How to Get Your First 100 Lash Clients: A Guide for Lash Techs

Starting out as a lash tech is exciting, but one of the biggest challenges is building a steady client base. You can have the best lash skills, a gorgeous setup and all the right products, but if nobody knows you exist, getting those first bookings can feel impossible.

The good news? You don’t need thousands of followers to build a successful lash business.

With consistent content, great customer service, strong word-of-mouth and a little creativity, you can work your way towards your first 100 lash clients.

Whether you’re newly qualified or looking to grow your existing lash business, here are some practical ways to attract your first 100 clients.

1. Start With Friends, Family & People You Know

Your first clients don’t necessarily need to come from Instagram or TikTok.

Start with the people already around you.

Ask friends, family members, colleagues and acquaintances if they would be interested in becoming a model or booking an appointment. You could offer an introductory price in exchange for permission to photograph their lashes and use the results on your social media.

These first appointments are valuable because they allow you to:

• Build your confidence
• Practise different lash styles
• Create before-and-after content
• Collect reviews
• Get referrals
• Build your portfolio

Remember, every client you gain has the potential to introduce you to several more.

2. Create a Lash Portfolio

People want to see what you can do before they trust you with their lashes.

Make your social media pages your online portfolio.

Take clear, well-lit photos and videos of your work after every appointment. Try to showcase a variety of styles, including classics, hybrids, Russians, wispy sets and different lash maps.

You don't need expensive equipment either. A good phone camera, consistent lighting and a clean background can make a huge difference.

Your portfolio should help potential clients answer one simple question:

"Do I want my lashes to look like that?"

3. Use Instagram & TikTok to Your Advantage

Social media can be one of the most powerful tools for a new lash tech.

Instead of only posting finished lash sets, create content that potential clients actually want to watch.

For example:

Educational content

• Which lash set is right for me?
• Classic vs hybrid lashes
• What happens during a lash appointment?
• How long do lash extensions last?
• How to look after your lash extensions

Behind-the-scenes content

• Setting up your lash bed
• Preparing for a client
• Lash tray organisation
• A day in the life of a lash tech
• Your lash station before and after

Transformation content

• Before & afters
• Lash mapping
• Close-up lash reveals
• Natural lashes vs finished set

And don't forget to include your location in your captions and videos. If you're trying to attract local clients, people need to know where you're based.

4. Offer an Introductory Treatment

When you're starting out, you may want to offer a limited-time introductory price.

For example:

"New Client Offer – Classic Full Set £XX"

The important thing is to make it clear that it's an introductory offer rather than permanently lowering your prices.

You could also create an incentive such as:

"Book your first appointment and receive £5 off your next infill."

This encourages clients to return rather than treating your business as a one-time bargain.

5. Ask Every Client for a Review

Reviews are incredibly valuable when you're trying to build trust.

After a client's appointment, politely ask them to leave a review.

You can ask them to mention things such as:

• Their experience
• The lash results
• Your customer service
• The salon environment
• Whether they would recommend you

With permission, you can then share your reviews on your Instagram Stories and save them to a "Reviews" highlight.

A potential client seeing dozens of positive reviews can make them much more comfortable booking.

6. Create a Referral Scheme

Your existing clients can become your best marketing tool.

Consider creating a simple referral scheme such as:

"Refer a friend & you both receive £5 off your next appointment."

Or:

"Refer 3 friends and receive a FREE lash bath."

Make sure the reward still makes financial sense for your business.

The goal is to turn your existing clients into people who actively recommend you to their friends, colleagues and family.

7. Make Your Booking Process Easy

Imagine someone sees your TikTok, loves your work and wants to book.

If they have to send you three messages, wait for a response, ask for your availability and then figure out how to pay a deposit, there's a chance they'll give up.

Make booking as simple as possible.

Your social media should clearly show:

Location
Prices
How to Book
Availability
Policies

Have a clear link in your bio where clients can find your booking information.

The easier you make it, the more likely someone is to actually complete their booking.

8. Post Your Availability

Don't assume people know when you have appointments available.

Use your Instagram Stories to regularly post:

"Appointments available this week "

You can even create urgency by showing specific slots:

Tuesday – 5pm
Thursday – 10am
Saturday – 1pm

This gives followers a reason to book now rather than saying, "I'll book next week."

9. Network With Other Local Beauty Businesses

You don't have to build your business alone.

Connect with other local beauty professionals who have a similar target audience.

Think:

• Nail techs
• Hairdressers
• Brow artists
• Makeup artists
• Hair extension specialists
• Tanning salons
• Beauty salons

You could cross-promote each other, create collaborative content or recommend one another to clients.

For example, a nail tech might have a client looking for a lash tech — and vice versa.

10. Use Local Facebook Groups

Facebook groups can still be incredibly useful for local businesses.

Search for groups in your area such as:

"Wigan Ladies"
"Manchester Beauty"
"Local Businesses in [Your Area]"

Always check the group's rules before promoting your services.

Rather than constantly posting "Book now!", create useful or engaging posts.

For example:

"I'm a newly qualified lash tech based in [area] and I'm looking for a few models to build my portfolio. I'm offering discounted appointments this month..."

A genuine introduction can feel much more personal than a hard sales post.

11. Don't Forget About Word of Mouth

One happy client can bring you multiple new clients.

Give people a reason to talk about you.

This could be your:

• Lash results
• Customer service
• Beautiful treatment room
• Complimentary aftercare
• Personalised lash mapping
• Attention to detail

Small touches can make a big difference.

A client who feels looked after is much more likely to tell someone:

"You NEED to go to my lash tech."

And that recommendation is incredibly powerful.

12. Keep Your Lash Quality Consistent

Getting 100 clients is great — but keeping them is even better.

Your goal shouldn't simply be to get someone through the door once.

You want them to become a regular client.

That means consistently providing:

• Clean and safe treatments
• Good lash application
• Suitable styling
• Comfortable appointments
• Professional customer service
• Clear aftercare advice
• Reliable booking experiences

And, of course, using quality professional lash products can help you maintain consistent results.

At Phatlash, we stock professional lash supplies designed for lash techs, from lash extensions and promades to adhesives, aftercare and essential salon products.

13. Track Your Progress

Don't just aim for 100 clients without keeping track.

Create a simple client tracker and number each new client:

Client #1 ✓
Client #2 ✓
Client #3 ✓

...all the way to:

Client #100 

You could even set smaller milestones:

10 clients → 25 clients → 50 clients → 75 clients → 100 clients

Seeing your progress can make the journey feel much more achievable.

How Long Does It Take to Get 100 Lash Clients?

There's no set timeframe.

For some lash techs, it may take a few months. For others, it could take longer depending on their location, availability, pricing, marketing and how consistently they promote their business.

Don't compare your progress to another lash tech online.

Focus on getting your next client, then your next one after that.

100 clients might sound like a huge number when you're starting at zero, but every successful lash business started with that very first booking.