Spa Canada Magazine

What used to be known as ‘the information highway” has now become a vast free for all market place where anyone can sell anything with every marketing ploy under the sun?

It is now “the infomercial net”
Therapists and other professional practitioners who used to rely upon the internet for information rather than tedious and often boring research thru text books and other hard copy educational  materials, have  gotten lazy with this “instant gratification” of information, much of it trumped up in pseudo scientific cut and paste documentation—and nearly ALWAYS at the end of the vast amount of science  on any subject, ingredient  or treatment, a sales pitch from the company that put out the so called scientific material in the first place!

Has anyone stopped to think that your clients can Google anything you can?

SELF DIGANOSIS;
The information available on the net sounds so scientific that anyone can go online, type n their symptoms or what they THINK are their symptoms and get a myriad of choices as to how to alleviate those symptoms’ simply by clicking on a cart and putting in credit card information.

At times, the description of almost any skin disorder is so in depth and accompanied by dramatic photographs of before and after, that the online shopper is convinced that they are getting a PERSONAL diagnoses and are privy to inside information exclusively meant for them.

They see so much information that they feel empowered with knowledge and this is what they are bringing into your clinic or salon.

If you cannot come back to them with even more professional information and a firm and authoritative way of handling them—you do not have a client you are controlling, you are in fact a little “hands on” practitioner who must submit to their demands. And if you do not fill the bill, they are off to another professional—because even the best of instructions’ that come with products purchased online are not really enough to really satisfy the buyer.

PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS:
Let’s face it, there are very few companies that have topical products that they are willing to risk lawsuit over if placed in untrained hands. To most companies, a professional product is modeled after the old “back bar” product size, simply the same formula that is sold as retail in a smaller container placed in a large “professional size” container.

Many truly professional products ARE more concentrated or at a higher level of activity on the skin as part of treatments. These are products   that have to be closely monitored, sometimes over a period of days or even weeks, until a final result is achieved. This of course is not possible when purchasing products online.

But guess what?  Your potential clients do not think always think this way. The information online is often so provocative and so “medically endorsed” that they feel they will be getting professional results for a fraction  of the cost of actually having to GO someplace and book an appointment, everything done in the privacy of their own home!

Eventually after several trials and errors and a lot of money down the drain, these clients will seek professional help in deportation, but remember, when they come into see you, they will be “pre-educated” in their own minds and daring you to show them a difference in what they think they know and what is actually a viable therapists who can convince them that you are the answer to their problems.

I DON’T HAVE A CLUE!
Do not worry about these types of clients trapping you into the admission of ignorance regarding a treatment, product or ingredient you know little about or have not even heard of. This does not make you the dummy—only a person too busy to shop the net 24/7. (Or too lazy to even try). They will have but a mere superficial knowledge of what they have actually scanned and memorized—mainly a few buzz words or ‘buzz facts” unsubstantiated by any governing board or institution of science to a total, practical conclusion. If you indeed do NOT have a clue as to what they are talking about—disarm them by simply saying you have not had much time to really research this and what is THEIR opinion?

While they are trying to convey some sort of opinion, you can usually get the gist of the subject at hand and say “you know what? I AM kind of fascinated by this—thanks for bringing it to my attention, I have a few experts and colleagues I can call and I will get back to you with the actual real story!”

Because this statement is based upon truth in many ways, your sincerity shines thru and they will suddenly feel out of their depth.

I have visited many medical specialists who have said very similar things to me when I bombarded them with too many questions. When it came to something they were not sure of and mentioned referral sources and further investigations, I shut up!


PROFESSIONAL DIAGNISIS;
When confronted by such a client for the first time, it is your ONLY time to take control and get them off the infromercialnet highway for good. There will not be a second chance.

First off you have to scare the hell out of them!  And this means setting the stage properly.

I recently was on tour thru The Ukraine, Germany and Russia. This was crammed into 2 and a half weeks and at age 67, daunting. After hours in planes, sleeping on various hotel beds and back and forth thru boarders with long queues, I ached in every possible way to ache. I desperately needed a spa treatment that went far beyond “pamper and relax”!

There was one  exclusive spa in Samara, the middle of Russia in a very up market city now wealthy with oil and car manufacturing (but still replete with the old, wooden Russian Houses with carved window sills and slightly leaning to the side amongst tall, glittering modern condos).

The spa as “uni sexual” in décor, tending towards the medical, but warm and inviting. The receptionist was only 21, beautiful as only Russian girls can be and very friendly, especially when I mentioned I was from Los Angeles (she immediately assumed I knew every movie star still alive!) I stressed that I did not want some businessman’s pamper massage without any OTHER overtones that one sometimes gets when one travels the world and I pointed out real problem areas that I had with my neck and upper traps and spine.

She nodded affirmatively and got on the phone to someone who turned out to be one of the best physiotherapists I had ever met!

