When it comes to dealing with client requests regarding price that you’re not quite sure how to handle, think about if this client asked this same request at a Starbucks to see if it’s just absolutely ridiculous or if it is a valid request. We all get those clients who want for something for nothing.
“Can I get a discount?”
“Can I pay you next week after I get paid?”
“Can you give me XYZ for free?”
I attribute these kinds of questions to a lack of education in the general public not only about the eyelash extension industry, but the beauty industry as a whole and the service providers who work for themselves or booth rent. Some clients, and they’re the minority I’ve found, feel entitled to get their way irregardless of the cost it comes to you. They often think that just because we work in the beauty industry and more or less work for ourselves, that we should cater to every client’s beck and call or God forbid, we lose their business! Yes, the clients who idle threat are my “fave”!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for being a reasonable human being if an error was made on my end…absolutely. I’d bend over backwards trying to right the wrong. But asking for a discount because your cousin’s friend’s sister in Omaha only pays $60 for a full set and you saw a Groupon for a competitor who does a full set for $50 is not a valid reason for me to undervalue my work, experience and skill.
My favorite is when a potential client asks something along the lines of “Can you give me a discount because I can’t afford your prices?”. It usually comes in the form of “Wow, you’re really expensive. Do you ever offer discounts?”
As much as we market eyelash extensions as being a “necessity”, it is in fact a luxury service. If a client cannot afford to keep up with their lashes based on the price you have deemed as a fair rate for your work, it is irresponsible on the client’s end to get them in the first place and flat out disrespectful to think that you should put yourself in a financial imposition due to their financial choices. Do not carry that burden and think it’s on you to flex on price to accommodate their financial situation.
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When we value our business and our work with the price point we’ve chosen, we will repel those who can’t afford or appreciate our skill set and experience, which in turn makes room for the clients who can afford us and who value our work. This is how you start to draw in a full price paying clientele. It starts with you valuing yourself first and foremost.
If you, as the Lash Artist, have thoroughly researched what the going rate for eyelash extensions are in your area, and you have priced yourself fairly in a way that not only covers your cost to run your business but also allows you to provide for your family, AND you factor in your experience/skill, then there is no need to be swayed by a client who challenges you on your price. The work we do is hard on our bodies, our eyes, we work long hours (sometimes not giving ourselves the opportunity to eat or use the restroom) and it definitely can feel like a personal attack when someone challenges us on our price. The best approach is to take the emotion out of it and simply consider how a larger company (my reference is Starbucks) would handle this type of request.
What would Starbucks do if a customer asked to pay for their drink next week cause payday isn’t until Friday?
The Starbucks question may not apply to every situation, but it should open your eyes as a business owner or solo-preneur about what is a valid request and what is plain horse shit. Starbucks charges an insane amount for a beverage, and they don’t apologize for it and they’re KILLING it with hundreds of thousands of loyal customers! They have established themselves as the leader in their industry, they charge an outrageous price, and yet we flock to them and sing their praise (well…a lot of us do, myself included #starbyaddict) and we figure out a way to afford it!
Our industry is still relatively new and growing and clients may not be fully aware of everything that goes into being a Lash Artist. Don’t take it personally and do your best to handle it with professionalism and grace. You can’t blame the client for asking, but it is up to you to help educate the client on your stance on discounting…and you have to have a stance in order to stand for it!
So the next time a client asks an unreasonable request based on price, ask yourself… What would Starbucks do in this situation?
Have a Good One,
Tara Walsh, The Lashpreneur
