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Supply and Demand in the Brow Business

Mar 02, 2024, author: Hairstrokes.com / Holistic PMU
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"When considering a career in powder brows, hairstrokes, or microblading, it's easy to make decisions based on emotion and then justify them later. However, this article aims to provide a fact-based approach to decision-making in this field, offering data to support these critical career choices. "

1. Background


This article interviewed 61 experienced PMU (Permanent Makeup) artists, primarily focusing on powder brows, hairstrokes, and microblading. Notably, 42 artists entered the pigmentation industry within the three years before the interviews, which took place between 2020 and 2023, alongside several ongoing research projects. This group included 46 artists from EU countries, 11 from the UK, and six from the US.

The main goal of this article is to present a clear and practical method for understanding supply and Demand in the brow business.

2. Begin with analysis


The prospect of a career in powder brows, hairstrokes, or microblading appeals to many. Yet, after investing time, money, and energy into their training, some question their choice, pondering, "Is this the right career for me?" due to a disconnect between their initial expectations and the reality. To avoid these doubts and ensure you're pursuing a path that matches your passion and skills, it's essential to plan and consider carefully. This guide will outline three critical steps before pursuing a career as a powder brow, hairstrokes, or microblading artist, providing insights to determine if this field is a suitable and rewarding career path.

Grasping the Basic Principles: Supply and Demand In the attractive world of becoming a powder brows, hairstrokes, or microblading artist, it's crucial to avoid swaying by the promising narratives of trainers and educators. Before dreaming of prosperity and boundless opportunities, grounding in the market's realistic aspects is essential.

Supply and Demand are fundamental economic concepts, first introduced by Scottish economist Adam Smith in his 1776 publication "The Wealth of Nations." French mathematician and economist Augustin Cournot refined these concepts in 1838 and introduced the supply and demand curves.

What are Supply and Demand?

Supply indicates how much of a particular product or service the market can provide. Generally, as the price rises, so does the willingness of producers to offer more of the good. The factors influencing supply and Demand can differ significantly across industries and regions. For powder brows, hairstrokes, or microblading, factors include the service's popularity, local demographics, and the availability of skilled artists.

3. Understand the Supply


The initial step is practical: decide where to offer your service. If choosing your hometown, use Google Maps to identify all artists in and around this area, including those willing to travel or serve customers from your location. Experienced artists suggest that this area should not extend beyond 120 miles (about 200 km), providing a realistic view of the supply.

Creating a Supply Table

Next, compile a spreadsheet listing all artists, the services they provide, and their prices. Contact them directly if prices are unavailable online or through booking systems. Completing this table will give you a clear understanding of the prevailing price levels.

Gathering Data from Business Databases

Accessing financial data filed by artists through their companies is possible in many countries. Before investing thousands in training, invest a small amount to obtain this financial information. Publicly, everyone may claim to be doing "magnificently," but the financial data often reveals a different story.

Analyzing Social Media and Fake Follower Ratios

Discussing how to obtain accurate data on engagement, social media fake follower ratios, and demographics is vital. Use free tools to analyze this data. Include a section for each artist's Instagram account in your table, noting the number of followers, fake follower ratio, engagement, and posting frequency.

Exploring the Facebook Ad Library

Systematically search the Facebook ad library to see which artists are advertising and what keywords they are using. Note the number of ads each artist runs in your area, including for services like lips and eyeliner.

Checking Google Ads

Search for all artists in your table on Google to see who is advertising. Use basic queries like "Best powder brows in [your location]" or "The best microblading/hairstrokes artist in..." Note those investing in ads.

Investigating Organic Traffic

Use tools discussed on powderbrows.com to estimate the organic traffic to artists' websites. Note the traffic each site receives from Google and the keywords they've optimized their content for.

Adding data from Instagram, Facebook, and Google to your table and different dates allows you to track changes in follower growth and advertising activities. This insight helps understand supply trends in your region and the trajectories of various artists, including how their advertising affects follower growth.

It's important to realize that the supply in your area is likely to stay the same. In fact, if your potential trainer is offering services in your area, the competition might increase. This understanding is crucial for grasping market dynamics and making informed decisions, not to discourage but to enable a strategic approach. The more information you gather, the better you can carve out your niche and succeed.

4. Survey the Demand


Be Skeptical of Common "Fully Booked" Claims

Next, create a new sheet in your table to analyze Demand. It's important to note that understanding actual Demand is challenging, as many artists may exaggerate or mislead about their market presence. Claims of being booked months in advance or being able to select their clients often need to be more accurate. This might be due to a desire for social conformity, where artists mimic others' claims of being fully booked.

