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The media call me the Acne Whisperer. My Manhattan skincare studio has earned the trust of people from all walks of life, including many high-profile clients.
Beauty professionals often ask me how I grew Sofie Pavitt Skincare Studio so quickly. I don’t have a shortcut for landing celebrity clients or building a devoted fanbase (I wish I did!), but here are three marketing principles that have made our success possible.
1. Fine-tune your audience
To market effectively, you need to know your customers. The more specific your target audience, the easier it will be to talk directly to them.
For example, my studio is in downtown Manhattan, my clientele differs from that of an esthetician uptown. A studio on, say, the Upper East Side caters to an older, wealthier demographic with different skincare needs. Knowing my customers deeply allows me to address their concerns.
Defining your audience takes market research, but doing this work gives you a huge advantage. Find out how old your customers are, what services and products they use, where they shop, how often they come in for treatments, and what their budget is.
I live in New York City, so it can be easy to market here because there are always new people. But if you live somewhere more low-key, you can find your audience by asking yourself, ‘Where are the moms? Where are the teachers?’ Who is coming to see you? Maybe you live near a college town. The key is finding out who is around your orbit before trying to promote to the wrong people.
I also recommend establishing relationships with professionals who serve a similar clientele. For example, early on in my business, I started reaching out to nearby dermatologists. I offered their clients discounts, and we started trading referrals. These relationships are still essential to my studio’s success.
2. Reach influencers with strategic freebies
How did I attract high-profile clients? I spent years giving free facials to the right people.
I started out as a solo esthetician, renting a room in a tiny studio. Models were one customer group I wanted to serve. The problem was, I didn’t know many models. But I did have connections with photographers and makeup artists from my previous career in handbag design. I offered them free facials and skincare products. Those people introduced me to others. In time, I was giving facials to models, too.
Showcasing your work to influential people is invaluable. And someone doesn’t need to be a celebrity to have influence. Think of the moms I mentioned earlier, those connectors in your community. Offer them free services if you can. They’ll spread the word.
Your relationships with other beauty professionals come into play here, too. A great way to get to know them is to trade services. I’ve collaborated with nail artists I admire — they end up promoting our facials, and I recommend their manicures.
Even today, I trade services and set aside a monthly budget for giving free products and treatments to tastemakers. I also keep a few skincare products on hand wherever I go. You never know who you’ll meet.
3. Become an authority to your customers (and beyond!)
The beauty industry intimidates so many people. We all want to take care of ourselves but are bombarded with conflicting advice. You can help people cut through the noise.
Clients constantly ask me about some new skincare trends, like using beef tallow as a moisturizer. (The answer: It’s a bad idea if you have acne-prone skin.) I see so much anxiety around skincare that I make it my mission to educate people.
On social media and Substack, I share tips on skincare routines, treating problematic skin, and avoiding common stressors. Our website even offers a free ingredient checker so people can ensure that their products won’t clog their pores.
Don’t think of this as giving away your secrets. When you help people overcome their problems, they’ll recognize your expertise and trust you. That trust often turns into business. Many of my A-list clients discovered me online from an educational post and reached out via DM.
Educating people not only provides a valuable service but also builds your brand and reputation.
Stay focused on quality and customer service
These three marketing principles — targeting the right audience, showcasing your work to influential people, and educating your customers — have guided my skincare studio from the start.
I always remember, though, that no matter how effective our marketing is, we can never sacrifice quality or customer service. Our studio has a waitlist so we could expand. But growing too quickly would mean losing the personal touch and high-quality service that set us apart. The flashiest marketing couldn’t make up for that loss.
The way people present themselves to the world can be so emotionally charged, so I feel privileged to be able to help customers with something so personal. That’s why I went into the beauty business in the first place. You probably feel the same way. As long as you stay focused on your customers’ needs, good marketing will allow you to do even more of this good work.
