My Search For A Makeup Artist: 4 Business Lessons Learned

Who knew you can learn so much about business while searching for a makeup artist?

You may already know that my brother is engaged and my family is now planning a wedding!

The search for a makeup artist has been a long one, and so far there is no happy ending.

But going through this process has taught me a lot. I have interacted with so many different business owners and I’m here to report what I have learned.

1. Do good work, but remember - everyone has different taste:
   

   There are lots of people who were highly recommended to me but when I saw their work I just didn’t understand the hype. They are still of the most popular artists and my opinion doesn’t make a drop of a difference to them.

   
   Remember: There will be people who don’t like your work. And it’s OK. You are not for everyone. The people who appreciate your work will be raving fans.
   
   

2. Have Set Policies:

   
   Lots of makeup artists have minimum packages. Yes, it’s annoying for me because I can never fill their minimum. But I much appreciate a makeup artist who is honest and straightforward about her policies. Don’t be like the woman who said to me, “I usually only work with parties of 5 or 6 or more, unless it’s a quieter season. I can write you down but I’m not sure I will be able to do it...:”
   
   

   Be clear and upfront about your policies and what the prospective client can expect. If you only offer packages, be confident about it. If you’re willing to negotiate, that’s okay. But don’t be wishy-washy.
   
   

3. be Empathetic:

   
   In my search for a makeup artist, plenty of people had to tell me no. Who are the ones that I respect? The ones who were empathetic and showed consideration. The ones who took the time to refer me to their trusted peers.  
   
   

   Likely, your potential clients are on a long search to find a service or solution that works for them. Getting a no is difficult for anyone. Try to show understanding to the person you are rejecting. How can you make them feel understood?

4. aCCEPT cOMPLIMENTS wITH gRACE:

   
   I’ve experienced first hand how important it is for a service provider to receive compliments graciously. I emailed one makeup artist saying “I saw your beautiful work online and wanted to know if you are available…” She surprised me by beginning her response with, “Thank you for the compliment.” It takes a gracious person to be able to humbly express gratitude to the one bestowing a compliment.
   
   

   I had chance to put this lesson into practice right away, as I got an inquiry from a potential client the next day who said the following: “Hey, my name is ___. I got your number from ____. She told me some wonderful things about you and I would love to have a conversation.”
   
   

   I implemented what I learned and began my response by accepting the compliment and saying, “Hi! Thank you for reaching out and thanks for the positive feedback. :)”

Friend, please pray for me that I find a great makeup artist soon! But in the meantime, I’m glad I had the opportunity to learn some lessons that I can share with you.

And hey, if you have any makeup artist recommendations for me (NY/NJ area), I can’t say I won’t appreciate if you send their info right over!

(Update: Thank you to every one who sent their recommendations! We eventually found a lovely makeup artist who had originally told me that she will have to charge us her minimum, even if we couldn’t meet it. Luckily, after we reserved her another wedding party reached out to her and wanted to book for that day. They agreed to join up with us and fill her day, so we didn’t end up having to pay for faces that we didn’t need.)