Whether your business is stuck in a vicious paycheck to paycheck cycle, or you can’t seem to climb out of credit card debt, or the thought of digging deep into your business financials scares the pants off of you, this is an episode you literally can’t afford to miss. 

And if you’re thinking to yourself, “Paycheck to paycheck? I’m happy if I even get paid at all!”

Then you definitely need to tune in because if you aren’t paying yourself, we need to get you there NOW. 

But regardless of the size or scale of your aesthetic practice, here’s the reality: you have to prioritize your business’ profit if you want to hit your financial goals and hit them in a timely manner, and in a way that’s not riddled with stress, but instead, strength. 

Believe it or not, finances can be incredibly exciting and empowering, and as my guest today shares, when her clients and students understand the cash flow of their business, they accomplish huge goals in timeframes you may have only thought were a pipe dream. 

In this episode, I’m so excited for you to hear from my guest Amber Dugger, who is a cash flow expert for entrepreneurs and founder of the program “Profit For Keeps,” where she is on a mission to help business owners go from just making money – to actually keeping it so you can spend it on the things that make your life awesome. 

As someone who has spent a considerable amount of time educating myself on business finances over the last few years, I can tell you that hearing what Amber has to share can be business- and life-changing for you if you open yourself up to move past your money blocks. 

Remember, knowledge is power. 

And when it comes to finances, your power lies in your profits. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to navigate through the emotion of money and reframe your mindset so that money doesn’t feel scary to begin digging into or learning about
• Why it is vital to your business’ success to understand your cash flow and the primary financial framework that makes money management easy to understand and, yes, exciting 
• How Amber classfies debt into two categories, how they differ, and when it’s okay to take out a loan or line of credit to help your business scale 
• Where to begin with prioritizing profit first in your business and why this system works to help you achieve your business and life goals 

References Mentioned in Episode #102: Prioritizing Profit in Your Spa with Amber Dugger 

• Tap into Amber’s free Profitability Calculator by clicking here.
• Join Amber’s Facebook group, Sweet Life Purposeful Money. 
• Connect with Amber on her website, on Facebook, and on Instagram. 
• Read Profit First by Mike Michalowicz (affiliate link) 
• New to the Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast? Download our Quick Start Guide to learn more about tuning in, where you can connect with our resources, and how to leave a review. 

To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community.

The 2020 Aesthetic Marketing Seminar is going VIRTUAL! 

Save the date (and your FREE seat!) for August 24-25 for the 2020 Virtual Aesthetic Marketing Seminar, which will feature top experts in the spa industry speaking on today’s most effective marketing strategies to build, grow, and scale a successful aesthetic business.

[ Click Here To Save Your FREE Spot Today ]

EP 099: Survive on Services, Retire on Retail

At this point you might think I’m a broken record about retail, but I don’t care, because if you read the title of this episode and are even the slightest bit intrigued about the prospect of retiring on retail, well, my dear, the opportunity is yours for the taking. 

With the way our industry is moving (research from Statista shows that the aesthetics industry is expected to grow 14 percent faster than other industries between 2016-2026), and the way consumers are shopping (hello, online, on-demand, and one-click), the truth of the matter is that if you want to be seen as the go-to expert in your area and compete with the Amazons of the world, you’ve got to compete on their level. 

 And if you’re thinking, “How in the world do I compete with Amazon?!” 

You’re in luck because that’s precisely what I’m going to be covering in this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy. 

In this episode, I’m sharing the seven revenue streams you can capitalize on within your spa, and yes, you bet that retail is woven into a few of those, and I’m giving you my step-by-step breakdown on how to build out one of those revenue streams so you can get it up and running in as little as a day. 

{Did you know that the average millionaire has seven streams of revenue? Something to think about.}

Even if you’re already a retail rockstar within your treatment room, I bet you anything you’ll have a few lightbulb moments while listening to this episode. 

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How events like the Beauty Business Summit can be instrumental in your growth and development as an aesthetic professional 
• Why retail is a critical component of your business model and how you’re leaving money on the table by not capitalizing on it 
• 7 ideas for expanding your revenue streams and increasing your cash flow and market share
• My 4 steps to e-commerce success to take your retail sales strategy to the next level 

References Mentioned in Episode #099: Survive on Services, Retire on Retail 

• Click here to download the free Revamp Your Retail Guide and Workbook
• Learn more about the Beauty Business Summit and get an early bird ticket to the 2020 Summit
• See more spa industry stats from Statista, iSPA, and MedEsthetics
• Check out ecommerce platforms including Shopify, Volusion, Magento, and WooCommerce 
• Learn more about the aesthetic experts mentioned in this episode: Skincare by Alana, Grafin Skin and Beauty, and Savvy Skin Spa  
• Join the Business Book Club inside the Spa Marketing Made Easy community
• New to the Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast? Download our Quick Start Guide to learn more about tuning in, where you can connect with our resources, and how to leave a review. 

