Building Authority in Brow business

Background

Authority in the field of Powder Brows, Hairstrokes, and Microblading is essentially your perceived experience and competence in the eyes of your clients. It's about how clients perceive you as a brow artist and evaluate your expertise in delivering professional Powder Brows, Hairstrokes, or Microblading services. Crucially, this evaluation is independent of the opinions of other artists or third parties. The customers' perceptions are paramount in sales and authority leverage.

Do Customers Value Authority? The answer is a resounding yes. An analysis of over 340 customer interviews shows that authority significantly influences decisions. Among customers ready to undergo the procedure, 76% indicated they would pay more for the services of an artist they trust. Further responses highlighted that an artist's perceived trustworthiness is a critical factor in their initial choice.

Authority as the Foundation of Trust For a potential customer to trust you, they need a solid reason to believe in your skills and integrity. While most customers are not inherently distrustful, they require a robust foundation to place their trust in you. Trust can be envisioned as a structure built upon the bedrock of your authority.

Pillars of Authority: Expertise, Experience, and Honesty Envisioning this concept further, achieving trustworthiness in your clients' eyes is the ultimate goal. It's what allows you to command higher prices, ensures client loyalty, and grants leeway for minor mistakes. Trust is constructed on the foundation of authority, which rests on three pillars: expertise, experience, and honesty. These elements form a solid base that upholds the trust your clients have in you. Recognizing, nurturing, and combining these pillars can significantly fortify your reputation as an artist and bolster your capacity to attract and retain a loyal client base.


The First Pillar: Expertise

What Do You Master? Understanding and showcasing your expertise as a Powder Brows or Microblading artist is crucial. Here are concrete methods to enhance your authority and practical tips to ensure your efforts positively impact your reputation.

Presenting Attendance of Training and Certificates For emerging artists, demonstrating diverse education in creating brows, validated by certificates and photos with trainers, is a smart move. About 86% of customers in our study were more inclined to trust a new artist with documented diverse training. This tangible proof significantly boosts your perceived expertise.

Beware of Communication That Is Not Under Your Control However, there are nuances to consider. If you've already portrayed yourself as proficient and later showcased a beginner's certificate, it might undermine your perceived experience. Also, be wary of how trainers might present you in their communications. For established artists, private courses with various masters might be a more strategic choice. This enhances your skills and avoids being labeled as a novice.

Understanding the Hierarchies of Large Academies Certification from a renowned academy can build authority, but be mindful of the academy's hierarchy. Such a certificate places you within this structure, above uncertified artists, but potentially below others within the academy. This recognition is a powerful differentiator and trust-builder among potential clients.

Customers See Authority Reflectively about Others in the Same System Remember, potential clients will perceive your authority in the context of the academy's hierarchy. Higher-ranking artists in the same area might be seen as more authoritative. It's a natural inclination for customers to prefer someone perceived as more qualified.

The Solution is Simple: You Can Choose How to Play It Out The good news is you have control over how you present these certifications. Even as a novice, you can frame your single certificate as part of a broader educational journey. Showcasing a range of preparation, even if it's just beginning, can effectively establish your authority. Building your expertise isn't about pledging loyalty to one academy; it's about creating a multifaceted image of your skills and knowledge.

Competitions - Always a Risk Participating and winning competitions can significantly strengthen your authority by showcasing your expertise. However, many artists inadvertently diminish their credibility by promoting participation in online competitions or live contests. Various factors can lead to not achieving the expected results, such as jury preferences, biases in smaller online competitions, or sheer misfortune like being paired with an unfavorable model in larger events. Publicly announcing your entry and then failing to win can inadvertently weaken your perceived authority.

Communicate the Victories and Be Smart About It Does this mean you should avoid competitions altogether? Not necessarily. The key is in strategic communication. Enter the competition, give it your all, and patiently await the results. If you win an award, certificate, or trophy, share the news, but ensure the context is clear. The impact of your victory depends on the competition's scale — winning among a large group is more significant than winning in a category with few participants.

Additionally, be cautious about the reputation of the competitions you enter. Many are essentially internet scams designed to profit from entry fees and sponsorships. Flaunting trophies from dubious competitions can, at best, garner a positive response from less informed followers and, at worst, lead to backlash from more experienced ones, revealing a certain naivety. It's crucial to discern which competitions are prestigious and recognized within the industry, as victories in these arenas truly enhance your authority and reputation.


The Second Pillar: Experience

The Importance of Experience in Artist Selection In choosing a Powder Brows, Hairstrokes, or Microblading artist, experience and evidence of quality work are paramount. This was a consistent finding from over 340 customer interviews. The logic is simple: artists who have frequently performed procedures are likelier to have encountered various skin types and unique brow conditions. They're adept at offering tailored suggestions and managing any complications that arise. In many ways, an experienced artist is akin to a seasoned doctor, equipped to "fix things" and deliver optimal results.

The Best Proof of Experience: A Good Portfolio Despite some artists' arguments to the contrary, customer feedback emphasizes the importance of a portfolio. Clients closely examine the quality and quantity of work to assess an artist's experience. A comprehensive and high-quality portfolio is crucial in swaying potential clients.

