“You’re either a Purple Cow or you’re not. You’re either remarkable or invisible. Make your choice.”
– Seth Godin - business genius and best-selling author of ‘The Purple Cow’.

Allow me to paraphrase the premise of Godin's message.

Imagine embarking on a picturesque road trip along the countryside, when suddenly, a field catches your eye. You spot a herd of cows leisurely grazing on the green pastures. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Cows, again?" But here's the thing —even though you've encountered countless cows throughout your lifetime, those bovines still manage to captivate your attention. They effortlessly outshine the mundane scenery of grass and road that you've been immersed in for hours on end.

As time passes, the novelty fades, and those ordinary brown cows gradually fade into obscurity. It's a natural phenomenon—anything unremarkable tends to blend into the background.

Now, picture this. What if, amidst that field of cows, there stood a majestic purple cow? Imagine the impact it would have on you. It would undoubtedly blow your mind, wouldn’t it? You might even be compelled to stop your car, marvel at this extraordinary sight and get close enough to capture a selfie to spruce up your ‘gram’. Crazy heh? Well, the same principle holds true for your business.

Is Your Beauty Salon or Skin Clinic a Purple Cow?

Godin stresses that the path to success lies in embracing remarkability and I couldn’t agree more. It may seem like a simplistic notion, but delivering an extraordinary experience to your clients requires thinking outside the box, developing a minimum high standard, and above all, consistency. It’s what will make you stand out from the crowd. When you get there, it can propel your business to great heights, particularly in today's challenging landscape.

Again… "You're either remarkable or invisible... it's your choice."

The Old Ways of Doing Things Don’t Work Anymore

Gone are the days when you could rely solely on safe, run-of-the-mill (aka ordinary) products or services while marketing your pants off. Those days are gone. And when I say ‘product’, I’m not talking about the serums and cleansers you sell, I’m talking about your business as the product. The ‘what’s-working-now’ approach involves creating an exceptional product (your business) that resonates with YOUR audience—a discerning clientele actively seeking standout experiences.

Reflect upon this. Do thriving beauty salons and skin clinics restrict themselves to conventional options? No. They go above and beyond, curating innovative services and processes that cater to their clients' desires and needs, consistently. At every appointment, by every employee, without exception.

Be bold and intentional by offering personalised and distinctive service protocols that leave a lasting impression. Introduce cutting-edge treatments, embrace holistic approaches, or pioneer groundbreaking techniques that set your business apart. Be a trailblazer in your area, positioning your business as the go-to destination for clients seeking unparalleled results and experiences.

In an Era of Endless Choices, Mediocre Doesn’t Cut it

Unless your salon operates in a tiny village, competition is inevitable. Today's market is inundated with an overwhelming array of beauty service providers. Clients grapple with decision fatigue, finding it increasingly difficult to find a beauty salon or skin clinic to remain loyal to. Instead of fixating on outshining your competitors with offers or marketing, focus on delivering extraordinary results and unforgettable experiences to your clients. Create an atmosphere that exudes excellence, prioritises exceptional customer care, and establishes a presence that captivates and communicates your business’s unique value.

How can You Infuse 'Remarkable' Into Your Business?

You need to start with the most fundamental. Here are a few ideas:

1. Offer unparalleled results. If you’re remarkable in every way but results, your efforts are always going to be short-lived. That’s what your clients want, need, and pay for, so that’s what you must give them. Give them mediocre results and you’ll soon lose them. Nobody is looking for mediocrity.
2. Hygienic environment. It should go without saying but sadly it isn’t. I recently had a French Shellac manicure in a high street nail salon. I have to say that it was the best paint job I’ve ever had. Many have complimented me on it. But the place was filthy. Gaggable almost. When I figured it out, it was too late to back out because I needed it then and there. I changed it from a manicure to just a file and polish so they wouldn’t use the unclean clippers on me. I even pulled out my nail file and said that it’s the only one that doesn’t split my nails (that wasn’t true). Chances of me going there again. None. Zilch. Chances of recommending them to my friends. None. Zilch. Quite the opposite, I’ll warn my friends against it.
3. Follow-up service. Especially when it comes to skin treatments. I don’t mean a standard set-and-forget email, I mean real, concerned, direction-infused email or text. One that proves how much your business values them and that care doesn’t just stop once outside of the treatment room.
4. The little things.
   

   I thought this was cute. It’s the picture of my dressing room door at Lulu Lemon in Sorrento. A few minutes after I stepped into the store, the salesgirl introduced herself and asked my name. By the time I was ready to try my selections, my name was written on a mini chalkboard on the changing room door. I liked that. Made me feel comfortable and valued. What could you do? * BUY GOOD COFFEE or tea etc! And serve it with pizazz. Invest in a Nespresso machine or stylish teapot. Instant coffee is a no-no! Better to offer nothing than instant! In summer offer up a jug of iced cold water with slices of fresh fruit (lemons, oranges). Present whatever you offer beautifully.

   * In winter, add cozy experiences with electric blankets or stylish hot water bottles for clients to hold on to.
5. An impressive booking experience
   Most first touch-points will start with booking an appointment. That first phone call experience is so telling and an introduction to how things work in your business. Create a deliberate outstanding first booking experience by creating a protocol and standard for everyone to follow.
6. Consistency. The bane and the downfall of many businesses. Even though I suck at this in my current business from time to time, mine is not such a customer experience-centric business as yours. When I owned my beauty salon, turned skin clinic, never. It’s what kept our books full. To offer some things sometimes is worse than never offering them at all so make sure you work hard on being consistent.

Action Steps

Embrace uniqueness for unrivaled success and growth by incorporating the Purple Cow mentality. Start with auditing what you DO. Is it enough? Could it be improved? Fine-tuned? If it’s ordinary, scrap it. And to ensure consistency, create fail-proof systems and protocols for everything you do.

Want to see how detailed a CREAM Solutions protocol looks like? Click below for your copy of the CREAM Solutions New Client Booking Protocol. The details in this protocol will guide you for all protocols.