Here’s some background, before I expound on the lessons from my beauty journey. I like this picture above because it shows in really good lighting, my skin, and my hair. These are 2 things that have shaped my identity, and honestly, my future. I’m a Nigerian woman, and from when I was a child- had regular hair and skin rituals. As a teenager I struggled with dryness on both my scalp and body, acne on my ace and chest, and began to search for remedies. In university, all these, particularly acne and hyperpigmentation were a deep source of concern for me so I threw all kinds of creams, butters, oils, fruits, and prayers at them. Then one night, at age 19 or 20, during a trip home to see my family, I woke my mum up crying about my acne, and my interactions with professional beauty providers began. She consulted with a good friend of hers, who referred us to a dermatologist. In the dermatologist’s office, I heard for the first time, about hyperpigmentation. Fast forward to present day where I have my #beautybesties (see below post), adore my aesthetician and curly hair specialist, and know that my dream home will be built with floor to celling UV protected windows because sun damage is real. Beauty service providers offer a wide range of products and services, so in this post, I’ll talk about my search to find hair and skin care specialists specifically, finding them, and what that experience has taught me about business.

There’s no ad like a referral

I probably don’t need to write a paragraph on this because every person probably knows this, but referrals! referrals! referrals! people! Providing a high quality, and consistent service literally translates into your customers being walking ads for you. And in this age of guerilla marketing, a human ad is your winning hand. (Please refer to the bottom of this post for the definition of that big phrase that I got a thrill out of using 🤭). In my circle of beauty obsessed friends have shared hair, nail, wax, even tattoo artists from the strength of a referral.

Customized services win every time

A while ago, I was in search of a provider who would- understand how to treat and care for my (black) skin, provide a personalized, service where I wouldn’t feel like I just went in a carwash, in and out as fast as possible (in this case face in face out), and who would also give recommendations for my home routine. You would think that by virtue of the aesthetics already being a luxury, these criteria would be met. Afterall, even getting a dermatologists appointment takes months, and the spelling of aesthetics takes attention to not get it wrong, because it’s not in everyday language. However, in my hunt, I learnt that finding someone who offered those three things was quite difficult. When I eventually discovered @Torontoaesthetician (Come on SEO!, and more on that later), I was thrilled when I saw on her booking site, the option to select an undecided appointment, which is something I’d never seen before. The truth is that when a potential customer searches for an aesthetician, they have likely already done a deep dive on skin treatments. They know about peels, lasers, microdermabrasion, etc, and know that each of these treatments have many levels and methods. So customizing the service option to this already overloaded mind is a great idea. A customized service like this shows a lot of thought and effort put into wanting your customer to be very satisfied with their service. If I want to get really specific here I’d say that’s a business concerned about their Net Promoter Score (NPS).

Offer the quality of service that leads to a referral

As I stated earlier, a referral to your business is often the result of a high quality service. This takes time, consistency, and experience to achieve, but once your customers know that they get quality services, they have no problem telling everyone about you. This beneficial relationship is best explained by my 6 year relationship with Lola at Vhue Skin https://vhueskin.ca/. Beyond being a licensed aesthetician and cosmetic scientist, she’s a consummate professional. Lola transformed my skin, and I went from having uncontrollable acne scars and dark marks, to even toned, glowing, and mostly clear skin, thanks to the procedures and products she provides me. I’ve been her client since 2021, and I tell everyone all about her clinic. I’ve watched Lola’s dedication to her trade, and have followed her as a client from one clinic in Yaba Lagos, to Lekki, Lagos, to now a new branch in Alberta Canada. This is the growth that’s possible when as a business owner, you deliver consistent results for your clients, and they in turn spread the word.

Definitions

“Guerrilla marketing is an advertising approach that borrows the concept of “guerrilla” warfare, or the element of surprise, to communicate with target audiences. This form of marketing relies on unconventional and inventive displays to elicit wonder or shock and can be especially effective for driving publicity.”

“What Is Guerrilla Marketing? 4 Types and Examples to Delight Consumers.” Coursera, 25 Mar. 2024, https://www.coursera.org/articles/guerrilla-marketing.