Expectations vs. Reality in PMU Business

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1. Background

Numerous research projects inform this article were carried out between 2018 and 2023, with many still in progress. A significant portion of the artists and students participating in these studies were from EU countries (79%), followed by the UK (15%) and the US (6%), without any significant differences in findings across these regions. Interestingly, there has been a notable shift in the expectations of many new students, especially post-2023, humorously termed the "PMU Apocalypse" by some in the industry. This term reflects a considerable shift in perspective and approach within the permanent makeup (PMU) industry.

Expectations vs. Reality

Embarking on a career as a pigmentation artist often comes with challenges that are not necessarily about artistic failure. Instead, the real struggle often lies in reconciling newcomers' expectations with the actual realities of the profession. We will delve into some of the most common expectations about becoming a lip artist and contrast them with the grounded realities of the field.

2. Financial Success

Expectation 1: I'll Become Rich

Many pigmentation academies, particularly those offering training in Lip Blush, Powder Brows, Hairstrokes, and microblading, showcase "income models" to illustrate potential annual earnings for students. This method is reminiscent of mid-20th-century sales tactics. For instance, selling a costly washing machine for about $500 back then—equivalent to roughly $4,000 today—salespeople would emphasize its ten-year lifespan, breaking down the cost to just 13 cents a day, suggesting, "What can you get for 13 cents a day? It's a no-brainer!”

However, caution is advised with such outdated sales techniques. Similarly, academies often boast of inflated earnings using these questionable methods, suggesting you could earn $500,000 a year by doing three procedures a day at $500 each, becoming a millionaire in two years. Yet, such forecasts are frequently misleading, exaggerated, and manipulative.

Stark Reality: Less Than 19% of Students Work in the Field After Two Years

Research involving over 1700 students and artists from 2018 to 2023 reveals a stark reality: only 18% continue to offer Lip Blush, Powder Brows, Hairstrokes, or microblading services after 18 months. This means four out of every five students stop pursuing this career path, not earning from the skills acquired during their training. This attrition rate also explains the high-income projections of trainers, as the reduced number of active artists in the market artificially inflates the demand and potential earnings.

A Closer Look at Those Who Do Make Money

For those persisting beyond 18 months, success adheres to the 80:20 rule, where 20% of the artists generate 80% of the income. Despite extensive analysis by powderbrows.io, this ratio has remained remarkably consistent, indicating that about 3.5% of all students capture over 80% of the market's earnings. Only about 4 out of 100 artists truly excel, dominating their local market.

Can You Become Rich? Yes, But Only if You're at the Top

So, can you become wealthy through Lip Blush, Powder Brows, Hairstrokes, or microblading? Absolutely, but only if you break into the elite top 3.5% students. Artists in this upper echelon have indeed secured their financial futures with investments in real estate and more. However, they often note that only a handful of their original classmates remain active in the field, with even fewer relying on it as their primary income source.

3. Skills Equal Clients

Expectation 2: Learning the Skills Will Bring in Clients

This myth has been addressed in several articles: the belief that acquiring technical pigmentation skills will naturally attract clients. However, data from various countries contradicts this notion. While having basic or slightly below-average technical skills can affect client inquiries, the impact is often less significant than many artists expect.

Inbound Queries Rely on Reach, Not Just Skills

Recent changes to Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, have drastically diminished organic reach. Our analysis of numerous pigmentation artists' accounts revealed that standard organic posts might only engage 0.5-2% of their followers. In practical terms, sustaining your business through client inquiries would necessitate a follower base of at least 75,000, assuming high credibility. To achieve the necessary reach without paying advertising, an artist must generate 50-100 posts monthly, aiming for a reach of about 50k per one million population.

Large Competitors Have Multiple Inbound Channels

Major accounts diversify their client inquiry sources beyond a single platform like Instagram, incorporating other online and offline marketing strategies and securing high-quality leads from Google. This multi-channel strategy significantly benefits them. Relying solely on Instagram, especially for newcomers, is a challenging endeavor. Without a substantial follower base in the tens of thousands, attracting a sufficient number of inquiries without paid advertisements is nearly impossible. Such advertisements could cost between $500 to $1000 monthly.

A Large Targeted Following Trumps Skills, Sadly

Consider a student with a following of over 50,000, mainly target demographics, with a 76% chance of success even with average or subpar skills. On the other hand, a highly skilled artist with insufficient digital reach faces a mere 16% success chance. The disparity is stark—nearly fivefold.

