews or testimonials
  • Have a clear way for clients to contact you – whether you add a “Book Now” button or phone number to call
  • Add a link to your website on your social media profiles so that those who are interested can easily click for more information

Most importantly, don’t be afraid to be you, regardless of who your clients are. If they are the right client for you, they are looking for 1. Exactly what you are offering and 2. A connection with you through trust and relationship-building.

Consistency is the key no matter what means you are using to reach your core clients. Keep in mind that not everyone is your ideal client (not everyone has to be). Finding the right clients, who believe in you and your work, trust your expertise, and want to build loyalty with you, is what is ultimately most important.

5 Challenges a PMU Marketing Agency Can Solve

permanent makeup marketing

You’ve put your all into building this business, improving your technique, keeping up with the latest trends that can give your clients the best results. You open your shop and then… there’s only a slow, inconsistent trickle of clients walking through your doors.

The truth is that if you build it – they don’t necessarily come! Before you exhaust yourself trying to catch up on the latest marketing trends for your business, consider hiring a marketing partner that can help you gain a steady, consistent client flow without extra work on your shoulders.

Here’s how it works.

1. A Marketing Agency Can Save You Time and Money

“Time is money.” A marketing agency with a knowledgeable team and a proven record of working with other PMU pros can save on both time and money since it means you are trusting the experts to do what they do best. And in turn, frees you up to pursue what you do best – making clients look and feel their best.

Imagine the hours you could save in your workweek by not having to do your own research or experiment with different marketing tools and projects. Or the time you could devote to other parts of your business, without having to hire and train employees to focus exclusively on marketing.

In addition to the time you will save on marketing and staffing, you can also save money by trimming employee numbers. A marketing agency can reduce your expenses by eliminating the need to hire additional employees – think of an agency as an extension of your team without the overhead. Staffing your own marketing department involves extra costs that could eat away at the cash in your pocket at the end of the month.

2. A Marketing Agency Can Help You Run Your PMU Social Media Page

Stuck in that rut of trying to figure out what to post and when? A marketing agency will help you build your personal brand, create consistency in your posts, and ultimately, draw more new eyes to your profiles that are potential clients looking for a permanent makeup artist like you.

Just like brows are a science, marketing is a science, too. With the right partner, you will start to understand what your audience (future clients) want to see, how they connect with your unique style and personality, find your location, and book their consultation with you.

3. A Marketing Agency Can Help You Identify and Solve Problems

Sometimes, unfortunately, we all need hard truths. Hiring a marketing partner allows fresh eyes to look objectively at what you are currently doing to bring awareness to your business, how you’re branding and representing yourself and your work, and make recommendations you may have never thought of or that may have been too emotionally difficult to make.

Consider it as trusting the experts that can help you decide on even the most basic (yet impactful) parts of your business like what colors, images, videos or wording to use on your social media, website and booking platform. You might not have even considered this, but your team can also make recommendations on other ways to simplify how you run your business

4. A Marketing Agency Can Help You Organize and Achieve Your Goals

How many clients do you need to book in a week? A month? The right marketing partner will understand how to build consistency for your business. And that predictable, stable flow of new paying clients is what helps you build your reputation as a great artist in your area while giving you the foundation to grow in the industry, hire your team, expand your salon, and build a training or product line.

5. A Marketing Agency Helps Build Your Personal Brand and Reputation

Think of your favorite PMU idol. You may have a really clear idea of what you admire about them. It’s likely that is what has also drawn such a large following for them.

Your marketing partner can help you identify what makes sense for your own “personal brand” and how to share that gift with the world. While you may not become the next industry leader, they can help you find ways in which to really shine.

A Marketing Agency is Great, but a PMU Marketing Agency is Even Better

A PMU marketing agency’s specialized knowledge and functions translate into time and money well-spent. Even better than a marketing partner is a marketing partner experienced in your specific industry. An experienced PMU marketing agency will have a deeper understanding of what it takes to get more PMU clients to your door and gain you recognition and loyalty. Not all PMU marketing agencies offer the same services, so be sure to find the one that can give you the most complete support that your business deserves.

Infographic

Now that you have built your business, improved your techniques, and kept up with the latest trends, it is time to hire a marketing partner. That is the missing piece and could be the solution to the slow and inconsistent flow of clients you are currently facing. Want to know how a PMU marketing agency can help? Read about that and more in this infographic.

5 Challenges a PMU Marketing Agency Can Solve Infographic

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8 Common Marketing Misconceptions PMU Artists Should Ignore

permanent makeup marketing

Want to know how to get more PMU clients in the door and significantly grow your business? The answer is: Marketing. Unfortunately, some common misconceptions about marketing permanent make-up can fill talented artists either with self-doubt or an over-confidence in their abilities to market their services and products alone. Worse, PMU artists can end up investing resources into the wrong strategies due to unrealistic expectations around marketing and advertising.