To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community.

The 2020 Aesthetic Marketing Seminar is going VIRTUAL! 

Save the date (and your FREE seat!) for August 24-25 for the 2020 Virtual Aesthetic Marketing Seminar, which will feature top experts in the spa industry speaking on today’s most effective marketing strategies to build, grow, and scale a successful aesthetic business.

[ Click Here To Save Your FREE Spot Today ]

Everyone has a story to tell. 

Yes, even you, the one who thinks their path doesn’t have any exciting tidbits worth sharing. 

Or the one who thinks that their bumps in the road are just like everyone else’s, and you don’t have a remarkable triumph to share…yet! 

Or maybe you fall into the other camp. You’ve got no shortage of a backstory, but you have no clue about how to begin sharing it. 

You question whether it fits with your brand or relates to your business. Or maybe you’re scared to share it because let’s be honest, some stories also hold pain, and sharing them can feel scary. 

As a naturally private person, sharing pieces of me publicly (both the bright and shadow-y pieces) is something I’ve had to work on and through, but from it, I’ve discovered that opening up to share my stories has not only been empowering, but incredibly connective with those I hope to help and make an impact with (that’s you!). 

And here to help us open up, dive deeper and discover our stories in this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy is Celinne Da Costa, who among being a coach, writer, and speaker, is also a globetrotting storyteller who helps her clients master their story to build a premium brand. 

In this episode, she’s sharing her insights on how to begin sharing your story with confidence and conviction so you can connect with more of your dream clients. 

It doesn’t matter what your past holds; you have a story to tell, so let’s learn how to share it with those you aim to serve. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Celinne’s biggest piece of advice for where to start when discovering your story and the questions to ask yourself to uncover the elements that emotionally connect 
• Why your story is one of the best tools you have to leverage in your business 
• How to begin working through your history to find the compelling pieces of your story 
• Celinne’s tips on how to weave storytelling throughout your content marketing strategy and finding the various opportunities for storytelling inside your business

References Mentioned in Episode #093: Mastering Your Story and Sharing It Confidently with Celinne Da Costa 

• Learn more about Celinne’s work 
• Learn more about Celinne’s Master Your Story program
• Connect with Celinne on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
• Continue the conversation after the episode inside the Spa Marketing Made Easy community, click here to join

To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

[ Subscribe to Spa Marketing Made Easy on iTunes ]

Alright, I’ve got a challenge for you…

I want you to open another tab on your browser, key in Google, then search for spas or aestheticians in your area. 

Where do you fall on the page of results? 

Are you on the first page at all?

Whether you’re at the bottom of the page, or if you’re nowhere to be found, settle in and pull up an earbud because this is an episode you can’t miss. 

(And if you happen to already be a search engine rockstar and you’re number one, still listen in because the world of Google is always changing, and I know you’ll still get some new tips to put into action for your biz!)

Now, if you’ve been around for awhile, you know I’m a big proponent of social media, especially Facebook Ads, but more often than not, your ideal client will find you on Google first, then they’ll check you out via your website and/or social media to see if you’ll be a good fit for them. 

But it all begins with Google, it just depends on where you land on the results page and what your potential client finds when you pop up. 

And joining me today to spill their top tips for snagging that coveted number one spot is Alana and Jared Mitchell. 

You may know them from Episode #078 where we discussed their journey of building and growing a seven-figure e-commerce empire, Alana Mitchell Skincare, but let’s face it, that’s a lot of info to pack into one episode, so I had to have them back! 

In this episode, we’re diving deeper specifically into the platform of Google, which is where Alana and Jared have found their sweet spot in exponentially growing their business, and now they’re breaking down exactly what you need to do to get your business to the top, too. 

