It may be winter now, but spring is just around the corner. Now is a great time for the solo practitioner to revisit their spa menu. One of the most frustrating aspects of starting a solo practice is often the creation of the spa menu. Many solopreneurs simply do not know where to start.
FINDING THE PERFECT FIT
As with many things, it is best to begin with the end in mind. The end in this case is the business’s ideal client. A business’s ideal client is exactly that, the very best-case scenario patron for that specific business. They will often find the business, but the solopreneur finding the ideal client is even better. Once identified, the solopreneur is empowered to direct all marketing to that client profile to maximize their business’s efficiency, profitability, client experience, and business owner satisfaction.
In the absence of an ideal client profile, the business owner can think about their list of current clients, considering any commonalities shared by members in the group. By thinking of the concerns the business addresses for those clients, the business owner can speak to those solutions in marketing efforts moving forward. For new businesses, this is a bit of an abstract exercise, but it is an important one. This profile is important and will likely change over time as the business evolves. Regardless of how many iterations the ideal client model goes through during a business’s life, ensuring the business is talking to the right people, no matter the media form, is vital.The business is most profitable with these specific clients, so branding the business as one the ideal client wants to identify with gives the business the best opportunity for increased profitability.
{mprestriction ids=”3,4,26,18,6,7,8,9,14,18,43,44″}
OPTIMIZING OFFERINGS
Once the ideal client has been identified, the business owner can move to the next step. What problems does this business solve for the ideal client? What problems would the business like to solve for potential clients? The intersection of returned data from these two questions should inform the composition of the spa menu.
As a solopreneur, offering everything under the sun is not sustainable. Casting a broad net may lead to more bookings in the short term, but profitability and sustainability come from specialization and filling the appointment schedule with ideal client. In the same way, a professional can offer too many facial options, and in many cases, they already do. Their thinking is usually that offering more choices is better for the client. In many cases, the opposite is true. A solopreneur must make it easy for the ideal client to book with the business. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is in the simplification of complex menus. A few options offered at a few different price points is great, but a solopreneur that offers a few dozen different treatments might be gatekeeping their own ideal client.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
When pricing the spa menu, it is important to understand a few pieces of information. All solopreneurships will have different answers to these questions, but much of the value that businesses like this offer their community is in their ability to meet specific needs in this way.
As mentioned earlier, business owners who have established their credibility and expertise are able to charge a premium for their services that others often are not able to charge. The ideal client is happy to pay what is asked because they value the service and the business. This is the true advantage to solopreneurships – truly a personal touch.
The price the solopreneur charges per service should account for all costs associated with providing that service. This includes insurance, rent, utilities, consumables, product costs, marketing, licensing costs, continuing education costs, and payment for the service provider. Pricing the menu correctly should leave room for all of these and any other expenses or savings the business needs.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Once all other data has been collected, the solopreneur should look at area competitors or similar businesses. Analyzing other’s business menu can lead to incorrect spa menu pricing very quickly. Feeling pressure to charge what others charge leads many solopreneurs to fit in when they were born to stand out. The expenses listed above are the absolute floor of what the treatment should cost. Pricing services below cost is a rapidly devolving experience no one wants.
Finding the ideal client and pricing a spa menu are done hand-in-hand. Each one has a deep impact on the other. Solopreneurs who can find their ideal client regularly experience increased satisfaction in their practice, as well as increased profitability and client satisfaction. The solopreneur who diligently practices seeking their ideal client can often get so attuned to their tribe that they can often tell when a new ideal client has just walked through the door – if you know, you know!
{/mprestriction}
Nichelle Mosley’s passion for aesthetics was born out of a desire to help others after failing to find help for her own acne as a young adult. Licensed in 2015, she has worked in clinics, plastic surgery practices, dermatologists’ offices, and with family practitioners. She then opened her own clinic in 2017, Queen City Beauty Group + Wellness. She focuses on integrative aesthetics and holistic solutions to clients’ skin concerns. As a member of the International Association for Applied Corneotherapy, Mosley seeks whole-person solutions, while delivering results for clients. She is also the 2019 Skin Games Age Management Champion and 2018 Skin Games Acne Finalist.