The good news is that you don’t have to do it on your own. There are marketing experts who can help you at any stage of your business. First, let’s clear the air about some common marketing myths, so that you can separate the real from the fiction and make better decisions regarding your business.

Myth #1: I Can Do It on My Own

Your instincts, likes and dislikes towards different marketing approaches, service experiences and product designs definitely make for great starting points for ideas, but a professional marketer has the knowledgeable skills to take your ideas to the next level and make them even more profitable. Approaches such as polling, collecting feedback and maintaining an online presence are just a few examples of expert strategies designed around maintaining a client base and uncovering what your clients think, what they love about your business and what could use improvement.

Marketing may sound as easy as placing an ad, running a few promotions or writing a post on social media every now and again, but it is actually much more involved. Marketing is time and timing. It is an investment of your resources to include your labor, energy and creativity or that of your employees. Done improperly, you could either miss out on opportunities that could give your business a life-saving boost or create a profit-draining waste of time and labor.

If you are a new entrepreneur, you may be tempted to think you’ll save money by being your own marketer, but you are not too small or too budget-constricted to benefit from professional marketing services. With the proper marketing partner, you can generate a significant return on a minimal investment.

Myth #2: If I Know Advertising, I Know Marketing

PMU marketing is not the same as PMU advertising. Rather, marketing refers to the whole brand experience. Advertising your services and products is definitely part of it, but marketing is an ongoing, creative project lasting the lifetime of your business that involves a variety of pieces that fit together like a puzzle. For example, your logo, salon design, client experience and service implementation would all fall under marketing’s reach. It marries your company vision with your mission and values, creating one unified brand that appeals to clients.

Myth #3: My Service and Products Will Speak for Themselves

You can have the best service, pricing or luxury experience around, and still be the best kept secret in town. To drive word-of-mouth advertising, you must first establish a revenue-generating client base. Retaining those clients will lead to a steady revenue stream and busy business.

Effective marketing can help you garner initial clients and then give them something memorable about your business to recall and share, leading to more PMU advertising through referrals. For instance, after a great experience at your business, a client may be more inclined to share a social media post of yours to their own social media page or send it to a friend. A marketing professional can help you establish a client base and then keep you fresh in their minds so that loyal clients advertise for you.

Myth #4: Marketing Is Only For New Lead Generation

Many people have the misconception that marketing starts and ends with lead generation. As stated above, marketing develops brand loyalty with past clients by allowing you to develop a relationship with them. Marketing creates engaging opportunities such as real-time contests and ways to accept and respond to feedback. It keeps your name and service fresh in their minds for repeat business and referrals.

Myth #5: I Can Borrow Strategies I See In Other Businesses

You and your brand are unique, requiring a tailored marketing strategy. Connecting with your clients in just the right way is highly valuable. Marketing is a continuously evolving process that takes time and experimentation over the lifespan of your business. Someone else’s tried-and-true methods are not guaranteed to produce the same results for you.

Myth #6: I Should Target a Wide Audience

Many people believe that they must market themselves to a broad audience for marketing to be worth the investment. That is not the case, however. Your excellent service and knowledgeable expertise will not appeal to everyone or be considered as valuable in other markets. Casting a wide net in an attempt to capture an untapped market sector may not be a wise investment in your case. Knowing the clients your services appeal to allows you to better target your marketing campaign to your audience and helps win you more clients.

Myth #7: Marketing Is All About Targeting the Millennials

“Millennial” refers to those born between 1981 and 1994-96. Those clients would be 26-41 years old today, and a lot of entrepreneurs new to marketing think they can gain traction by appealing to this age group. However, marketing aimed just at Millennials excludes other potential clients. Billions of people interact with at least one form of social media daily, making almost any age demographic accessible through social media platforms. The average age of visitors to social media and mobile-friendly sites continues to grow as earlier generations discover the potential uses and benefits of these social connectors.

Myth #8: Change Any Strategy that Doesn’t Immediately Show Results

We know you are eager to see the fruits of your efforts and resources, but long-term results require consistency and repetition that can only be realized over time. Results can start rolling in slowly and then eventually begin to snowball. Significant results could take anywhere from six months to a year, so patience is key.

There is way more to marketing than we can ever do justice in just one blog (or even a handful). We hope we have encouraged you to ignore the most common misconceptions and explore marketing options in a new light. An expert marketing agency can help elevate your PMU business in ways you may have never thought possible. Click here to learn more about finding your exceptional marketing partner.