Unrealistic Expectations are the Issue

Many students fail despite possessing excellent technical skills due to unrealistic expectations about the role of reach. Achieving recognition as a top artist requires a monthly reach of 50,000 to 300,000, depending on the country's population. Without a significant organic following or associated accounts, the viable alternative is paid advertising, costing between $500 and $3000 monthly. Attracting clients remains an elusive goal without a willingness to invest in ads.

4. Personal Brand is Optional

Expectation 3: Success is Possible Without a Personal Brand

It's a common belief that one can achieve success in the brow artistry field without cultivating a personal brand, which is true to some extent. Yes, becoming a successful brow artist is possible without turning your name into a brand. However, there's a significant caveat: branding still plays a crucial role in your success. The critical question then becomes: who controls that brand?

The Importance of Brand Ownership

If you opt out of building a personal brand, your alternative route to success involves associating with an already established brand. What does this entail? It means leveraging the reputation of a well-known PMU brand to attract customers. If you're a graduate of a prestigious academy and have the legal rights to use their brand, this can be an advantageous strategy. Your professional identity becomes linked with that established brand.

Alternatives to a Personal Brand

Alternatively, forging your PMU brand represents another viable path. While personal branding isn't strictly necessary, offering Lip Blush, Powder Brows, Hairstrokes, or microblading services under no brand affiliation is generally not advisable. Evidence suggests that operating without brand association can triple your chances of failure. Your success likelihood plummets if you're not connected to any recognizable brand.

The Solution is Clear

What's the best approach, then? The options are cultivating your brand, establishing a distinctive PMU brand, or aligning with an academy's pre-existing brand. Some artists successfully merge several of these strategies. However, operating without brand affiliation places you at a significant disadvantage, regardless of your chosen route.

5. PMU business is low cost

Expectation 5: Pigmentation Business is Low-Cost for the Artist Many students believe that pigmentation services are a goldmine. They often calculate the net cost of one procedure to be in the low double digits. Then, they subtract this from the client's price and multiply it by the estimated number of treatments within a given timeframe. These calculations tend to be overly optimistic.

Most artists have a false gut feeling about their net cost. Our research paints a different picture. The actual net cost per procedure can easily exceed $200. Many artists underestimate the costs associated with finding new clients. They also often overlook their fixed costs, which should be distributed across all procedures. This leads to inflated expectations about how profitable the business can be. Calculate the net-cost

You must be more conservative in your calculations to set yourself up for success. Figure out the true net cost per procedure. You'll usually find that it's much higher than you expected, which means your expected profitability will be much lower.

6. Happy Clients Become Promoters

Expectation 4: Satisfied Clients Will Promote Me

Exploring the connection between client satisfaction and their likelihood to promote Lip Blush, Powder Brows, Hairstrokes, or microblading services, our study of over 3720 cases sheds light on this relationship. The results reveal a nuanced reality.

Client Promotion is Less Common Than You Think

Contrary to popular belief, even highly satisfied clients rarely turn into promoters. The promotion rate among satisfied clients averages around 11%, depending on the location and client demographics. However, securing a verbal agreement from the client to promote your services can increase this rate to approximately 18%. Without a verbal commitment, only about one in five satisfied clients will actively promote your work.

Verbal Confirmation Can Silence Complaints

Interestingly, if a client is dissatisfied but finds the artist agreeable and the salon environment professional, they're less inclined to voice their complaints. Complaint rates drop below 1% among clients who verbally express satisfaction with their results, with many of these clients returning for future services. The implication is clear: maintaining professionalism and securing verbal approval can compensate for less-than-perfect outcomes, ensuring client retention.

The Real Deal: Artist Actions and Client Promotion

The key to client promotion lies in the service provided and the artist's follow-up actions. Engaging clients in post-procedure conversations and prompting them to express satisfaction significantly increases their likelihood of promoting the artist on social media.

Clients Convince Themselves

Clients' willingness to promote services doesn't strictly correlate with their initial satisfaction level. Instead, it's the direct request for promotion that makes a difference. Satisfaction is a fluid concept that can evolve, with the decisive factor being the artist's direct appeal for promotion.

An Interesting Side Note

Human behavior is complex, and our research indicates that clients often withhold true feelings about their results. A friendly artist and professional service lead clients to affirm satisfaction, even with reservations. This affirmation, especially when voiced, tends to enhance their perception of the results over time, illustrating the powerful interplay between artist-client interactions and client satisfaction.

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