HOW TO START A LASH BUSINESS
Beginning a lash business is an excellent way of starting a career you truly enjoy. Creating your hours, flexible work schedule, creative input and financial rewards are all reasons to put whatever you are doing to a screeching halt and pick up the eyelash glue. The process is broken down into several stages that, once followed, can produce a lucrative and well-known company.
1. Training and research you should do before starting a lash business:
Before starting any of the inventive and fun things businesses do, you must ensure you have a vision of what you want your company to look like and the services you wish to provide. Eyelash technicians must take courses to train in, and each is very specific. A tip to guarantee more customers and avoid competition is to search out which services are lacking in particular areas so that you will be the only business providing them.
Eyelash extensions are the most popular service in the lash industry, offering a vast range of styles. They are false eyelashes that can be made of mink, synthetics or silk and be cut into different lengths or layered up to form different volumes to form classic, volume, fluffy, hybrid or cat-eye looks. They last up to six weeks on top of your natural lashes, and therefore an additional service can be eyelash extension removal.
Eyelash tinting is a way of darkening your natural lashes by adding dye to them in a quick and easy process. They do not last as long as extensions and only until your lashes grow out. However, they are a more natural look.
Eyelash lifting gives your natural eyelashes a darker and thicker look by curling them outwards with glue from top to bottom and maximising their full potential. They last roughly as long as an eyebrow tint.
Once you have decided on what you want to offer, you must take the relevant training course to specialise and be qualified to give clients this service. When hiring employees, it is crucial they also have completed the courses you are offering.
2. Renting a space for your lash business
Once you have the skills necessary, you must have the place to carry them out in. Location is essential because you want your business to be in an area of high traffic, where people walk or drive past frequently and can also access easily via parking. If more people can see your business, it incites more potential customers and will speak about it to their family and friends, essentially free marketing. On the other hand, if you are less financially free and working from your home, you must amplify your marketing strategies to reach a wide audience still.
In your space, you must create whichever ambience you feel best suits the goals of your business. For instance, if you are aimed more at teenage girls, the atmosphere must be more upbeat and modern, with bright colours and eccentric decorations. Conversely, if your target audience is older, a calmer mood must be created to tailor to their preferences.
Is it vital to include repair and maintenance costs into your monthly rent if you are renting from a financial perspective? Check your contract to guarantee you have creative freedom to decorate or build in the space and choose a place that is already as close to your vision as possible.
3. Documents you will need to start your lash business
Legalising your business is necessary. Firstly, you must think of a name that best suits your brand image based on your target audience and services. It is vital to think of a unique, short and memorable title so that your company will stand out from others and stick with the customers. After this, you must register it to make it legitimate and avoid anyone else taking the same name.
After registering your business name, you must also register with your county and see the rules on operating a business. Consequently, you should apply for a business licence that authorises you to open your business by giving you a permit. Depending on the area, this can take a while, but once everything is approved and you have all the mandatory documentation, you can legally start running your business.
One more thing to consider is a business loan. When starting a business, it can be stressful to manage to cover all costs from a financial aspect. Applying for a business loan can be difficult, but there are specific business loans aimed at new businesses that lend a small amount of money with a low-interest rate just to start things off. These include micro-loans and short-term loans.
4. Equipment and products
The most important product to purchase in bulk and have is, not surprisingly, lashes. These can be made from a range of materials like faux mink and silk and various styles as previously stated. It is important to have a mix of short and long lashes, shades, and layering as having a large clientele means a larger pool of preferences.
False eyelashes are stuck to the natural lashes by eyelash glue. You will want a strong glue to keep the lashes on but not so robust that it cannot be broken down and will damage the natural lashes.
Additionally, you will want a set of premium tweezers. One of these tweezers can be used to separate lashes to make space for the lashes, which will be put into place by the second pair of tweezers.
If a service you plan to include is tinting, you must have the necessary dye to do so. Although tinting darkens eyelashes, there are many different dark shades and having a couple will improve the lash experience.
At the end of the session, you will want an eyelash brush to clean the lashes, separate them evenly and avoid irritation. They prevent the glue from sticking and clumping the eyelashes together. You could even purchase mini samples of each product and put them into a little “to-go” bag so that the customers can care for their lashes at home. Providing service extras beyond just the appointment can increase customer satisfaction. Clients feel cared for during and after their booking, maximising the chance of returning for another appointment.
When considering equipment, every establishment has the very basics. Whilst a chair, table and mirror are necessary. There are non-essential decorations or products that improve the room’s atmosphere. These include paintings, ornaments, magazines, and even a coffee machine or biscuits- this increases the quality of hospitality and customer service.
5. Marketing – What is right for you?
Eventually, the challenging tasks involved in starting a business are completed, and more creative tasks can begin. Advertisement is the only way to boost your popularity with the public and persuade more people to use your services. Furthermore, new staff can be found as potential employees can hear your business and decide to apply.
The easiest and cheapest way to advertise is through social media.
A website can make a business look more genuine and professional, including photo evidence of the services provided and even leaving a review section for previous customers to recount their experience. All of this encourages new customers to visit as there is proof that the company is trustworthy. If you choose to do this, be sure to include a booking system where clients can see your availability and book time slots in for themselves.
This makes the process easier for them and thus more likely to book an appointment, however, make sure you include a deposit to avoid clients not turning up to their appointments. Similarly, starting an Instagram or Twitter page can boost impressions as most society is now on the internet and spends a significant amount of time a day on their phones. Posting statuses and stories daily will cumulatively bring in more clients.
If your target audience is a little older, radio broadcasts are a clever way of reaching out to people. Getting time slots early in the morning when everyone is waking up or in the afternoon when everyone is driving home from work are peak times of radio listeners. Alternatively, television advertisements are a more expensive but also more effective way to market your business.
Wherever you decide to advertise, be sure to be clear and have distinct selling points. A general structure could include the name of your business, followed by the address, the services you are providing and discounts you are offering.
There are lots of youtube videos on how to start a lash business which you can find here.
Other useful links from our knowledge centre:
Running a Business from Home
Why Do Businesses Need Finance?
Who Pays Business Rates?
Remember to Compare Your Business Costs is here to help your business every step of the way from business advice, or saving you time and money on your business purchases such as:
Ally Cox is a dedicated Copywriter and Blogger for CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk. In under two years, the platform achieved the esteemed accolade of ‘Website of the Year’. Since its award-winning debut, Ally has been instrumental in fostering organic growth for the website, expanding its offerings to encompass comparisons across a diverse range of over 20 products to help serve all your business needs.