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The current state of search and why it’s critical that you claim and customize your presence on Google 
• Why Google is one of the best places to focus your online efforts whether you’re brand new in business or looking to step your marketing up a notch
• The first step in ensuring that your ideal client finds you on Google and how to quickly get not just on the first page of rankings, but at the top of the page 
• Jared and Alana’s ninja tips for filling out your business listing, getting reviews, having your potential client spend more time on your business listing, and more to help give you on edge on Google

References Mentioned in Episode #089: Moving Your Results From Zero to Hero on Google with Alana and Jared Mitchell 

• Learn more about Alana and Jared’s e-commerce company, Skincare by Alana and Alana Mitchell Skincare
• Click here to enroll in Alana and Jared’s new Google My Business Mastery Course
• Connect with Alana and Jared on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
• Listen to our first episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy (Episode 78: The Journey of Growing an E-Commerce Empire)
• Create or claim your Google My Business listing 

To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

[ Subscribe to Spa Marketing Made Easy on iTunes ] 

It’s no secret that video has completely taken over as the dominant form of content on social media, but just because it gets superior results in terms of reach and engagement doesn’t mean that it’s any less scary to create! 

Video requires another level of vulnerability, but that’s precisely why it’s so valuable in connecting you with your ideal clients and creating greater impact. 

When your ideal clients can see you and hear you, and even interact with you in real time, it builds trust quickly and provides a tremendous opportunity for sharing your expertise in a dynamic way that both displays your personality and your brand so that you can command attention and stand out among the competition. 

In this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, I’m joined by Katya Varbanova, who is the founder of 20K Nation, and an expert at helping entrepreneurs become icons in their industry and stand out on social media through the power of live streaming. 

Throughout this episode, we not only discuss tangible tactical takeaways that you can run with to create high-impact video content efficiently…

Just wait ’til you hear her genius “Hamburger Method” for creating a month of content ideas within 15 minutes so you’re never left wondering, “but what do I talk about?!”

But we also discuss how to overcome your inner critic who’s keeping you fearful of facing the camera so you can breakthrough the chatter in your brain, and instead show up as the expert your clients want and need. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why we fear live video and Katya’s personal journey with facing her fear of getting in front of the camera
• Katya’s top tips for overcoming the problem of “not knowing what to say”
• Her “Hamburger Method” that will help you create a month’s worth of content in 15 minutes 
• What showing up on video and live streams helps you to supercharge your marketing efforts and impact 

References Mentioned in Episode #086: Creating a Month’s Worth of Video Content in 15 Minutes with Katya Varbanova

• Connect with Katya on Facebook and Instagram 
• Learn more about Katya’s work helping entrepreneurs and video creators become icons in their industries at 20K Nation
• Continue the conversation, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers inside the Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community

The 2020 Aesthetic Marketing Seminar is going VIRTUAL! 

Save the date (and your FREE seat!) for August 24-25 for the 2020 Virtual Aesthetic Marketing Seminar, which will feature top experts in the spa industry speaking on today’s most effective marketing strategies to build, grow, and scale a successful aesthetic business.

[ Click Here To Save Your FREE Spot Today ]

EP 084: 10 Ways to 10X Your Revenue with Facebook Ads with Tara Zirker

What if you could have a system that operated as your 24/7 salesperson that brought in new, qualified leads even while you’re on vacation, or playing with your kids, or even in the treatment room with another client?


THAT is the power of Facebook ads, and they’re no longer a question of “should” you be doing them for your aesthetic business, but how should you be using them to maximize your marketing budget and get more of your ideal clients aware of your business. 

On this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, I’m joined by my dear friend and repeat guest, Tara Zirker, who I’ve dubbed as the Facebook Ads goddess because, you guys, she makes magic happen through the power of Facebook ads. 

In her career, she has worked with business owners in all industries, but especially owners of clinics in the aesthetic and wellness space, and has helped generate millions of dollars in profit.

And now through her membership, Successful Ads Club, Tara’s helping entrepreneurs like you harness the power of Facebook ads with top-notch education and strategies roadmaps. 

In today’s episode, we’re giving you ten time-tested strategies that we know WORK for spa and aesthetic business to help you get going with Facebook ads in as little as a couple of hours. 

Whether you’ve never ventured into Facebook ads before, you’ve already dipped your toe in the water and are ready for taking your ads up a level, or you’re a pro looking for fresh ideas, there’s a little something for every aesthetician in this episode! 

So pull up an earbud and a pen, and let’s talk strategy! 

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you need to leverage Facebook ads for your aesthetic business and how to approach getting started 
• The 5 things you need to have in place before running any of the VIP strategies in this episode 
• 10 strategic ideas for Facebook and Instagram ads that you can begin running today 
• Promotional ideas as well as out-of-the-box marketing ideas to help you stand out from the crowd and expand your market

References Mentioned in Episode #084: 10 Ways to 10X Your Revenue with Facebook Ads with Tara Zirker

• Click here to learn more and join The Successful Ads Club
• Watch my free training with Tara, “Turn $10 a Day into Steady Clients with Facebook Ads”
• Connect with Tara on Facebook and Instagram 
• Execute your Messenger strategy with a tool like ManyChat 
• Learn more about and become a Spa Retail Rockstar
• Read Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant

To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community. 