Surprisingly, some artists make posts on Instagram without promoting them to a small following, claiming they have only a few slots left, which are quickly "filled." This attempts to create a false sense of urgency for a naive audience.

Examine Real Evidence

The financial data you collected earlier can provide insight into actual Demand. Ignore the notion that there's a vast pool of untapped revenue. The financial records from legitimate businesses are likely accurate, as falsifying them for tax evasion is not worth the risk. Also, evaluate the social media posts.

Evaluate Instagram and Facebook

Review each artist's social media accounts, counting the before-and-after pictures and posts about completed client services. Focus on identifying distinct clients to avoid counting multiple posts from the same session. Document the average number of these posts over the last three months.

Pretend to Be a Client

For a more accurate demand assessment, contact artists pretending to be potential clients looking for an immediate appointment due to upcoming travel. Note their availability and pricing responses, and inquire about discounts if their initial quote seems high.

Update Your Table Record both the original and discounted prices offered. This will give you a clearer picture of the actual Demand. A lack of available appointments shortly is rare but noteworthy. Multiple immediate availability offers, however, should be a red flag.

These steps aim to reveal the actual Demand within your area, helping you understand whether the career path holds genuine opportunity or if claims of full calendars are merely strategic exaggerations.

5. The Third Key


Do Simple Calculations

The math needed to assess the profitability of offering these services in your area is straightforward.

Calculate Averages

Round up for caution and use actual data. Multiply the average price of services by the number of treatments showcased through social media posts. While only some clients may be represented, this calculation reasonably estimates potential earnings.

Trust Observable Facts

Rather than buying into the myth of a lucrative, untapped market, focus on what you can observe. Use Occam's Razor as your guide.

Occam's Razor Principle

This principle suggests that the simplest explanation is often correct. If artists in your area rarely post new client photos, show modest financial results, offer discounts, and seem desperate on social media, it's likely because supply exceeds Demand.

6. Understanding the Situation


If Demand Exceeds Supply If securing an appointment is difficult, discounts are rare, financial results for top artists are strong, and there's a steady stream of new client posts, so entering your area's brow business seems promising.

If Supply Exceeds Demand

In this scenario, evaluate your digital presence realistically. Consider the reach and demographic match of your social media accounts, your website's organic traffic, and the cost of essential keywords

If you need more digital assets, estimate a budget for building and promoting your presence to compete with established artists. This could range from $30,000 to $100,000. While these figures may seem high, careful budgeting will clarify their feasibility. Consider this investment alongside training and other expenses to understand the total commitment required.

By applying these methods and doing basic calculations, you can make an informed decision about pursuing a career in powder brows, hairstrokes, or microblading in your area. Stay grounded and avoid letting misconceptions or peer pressure influence your judgment.

7. Conclusions


In semi-permanent makeup, it's common for aspiring artists to dedicate a lot of time and effort toward meeting a demand that might not be there. The key to understanding local opportunities lies in a classic supply and Demand analysis.

This article has outlined a structured approach to grasp supply and Demand, relying on factual data instead of the embellished stories seen on artists' social media profiles. To accurately assess the supply, one should examine the follower demographics of competitors and gather financial data from public databases. A detailed review of the Facebook Ad Library and Google Adwords, summarized in a comprehensive table, can also provide a clearer picture of the local Demand.

Evaluating Demand critically is crucial. Instead of accepting overoptimistic claims of being fully booked, rely on tangible evidence. Calculating turnover, considering reported fees, and analyzing average service charges are reliable indicators. The "Acting as a Client" strategy has proven invaluable for many in gathering insights before making significant commitments.

If your analysis shows high Demand for appointments, stable pricing by artists, impressive financial results from top artists, and a steady flow of client procedure posts, then starting a career in powder brows, hairstrokes, or microblading in your area is likely a viable option, as Demand exceeds supply.

Conversely, when supply exceeds Demand, the challenge intensifies. A realistic assessment of your digital and social media assets becomes crucial. Review the number and demographics of your followers to ensure they match those needed for brow services. Also, analyze your website's organic traffic and the cost of essential keywords in your area.

This methodology is adaptable to various services, including hairstrokes. Despite a saturated market, such analyses often reveal an actual demand, encouraging artists to offer their services confidently.
 
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Comments
 
Rita
Saturday, Mar 02, 2024

A thought provoking piece. I believe very many artists spend their time just in illusions imagining that there is demand where there is none. Definitely suggest to read the longer version too.


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