The therapist was middle aged, very serious in her manner and handed me a chart to fill out despite the fact that I may probably never be back again to this spa.

I filled it out and she laid me down on the massage table in a private room that again—looked—well—therapeutic as opposed to “mood enhancing".

Lightly exploring the affected areas with her fingertips, she then in broken but understandable English informed me that I had had a recent surgery (true) and as a result, many under connective tissue adhesions which were putting and causing extreme pain. She also informed me I had a disc slipping in my upper spine (true, I s aw this on an early MRA before my surgery). Her technical terminology was understood by me, but I could see that it would scare the hell out of a layman, and he or she would just shut up and do what the therapist prescribed!

I felt perfectly confident in this woman even before she started and her technique surpassed her bedside manner! Certainly there was a great deal of pain at the pressure points she selected, but she had me “breathe through” the pain until she released the points (she used her thumbs) and suddenly, everything went away! I was thrilled with her treatment, gave her a large tip and only wished I could see her every week! I cannot tell you how hard it is to find this type of practitioner in ANY spa and I have been to hundreds around the world.

She did intimidate me, but I was not afraid of her because professionally I knew what the  terms she used meant.

But your new clients will not be like me—having no real knowledge outside of what they hear or read on the internet!

To be sure, there is much to be said about just relaxation and de-stressingt. But when you really want deep results, rejuventation and the energy to carry on with your work traveliong in far off places, you need REAL results that last and can be felt for awhile longer than a few hours. And a lot of people are willing to pay top dollar for this! I was.

It is all about intimidation and fear. The fear factor is your biggest weapon against infomercial net users—suddenly all their new found “knowledge” flees in the face of such serious professionalism just at   this point, before you have even begun your diagnosis!

Of course they have filled out their information file that will include their prescription drug use and everything about their medical history they can remember. This is also a “little show business” but does have a relative point when making decisions regarding treatments. Skin cells can become altered by prescription drugs and ph balances can be disturbed as well.
You begin your diagnosis by intently examining not only their face but their hands, feet legs, chest, back and any other portion of their body on view as modesty allows.

There is an important reasoning behind this kind of examination: whilst you are looking at these areas you are muttering your observations to yourself but within the earshot of the client and writing your observations down on their chart. In addition to intimidating the client, you are also selling a series of additional treatments. Many people have disorders on their legs, feet, chest, back and hands that they do not realize can be alleviated thru treatments.  Most of the time they focus on their faces inasmuch as “facials” are decades old in popularity. You are telling them,--without actually telling THEM, that these areas can be treated and there is a good chance they will remember this on the next visit—if your facial treatments are effective. You have booked additional treatments.

Before you examine their face or body, ask them what their expectations are?

Some people will have an unrealistic view of what can be done for them, but most just want some significant improvement they can progressively see taking place. NEVER OVER HYPE YOUR RESULTS!

Often, when I have been faced with a serious skin anomaly that I know can be reversed to at least 90% over time, I will ask the client of they would be happy with a 45% improvement? Normally they say yes, better than nothing at all! As I go along over the weeks it could take, improvements manifesting each time, I may very well reach the unexpected 90%, in which case I am a hero and they cannot stop telling everyone in town about it! WORD OF MOUTH IS THE BEST FORM OF ADVERATISING!

Then you begin your diagnosis:
You use all the technical terminology at your command when doing this. Rather then say “Well we can certainly get rid of some of those forehead lines” you say ‘Hmmmm-you have a redundant build up of hornified cuticle on the frontalis”.

Instead of mentioning that you see deep crow’s feet fanning out nearly to their ears (which they know they have—hello!)You say “I see a prolepsis of pre auricular tissue and a compromised collagen status around the oris occuli” (same thing).

By this time they are so overwhelmed by professional terminology SPOKEN with authority instead of some gobbledygook they see on the net they feel that they are in REAL trouble here and have to just shut up!

Does this all sound familiar? Does this sound like going to the doctor?

If so, then this is precisely the atmosphere you want to convey, without a medical license!

No matter what people may physical suffer from and seek information about on the internet, they will still listen to their doctor or medical specialist—too fearful NOT to. This the “fear factor” is your best weapon in gaining the cooperation of a new client (and maybe salvaging a few old ones).

I know this sounds harsh, and even embarrassing to try to some of you reading me. But trust me when I tell you I have taught this technique to thousands of therapists all over the world for decades and it works nearly every time. But the key, the secret to any rigid and pragmatic approach is the gift you give them AFTER the diagnosis (outside of great results).

You give them the gift of knowledge. You explain to them in layman’s terms what you said during the diagnosis. You point out cause and effect, the structure of skin and the fundamentals of how everything is connected together as opposed to doing “spot” treatments. You cite past history cases that are similar and the great results obtained by others you have worked on. Even the best plastic surgeon is only as good as the number of specific operations he has performed.

If you are just starting out with your aesthetics career, then your use of professional terminology will back you up until you get some case histories under your belt.

