ASCP Esty Talk
Episode 354 – Three Steps to Boost Client Retention with Heidi Holley
October 15, 2025

Overview

In this episode, hosts Maggie Stasik and Ala Cressman are joined by Heidi Holley—licensed esthetician, certified massage therapist, and experienced beauty business coach—to discuss three pivotal steps estheticians can take to dramatically boost client retention. With over 20 years in the beauty industry and having founded Sapphire Spa Coaching, Heidi delivers actionable advice aimed at helping estheticians not just attract new clients but keep them coming back for more. The conversation is brimming with practical anecdotes, useful scripts, and authentic advice grounded in real-world experience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Create a Memorable Experience

[03:50]

• Heidi’s Core Belief: Make every client feel special from the moment they arrive, during, and after their treatment.
  • "What is that memorable experience that you're wanting to leave with your client? Because that's really what's gonna bring them back into the treatment room." – Heidi Holley [04:21]
• Personalization: Tap into what makes you unique as a provider and inject that into each client experience.
• Ala’s Example:
  • Lets clients pick their preferred music—ranging from Fallout Boy to 90s rap to Yanni.
  • "What I do is I let them pick the music they want...I have that ready for them when they get there." – Ala Cressman [04:47]
• Why It Works:
  • Clients share unique experiences with friends and family, which fuels word-of-mouth referrals and retention.
  • The unique touches are what clients remember most—not just the technical skill or service performed.

2. Pre-book Every Client

[05:55]

• The Essential Ask: Always recommend and help clients schedule their next visit before they leave.
  • "In order to maintain the results from this appointment, I suggest you coming back in this amount of weeks. Let's get you on the books today." – Heidi Holley [06:42]
• Guidance over Selling:
  • Use authentic language and make the recommendation personal to each client’s needs.
  • Avoid making it feel like a hard sale—frame it as guidance for achieving their best results.
• Ala’s Practice:
  • Makes rebooking “non-negotiable” and offers clients a choice: "Do you want to come back in four or six weeks?"
  • "That is your choice. That is your choice." – Ala Cressman [09:01]
• Why It Matters:
  • If clients aren’t asked to rebook, life will often get in the way, and they may not return.
  • Framing the rebooking as essential for continued results helps both client and practitioner.

3. Follow Up & Stay Top of Mind

[09:30]

• The Follow-up:
  • Especially crucial with first-time clients—check in to see how they felt about their service, request feedback or reviews, and remind them about future visits.
  • Adjust communication channels based on client preference (email, text, social media).
  • "I suggest you to do a follow up, you know, right after their first appointment...If we could get feedback or just remind them of when they're coming back in." – Heidi Holley [11:35]
• Staying Visible:
  • Send weekly emails to remain a constant presence in clients’ minds, similar to how big brands operate.
  • "If you send an email weekly to your clients, you're going to stay top of mind with them." – Heidi Holley [10:36]
• Personal Touches vs Automation:
  • Physical notes with a personal message (even including a small offer or sample) can stand out.
  • Ala expresses the intention to follow up with a handwritten note and sample for a new client after realizing she failed to prebook, highlighting the power of tangible gestures [13:20].
  • Leverage software for automated reminders and outreach when the client base grows, but personalize whenever possible.
  • "If you have the time...this is the opportunity for you to show your clients a little bit more personalization and a little bit more care." – Heidi Holley [14:37]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Clients aren't going to necessarily remember if you did like a really great service, but they're going to remember their experience and how you made them feel."
  —Heidi Holley [05:22]

• "You need to come back. Do you want to come back in four or six weeks?...That is your choice."
  —Ala Cressman [08:55]

• "It's about that repetition and it is about continuing to do it...just doing that effort and continuously doing it."
  —Heidi Holley [15:44]

• "I appreciate the integrations and the software that I have that's like click send reminders to the ones that haven't been here in six months...That will still provide that touchback."
  —Ala Cressman [13:41]

• "If you have a smaller client load right now...this is the time to do those personal things before your business grows."
  —Heidi Holley [14:37]

Useful Timestamps

• [03:50] – Tip #1: Creating a memorable client experience
• [05:55] – Tip #2: The importance of pre-booking clients
• [09:30] – Tip #3: Following up and staying top of mind
• [12:16] – Handwritten notes and their renewed impact
• [13:37] – Leveraging automation with a personal touch
• [14:37] – Heidi on personalized outreach for solopreneurs

Conclusion: The Three Key Steps (Recap) [15:19]

1. Make it memorable – Craft an experience clients can’t help but talk about.
2. Pre-book – Always guide clients to their next appointment before they leave.
3. Stay top of mind – Follow up personally and leverage digital tools to remain in your clients’ awareness.

Heidi Holley’s seasoned advice is both accessible and actionable, offering a blend of timeless service values and modern-day client management tactics for estheticians determined to build a thriving, loyal clientele.