The competition in permanent makeup has been getting stronger, especially in the past couple of years. In fact, permanent makeup is one of the fastest growing branches within the beauty industry. Considering all the benefits of permanent makeup as a career offers to cosmeticians and the growing demand from customers, it’s no surprise.

For your salon to become successful, renowned, and profitable, you need to build a strong and sizeable clientele. The basis for this is quality service, obviously, but there are other significant factors, the most important of which is advertising.

Here are some professional tips on how to achieve maximum exposure and attract more clients.

Use Social Media

Marketing is the secret behind the success of so many businesses, and social media is the secret weapon of permanent makeup artists who are just starting out. You need to put your name out there so as many people as possible hear about your salon and the services available.

The traditional marketing outlets like magazines and television are out of reach for most small business owners due to price. Same goes for professional consultants; in the beginning, the expense could end up exceeding the profit.

Luckily, new ways of marketing are working out perfectly for permanent makeup artists. Alternative media outlets like Instagram and Facebook are an obvious first step in creating an image for your business, so set up social media pages as soon as you start working. You need to keep your followers interested, so stay active and post as often as possible.

Your social media pages work as your portfolio. Prior work is the most important factor for clients when choosing an artist, so make sure you post as many realistic results of your work, showcasing it in the best possible way without retouching. Before & After photos are especially effective.

Increase Your Range of Services

Offering multiple services automatically means attracting more clients.

Microblading may be the most popular of all permanent makeup treatments, but permanent makeup implies a whole range of procedures for brows, eyes, and lips. Since the basis of all treatments is more or less the same – injecting pigments into the skin so as to recreate the looks of makeup – it’s common for artists to get trained and licensed for more than one procedure.

In many ways, it’s a logical next step after establishing a business, and this business model has become very common in the US. Most of the beauty businesses, such as PMU clinic that offers microblading in DC offer at least a few closely related additional services, like ombre brows, or brow lamination. Apart from attracting new clients, returning clients could get interested in having more permanent makeup work done, thus maximizing your income.

Invest in an Attractive Website

For any established PMU artist, social media pages and a quality website go hand in hand. A professional website should include all the options limited social media space lacks, like information about the artists, their education, reviews from satisfied customers, and of course, an attractive portfolio.

First impressions are very important. Clients won’t put their looks and safety into the hands of an artists that doesn’t seem trustworthy, so make sure your website looks professional, and that all the features like online booking are fully functional.

All that said, a quality website can get expensive, so for any new brand with a limited budget, it’s a good idea to start from social media and listing services, and work your way towards a professional website.

Start a Referrals Program

In permanent makeup, a good word goes a long way. Satisfied clients will recommend you to their friends if they’re asked. This is bound to happen naturally and spontaneously, but why not speed this up? Stimulate your clients to spread your name by starting a referral program that would work something like this: for every new client they bring you, they could get special discount points on their next treatment. Or a special gift for every 5 clients. Get creative and figure out what works best for you.

It’s also worth mentioning that each client is an advertisement – they wear your work everyday. A job well done attracts interest, so make sure both you and your client are happy with the results before they leave your salon; one botched pair of brows or a wonky permanent eyeliner can ruin your reputation, especially in small communities.

Make Sure Your Salon Is Listed on PMUHub

Facebook and Instagram work to a certain point, but many newbies may not be familiar with websites such as PMUHub.com.

PMUHub is an Internet forum dedicated to producing the latest permanent makeup news, the best treatment guides and offering providers info for the entire community. It is the ultimate list of salons and artists that offers an overview of each provider, with their information neatly laid out. Anyone who’s considering getting permanent makeup will have easy access to this information.

Having your salon listed here will allow you to target a specific type of audience that is seriously interested in permanent makeup. It will also give you insight into the competition in your area. The best part is it’s totally free. So make sure to list your permanent makeup salon today.

Make Sure Clients Come Back for More

Attracting new clients should be top priority, but always have your previous customers in mind. Permanent makeup is distinctive from other business branches, because you have customers returning for touch ups. There is no fool proof way to ensure your client will come to you for a touch up and not somebody else, but a client who’s 100% satisfied with your work, service, and etiquette is more than likely to return.

Also, you should carefully consider your prices. No permanent treatment comes cheap, nor should it, but lowering prices of touch up appointments will pay off in the long run. For example, if you’re a renowned artist charging a significant amount of money for the procedure, your client could get touch ups from a cheaper artist if yours cost too much. This way, your work is exploited and you lose profit from any further touch ups.