Eyelash extensions have become more popular due in large part to more people understanding how useful they can be. They can instantly add volume to an individual’s eyelashes and they do so without being restrictive in any way. You may be wondering how to start an eyelash business so you can take advantage of how popular those cosmetic enhancements have become.
To start an eyelash business, you must define your brand and fully invest in your equipment and employees. Let’s elaborate on those points further throughout this article.
Secure the Capital Necessary for Your Eyelash Business
The first step of starting any business involves securing the capital necessary to launch it. For this particular type of venture, you’ll have to hire eyelash technicians and procure the necessary supplies. You may also need to pay rent for your salon’s location.
At a minimum, you’ll likely need to prepare capital worth at least $35,000 if you want to cover all the essentials. If you can put together a starting capital of $60,000, you can offer higher-end experiences to your customers right from the start. That idea may be worth pursuing if there are already some eyelash businesses based in your area.
Select a Business Name and Register It
Some aspiring entrepreneurs get discouraged from pursuing their business ideas after hearing about the requirements they need to meet. They think about how much trouble registering a business is and figure that it’s not for them.
You should know that registering a small business is fairly simple. According to the Small Business Administration, registering a small business is often as easy as registering your chosen business name with the relevant government agency. Registering an entity name will suffice if you want protection at the state level while a trademark grants federal protection.
Of course, choosing the right name for your eyelash business is easier said than done. You have to strike that delicate balance between choosing something memorable without having it come off as silly. It should also be a brand name that fits the vision for your salon and service offerings. Coming up with a business name that can easily be integrated into a logo is also a plus.
Bounce name ideas off of your family, friends, and business partners. Take your time deciding on a name because it will be associated with your eyelash business long-term.
Alternatively, you can conduct business under your name if you want to keep things as simple as possible. You won’t even need to register that name. However, you’ll also miss out on certain protections if you go down that route.
Conduct Research on Your Potential Customers
Getting to know your potential customers will be critical to the success of your business. Conduct surveys on homes in your area to get a better sense of what the people there want. Visit salons so you can hear what customers have to say about the services they’re receiving.
Don’t forget to use tools like Google and social media to bolster your research. Those online tools can yield valuable information that will point you in the right direction.
Decide on the Type of Lash Business You Want to Operate
Next, you need to decide what kind of eyelash business you want to run. You can run your business out of a salon, out of your home, or go door-to-door. There is no right or wrong option, but there will be one that suits you best.
This isn’t a decision you should base purely on what you prefer. You should also account for the preferences of your clientele. Use the information you gathered previously to help make this decision.
Create the Public-Facing Elements of Your Business
Now that you have a clear idea of what you want your business to be, you can start putting together its public-facing elements. Start with the logo. Hire a professional to create the logo for your eyelash business and make sure it meshes well with the type of business you’re running.
With the logo in hand, you can launch the website for your business along with its social media accounts. Waiting until the logo is done to launch those elements of your business creates a unified front that will resonate better with potential customers.
Don’t forget to populate those outlets with useful content about your business and eyelash extensions in general. Use them to educate your potential customers so they become more inclined to work with you.
Put Together Your Menu of Services
It’s time to figure out what services you want to offer your customers. You probably want to center your business around eyelash extensions because they are the most sought-after services today. If you want to set your business apart from your competitors, you should consider offering additional services.
Additional eyelash services you can offer include perms, lifts, and tinting. Turn your business into a one-stop shop for eyelash services so your customers won’t have to look elsewhere to have their needs met. Offering similar services like microblading can also grow your customer base considerably.
Hire Eyelash Technicians
You can only offer those comprehensive services if you have skilled eyelash technicians on your payroll. So, how can you determine if a particular technician is capable of delivering high-quality services? Checking their credentials will be key.
According to Zip Recruiter, the main qualifications for an eyelash technician include at least one year of working experience and a license to work either as an esthetician or as a cosmetologist. Aspiring eyelash technicians usually have to undergo thousands of hours of studying and training to qualify for licensure.
While going through the hiring process, stick only to the candidates who are already licensed. You can offer more services by hiring skilled professionals to provide them. That’s another point you can emphasize as you try to bring in your first customers.
Acquire the Necessary Supplies
Even the most skilled lash technicians will struggle to provide great services if they aren’t working with the right tools. You need to invest in the necessary supplies if you want satisfied customers.
Supplies you need to gather include:
- Varied eyelash extensions
- Lash cleansers
- Tweezers
- Lash tape
- Lash adhesive
- Lash adhesive remover
- Lash primer
- Lash tile
Those are the essential pieces of equipment for eyelash extensions. If you’re planning to offer services aside from eyelash extensions, you’ll have to acquire additional pieces of equipment.
Set Your Operating Budget
We’ve waited this long to bring up the topic of setting a budget because we want to fully grasp the expenses involved with operating a business like this. After hiring your eyelash technicians and signing them to contracts, you now have a clear idea of how much your monthly payroll will cost. You should also understand how much your monthly supplies will cost after listing your services and shopping for your equipment.
Don’t forget about the expenses associated with operating your eyelash business. Account for the cost of your rent and your monthly electric bill. You should also set aside a bit of money in case emergencies arise.
Create a Reservation System
Eyelash businesses offer services to their customers. You have to make your services convenient or else your target customers may go to other salons to get their extensions. Ideally, you want to make reserving appointments as easy as possible for your customers.
Create a system that will allow you to easily organize appointments for your customers using whatever device you prefer. You may have to outsource the creation of this service to another professional, but doing so will be worth it. More customers may even be drawn to your eyelash business if you can offer them services that they can easily utilize.
Construct an Incentive Program
Lastly, you should consider creating an incentive program for your customers. This is something you can come up with later on when you already have some regular customers, but there’s nothing wrong with setting it up early.
An incentive program gives your customers additional reasons to pay for your services again. If they feel like your services are on par with what other salons provide, your incentives could put you over the top. They may stick with you precisely because of the incentives you offer.
Incentives you should consider offering include discounts on services and pieces of merchandise. Early on, you may have to write off those incentives as losses. Even so, they can prove to be smart investments if the customers that receive them stay loyal to you. Keep offering incentives in mind as you consider how to start an eyelash business.
