How do I grow a business ?

[flowerchild75]

Any ideas, suggestions for a mum who started working from home, self employed, last year before the pandemic. I used to work in London, Aesthetic Treatments and have now gone self employed in my home town.
FB and IG accounts up and going but the algorithm does not seem to get me noticed. I have opened a twitter account, printing out leaflets.
Would really appreciate any fabulous ideas to help grow and get myself noticed.
Social Media just seems a lot of creating for not a lot of return.

Frustrated yet patient Mum :)

So you have a clinic at home and do Botox/fillers there ?

You have a license to purchase the products?

Pinterest is the new Instagram. Get on there...read up on how to manage it effectively. Are you on Google My Business? If not, then you need to be.

GMB is the best free tool to hook local clients. It basically means you'll show up when anyone Googles "Aesthetic treatments in X Town"

You really need to have a basic website and on that, you need to have all of the keywords that people Google. Google actually offers you a free, mini site when you sign up for Google My Business.

Fill it up as much as possible with keywords of the treatments you offer.

Paid ads are the only way to get anywhere on Facebook these days. But you can post regularly on local groups that allow advertising and build up more followers.

Oh and post on Google My Busines weekly. It allows for little updates...you just need to say something and post a pic every week. And when you do, include any special offers or treatments.

And do regular COVID updates too. And add photos.

For the service you’re offering credible, genuine word of mouth will also be important. Think about how you can encourage existing clients to recommend you to their networks. Loyalty cards or similar?

Get your business added to google if not already so when people search for the type of thing you do your business will pop up.

Stay active on your social media's, quick to reply to messages etc. Run competitions where people share your post and like your page and you randomly choose a winner for a treatment, gets your page shared about.

Ask people who have had treatments from you that were happy to leave reviews and/or share your page

Leaflets/business cards in local shops etc can be good!

Give it time, word of mouth is your best advertising, it may be slow but you'll build up eventually

@MoveOnTheCards

For the service you’re offering credible, genuine word of mouth will also be important. Think about how you can encourage existing clients to recommend you to their networks. Loyalty cards or similar?

Yes this is important. Ask every client for a review on Google. You can offer to put them in a draw if they leave a review.

It would be important to emphasise your qualifications, experience, befores and afters.
Be competitively priced but not too cheap as it may put people off.
Target your audience - are you catering for the 20 something lip fillers or the 40 something "your face but rested" market.

If the latter, could you do something to help busy mums out like home visits or allow them to bring their children?

Try local business networks and offer free demonstrations to the groups and discounts for first visits; offer a prize for fund raising; encourage discounts for referrals; highlight your qualifications and insurance as this makes a big difference and many of my friends will only go to medical trained practitioners now, along with always checking they have the right insurances in place, as too many horror stories, so showing your USP.

Thank you, thats great advice, I will do this, so glad I asked. Its quite daunting promoting yourself, new skills for me, going to jump in and get my fingers typing.
I have built up a lovely little client base through word of mouth and those lovely clients, always offer to leave a review, which I appreciate so much.

I have my VIP clients and loyalty schemes in place, as I really like to look after my clients.
Now to just advertise myself a little more and grow a little more.

I usually post certificates, accreditations and experience.
Fully insured, trained, qualified practitioner etc,

But now its the hard part for me and putting myself out there.

Always worked within a team or in a clinic and now its just me, with the hopes of a well women clinic/retreat centre for the future.

You are also helpful and I will process all you have mentioned, thank you for taking the time to offer advice and suggestions.

So grateful xx

@Lou98

Get your business added to google if not already so when people search for the type of thing you do your business will pop up.

Stay active on your social media's, quick to reply to messages etc. Run competitions where people share your post and like your page and you randomly choose a winner for a treatment, gets your page shared about.

Ask people who have had treatments from you that were happy to leave reviews and/or share your page

Leaflets/business cards in local shops etc can be good!

Give it time, word of mouth is your best advertising, it may be slow but you'll build up eventually

Thank you, on it now and working out how to Google Up! Love word of mouth, best way I feel but then I know I need to be visual on the socials so they can see what/who is being recommended if they do a little research, which of course is essential ! So happy I came on here to discuss and find out, awesome ladies x

@TollgateDebs

Try local business networks and offer free demonstrations to the groups and discounts for first visits; offer a prize for fund raising; encourage discounts for referrals; highlight your qualifications and insurance as this makes a big difference and many of my friends will only go to medical trained practitioners now, along with always checking they have the right insurances in place, as too many horror stories, so showing your USP.

Yes, good idea, joined lots last night and now working on my website, not a web designer, but I'm going in. Certificates etc all ready to upload ! I dont do dermal fillers as I don't like them. Not my thing. Thank you for all your positive and helpful advice xx

@JMAngel1

It would be important to emphasise your qualifications, experience, befores and afters. Be competitively priced but not too cheap as it may put people off. Target your audience - are you catering for the 20 something lip fillers or the 40 something "your face but rested" market. If the latter, could you do something to help busy mums out like home visits or allow them to bring their children?

Yes, definitely, this is where I need to see my website up and running as it can store all the relevant information on there. Working on this now, but its not my strong point. May have to ask my web designer friend and see if she would like to design for treatments!

Target audience more 30 + but i do cater for all. I have a VIP group, I also have discounts for carers and NHS staff and service staff. Late evenings for Mums who can't come during the day.
I offer baby massage so sometimes new mums like to come and learn baby massage with me , then I offer an indian head massage while the baby is sleeping.

@MoveOnTheCards

For the service you’re offering credible, genuine word of mouth will also be important. Think about how you can encourage existing clients to recommend you to their networks. Loyalty cards or similar?

I agree wholeheartedly, I love it when a client of mine writes a review as I know it is genuxine and from the heart. Recommendation is best word of mouth x

A few near me do special offers for models for different techniques/treatments so you get customers and build up a portfolio for your Facebook page - I’d imagine that would bring in a lot of new customers.

Find someone with profile who is prepared to promote your services. Find a love islander who will say she got her facial/eyebrows/BOTOX/whatever done at your clinic. You then reach thousands of people instantly through her endorsement. You'll have to pay her and/or give free treatments but that's how it works. Did you know you can buy likes and reviews as well. You can pay £10 for 50 reviews or something like that. Not saying you should and I'm not endorsing it but you can 😉

Give freebies to influencers !

Do reels on Instagram , get viral !

Don’t spread yourself too thin by having all the social media. Find out where your ideal clients hang out and focus on that. Because you’re focusing on aesthetics, images will work best - so probably not twitter, for example. Instagram, Facebook for now, I think. Perhaps LinkedIn too so you can easily target your local area. The scattergun approach isn’t good and is ultimately exhausting.

Emphasise the benefits of your treatments, not necessarily the features.

Video is what’s getting the algorithm happy these days, so get on camera! Do lives, do AMAs, all the video!

Good luck! I reallllly want an Indian head massage right now!

Don’t buy likes/reviews. You’ll look like a scammer/con. And don’t give away your time for free. To anyone.

What @PlatinumBrunette said, don’t devalue your work like that.