Are you planning to start an eyelash business? Other than eyelash extensions being popular these days, the nature of this business requires low upfront costs. In fact, you can even operate the business from the comfort of your home. However, going into business can be quite overwhelming, and you want to be successful. That is why this post provides you with steps to follow to ensure your lash business is successful.

Create a Business Plan

To ensure any business you do is successful, you need to have a clear goal in mind. That is what your business aims to achieve. Your business plan should detail your pricing strategy. Do not let the price be too low or too high. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting out in lashing is undercharging. Custom lashing is a premium service and lowering your price not only cheapens your own talents but throws off people’s perception of the skill level and devalues the marketplace.

Also, you only have so many hours in a day so the easiest way to make more money in a service business is to ensure that you are getting paid what you feel you are worth. Of course, you can start a bit lower to build your portfolio but know that your clients will resist heavy price jumps so be sure to tell your clients that you are offering a new promotional rate for your opening, otherwise they will always expect to pay the lower rate.

While the overhead costs of opening a lash business can be pretty low, there might be a need for you to get a loan or investors involved. This holds especially true if you plan to rent retail space to run your business. In this case, your business plan will definitely need to be in writing so you can present it to financial institutions or potential investors.

Choosing your location

Before you begin searching for the right location to set up your lash business, you ought to have a clear picture of the current and future state of your business. Although this process may be tedious and time-consuming, you ought to give it the attention it requires. You should note that most business mistakes may be corrected at a later stage, but a bad location may be impossible to repair. These are some of the factors to consider when choosing a suitable location for your lash business.

Style of Operation

Do you want your lash business to be elegant and formal or more casual? Remember that your location must be consistent with your image or style. Certain areas like Beverly Hills will cost more to rent but also command a higher price point because of the clientele and impression customers have of the area.

Demographics

In this case, you have to think about your customers and their proximity to the chosen location. Also, you should consider the local community and whether it matches your ideal customer profile.

Foot Traffic

For a traditional store that sells lashing service, foot traffic is quite important. You do not want to get tucked in a corner where your potential customers will not see your storefront. Start by monitoring foot traffic outside a given location at various times. In so doing, you will determine whether your traffic suits your needs.

Accessibility and Parking

There is a need to take into account the accessibility of your business location. If you set up your business on a busy street, is it easy for the cars to access the shop? Other things like restroom availability or disability accommodations might factor into your choices.

Getting The Best Training

Business training offers an opportunity to expand your knowledge. Before you launch your lash business, you should undertake appropriate training. Obviously there are a lot of systems out there for custom lashing but we are quite partial to the LashDip culture. Our philosophy is that nothing beats quality. LashDip is the legacy brand that started the custom lash industry and has years of experience and knowledge on how to perform the best lashing service in the world. When you give your customers the best it is hard for them to accept anything less and repeat business becomes more predictable.

Marketing

Marketing is quite important for your lash business. That is because it allows you to maintain long-lasting relationships with your potential customers. It is not something done once; rather, it is a strategy that is ongoing and can help your business to flourish. Your marketing strategy should be engaging and reflect the brand you have established for yourself in the marketplace. If you’re a fun, energetic stylist your branding should look and feel fun and energetic. If, on the other hand, your style is more high fashion and exclusive your branding should reflect that tone.

Use Social Media

Nearly every person is using social media. You can use different social media platforms to get your brand out. The truth is that social media can be a useful tool in attracting potential customers to your business. Use before-and-after pictures as they offer the best look at your products and allow others to know what to expect. Also, you can post live videos to create excitement and entice viewers to seek your services and products.

Google My Business

First, you should note that listing your local business in Google My Business is free. Most people searching for eyelashes online have local intent. That means they are interested in getting products in their vicinity. All lash artists depend on the local consumer traffic and for people who are searching on Google, the first place almost all of them look is to the local profiles for local lash artists. Google My Business displays important information about your business that includes your hours, photos, directions, reviews and descriptions of your services.

Allow Customer Reviews

You can tell your customers to post reviews and their experiences after using your eyelash extensions. The good thing about reviews is that they can increase sales when used correctly. That is because they offer people a reason to try your services and products. Moreover, they build trust between your business and its customers. In addition to Google reviews you could encourage your customers to leave reviews on Yelp and Facebook. While there are a ton of review platforms online we’ve found that Google is probably most important for local businesses followed by Yelp and then Facebook – everything else is somewhat irrelevant at the time of this writing.