Standing Your Ground With Pushy Clients
Have you ever had a client that asked you to do something you weren’t completely comfortable with? Like apply lash extensions that you wouldn’t be proud for others to see or use products that you’re unfamiliar with? If you have, I’ve been there too on several occasions and most times, I didn’t make the best decisions because I allowed my emotions to override what I knew was right.
So in today’s article, I want to share what I’ve learned in my over decade long career as a lash artist so you don’t make the same bad decisions I’ve made.
In the past, I’ve had 4 common challenging clients.
The client that doesn’t follow proper aftercare but blames the adhesive or my work.
The client that wants lashes applied that their natural lashes can’t support.
The serial last minute canceler / rescheduler.
The client that’s never satisfied.
Although each client has a different set of characteristics, I handled them all the same. Despite feeling really crummy about the situation, I would bend over backwards to accommodate them and would do everything I could to keep them as a client.
After years of frustration, I realized that accommodating these clients led to me not making much money in my business, because those clients weren’t loyal at all despite all of the concessions I made for them. It left me feeling emotionally tapped out and like I didn’t want to be a lash artist anymore.
So what did I do?
The first thing I did was get clear on the kind of lash artist I am and stay true to that rather than try to be everything to everyone. Instead of accommodating every request I got, I focused on staying in my lane and making it clear what that lane was in every communication I put out for potential clients to see.
I’m a natural lash artist. I’m the artist clients go to that don’t want their lashes to be the first thing people see. Instead, I design lashes that are elegant, refined, natural looking and most importantly, lashes that compliment my clients beauty.
Here’s why this is important.
If you’re accommodating clients requests all the time regardless of if it compliments their looks or not, what you’re doing is blending in with other lash artists and you’re not going to stand out as different, unique or special. And when you’re not known for something unique or special, you won’t attract your ideal clients and the clients you do attract, won’t value what you do.
When I decided to focus on what I’m great at and put that out into the universe, that’s when I attracted clients I love working with and my income increased. And sure, I attracted some that weren’t my ideal clients but after a few appointments, they usually didn’t come back.
Now, I’m one that needs specifics on how to navigate situations so I’m going to share with you how I handled those challenging clients I mentioned earlier. This is exactly what I would say to them:
The client that doesn’t follow proper aftercare but blames the adhesive or my work.
“None of my other clients are having the same experience which leads me to believe it’s not the products or my technique, but a disconnect somewhere with aftercare. So, let’s go over that again. If you continue having the same issues while following proper aftercare, I’m afraid lash extensions may not be a good fit for you.”
The client that wants lashes applied that their natural lashes can’t support.
“My responsibility as a professional is to safely apply lash extensions that do not cause premature damage. And I think you and I agree that the health of your natural lashes is important. So for that reason, I’m afraid I won’t be able to accommodate that request because from my experience, that would cause damage.”
The serial last minute canceler / rescheduler.
This kind of client weeded themselves out the moment I started taking credit cards on file in order to book appointments. My cancellation policy states I charge full price for the time they booked if they don’t cancel within 48 hours. The client has to agree to this policy before they can book. No one wants to be charged for a service they don’t receive so flakes magically disappeared once I put this in place. :)
The client that’s never satisfied.
“I’m really sorry that you’re not happy with my work. I’ve done the best that I can and unfortunately can’t provide anything beyond what I’ve already provided. I’m happy to refer you to another artist that may be able to provide the service you’re happy with.”
I know that for some of you reading this, you may feel like it’s uncomfortable in the same way I used to feel in the past But just know the longer it takes you to nip it in the bud, the longer you’ll be frustrated and not working with your ideal clients. So nip it in the bud sooner rather than later.
Your job is to do your best work and design a profitable business that supports a lifestyle you love and not work with clients that leave you frustrated and emotionally drained. So let’s get to more clients that we love working with!
If you can relate or if you’re working with a challenging client that I didn’t outline here, leave a comment letting me know what’s happening so I can share thoughts to help you let go and move forward. And if you’ve had challenging clients in the past and were able to eliminate the frustration, share what steps you took in order to help the community.