WellSpa: How to communicate effectively with Clients Virtually By Emily Trampetti, LE & owner of Skin Property Virtual Esthetics
ARTICLE:
Since the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, it seemed like every spa owner introduced a portfolio of “virtual” offerings and services to keep their business from completely collapsing - me included!
In Chicago, my spa was only skincare-focused, meaning that we didn’t have waxing or non-facial services to supplement our business when the city banned face-to-face contact with clients. My business (and maybe yours!) was right up there with restaurants when it came to pandemic business woes. And with the spa rent bills still coming, I remember the pressure being on to keep my business and mission afloat. And while I knew there would have to be a “virtual” focus to keep my business going, I was unsure as to what that would or should be. I know many of you were in that same camp of thinking!
The first question I had to ask myself was, “Will I pivot my business as a temporary solution, or a permanent solution?”
This question’s intention is to figure out how much effort I’m going to put into creating a virtual offering, and can be a hard question to answer - especially in the fall of 2020 when we still weren’t sure how long the pandemic closures would last and if life would ever get back to “normal.” For many spas and clinics, the choice was easy - temporary! Many businesses were also able to supplement their finances with nail services, waxing and body treatments until the mandates relaxed eventually. For me however, I chose to lean very much into the assumption that the pandemic would have a permanent impact on the beauty and spa industry. Not only through government mandates, but maybe even through client preference as well. I also wasn’t really in a financial position to attempt weathering the storm in a temporary sense. So, I guess in some ways, my own situation also forced me to do a 180 degree turn into the virtual service world. So I took the leap and closed down permanently to pursue virtual services.
The next big question was, “What does my brand mission and vision look like in a virtual world?”
I think this is where the rubber meets the road. This is the question (and answer) that makes a virtual pivot attainable and sustainable for your business. Mainly because a virtual client base, with new virtual offerings, may not fit the needs of your current client needs. For example, if you have clients that come to you primarily for the physical nature of your services (aka massage, relaxation, spa environment, etc.), those same clients may not be well-suited to your new virtual offerings. That is why it’s super important to be clear about what you believe in and what kind of client you want to serve. At the end of the day, your brand is not for everyone, and the more specific you get about who you want to service, the more successful you will be!
For me, my mission was always to be an education-forward, holistic skincare partner for my clients. My goal was to treat each skin individually, make my clients smarter about their skin and help them reach their goals with confidence. Luckily, my brand was actually itching for a digital transformation. In the spa, I seemed to always lack the time to truly nurture these goals with my clients, but virtually, I could find a way to spend more time with them to add the education and support necessary for truly reaching their goals.
And literally through these two key questions came Skin Property Virtual Esthetics. This is a completely virtual skin coaching program through my proprietary process that offers clients clinical results from the comfort of their own home. It is mainly for clients that no longer wish to go into spas or clinics, but still want clinical results. And after three years learning, growing, and seeing incredible results, I ‘d love to share some of my biggest tips for connecting with your clients virtually.
#1: Add a dash of vulnerability when you lose physicality
As much as we’re grateful for video conferencing and virtual communication technology, we have quickly realized that it doesn’t really replace face-to-face connection. And in the spa industry, when so much of the “experience” is built around physical senses like smell and touch, it can be challenging to give your clients just as much of a trusting and relaxing experience. I find that when all that is available to you is words or video (sight and sound), there needs to be other forms of connection to help your clients feel most comfortable. And many times this can be achieved through more vulnerability. Vulnerability, or “the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.” (Dictionary.com) is basically about putting down your walls and humanizing yourself to your clients. While this doesn’t mean abandoning your expertise or professional status, it does mean offering up information that is intended to help your clients feel related-to, understood or even “not alone” in their struggles or challenges. A real example of this is when I was able to relate to my client about her struggles with her skin, which I also experienced years prior. This helped her put her walls down and trust me more in our relationship and journey together.
#2: Add as many sensory details as possible
In today’s world, we have so many options on how to connect virtually. However, many of us tend to shy away from video platforms as it can flare up insecurities and feel disingenuous at times. However, when it comes to you being the professional, it is important to show up using as many sensory modalities as possible. That means, if you can do a video call versus an email, text or phone call, always choose video. Now, it might not always be appropriate for a video call, but for first meetings or situations that require more challenging or vulnerable conversations, a video call will only help your connectivity with your client. This is because the more senses that are activated will help showcase your personality, trustworthiness, and sentiment better. And when you can do that in an industry built around connectivity and trust, do it! It also shows your client that you’re confident and typically gives them permission to be unashamed to show their face as well.
#3: Sharpen your listening skills
People want to feel heard. And while you may be the world’s greatest multi-tasker as an esthetician or beauty pro (because we have to be!), it’s important to give your clients 100 percent focus when they are talking or communicating with you virtually. That means not only listening intently, but repeating back what they said so you ensure you heard them properly. This is an especially helpful practice when you are conversing via email, text or phone (without video), albeit good all the time. It ensures you don’t get wires crossed - especially when it comes to skincare challenges, condition symptoms, recommendations, etc.). I have found that this is integral to creating lasting relationships with virtual clients, because if people don’t feel heard, they don’t feel understood and will lose their trust in you.
If you begin working on these three best practices, I’m sure you will start to see great results with your virtual clients!
BIO:
Emily Trampetti is a multi-state licensed esthetician, skincare expert and founder of Skin Property Virtual Esthetics. After successfully owning and running her spa in Chicago, she decided to expand virtually with her proprietary skin coaching program, which now supports clients from over 15 states, Puerto Rico and Europe. Her mission is to empower her clients to finally feel in control of their skin and reach their goals through personalized skincare, tailored education and lifetime empowerment - and all from the comfort of their own homes!