The 2020 Aesthetic Marketing Seminar is going VIRTUAL! 

Save the date (and your FREE seat!) for August 24-25 for the 2020 Virtual Aesthetic Marketing Seminar, which will feature top experts in the spa industry speaking on today’s most effective marketing strategies to build, grow, and scale a successful aesthetic business.

[ Click Here To Save Your FREE Spot Today ]

The 2020 Aesthetic Marketing Seminar is going VIRTUAL! 

Save the date (and your FREE seat!) for August 24-25 for the 2020 Virtual Aesthetic Marketing Seminar, which will feature top experts in the spa industry speaking on today’s most effective marketing strategies to build, grow, and scale a successful aesthetic business.

[ Click Here To Save Your FREE Spot Today ]

EP 079: The Spa Marketing Keys to Increasing Your Foot Traffic with Stacy Tuschl

Online excitement and engagement are nice, but at the end of the day, the marketing metric that matters most for your spa is…can you guess?

Foot traffic!

If clients and customers aren’t actually making it into your business, your online marketing efforts aren’t going to translate into sales, but then comes the question, how DO you get people to take that step through your door?

Well, that’s the million dollar question.

Literally.

In this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, I’m talking with my friend Stacy Tuschl, who in addition to being a business coach, marketing strategist, and best-selling author, also started a local business (a dance studio) that began in her parents’ backyard when she was just 18 and today is a 7-figure business with multiple locations that Stacy still owns and operates.

In this episode, we cover everything from client retention marketing to social media marketing to the crucial pieces of marketing you need to have in place to continuously drive foot traffic through your doors both from new clients and existing clients.

If you’ve been a long-time listener of the podcast, you know that I’m a huge advocate for focusing on keeping clients and not running on the hamster wheel that is constantly having to acquire new clients, which is why I love everything that Stacy is preaching in this episode.

Marketing isn’t solely for the people who’ve never heard of you before; it’s also for the people who have already decided to buy from you and still stand to be a massive source of profit for your business.

Tune in to learn:

• Stacy’s entrepreneurial origin story and her journey to growing her 7-figure local business empire
• The one thing she and her team do with every new client at her dance studio and what you need to be doing to bridge the connection between your brick-and-mortar and online presence
• How to choose what to focus on when it comes to social media and gain visibility using leverage
• The three points of Stacy’s Foot Traffic Framework and the power of PR and social proof for more sales

References Mentioned in Episode #079: The Spa Marketing Keys to Increasing Your Foot Traffic with Stacy Tuschl

• Learn more about Stacy and her work by visiting her website
• Connect with Stacy on Facebook and Instagram
• Listen to the Foot Traffic Podcast and join the Foot Traffic Community
• Listen to Episode #061  where we feature Gisel of Elevate Esthetics who was mentioned for obtaining local PR opportunities

To keep the conversation going, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded aestheticians building thriving careers, click here to join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community.

The 2020 Aesthetic Marketing Seminar is going VIRTUAL! 

Save the date (and your FREE seat!) for August 24-25 for the 2020 Virtual Aesthetic Marketing Seminar, which will feature top experts in the spa industry speaking on today’s most effective marketing strategies to build, grow, and scale a successful aesthetic business.

[ Click Here To Save Your FREE Spot Today ]

To have a presence on Instagram is non-negotiable for an aesthetician.

It’s a powerhouse platform for connecting directly with consumers and potential clients who will invest in beauty services, and it’s also structured in a way that allows you to build an impressive portfolio of your work while also sharing your value as an aesthetic expert.

But while there’s no question that Instagram provides a plethora of opportunities for growing your brand simply by posting and engaging through your own account, there’s even more opportunity lying within the accounts of others.

What I’m talking about is influencer marketing.

Influencer marketing has been around for a while (if you’ve ever been an avid blog reader, you’ll be familiar with the idea of sponsored posts), but just in the last couple of years as Instagram has grown and influencers have amassed highly engaged and targeted audiences on the platform, much of today’s influencer marketing landscape takes place directly on Instagram.

Whether it’s sponsored posts in the main feed that compensate an influencer with traded services or sponsored Instagram Stories for monetary compensation, there are a variety of ways you can work with influencers in your community that allow you to leverage their audience (ideally filled with people who would be interested in your business and services) so you can increase your brand’s awareness and ultimately, your business’ base of potential clients.

