5 Ways to Attract More Customers This Winter

1. 💸 Getting More Customers Through Your Door: a new year’s resolution

2. 💉 Microneedling at Home? TikTok’s New Favorite Gadget Has People Divided

3. 🚩 Beauty Giants in the Red: Why Shiseido and L’Oréal Are Feeling the China Chill

5 Things To Do for Instantly Attracting More Customers for Your Beauty Business

1. [January] 🥂 Build organic traffic while keeping the marketing budget in check

There’s a distinct "Hourglass Effect" for reviews: the two extremes are the most likely to post, i.e. clients who are extremely thrilled with their service, and those who had a bad experience. To start off 2025, let’s get that “middle section” of clients—the ones who are satisfied but social media shy.

• Rewards don’t have to be expensive: Offering a freebie to every reviewer costs $$$$$, so let’s turn it into a draw for a luxurious service instead. Plus, the winner will likely share twice—once when they first leave the review and again when they enjoy their prize! To the clients, a chance to luck into a premium experience is much more attractive than a free consultation or some product sampler.

• Surprise your clients: Another high emotional value yet cost-effective thing to do is to give small and thoughtful gestures when your clients visit. Make them feel luckily chosen—give flowers to clients who happen to be wearing the same color, offer spontaneous birthday-month discounts, or prepare exotic snacks and refreshments hard to find elsewhere. Good times make great Instagram stories.

• Normalize sharing: Streamline taking before-and-after transformation photos, and physically put them somewhere so your clients can browse as they wait. Make photo ops faster by dedicating a spot with branded logos, the same lighting, etc. Don’t forget to ask for client consent before sharing!

2. [February] 🌐 Optimize your Google profile

We know, you’re probably focusing all your energy on giving the best service possible to your clients, with the remaining time and effort going into posting on TikTok or Instagram. This is a reminder that you might be missing an opportunity to rank higher on Google or even be brought up by ChatGPT queries to attract clients who are actively searching for the service.

• Play the long game: Add search engine optimization (SEO) keywords to your Google My Business profile (think “best facials in Toronto” or “anti-aging treatments near me”). The only way to be ranked higher is if traffic builds up over time.

• No time commitment: Repurpose Instagram captions by pasting them onto your website or Google profile posts to reach more potential clients.

• Look alive: Clients often start their search on Google Maps—make sure your profile is updated with the right hours of operation, fresh photos, new offers, and clickable links.

3. [March] 💳 Give clients a reason to come back

A membership program can do wonders for both client retention and your cash flow. Here’s how to make it irresistible:

• More bang for the buck: “Buy $1000, get $1100 in services.” This gets cash in your accounts today while encouraging repeat visits. No more chasing them down to book the next appointment. Plus, when the remainder of the credit left is not enough for a full service, most people top it off by purchasing another full dollar amount. Consider this as opposed to “discounts for 3 sessions of x”.

• Get social: Introduce referral bonus in pairs, like “Bring a friend and split $2500 worth of services for just $2000.” For your client, this turns treatment day into a day of hanging out with their besties. For your business, this doubles word-of-mouth exposure and increases bookings with loyalty.

4. [April] 🤝 Team up with businesses your clients already love

Your most frequently client likely visits other beauty and wellness services, so why not collaborate? Ask them about their favourite nail salons, hair stylists, makeup artists, fitness coaches, and workout gyms. Places where like-minded people gather.

• Don’t plan events yet: Start simple with things like a two-way shoutout on social media with a business you genuinely love (and have been to if possible). If you see a rush of new incoming clients, then consider co-hosting beauty events together.

• Teamwork making the dream work: Highlight each other’s offerings to build cross-audience engagement, like giving each other shoutouts to before-after transformation photos on social media, 2x both of your social media contents, and leverage their brand credibility while vouching for them, too, without any intense time commitment.

5. [May] 🤖 Save Time with AI

Yes, it’s a buzzword, but it’s also a game-changer. AI isn’t just for big corporations—it can help you streamline your business and uncover opportunities, since we’ve nailed down word-of-mouth growth, brand image, client retention, and greater impressions in previous months.

• Use AI tools for social listening to identify rising trends and analyze product sentiment in your market.

• Ask AI tools to build and perfect consumer personas and pinpoint micro-segments, so you can discover the trend in who your repeat customers are and identify the demographics that you’re missing.

