top of page
Jessica Bernard

Education will Forever be the Foundation

It's not what you know, it's what you do with it.

I heard that phrase this week and it brought me back full circle to this topic that seeded itself in my Google Keep notes section way back in June. Education and how it correlates to your perfect pricing structure. My niche is moving fast into the world of online education and it's never been easier to click your way into a certification. That's a blessing and a curse because there is a monetary barrier to entry, bias in brands and even patented material at our disposal. Spoiler alert, not everyone is meant to specialize in niche services and as the months roll on, I keep seeing new clients that are frustrated with the lack of customer service they have been receiving. I truly hope these service providers can do some inner reflection to decide if they are on the right career path because there are few things I loathe more in this world than wasting money.


You see, accolades and awards and certificates are nice, but if you don't apply the principles with integrity, you're just throwing your dollars away. This may be the biggest culprit in why service providers give up, deciding they don't have what it takes. It's frustrating to watch from my view because if I knew all these things when I graduated hair school eighteen years ago, I would be ten steps further today. My employment history has definitely played a roll in my desire to teach others the shortcuts, cutting the fat and saving money in the long run.


So you want to make 100k?


The only barrier to that goal is the education necessary to demand your worth. Scour Google for all the latest trends in your field of study and find the missing pieces to your success. I even browse our local trade school offerings once or twice a year and I'm always delighted with the options and additions they make with our changing economy. But here's the thing, there's another step you have to take to bridge the gap from window shopper to paying customer.


Translation.



How are you going to convince your market that you're worthy?


Oh let me count the ways. Marketing becomes so easy when you realize it's just storytelling. You're engaging the audience with shiny baubles to draw them in, and with skill and finesse, that you master in time, you start collecting them like little gems. They become your clientele and before you know it, you're making money; and then all of a sudden you're earning a living. Most people are content with that. That's cool, I appreciate it.


Then, there's the people that kept reading. You. The Small Business Owner building a legacy. Somewhere in your journey, I know you felt like you could reach the top, and when you did, the only thought was, what's next? You take that education, and you refine it, expand on it and really understand it; because, guess what? After you get that new client, you have to keep them too!


Retention is the high wire act of small business. Being the most high maintenance part of working for yourself, it's also the most cost efficient. Every year, more young adults are entering the work force and they are hungry. They are smarter, faster and more influential than the generation that came before and they are here to stake their claim, so it's more important than ever to stay on top of your education game. Educate your customers and really become the advocate for yourself. Don't ever be apprehensive to spend money on your education, either. I just dropped over 200 bucks to learn a new sewing method in order to give my clients a better service and faster experience. Essentially shortening my appointments and generating MORE MONEY!


Treating your education like the true foundation that it is, you will become the authority figure in your market, growing your way into a company that achieves long term success, able to charge a premium price and reap the hard earned rewards of business.



3 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page