Skyscrapers and Rural Landscape Being perceived as a top-tier artist requires an impressive portfolio. If a competitor in your area has a more extensive collection of work, your portfolio needs to stand out like a skyscraper. However, in regions where all artists have similar portfolios, while the volume may be less critical, this presents an opportunity to differentiate yourself and rise above the rest.

A Good Background Story Sharing a background story that showcases your journey, values, and experience can make you more relatable and trustworthy. It should answer key questions about your path to becoming an artist, your initial successes, and who you aim to help with your skills. This narrative helps potential clients connect with you on a personal level.

The Common Girl Story - From Rags to High Demand Many artists effectively use a "from rags to riches" narrative to support their experience. This story often portrays the artist as an ordinary individual who quickly gained acclaim for their extraordinary skills, leading to high demand. Though it may seem clichéd, this approach can convincingly convey substantial experience relatively quickly if done right.

Keep it Simple! Don't Bring a Fork to a Gunfight When presenting your experience, simplicity is key. The background story should be just that - a backdrop for customers to discover and engage with gradually. Concrete facts should take center stage: years of experience, the number of clients served, awards won, etc. In the battle to prove your experience, concise, direct facts are your most potent weapon. While important, lengthy narratives about your journey or values should not overshadow the clear, hard evidence of your expertise. Use concrete facts, stated as directly as possible: "5+ years of experience," "500+ clients," "Winner of brow competition X."


Third Pillar: Honesty and Integrity

You might believe that honesty is a given in the professional world. However, genuine honesty with clients might not be as widespread among well-known Powder Brows or Hairstrokes artists as one would hope. Let's explore some specific scenarios.

First, Stop Lying and Misrepresenting Reality A common marketing strategy is creating a sense of urgency, which can be effective when used thoughtfully. However, it becomes problematic when it involves dishonesty. Telling customers that "all your slots are booked, except X and Y" might seem clever but misleading. Over half of the customers we interviewed felt such tactics were false, making them feel manipulated and underestimated.

Avoiding the Myth of the "Filled Calendar" Clients often check various online calendars and portfolios. If you claim to have "all times filled," but your portfolio doesn't reflect a high volume of work, or if you need to fabricate bookings to maintain the illusion of demand. Instead, being honest about your schedule fosters trust and is more likely to build long-term loyalty. Honesty in all aspects is not just morally right but also strategically beneficial.

Avoid Fabricated Motivational Stories and Falsified History Exaggerating or entirely fabricating your journey is another form of dishonesty. Don't create false tales of hardship or claim experiences that aren't yours. Customers might discover the truth, and your reputation among fellow artists could suffer. Lies are not a sustainable or ethical business strategy. Thus, avoid stating falsehoods about when you started providing the service if you were, in reality, working elsewhere or focusing on other procedures like nails or eyelashes. This approach won't aid your business, as truth tends to surface sooner or later.

Being Honest Doesn't Mean Oversharing Honesty doesn't require you to highlight every struggle or insecurity. It's about focusing on and amplifying the truth. For instance, if you have a long history in the beauty industry but are newer to Powder Brows, Hairstrokes, or Microblading, emphasize your overall experience. Share genuine positive feedback from clients and your true feelings about your work. Promoting your skills and background honestly doesn't require dishonesty or exaggeration. By focusing on your real strengths and genuine experiences, you can compellingly and persuasively present yourself as a Powder Brows or Hairstrokes artist. Honesty and focus on your true capabilities and successes form a solid foundation for building trust and authority in your field.


Conclusions

The authority of a brow artist is a genuine factor influencing customer trust, as evidenced by empirical research. Over 76% of customers are willing to pay higher prices for artists they trust. Authority has emerged as the key element in fostering this trust.

When we dissect the "pillars" on which authority stands, we identify three critical criteria: expertise, experience, and honesty. All these elements are essential for a Powder Brows or Hairstrokes artist aiming for success, and artists must find ways to demonstrate them credibly.

Expertise Demonstrating expertise involves carefully controlling which certificates and training attendances to showcase, ensuring they align with and enhance the artist's brand image of proven competence. Similarly, the artist's association within any hierarchical academic structure must be thoughtfully considered. To be successful locally, artists need to critically assess how potential customers view them about others within the hierarchy. Considering the varying prestige levels, a controlled approach is crucial when presenting competition awards.

Experience There's a direct link between perceived experience and trustworthiness, impacting authority. A robust portfolio, especially showcased on platforms like Instagram, is a straightforward way to demonstrate expertise. Artists should consider the "skyscraper" phenomenon: standing out with a more extensive portfolio than local competitors. Alongside this, a compelling background story, like a "from rags to riches" narrative, can enhance the perceived depth of experience. When presenting awards and achievements, brevity and directness are key.

Honesty The third pillar, honesty, involves a commitment to truthfulness. Artists should avoid perpetuating myths like a perpetually "full calendar" if it's unrealistic given the local demand. Similarly, honesty about one's background and when certain skills were acquired is crucial. While divulging every detail is unnecessary, strategically choosing what to share and ensuring it's factually accurate is vital. This strategic honesty doesn't just preserve marketing opportunities; it builds trust and authority that can significantly benefit the artist's long-term reputation and success.