Owning a skin consulting business can make for a fun and satisfying job. Helping other people with their skin care regimen is a win-win for all parties involved: you get paid, and your client gets healthier and more beautiful skin. If you're starting up a skin care consulting business, the Internet can be a powerful tool to market your business and attract clients. This information may help you find success through online advertising.
Creating a Website
The most important part of creating a web presence for yourself is to build your own website. You have 2 choices: build it yourself, or hire a web designer to do it for you. If you choose to build your own website, hosts such as Webs.com or GoDaddy.com are great for beginners and knowledgeable coders alike. GoDaddy's website tends to be slower and less intuitive than that of Webs, but it is also less expensive. Experienced freelance web designers may be found on sites such as iFreelance.com, GetAFreelancer.com or even Craigslist. Alternatively, you could opt for a website created and maintained by a web design firm, but this could cost you up to a couple of thousand dollars per month.
No matter who designs your website, it should have a clean, easily navigated design which still has enough flair to it to keep visitors interested. It should also contain one-click access to the following:
- resume
- qualifications
- portfolio
- customer testimonials and photos
- services offered
- price list
- contact information
Testimonials and Photos
Skin care consulting is a business where people want to see actual results from people you've helped. When you're just getting started, try offering discounted services in order to get customer testimonials. You should also ask for permission to take before and after photos of people whom you've consulted. Pictures combined with glowing reviews will make potential customers feel confident about choosing your services. Use the photos and testimonials you collect to post on your website, your blog and even to use in your offline promotional materials, such as pamphlets and flyers.
Starting a Blog
Having a frequently updated blog on the topic of skin care can help you gain a web following and promote your website. Try starting a blog which reviews skin care products or which posts helpful, general skin care tips. The people who find these blog entries will be people who are already interested in the topic of skin care, so it's almost like free targeted advertising.
PPC Advertising
PPC (Pay Per Click) ads are a great way to drive traffic to your website. You only pay when a customer actually has enough interest to click on your ad, so there's no money wasted targeting the wrong people. To set up PPC advertising, you can contact popular websites like Facebook or go straight to well known search engines like Google or Yahoo!.
Networking
Networking with people who are interested in the general topic of skin care is a good idea for several reasons. First, it will help to drive traffic to your website and earn you customers. Secondly, networking can connect you to a whole community of other skin care enthusiasts who can give you helpful tips if you find yourself stuck. Some websites to join to begin networking are:
- SkinCareTalk.com
- DermaTalk.com
- SCF-Online.com
Creating a website and promoting it through the methods described above can earn you business and help make your skin care consulting business a success.
