I just don’t understand that philosophy.
We all offer the same services…how can we be in competition with one another?
My background is in sports.
My college degree is in Kinesiology, and I played basketball from the third grade throughout my college career.
I know what true competition is.
Other estheticians are not my competition.
Our industry is one of the only industries that label our colleagues as competition.
Doctors, Dentists, Nurses, they don’t do that?
If we were able to take our energy off this whole competition thing, we would have much more energy to focus on what we do best to serve our customers.
If I continue to put the required energy needed to grow my successful business, I don’t have any left over to worry about what others are doing.
But, many of us estheticians don’t do that.
We want to do surveillance, and see what services our neighbor is offering, what products they offer, and label them, “my competition.”
Too much energy is spent here.
When I first started as a solo esthetician, and I raised my brazilian wax price when I perfected my technique, I was challenged by clients.
When a client came to me, and claimed to be able to get a brazilian from a neighbouring esthetician at $65, when my price was $95, I helped them make their appointment with my “competition.”
This happened 3 or 4 times, and each time I offered to make an appointment for that client with my neighbor who charged less.
One particular client took me up on that offer, and went to the $65 brazilian wax.
She came back to me, eating a bit of crow, and apologizing for putting me in that situation.
My response?
She didn’t put me in any “situation.” I was truly okay with her decision. As long as there was an option for the client, that’s all that mattered.
- do facials
- wax or sugar
- apply makeup
Why, then do we talk crazy to each other, and feel we steal each other’s ideas?
If that person put all that energy toward the success of their own business, where would they be?
When people focus on what truly matters, you can see the changes in them, their business and their success.
Our clients choose us based mostly on our personality, but there are also other factors:
- cleanliness of our location
- how we speak to them
- how they feel when they’re in our treatment room
- how they feel outside our treatment room
If you know that, and you don’t come to your clients or colleagues with an attitude of competition, you no longer have competition.
Those of you still fussing about nail salons, LET IT GO. They have been doing brows and lips forever…LET IT GO.
Marketing is really communicating with your clients on a clear and regular basis:
- the services you offer
- how they can make an appointment
- where you’re located
- how they choose from your services
- how they can communicate with you
In my Live Mastermind, we focus on exactly this.
If we get so lost in focusing on competition, we really have no idea how much it truly affects our business.
It’s so sad to think about what our industry could be, because we don’t know how to communicate with each other, how to lift each other up, how to support each other.
We are so starved for praise, that its easier to be negative to a fellow esthetician than it is to praise them.
But…it’s so nice to have a safe place we know will be a cheering section…we all know which Facebook groups have that, right?
So, remember, we are not in competition with each other. Not At All!
Absolutely agree! Love this post, great reminder. Thank you Stephanie.