NEVER ADMIT TO OR TELL ANYONE YOU HAVE JUST STARTED! You can be truthful in saying you have treated a large number of people over the last year or two (this would include people you worked on in Beauty School, your relatives and friends).

It is confidence and the ability to make the client a little afraid of your knowledge that wins the day. It is called respect.

THE FINANCIAL TIME;
After all of this first time diagnosis and getting the confidence of the client is over, now is the time to set your financial perimeters.
First of all, in my opinion, backed by forty years in this industry, there is NO professional treatment that can get long term results without the appropriate home products to progress it forward and enhance the treatment itself.

And this is never achieved by offering a mixed bag of products to the clients, and above all, never products that the clients chose for themselves just because they are popular.

Each person is different despite age and ethnic similarities. There is no such thing as “skin type” with the matching home “kit” for that type. How would you prescribe a home regimen for a 45 year old woman who had severely sun damaged, wrinkled skin and onset adult acne? Would you give her an aging skin type products kit or an acne skin products kit?

You would do neither. You would treat her condition—and that is all we have now days, skin conditions, not types, the world has become too homogenous for actual type any more. Oddly enough, both of her disorders are from the same cause: defense mechanisms of the skin!

You never “sell” a home product. No need to. Whilst they are laying on your treatment table or bed and you are towering over them with your clip board in hand you say”Ok, I am going to put you on such and such cleanser, such and such serum and so on, PRESCRIBING all the home products you actually know they will need to get a great result from your treatments.

Does this also so familiar? When you have a sore throat and the doctor says”Hmmm, you have strep throat, I am going to PUT YOU ON (not sell you) Ampicillum 500!” you don’t argue with him or her, protesting you would rather try something else or had something better at home—you take the prescription ad go to pharmacy straight away because they told you to. You are afraid NOT to.

Same scenario is practiced here and it always works,
So now the treatment schedule is agreed upon, the home prescriptive agreed upon and the client knows they are committed to your professionalism and control for a period of time. If you have followed all these suggestions to the ‘T” you will have a client who will listen to you and not be a problem. The only reason they would NOT commit to the entire programme would be a financial one. They may simply not have the money.

MONEY IS FUNNY
For most of my career, when I was in private practice, I had a three tiered client base. At the top were the very wealthy. For those of you who know anything about me and my international team at all, you know that our concepts are very in-depth and work closely with plastic surgeons and dermatologist as an :”adjunctive:” rather than alternative methodology. Rich people always like something exclusive and that shows viable results. Our UK flagship clinic for example, is no. 1 Harley Street, London. I cannot tell you how many venerable celebrity legs and peers of The realm have creaked up those antique staircases, often under the veil of night time. The same applies to our clinic in Beverly Hills California.

Under that rarified group are the “wanna be” clients. The people that “wanna look trendy and with it” and will save up two weeks salary just to be seen in the same place the wealthy and celebrity client is seen. The fact that they also get wonderful results for their hard earned money hooks them and they come back forever. And by the way—global recessions does not seem to make a real dent in this clientele.

The last tier is my favorite: people who have terrible skin anomalies, not much money, but have tried everything in desperation so that they can feel normal and have self esteem. These people will find the money somehow, and I never felt guilty taking it—because I knew that they were spending it on some POSITIVE to change their lives, rather than them falling into alcoholism or drugs and relief from a poor existence. Often it is these very people who rise up out of depression and go onto bigger and better things with new self esteem. Our old standby “change a  skin, change a life” is more true than you can possibly imagine and when I get letters from all over the world from therapist and clients reflecting these changes—it makes everything I have struggled for over the decades worthwhile!

So it there IS a financial consideration that stands between the client committing to both treatment protocol and home regimen, work it out with them. Discount for payments in advance (then they HAVE to come back). Or give them the basics of what they need at home, informing them that they actually need the rest over time. Once they know that the products actually will do, the “rest” of their regimen is all that they will think about and somehow the money will appear.

People are funny about their personal appearance, even in recessive times. They may not buy a new house, a car or a major appliance, but they will spend on themselves to make themselves FEEL less depressed about the economy.

My Grandmother taught me these years ago (amongst so many life altering things). She was selling some kind of Avocado Crème products practically door to door during the stock market crash of the 1930’s. She did extremely well, so well that when years later she told me some stories, I nearly passed out with disbelief! I will never forget her telling me about little secretaries that went without food to save up enough to buy a lipstick or mascara!

And it is true today.
I think granny knew a little about ‘the fear” factor. She had these intense and serious blue-gray eyes that seemed to bore into a person rendering them helpless and unable to lie or back out of something. Whether or not she was really all-wise or just experienced in life, I do not know. But she made me THINK she knew much more than anyone else—and in her own, pragmatic way I feel she may have very well shaped my life more than any other influence. I did not fear Granny, I loved her, I was just afraid of what she knew---That I didn’t.