The last few years have been tough for our industry. We can sit and be reactive to what happens around us, or we can proactively take matters into our own hands. So, read on to find out how you can be prepared for 2023!

1. GET YOUR CONSULTATION ON POINT

Skin Professionals often under-estimate the power and value of the consultation process. Everything should start here. We recognise that for many, the consultation process is still more of a contra-indication check, and not the amazing diagnostic tool that it really is. Your consultation is the first step on your client journey. How can you begin to understand your clients skin, if you don’t understand the life it leads. You need to know what it’s fed, the environment it lives in, the pressures it faces, and the regimen it is subjected to. Skin health is afterall everything working in harmony, not just the topicals we are using. If we can help our client, understand their skin, and help them get to the root cause of their issue, the results will be much more sustainable. 

This is one of the reasons the Skin Professionals UK™️ developed our self-led course 

‘How to Develop an Awesome Skin Consultation™️’. 

Some may consider spending 60 minutes, or so, speaking to the client; educating them and investigating their skin, to be a waste of time. However, we collectively find we achieve wholly better results, when we truly understand our client and they in turn understand their skin.  

Objections regarding cost or time can also be overcome at this time - and please, please charge! This is your time and whether these clients go on to work with you or not, you have equipped them with the knowledge and understanding to make the difference they seek. In other words, the experience has value.

2. INVEST IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Your learning should not stop when you qualify.  Science and technology within our industry are constantly evolving and we need to keep abreast of it if we want to best serve our clients.  

Whilst advanced treatments can be extremely advantageous for your client’s skin and in turn for your business, if we don’t have the basics down or the depth of knowledge to back up those treatments, you should, in our opinion, be furthering that knowledge first.  

We don’t know what we don’t know, and it is important to continuously strive to educate ourselves, not only through brand and product training, but through peer support, mentoring and self-development to develop our own way of working, which sets us apart in the market.  

Remember, it is okay to evolve and change the way you work over time as the industry changes. This is how we stay ahead.

3. INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY

Between us, we have many years experience in the industry and we’ve seen so many fads come and go. It is all too easy to get shiny object syndrome, but technology is expensive and may not always be the answer for your business. These are uncertain times, so it’s really crucial we do our due diligence before investing in what could turn out to be a white elephant. 

So, our first question would be: Why do you think you need to introduce something new into your skin clinic? What is the cost if you don’t? Will it have generic appeal for your audience? How quickly will you see a return on your investment? Could you negotiate the price, or perhaps spread the cost? Would renting be a more suitable option?

And it doesn’t end there, once that glossy machine arrives, what is your strategy, because that baby needs to earn its keep.

Remember technology can be superseded so quickly. There is no shame in putting more emphasis on a professional, results driven product range instead. The topical treatments we use are still very much part of our toolkit. Fantastic results can be achieved this way, and it can help drive retail sales too.

4. FOCUS ON YOUR ZONE OF GENIUS 

If you run a skin business, then you obviously have a passion for skin, but when you started your skin business, did you really expect all the other tasks that are involved?   

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to consider all the elements of your skin business with so many different tasks demanding your attention and it is easy to get lost in time wasting activities that keep us from our ‘zone of genius’ without even realising it.  

“On average, a business owner loses a third of their time to low value or non-revenue generating tasks. Are you holding yourself back?”

Whilst there is absolutely nothing wrong with being hands-on within your business, you run a high risk of taking on more than you can handle. It’s hard to find the time to do your best work when you’re juggling a multitude of balls which means you’ll often be faced with different distractions that can affect the balance within your business. Quite simply, there just aren’t enough hours in the day.

There are so many ways to outsource or delegate, which frees you up to focus on revenue generating activities and your passion for treating skin!  Perhaps an online booking system, a book-keeper or even a virtual executive.

Look to hire someone with knowledge of the industry, who can handle the tasks that suck up your time and drain your energy. This will give you time back to work on those parts of your business that you are truly passionate and knowledgeable about. Plus you could be giving yourself more space to pursue personal interests or perhaps time to spend with your family.

What could you outsource to free up your time to concentrate on what you love?

5. JOIN THE SKIN PROFESSIONALS UK™️ COMMUNITY

We know that many people in our industry don’t have a support network. That’s why we created a supportive environment where skin professionals of all levels could come together in a safe space, without judgement or prejudice to ask questions, debate and discuss. We believe it is only through knowledge and education that we can raise standards and the profile of our industry.

It warms our heart that over 2000 members have now joined our community and the forum grows day-on-day. We’d love to welcome you too…

Details of our consultation course and community can be found by visiting our linktree address

https://www.linktr.ee/skinprofessionalsuk