Home based - how to tell clients not to bring friends etc. along

[glam8babe]

Im a makeup artist and lash tech, I have one of the bedrooms in my home set up as a 'studio' which isn't huge but can only really fit 2 people in... when I do makeup I like to move about freely and not have anyone sat watching my every move and not have to step over toes...
yesterday I did a wedding trial which was meant to be for a bride and her bridesmaid, I don't normally like having two people in for one appointment but the girls lived out of town so I thought I'd let them both come to save them doing separate trips... anyways they both turned up with their mother, I said as soon as I opened the door that I didn't have the room but they still came in anyways.

Now this isn't just my home but it's my mums so I just find it disrespectful that people are turning up with more people without letting me know, obviously the clients don't know this but if it was me I'd go on my own as it's just common courtesy. I don't have spare chairs and even if i did it would still be too small, I wouldn't leave any strangers in my living area unattended as you can't trust people these days.

How do I put a message across without sounding rude to state that I prefer my clients to turn up on their own, or if they need to bring a friend then they must let me know? I just find it disrespectful that they think they can bring anyone along to my home, it's not a salon but it's my living space and I obviously don't have a waiting area like salons do...

 

[beautybyleigh]

Could you say that your insurance doesn't cover more than one client at a time?
I also work from home from a small room, I've only had one client bring a friend along, it was very annoying as the friend kept asking questions and got in the way, it made me over run by 20 mins, luckily it's only happened once.

 

[Airey fairy]

I can see both sides to this one but to avoid this I would write in your confirmation email Please Note the studio that I work from has limited space due to this I can only accommodate the client / the person who is actually having the treatment ... If this poses a problem please contact myself otherwise please just bring your beautiful self 👍👍👍one way to get around this situation ️xx

 

[Airey fairy]

Could you say that your insurance doesn't cover more than one client at a time?
I also work from home from a small room, I've only had one client bring a friend along, it was very annoying as the friend kept asking questions and got in the way, it made me over run by 20 mins, luckily it's only happened once.

From another angle you could put I want it to be all about you no one else asking / questioning you and this way it will ensure that all of my attention is on you and your look that you want for your wedding ( obv worded diff) but you get what I mean 👍👍

 

[K~Anne]

How about saying that you work on a 1 to 1 basis and for this reason prefer the client to attend alone? That's what i do x

 

[beccascottx]

I think with bridal trials it's always gonna be difficult because its a special part of her
Iife and her mum will want to be a part of it. Personally if i went for a bridal trial with my mum and bridesmaid and the MUA said i could only bring one of them i'd go elsewhere. Maybe look into going mobile if this is an issue for you

 

[rizz]

I personally wouldn't say alone, like you said earlier, who can you trust these days? I think it sounds creepy, 1-1 sounds much nicer xx

 

[glam8babe]

Thanks for the replies very informative! I used to be mobile but was wasting so much time, petrol prices, mileage on the car, peoples pets getting in the way and having an audience putting me on the spot I opted to work from home which is better for me and my confidence... I do mobile for the wedding day but if the client isn't happy with my rule of not bringing their full family then they'll have to go somewhere else.

I just find it rude to not ask my permission to bring someone extra, I was expecting two girls but not three people... four of us in a small bedroom is just a no go!

 

[dudeymel]

I send out reminder txts the day before and add on 'please do not bring friends or children as I have limited space' x

Sent from my SM-C115 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[glam8babe]

I send out reminder txts the day before and add on 'please do not bring friends or children as I have limited space' x

Sent from my SM-C115 using SalonGeek mobile app

Good idea...

 

[Lady Murasaki]

I use to have clients come to me for trials and experienced the same.

They would turn up with extended family members, babies, children and friends even thought I said that I was working from home, didn't have the room for mare than 2 people (which I really didn't) and due to insurance I couldn't have anyone other than the client on the premises.

I sent text and wrote it in their contract and they signed, but still they turn up with their 'support team' in full swing.

When I started to put my foot down and kindly remind them of what they sign and regarding my insurance I was deemed to be unreasonable and Uncaring.

The valuable lesson I learnt ( and I have threads on here to prove it) is that if you are running a business even from YOUR HOME in a room you could barely swing a cat in, paying clients EXPECT to bring whomever they please, the same as the would if they were going to a shop because they are paying and you are a business.

Yes, they should respect your wishes but only you will see it as your home, they will see it rightly or wrongly as a business premises.

The way around this is that you can either bite our lip or stop doing trials at home which I did in the end.

Now with clients that can not have a mobile apt come to a venue where I rent a space and include in my rates the rental fee for the room.

It works so much better for everyone, as it is neutral tertiary like a salon or shop would be

 

[glam8babe]

I use to have clients come to me for trials and experienced the same.

They would turn up with extended family members, babies, children and friends even thought I said that I was working from home, didn't have the room for mare than 2 people (which I really didn't) and due to insurance I couldn't have anyone other than the client on the premises.

I sent text and wrote it in their contract and they signed, but still they turn up with their 'support team' in full swing.

When I started to put my foot down and kindly remind them of what they sign and regarding my insurance I was deemed to be unreasonable and Uncaring.

The valuable lesson I learnt ( and I have threads on here to prove it) is that if you are running a business even from YOUR HOME in a room you could barely swing a cat in, paying clients EXPECT to bring whomever they please, the same as the would if they were going to a shop because they are paying and you are a business.

Yes, they should respect your wishes but only you will see it as your home, they will see it rightly or wrongly as a business premises.

The way around this is that you can either bite our lip or stop doing trials at home which I did in the end.

Now with clients that can not have a mobile apt come to a venue where I rent a space and include in my rates the rental fee for the room.

It works so much better for everyone, as it is neutral tertiary like a salon or shop would be

I just don't understand why they need to bring everyone to see some makeup... it's not like they cant show them after... i know people like others opinions but it's just disrespectful to bring people to someones living space without permission. In the future I'll hopefully work from a salon or room which will be more convenient but when you tell clients you work from home they should respect that and know that there won't be a waiting area for their full family ... I stopped doing mobile due to wasting too much time, pets putting their paws in my expensive makeup (i nearly cried!) too many distractions and having a big audience putting me on the spot...

From now on I will let my clients know that only they are allowed to come due to insurance purposes and also because it's a small working space, if they dont like that then thats tough sh*t they can go somewhere else, I have a regular client base so I don't really need to worry about some bridezilla going to another makeup artist

 

[Lady Murasaki]

Personally if you are going to their place on the wedding day, it is important you see what their house is like and what they live like before you commit to going there again!

I did tell clients about not bringing people and i put it in their contract, but it didn't stop them.

For some women the organising of a wedding can be very stressful and they need emotional support and reassurance they making the choices and want their family it bridesmaids to meet you, especially if they are having treatments too.

Also as well, if they don't spend a lot normally on beauty treatments, they want validation that they are not wasting money and will look nice (especially if they have low confidence)

Also thinking about for safety reasons they may feel when going to someone house rather than a shop they need to bring someone with them.

People in the jewellers were gobsmacked when I chose my eternity ring on my own and didn't bring my mum, partner, friends, my sister etc with me.

But I'am confident with choices I make and do ask or desk other people opinions or validations.