By Candace Noonan, DermaConcepts

Time is money, so why would a skin care therapist spend an hour consulting with a client instead of performing treatments? However, performing a thorough skin consultation should be the first, most essential step when taking on a new client. This is standard procedure for many appointments. When you go to a doctor, for example, they don't start by prescribing you medications. When you go to the gym and sign up for personal training, the trainer doesn't tell you to bench press 200 pounds during your first session. The skin care industry should be no different.

A Consultation Is a Chargeable Service

It is very easy to differentiate the skin care therapists who take their work seriously and are truly invested in their craft from those who simply go through the motions and slap on the potions. Back in the day, when I was a bartender, there was a big difference between those of us who simply would sling drinks for dollars and those who truly took pride in their craft and called themselves "mixologists." As a specialist in your field, you have spent countless hours studying and researching. That information which you impart to your client should not come for free.

The Client Will Be Far More Likely to Return After Having Invested Time in Their Journey

The consultation process will give you insight into why a client's skin is reacting the way it is, or why they may have developed the condition they seek to improve by seeing you. But without the bigger, more detailed picture, the success rate of prescribing the best treatment protocols and product recommendations is greatly decreased, and the opportunity for a long-term relationship with the client is lost. You do your client and yourself a disservice by simply slapping on those creams, performing a magnificent massage and sending them out the door. You can work for a large chain of franchised spas if that's the career fulfillment for which you are looking.

A Double Win

Now that I can get off my soapbox about the importance of the consultation process, I will move into our current-day, real-life situation. If we are to spend face time with our clients, the truth is you would rather be using your time performing treatments and making money. We are all itching to turn those lights back on.

Enter: The Virtual Consultation

Virtual consultations can be performed anywhere and at any time, without reducing your time in the treatment room and making money. In fact, it will, in the long run, increase your business, client retention and referrals, and revenue. It takes the pressure off your daily schedule. It also helps, in these times, to minimize exposure.

There are a number of available systems that are specifically designed to help with this process. A system such as the Skin Science Authority Skin Analysis System allows you to email the consultation form to clients in advance of the appointment. Once filled out by the client, it is then uploaded to a secure cloud base in real time. The skin care specialist can then study the consultation form prior to a Zoom meeting or FaceTime call, which will significantly reduce the time required for an in-person consultation and allow the practitioner to determine the appropriate in-office treatment plan and home-care protocol prior to the visit. This will reduce the need to take time away from providing an excellent treatment, and also allow you to book more clients.

The system also provides the opportunity for additional learning for the practitioner and provides supporting documents that explain why a particular treatment program, product or service is being recommended.

With a thorough consultation, most risks and essential pieces of information needed to design the perfect treatment plan and product regimen are easily identified. A well-educated and confident consumer will lead to a better client relationship and definitely boost trust and loyalty, return visits, and, ultimately, a better bottom line.

DermaConcepts will be presenting a webinar on October 6 from 1 – 2 p.m. CDT that will feature a demo of a virtual consultation. Keep an eye on this page for more details.

Candace Noonan is a licensed aesthetician and master trainer for DermaConcepts, exclusive distributor of Environ Skin Care in the U.S., and hosts advanced trainings on this pharmaceutical grade line. She holds certificates for internationally recognized programs such as Advanced Skin Analysis, Dermal Needling and Oncology Esthetics, and is a proficient public speaker at medical and skin care conferences throughout the U.S. Her belief is to never stop learning, in hopes of sharing the knowledge gained by her continued studies. Born in South Africa, and having personal experience battling melasma, she feels her passion for skin care is her biggest asset.