As an esthetician, you put in the time and effort to become the best possible beauty pro and provide your clients with exceptional services and results. While the work itself and the transformations you see in clients can be rewarding, it’s important to charge your worth as an esthetician, too.
Determining what you should charge as an esthetician is not always an easy task. There are multiple factors that play a role in what your services and time are worth, and there’s always the challenge of balancing the financial side of your business with the opportunity to truly connect with clients.
So, whether you are considering raising prices or are simply wondering about your worth as an esthetician, you’ve come to the right place.
Key Takeaways
Charging what you're worth as an esthetician is not always easy, but it is important to your career success. Here, we’ll explore how to help your pricing reflect your worth as an esthetician, as well as the factors that you should consider when developing your pricing strategy.
Your Guide to Charging Your Worth as an Esthetician
Why Charging Your Worth Matters
Before we dive into the steps you should take to ensure your pricing reflects your value as an esthetician, it’s important to fully grasp why your pricing strategy is so important.
You invest an incredible amount of resources and time into becoming the best beauty pro you can be. The skills and value you bring to the table demand professional respect, and your pricing sets that tone.
It’s also important to charge appropriately to help you avoid burnout as you pursue your long-term career goals. If you value your craft and want to achieve success, you have to start with a solid base price as your foundation.
Shifting Your Mindset: From Service Provider to Beauty Pro
It’s easy to perceive yourself solely as a service provider, especially early in your esthetician career. In order to charge what you are worth as an esthetician, however, you need to shift your mindset from service provider to beauty professional.
You aren’t just providing basic services; you are helping your clients change their appearances, their health, their confidence, and their lives. What you sell isn’t skincare, it’s transformation. Making this connection internally will help your pricing reflect your value externally.
Know Your Numbers: Pricing Strategies with Intention
When it comes to pricing your services, it’s essential to be thorough in your evaluation and strategic when raising prices. In other words, you need to be intentional.
The first factors to consider are your monthly expenses. This includes business expenses (rent, esthetician insurance, etc.), business taxes, your time, the financial goals you have, and even your continuing education costs. You should look at these expenses from a big-picture and cost-per-treatment perspective.
You should also do some research into what other estheticians in your area are charging. This will provide you with market context to discern what your target market is accustomed to and what they will be willing to pay. Keep in mind that there is nuance to this, so avoid copying another beauty pro’s pricing. Things like your certifications, specialty, and experience should be considered.
Thoughtful Price Increases
Raising prices is a normal part of being a beauty pro, but that doesn’t mean that the process is pleasant. Thankfully, there are a few steps you can take to make increases in cost more streamlined and less painful for you and your clients.
Communication is the primary priority any time you are considering raising prices to reflect your worth as an esthetician in a shifting market. Go the extra mile to ensure that your current and potential customers understand that prices are changing. Post information in your shop, let people know when you see them in person, make impending changes obvious on your website and social media, and send out notices to your email list.
By communicating clearly and professionally, you can avoid some of the awkward moments that are sometimes associated with price increases. You can even offer your current customers incentives in the form of discounts or loyalty programs to help offset the change.
Adding Value and Attracting Clients to Premium Services
Your services and the results you deliver are the main reasons people turn to you for their esthetician needs. However, you can add value and elevate your customer experience with subtle touches that take your beauty biz to the next level.
Small things, like aromatherapy and warm towels, create a luxurious atmosphere that clients in search of a premium experience will appreciate. You can also become specialized in niche treatments that draw high-value clients to your shop.
Remember, your pricing reflects your value, but it also filters your audience. It is essentially part of your brand: certain prices filter out some potential customers, while attracting others. You just need to make sure that you have the experience, skillset, and social proof to back up your price increases.
Charging your worth as an esthetician is absolutely essential to your success both now and in the long run. You put in the time and effort to become an expert, and that deserves to be reflected in your rates. Approach your pricing with confidence, and don’t be afraid to embrace the value you’ve earned.
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