• Brainstorm with A tools to stay dynamic: As your clients’ skin changes, so should your recommendations. AI can summarize customer data to tailor treatments (if you tell it about how you personalized things for your previous clients), making clients feel better heard and understood all the time.

Qure Micro Infusion System: Affordable Glow or Risky Trend?

The Qure Micro Infusion System is the latest skincare gadget taking TikTok by storm, with users calling it the ultimate hack for glowing, even-toned skin—all from the comfort of home. Touted as a budget-friendly alternative to professional microneedling; this tool claims to enhance product absorption and deliver that “just had a facial” radiance for a fraction of the cost. Naturally, the TikTok beauty crowd is all over it, sharing glowing reviews and “watch me try this” videos.

@nottaylorpaul

@Qure™ Skincare this is SO COOL ☺️🫧🧖‍♀️✨ ##athomefacial #facial #qureskincare #skincare #skintok #gurwm #microneedling #spadayathome

But here’s where things get interesting: while some swear it’s a skincare revolution, others are raising an eyebrow. Microneedling isn’t exactly child’s play—it involves creating tiny punctures in the skin to stimulate collagen production. When done by a pro, it’s a controlled, precise process with impressive results. At home, though? It’s a bit of a wildcard. For some, the idea of poking their own skin with needles, even tiny ones, might feel a little… uneasy. There’s always the risk of user error, less-than-sterile conditions, or overdoing it, which could lead to irritation or worse.

On the flip side, the appeal is undeniable. It saves users from pricey spa visits and could make their serums and creams work harder. For people who love to experiment, can tolerate risk, and want a more affordable option, it’s a no-brainer. Plus, the glowing TikTok reviews might just push you over the edge.

The verdict? It’s a toss-up. While something like this offers undeniable convenience and savings, the idea of going full DIY dermatologist might feel like a step too far. If your clients are intrigued to give it a go—remind them to “keep things clean and start slow, your skin (and your TikTok followers) might thank you.”

China Slowdown Wipes the Shine Off Global Beauty Titans

Shiseido and L’Oréal are feeling the sting of a slowdown in China, with both beauty giants grappling with slumping sales and underwhelming growth strategies. Shiseido’s stock has nosedived to an eight-year low, thanks to disappointing performance in its second-largest market. Meanwhile, L’Oréal's sales in North Asia, including China, have declined for the fifth straight quarter. Both companies blame shaky consumer confidence, economic headwinds, and shifting spending patterns. As China, once a goldmine for beauty brands, cools down, the cracks in over-reliance on a single region are becoming glaringly obvious.

Key points:

• Shiseido’s Slump: Shiseido’s shares plunged 8.4%, marking their lowest point in nearly a decade. The company downgraded its profit projections to just 7%, blaming lackluster performance in China, where economic troubles have curbed beauty spending. With an operating loss of ¥2.7 billion in early 2024—compared to a ¥13.6 billion profit the year prior—Shiseido’s current trajectory is anything but rosy.

• L’Oréal’s Lagging Sales: L’Oréal isn’t immune either. The beauty giant saw a 6.5% drop in like-for-like sales in North Asia in Q3, marking its fifth consecutive quarterly decline in the region. Weak consumer confidence and a struggling Chinese property market are being called the culprits. Even its typically strong dermatological beauty segment has lost some of its glow, hampered by less demand for suncare products.

• Strategic Shifts: Shiseido plans to double down on R&D, reinvest in key brands, and revamp operations, aiming to restore its footing. L’Oréal is pivoting toward innovation and ramping up its focus on the U.S. market, particularly targeting Gen Z consumers to offset its losses in Asia.

Why This Matters:
The beauty industry’s infatuation with China is hitting a rough patch, and it’s a wake-up call for global giants like Shiseido and L’Oréal. Once a dependable cash cow, China’s slowing economy and shifting consumer priorities are forcing these brands to rethink their strategies. The double whammy of declining confidence and regional over-dependence highlights the risks of putting too many eggs in one basket.

For Shiseido, it’s a reality check to rebuild its brand and reinforce profitability. L’Oréal, meanwhile, is eyeing markets like the U.S. for a fresh start. The takeaway? In the ever-evolving beauty world, agility and market diversification aren’t just buzzwords—they’re survival tactics. The industry’s next big winner won’t just be the one with the prettiest packaging but the one that adapts the fastest to the ebb and flow of global demand.

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