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7 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Professional Skin Care Line

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Choosing a skin care line for your business can mean the difference between success and a sinking ship. A smart decision involves gaining the confidence that the line you choose will become a true partner, back your business up with results, and help you reach new levels of success.

So how do you start? By asking the following seven questions.

1. How transparent is the company and product line?

It's important to be able to easily find information about the brand and what it takes to bring it into your business. Look at their professional website—they should have two separate sites—one that speaks to the consumer in order to educate them and one that caters only to professionals.

You should be able to find the information you need to make your purchasing decision—before you even talk to a rep.

  • Can you see product pricing and opening order package information?
  • Can you watch step-by-step videos of their treatments?
  • Can you find details on what kind of purchasing rewards programs they offer?

Clearly divulging this information in a completely transparent way is a sign of a trustworthy partner, and helps you make an informed decision.

2. What kind of education does the brand offer?

Make sure you can easily get your hands on the product line’s advanced education. Many professionals don’t have the time to spend an entire day travelling to and attending classes on a regular basis—so determine how easy is it to digitally learn about the products and treatments.

  • Can you watch how-to videos on their website or YouTube channel?
  • Does the line offer informative technical guides on their website?
  • Can you access full step-by-step treatment protocols and product details?

3. How does the company build brand awareness?

Take time to explore online to discover how the line is reaching consumers.

  • Take a look at the Press Room section on their consumer website to see how frequently the line receives mentions in the top beauty blogs and magazines your clients read.
  • And, are they reaching clients even further via informative blog articles that stress the benefits of at-home products, as well as professional services? This leads us to question No. 4 …

4. Who’s engaged on their social media sites?

An engaged audience on platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram are great signs of a viable line. But look even further … who exactly is engaged on these sites? It’s always effective when a line can demonstrate how to bridge the gap between professionals and consumer audiences.

  • For example, what kind of conversations are happening on their Facebook page?
  • Do you see both estheticians and clients commenting and interacting?

This type of social media presence is a great benefit to establishing a professional point of difference—where you can converse directly with potential new clients.

5. Can you sample the brand's professional-use-only products?

This is an important one. How can you make a decision about a new line without trying the products yourself? You should be able to touch, feel and test their professional-use-only products firsthand to experience how effective they may be in the treatment room. Look for a ‘Try Before you Buy’ package on their professional site.

6. What are people saying about the product line?

Any company can do a ton of advertising to boast about their product benefits, but sometimes it’s best to go straight to the source—those who use it every day.

Seek out testimonials from consumers. Again, a good line will be transparent, and allow consumers to review products right on their consumer website, so you can see what they think—the good, the bad and the ugly.

You should also reach out to professionals who are currently carrying the line. Look for a spa locator tool on the website, and contact a few locations for referrals.

  • What pros and cons have they experienced while using the line?
  • How successful has the brand been in their skin care facility?

7. Is it complicated to get started?

The best professional line will ensure a seamless transition into your spa.

Look for these clues:

  • Are there countless treatment steps to memorize, meaning weeks of training? Or do they make it easy to learn one treatment and modify it depending on client concern?
  • How convenient is their education? Do they make you come to them or can you learn on your time, your way?

Have questions about Bioelements professional skin care? You can learn more about the entire line at www.bioelements.com/pros. Watch our videos on YouTube here. And don’t forget to chat with with me and other Bioelements experts at www.facebook.com/bioelements, or on our skin care blog at www.bioelements.com/blog. Plus, sign up for our newsletter to get tips, news and offers from Bioelements!

Disclaimer:

The above paid-for content was produced by and posted on behalf of the Sponsor. Content provided is generated solely by the Sponsor or its affiliates, and it is the Sponsor’s responsi­bility for the accuracy, completeness and validity of all information included. Skin Inc. takes steps to ensure that you will not confuse sponsored content with content produced by Skin Inc. and governed by its editorial policy.

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