More than 50% of weddings happen between May and September. Couple that with the prom-goers and graduates that want to look good for their special days, and makeup artists can expect to see demand increase substantially over the warmer months.
So whether you’re entering wedding season, prom season, or both, here are ten ways to prepare for the increased demand for makeup artists and tips to avoid burnout during busy season.
Preparing for increased demand by increasing your marketing efforts might sound counterintuitive. But just because you expect to be busy doesn’t guarantee you will be if you don’t prioritize marketing your business.
If you specialize in wedding makeup, consider advertising at wedding fairs, in bridal shops, or forming partnerships with hair stylists to put together a “big day package.”
For prom/graduation makeup, see if you can put up flyers in local high schools and universities and dress shops.
Regardless of the audience you’re targeting, optimizing your website for SEO and investing in a small, targeted ad campaign is likely to pay off too.
To compliment your marketing efforts, launch early-bird offers to encourage your clients to book early, so you have a good idea of demand before wedding season starts. Offers are good marketing material for your paid ad campaigns and could be the difference between a client booking with you of a competitor.
Plan ahead for wedding season by reaching out to your clients to confirm their wedding dates, the times they want you there, and their makeup preferences/overall look for the day well in advance. This will give you a good idea of what you need to bring on the day and whether you have room for an afternoon appointment or not.
Tip: Find out the timeline for the day and decide when the best time for you to arrive is. Don’t just listen when a Bride says, “oh, nine o’clock should be fine,” only to find out they're scheduled to walk down the aisle at ten, don’t have their dress on yet, and their hair isn’t finished!
To avoid over-scheduling yourself during wedding season, schedule consultations and makeup trials before busy season starts. Getting trials out the way early will free up room in your schedule for when demand increases.
Just be sure to make detailed notes of the products and techniques you used and photograph the finished look from multiple angles so you can refer back to it before their final appointment.
When you’re particularly busy and rushing from one appointment to the next, it can be tempting to throw everything into your bag and go. But by taking the time to implement organization systems for your makeup kit, you won’t be left scrambling to find that specific shade of foundation when your clients are in the chair.
If you haven’t already, consider investing in a rolling makeup case to make transporting your kit easier.
Organizing your makeup kit is the perfect time to throw out any expired makeup and make a list of products that are running low or need replacing. By restocking your kit before busy season starts, you don’t have to worry about running out of your go-tos or finding time to go to the store to replace them.
You should also use this time to make sure you have enough shade variations to complement your clients’ skin tones and consider purchasing additional makeup brushes, so you don’t have to clean them between every appointment.
The quiet(er) period before wedding season starts is also the perfect time to test out new products or techniques. This allows you to continue honing your craft and discover how new makeup applies and lasts to ensure a high-quality look for every client.
It’s possible that your schedule will get so full that you have to start turning down clients. If this is the case, it’s even more important that the appointment you turned it down for goes ahead. Implementing clear cancellation and rescheduling policies before busy season starts ensures you’re not left with last-minute cancellations and are properly compensated if appointments are canceled.
Clearly display these policies on your website and make clients aware of them when booking, so there are no nasty surprises.
When you’re on your feet all day, being comfortable is important. But as tempting as it may be, a Bride might not be thrilled to see you turn up on their wedding day in your old sweatpants and college t-shirt!
Before busy season starts, find your ‘uniform’ — something that looks professional but comfortable and allows you to move about as needed. If you find something that works, consider getting multiples to make it quicker and easier to get out the door in the morning.
And if you’ve got a new pair of shoes, break them in first! Excruciating blisters when you’re standing all day are not a good look.
Another easy way to prepare for increased demand during wedding season is to introduce online booking. Using online booking software makes it easy to schedule appointments, or let clients book themselves, organize team schedules, and take payments.
For makeup artists traveling to clients, MarketBox is the only appointment management software that’s specifically designed for in-home and mobile appointments. The all-in-one software makes it easy to schedule appointments, coordinate makeup artists, and process payments online. To learn more, book a personalized platform walkthrough today.
While it can be tempting to fit as many appointments into one day as possible — especially when demand fluctuates throughout the year — avoid over-scheduling yourself or your team.
If you over-schedule yourself, you increase the risk of being late for appointments (a definite no go for wedding makeup) or tiring yourself out, affecting the quality of your skills. Either way, it won’t result in a positive experience for your clients and may do your business more damage than simply turning down the appointment in the first place.
How many times have you got to the end of a busy day of appointments and realized the only thing you’ve had to drink was the coffee you grabbed on the way to your first client?
When you’re dealing with time-sensitive appointments (and the occasional Bridezilla!), it’s easy to put your own needs aside. But to avoid burnout and stay healthy, it’s important to stay hydrated and get enough rest so you can perform at your best.
If it helps, try meal prepping or signing up for a meal kit during busy season, so you’ve got food on hand that requires just a few minutes to make to avoid consuming a fast-food-only diet for five months of the year!
If you manage a team of makeup artists, look back at previous years’ data to identify trends in customer demand and adjust schedules accordingly. If you know that June has historically been your busiest month, you might need to decline any time-off requests during this time or consider bringing in an extra team member to meet the demand.
A little preparation goes a long way and can make wedding season run smoother. By staying on top of stock levels, organizing consultations and makeup trials during quieter periods, and looking after yourself, your business can come out of busy season looking just as good as your clients!
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