Although Wikipedia defines a consultation as a meeting between a patient with a physician to get health advice or treatment for a symptom or condition, the definition applies to skin therapists. Here are #10 things to think about when consulting with a new client.
1. Be friendly.
Welcome your guest with a smile, eye contact and a confident handshake. Keep the conversation friendly without being too personal while walking to the treatment room.
2. Solve the client’s problem.
Find out the client’s expectation for the treatment before treating her skin issues.
3. Be open.
Open-ended questions allow the client to discuss her goals and concerns freely, and you’ll gain more knowledge. For example, “Tell me about your cleansing routine,” rather than “Do you wash your face every day?” Listen and show them you are paying attention.
4. Listen and engage.
Listen and allow the silence. Look at your client’s eyes and skin while they are speaking. Show them you are paying attention.
5. Respect personal lives.
Ask personal questions in private only when it affects the treatment protocol. Never share your client’s personal information with anyone.
6. Investigate products.
When a client is using another product line, ask her why. “What is it that you like about that product line?” Is it the smell? Because it’s organic? Does she like the results? Understand why she likes it, and find similarities or improvements within your product line.
7. Customize treatment.
Use the client’s skin concerns to customize the treatment and explain how it is unique to her.
8. Leave yourself out.
Avoid making the treatment about you. Use phrases that are about the guest’s experience. For example, “I love this product, I use it every day” is about you not them.
9. Discuss home care.
Use the client’s concerns to design a home care protocol. For example, “You mentioned you were short on time in the morning. This moisturizer protects from the sun and is easy to use. You can apply it right under your makeup.”
10. Watch body language.
Watch your guest’s body language and respond in a caring way. If while talking about her acne, she looks to the ground, curves her shoulders in and appears embarrassed, she needs reassurance. Gently place your hand on her, let her know you acknowledge how she is feeling, and you are going to care for her.
Founder and owner of the San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology since 2002, Deedee Crossett is an industry pioneer for raising the bar of undergraduate education for cosmetologists and estheticians. She can be reached at www.facebook.com/deedee.crossett and Twitter @DeedeeCrossett #10things.
