As lash artists, there is always a revolving door of people coming in and out of your space. Unfortunately for every wonderful handful of happy and appreciative clients, there’s one that is the exact opposite. You often dread upcoming appointments with this “lash-zilla”, and it’s taking a toll on your mood and mental health. The last thing anyone wants to deal with is confrontation- but this has been going on for too long. This client is clearly someone who can't just be phased out of lashing with you, they need to be broken up with.
Keep in mind that breaking up with a client should not be a common occurrence. Everyone should do their best to completely avoid this situation all together, because in all honesty it can get messy. With that being said, there is a thin line between someone who is “picky” and someone who is blatantly “unreasonable”. Clients that need a break up talk are the ones that clearly have no respect for you or your business. These clients often are verbally abusive, don't respect appointment times and try to scam you out of your hard earned money. Use your better judgement, as firing a client should be the absolute last resort.
Relationships are a two way street- you need to assess the relationship thoroughly and make sure of the fact that nothing can be salvaged. Taking responsibility for your part in the falling out is a good segway into saying goodbye.
Here are some tips and tricks to keeping composure during a break up conversation with a “lash-zilla”.
- Plan out the way your message is going to be relayed. Whether you're down for an in person conversation after their (last) fill, or you would rather send a detailed message via text- make sure this conversation isn't out of the blue for you. The more prepared for the conversation, the better.
- Keep your composure during this conversation. There is no way of telling how someone will react to a breakup convo, but chances are they won’t be leaving with a smile on their face. Your attitude and aura will set the tone for the conversation. The less emotion being brought to the table, the better. You can’t control what comes out of someone else’s mouth, but you can control what comes out of yours- you need to be the bigger person and this is so important to remember.
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Be clear that this decision is on YOU. Use “I” statements during your break up conversation. Avoid pointing the blame, by saying things like “I think this is best for me.” and “This is a decision I am deciding to make- it’s not you it’s me.”. As cliche as that sounds, it will soften the blow. This is another way for feelings to be less bruised. - Don't let the conversation drag on. Keep everything short and sweet- don't allow any room for persuasion or explanation. This can be tricky, as people will try and persuade you to let them stick around. Be confident and don't turn to mush. No one likes hurting other people's feelings.
- A break up is a break up- this means no more contact. Most of the time people don’t take these conversations seriously, and they’ll be coming back around sooner than later. Contact with this client should be completely cut off. If your message wasn't clear enough that you wish for no more contact, you may want to re-evaluate your words for next time. Avoid responding to instagram messages, facebook and text messages...As hard as this may be, you’ve cut this person off for a reason, and this was a decision made to better your lashing career.
A lot of people will keep clients around who don't bring them any positivity. At the end of the day, whoever gets the pleasure of sitting in your chair will set the whole tone for the appointment, and no one wants negativity affecting their business. Have confidence in yourself- this is your business and your happiness matters. Now that you have all the tools to professionally let your lash-zilla go, what are you waiting for?
