There’s something ugly happening in the Beauty Biz world and I’m seeing it happen all the time. Let’s say it’s not exactly the best marketing strategy I’ve seen.

I’m talking about practitioners who use underhanded or unethical methods to try and gain credibility for themselves. They attempt to build themselves up by knocking others down. Instead of earning trust and authority by repeatedly providing great service (and marketing with integrity), they’d rather steal the position by creating fear and doubt in the minds of their targets.

They come across as being helpful and giving free advice – except that it really isn’t advice at all, it’s a blatant attempt to make themselves look better by discrediting the professional the client is currently working with. It’s basically just ripping on another professional’s integrity for nothing more than their personal gain.

It might be the dermatologist who tells your client that facials are bull crap, or that your retail products don’t work because they are not medical grade.

Or…

It might be a fellow Esthy that your client meets at a social event and they strike up a skin care conversation and this Esthy wants to earn this client’s biz so badly that she tells your client that her skin isn’t looking as good as it could, and that she could do a better job for her.

Or (some real life examples from my own world)…

I used to refer clients out to an electrologist, who has now become an esthetician, and I started hearing from some of the electrolysis clients I’d referred to her that, “Beth (name changed to protect privacy) told me that my skin is dehydrated and she could really help me.” Really crappy to do to someone who is sending you biz, right?

I’m also seeing and hearing snide remarks about my business-building programs and the inspiration I try to provide to my fellow beauty biz practitioners surrounding the endless possibilities available to us in the beauty world.

So why am I sharing this with you today?

I’m sharing it for two reasons…

1. So you know it happens to all of us.

and

2. To make sure that you aren’t operating this way thinking it’s ok. It’s definitely not.

I consider myself a person of great integrity and as such, I personally would never (ever) try to get a client this way or speak about another person this way… especially someone whom I had never met.

I am a firm believer that there is enough business to go around (there really is) and I can tell you that the right people will be attracted to you and your offerings through a positive marketing approach.

We don’t need to put others down to gain abundance in our businesses – in fact it won’t ever work well for us.

So what do you do if you feel that someone is trying to discredit you?

If you find yourself in this situation, know that’s it’s normal to feel taken aback and defensive. It’s also normal to feel like attacking back, but before you respond in any way, take a moment to process and be sure to choose to act as a confident professional. You can’t control the behavior of others but you can control your reaction to the behaviors that affect you. Choose to show up in the world with integrity and always put your best self forward.

Here’s to us all removing ill will from our client attraction methods, and to pressing forward with our unique creativity and positivity.

I have a new program starting in May that will help you with creating the marketing messages that reflect you and that attracts amazing clients into your beauty biz. No joke, you will learn my field-tested and proven marketing system that makes sharing your beauty biz offerings simple, effective and irresistible (and not crappy in any way). Click here to learn more about my Marketing Protocol Training.