How to Fill Your Lash Books: 5 Strategies That Work | Ep 32

5 Strategies to Fill Your Lash Books (That Most Artists Overlook)

Slow seasons happen. New artists feel them first, but they are not the only ones. Even seasoned lash artists hit patches where the schedule opens up more than expected. The difference between artists who bounce back quickly and those who spiral is usually not talent -- it is strategy.

In Episode 32 of Behind the Brilliance, Danielle and Ashtyn walked through five specific, actionable things you can do right now to fill your books. These are not abstract ideas. These are things they have actually done -- twice, after building their clientele from scratch in two different locations.

1. Create a Referral System

This is the most tried-and-true strategy in the salon industry, and most lash artists either do not have one or have one that nobody knows about.

The formula is simple: reward your current clients for sending you new ones. Danielle's version is give 20, get 20 -- the referring client gets $20 off their next appointment, and the new client gets $20 off their first. You can put it on a business card, mention it verbally at checkout, or post it on Instagram. The point is that your best clients are your best marketing, and a small incentive reminds them to act on it.

2. Trade Services With Local Professionals

One of the most underrated growth strategies for lash artists is building relationships with other service providers in your area -- personal trainers, nail artists, massage therapists, hairstylists -- and trading services with them.

The value goes both ways. You do their lashes; they do your nails. But the hidden value is what comes after: when someone in their network asks for a lash recommendation, they are going to send them to you. One trade relationship can become ten clients.

There is also a trend worth noting: lash artists are posting the forms of payment they accept beyond cash -- massages, nails, hair, even car washes. It is a creative way to start those conversations publicly on social media.

3. Set Up Your Google Business Profile

Some clients search Instagram. Others search Google. If you are only showing up on Instagram, you are invisible to half your potential market.

Creating a Google Business Profile -- and registering it at the address where you work -- puts you on Google search results and Apple Maps when someone searches 'lash artist near me.' Multiple artists can register at the same address. It takes time to set up and requires occasional maintenance to keep your listing current, but it is a low-cost way to get found by local clients who are already looking.

4. Build Your Before-and-After Portfolio

This one sounds obvious, but the execution matters more than most artists realize.

Your work needs to be visible online. If someone is comparing lash artists in your area, they are going to look at your portfolio. Even if you are technically excellent, bad lighting or unflattering angles will make your work look worse than it is. And even if you are fully booked with regulars, if those regulars are never photographed, no one knows what you are capable of.

5. Run a Model Call

A model call is one of the fastest ways to generate fresh content and fill openings at the same time. You post that you are taking models at a reduced rate in exchange for reviews, social media shoutouts, and -- most importantly -- high-quality before-and-after photos and videos.

Ask them to come with their makeup touched up before the after photos. Do both photos and video. Get angles, get close-ups. Ashtyn and Danielle are even planning a full lesson in the Brilliant Insiders community on exactly how to capture great lash video content -- because technique in filming is almost as important as technique in application.

Model calls are not just for new artists. Danielle admits she still does them when she realizes her content has gone dry -- and with regular clients she has known for years, she simply asks if she can set aside a few extra minutes after their appointment to get some polished photos.

The Mindset Piece

Danielle closes the episode with something that sounds simple and is not always easy: if you are focused on what you do not have, that scarcity mindset tends to reinforce itself. The slow season becomes slower. The self-doubt compounds.

Both hosts have rebuilt their clientele from scratch, twice, in new locations. They have been where most artists listening to this episode are right now. The strategies work -- but so does showing up with the belief that they will.

Listen to the Full Episode

Episode 32 of Behind the Brilliance is available now on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts.

And if you want to keep learning alongside other lash artists who are serious about their businesses, come join us in the Brilliant Insiders on Skool -- the free tier is open right now:

skool.com/brilliant