And the influencer marketing opportunities don’t just stop there; there’s also the option of building your own brand as an online influencer.

Here to talk about how we can begin using influencer marketing in our businesses is Gwen Lane, founder of the popular blog, The LA Girl, and The Spark Society, an influencer training program and community.

Listen in as she shares why influencer marketing can be a game-changer for your business and what it takes to become an influencer yourself.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What an influencer is and how they can play a role in your overall marketing strategy
• Gwen’s journey to becoming an influencer and online educator and her top tips for estheticians looking to work with or become a influencer
• How influencer marketing has the power to grow your brand

References Mentioned in Episode #029: How To Use Influencer Marketing On Instagram To Get More Clients with Gwen Lane

• Learn more about Gwen through her blog, The LA Girl,  and check out her influencer membership, Spark Society.
• Connect with Gwen on Instagram.
• Take Gwen’s free 5-Day Influencer Bootcamp.
• Join the free Spa Marketing Made Easy Community on Facebook to ask more of your questions and to keep the conversation going!

Pens, notepads, totes bags.

Chances are you have one of these items in your home with a business’ logo on it.

For me, it’s all about pens since I’m always jotting down ideas or journaling or making notes as I interview guests here on the podcast.

Most recently after several weeks of hotel hopping with my family as we made our trek to move from Hawaii to D.C., I looked in my bag and found a plethora of pens all stamped with the logos and names of the hotels where we stayed along the way.

As I looked through them, I realized that each pen allowed me to recall memories from our stay and the experiences we had there, which got me thinking….this idea transfers so well to the world of spa!

So in this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy, I’m giving some quick tips for how we can use customized gear with our branding to market and bring up the professionalism factor in our spas as well as ten ideas for customized products so you don’t get lost in the abyss of options.

But one thing to keep in mind, get creative!

You know your clients best, so as you tune in, let these ideas inspire you to think outside of the box and search for something that’ll get your customized product to stand out from the crowd.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why you might want to consider getting customized gear for your spa and how it can help boost your business

• 10 ideas for customizable gear that fit a variety of business needs and budgets

• How items customized with your spa’s branding can allow you to stand out and provide an extra polish of professionalism to your services

References Mentioned in Episode #028: 10 Items to Customize With Your Spa Branding

• For quality products at a favorable price point, take a look at:

• • • DiscountMugs
    • Quality Logo Products

• InkHead Promotional Products

• Alibaba

• For feedback on your ideas or answers to your questions on customized gear for your spa, join and start a conversation in the Spa Marketing Made Easy community on Facebook.

When someone asks you what you do, do you answer with “aesthetician” or “business owner”?

Maybe you have a bit of a combination answer explaining that you own your own business as a solo aesthetician.

While there’s no “right” answer to that question, the label of “business owner” is unquestionably one you need to embrace, not necessarily in how you answer people, but without a doubt in your mindset and perspective.

The reason this is so critical is that when you view your work through the lens of a business owner, you make decisions that allow you to work smarter and not harder, which then enables you to stop leaving money on the table.

Take my guest on this episode for example. Kimberly is an expert independent hairstylist who also coaches other hairstylists to build thriving careers that fit their vision and values. When Kimberly started saying “no,” putting up boundaries and raised her prices, she was able to shift from working full-time to being part-time, but with double the income. I should also mention she did this in a year.

Now she has a business that fits into her life rather than the other way around.

That wouldn’t have happened if she didn’t begin thinking and acting like a business owner first, so in today’s episode she’s sharing with us the mindset shifts and action steps she made to take the leap away from everyday hustle to working just a couple of days behind the chair and a couple of days coaching each week.

In this episode of Spa Marketing Made Easy you’ll learn:

• The first steps for beginning to view yourself as a business owner and why that’s necessary for your personal and professional success
• How finding and knowing your why is critical to understanding your role as a business owner
• Common areas of your business where you may be leaving money on the table and how to reclaim it plus Kimberly’s “Table Money” Exercise to help you discover why finding this money in your business is crucial
• Navigating the art of raising your prices so you can find the life and work blend that works for your vision and stage of business

References Mentioned in Episode #027: How to Stop Leaving Money On the Table with Kimberly Kennedy

• Connect with Kimberly on her website and on Facebook and Instagram.
• Access Kimberly’s free resources library with business-building guides, tips, and videos by clicking here.
• Join the Spa Marketing Made Easy Podcast community where you can access monthly trainings, Q&As, tips and a community of like-minded business owners looking to grow.