Whether you’re an independent esthetician, hairstylist, or massage therapist, going it alone has its benefits and challenges. Without a retail location, you may feel like you’re at a marketing disadvantage relative to salons or day spas. Little do you know, most of those day spas and retail stores that pay a dime for retail space are thinking YOUR you’re a smart cookie—because you have very little overhead and no employees. Like most things in life, the grass is always greener on the other side. As for building your individual practice, here are marketing actions you need to take to attract new clients.

1. Get a marketing plan. If you are a rabid Friends fan like me, you might remember the episode from the first season when Phoebe laments “You got a plan?! I don’t even have a pluh.” And while it may seem overwhelming to create one, it can actually make her life easier once she has one. The beauty of a marketing plan is that you know what you are going to spend, do (and NOT do) on marketing from month to month. If you don’t know where to start, leave me a note or give me a call. With a few phone calls and emails, I’ll learn your goals, budget, background, and help you put together a plan that will put you in control.

2. Establish a customer contact system. This can be on paper or using a customer database on your computer. The goal here is to remind you to reach out to customers you’ve seen before. Some occasions to do so are:

*Two days after treatment to see if they have any questions. Ask them how they feel about their skin (any breakouts?), their neck/back/etc. that you mentioned before your massage or if you have any styling questions about your new haircut.

*Birthday. You may be the only person to send them a card!

*If you have seen them in six weeks, or whatever your recommended interval is for the next service.

*Three weeks after buying a product, do they need more?

* Customer Anniversary Thank You – Every year they’ve been a customer, send them a little thank you note. Handwritten cards are pretty special these days, but email greeting cards are just as effective at conveying that you appreciate their loyalty.

You can see that tracking customer activities and creating a system to remind you of these things is essential.

3. Reward for referrals. Check out my free referral tips and build a system that works for you. Building your business by word of mouth is the cheapest marketing there is…don’t be afraid to be generous with customers who refer you. A $25 Starbucks card for a customer can save them from an $800 newspaper ad that brings in the same number of new customers (you got…just one). No need for a fancy point system… your business cards (yes, I need them) will do the trick. Offer extras to your clients when they book an appointment and put them on their cards: “I build my business through referrals and would be happy to help your friends or family.”

4. Take advantage of the Internet. Having a website is, IMHO, absolutely critical to any business. Use low-cost hosted solutions like Inspirational Web Hosting or SpaBoom, companies that understand yours and provide easy-to-use, low-cost solutions. On your site, be sure to collect emails and allow instant purchase of gift certificates. Online sales are a good advantage, but not for everyone because then you have to ship the products very quickly after receiving the online order. If you’re in a treatment room all day, this could cause a delay… just be careful to set the client’s expectations correctly.

While there are several other marketing activities I would recommend, such as a professional logo or brochure printing, there are also things you shouldn’t spend money on. Avoid ads and direct mail. The cost will surely outweigh the benefit you would receive as a single practitioner.

Make sure you keep good track of your marketing pennies. It’s important to be aware of how much (and where) you’re spending your marketing dollars so you can decide whether or not to continue.