2. The First Pillar: Expertise
What Do You Master?
Understanding and showcasing your expertise as a Powder Brows or Microblading artist is crucial. Here are concrete methods to enhance your authority and practical tips to ensure your efforts positively impact your reputation.
Presenting Attendance of Training and Certificates
For emerging artists, demonstrating diverse education in creating brows, validated by certificates and photos with trainers, is a smart move. About 86% of customers in our study were more inclined to trust a new artist with documented diverse training. This tangible proof significantly boosts your perceived expertise.
Beware of Communication That Is Not Under Your Control
However, there are nuances to consider. If you've already portrayed yourself as proficient and later showcased a beginner's certificate, it might undermine your perceived experience. Also, be wary of how trainers might present you in their communications. For established artists, private courses with various masters might be a more strategic choice. This enhances your skills and avoids being labeled as a novice.
Understanding the Hierarchies of Large Academies
Certification from a renowned academy can build authority, but be mindful of the academy's hierarchy. Such a certificate places you within this structure, above uncertified artists but potentially below others within the academy. This recognition is a powerful differentiator and trust-builder among potential clients.
Customers See Authority Reflectively about Others in the Same System
Remember, potential clients will perceive your authority in the context of the academy's hierarchy. Higher-ranking artists in the same area might be seen as more authoritative. It's a natural inclination for customers to prefer someone perceived as more qualified.
You Can Choose How to Play It Out
The good news is you have control over how you present these certifications. Even as a novice, you can frame your single certificate as part of a broader educational journey. Showcasing a range of preparation, even if it's just beginning, can effectively establish your authority. Building your expertise isn't about pledging loyalty to one academy; it's about creating a multifaceted image of your skills and knowledge.
Competitions - Always a Risk
Participating and winning competitions can significantly strengthen your authority by showcasing your expertise. However, many artists inadvertently diminish their credibility by promoting participation in online competitions or live contests. Various factors can lead to not achieving the expected results, such as jury preferences, biases in smaller online competitions, or sheer misfortune like being paired with an unfavorable model in more significant events. Publicly announcing your entry and then failing to win can inadvertently weaken your perceived authority.
Communicate the Victories and Be Smart About It
Does this mean you should avoid competitions altogether? Not necessarily. The key is in strategic communication. Enter the contest, give it your all, and patiently await the results. If you win an award, certificate, or trophy, share the news, but ensure the context is clear. The impact of your victory depends on the competition's scale — winning among a large group is more significant than winning in a category with few participants.
Additionally, be cautious about the reputation of the competitions you enter. Many are essentially internet scams designed to profit from entry fees and sponsorships. Flaunting trophies from dubious competitions can, at best, garner a positive response from less informed followers and, at worst, lead to backlash from more experienced ones, revealing a certain naivety. It's crucial to discern which competitions are prestigious and recognized within the industry, as victories in these arenas truly enhance your authority and reputation.
