Clients in the self-care sphere want great results from their treatments, but they want respect from the staff even more.

If you’ve been in the self-care business for a while, then you and your staff are probably excellent at what you do. However, for more than two-thirds of your clients, that might not be enough to keep them coming back. To earn loyalty and grow your business, you’ll also need emotional intelligence.

As it turns out, there are two major dealbreakers for self-care clients: treatments that don’t get results, and staff members who don’t care. A flawless session won’t win a client over if they had to put up with rude comments or a dismissive attitude. Likewise, having the kindest staff in town won’t matter if you can’t deliver what your clients paid for. Turning first-time visitors into regulars takes a mix of expertise and heart. With a few handy tips and stats on your side, you can deliver both.

What Do Clients Want from Self-Care Businesses?

Boulevard recently published The Self-Care Client Report 2026: Uncovering What Truly Matters. We surveyed more than 2,000 self-care clients to learn how they find providers and what keeps them coming back. 

One theme that came up again and again was client expectations. With people pouring more money than ever into health and wellness, effective treatments are now the bare minimum. Clients also want

• Exceptional service

• Personalized experiences

• Rewarding memberships

Before we get into what clients really want, let’s cover what might drive them away:

• Almost three-quarters (71%) of clients said “poor results” were a dealbreaker

• The same number (71%) were unwilling to return to a business with “rude, dismissive staff”

• Clients said that cleanliness, timeliness, and friendliness were non-negotiable in any self-care business

These numbers confirm what you probably already suspected: technical skill and a good attitude are equally important. If either one is lacking at your business, you potentially stand to lose more than 70% of first-time clients.

The good news is that most clients aren’t asking for anything out of the ordinary. A well-trained, properly licensed staff should have no problem delivering excellent results in every session. As far as friendliness, that’s a combination of:

• Being polite

• Listening to what clients want

• Answering questions honestly (but tactfully!)

Your business should already be clean, since it would be a health hazard otherwise. You should also aim to run as close to “on-schedule” as possible, and communicate with clients if there are any big delays. If you manage multiple locations, each one should operate at the same high standards.

Basically, give clients what they paid for and treat them with respect, and they’re much more likely to come back a second time.

What Builds Client Loyalty in the Self-Care Industry?

Granted, there’s a difference between one or two successful self-care visits and true client loyalty. If you want clients to make your business part of their regular routines, you need to offer more than just good results and friendly service.

• Two-thirds (66%) of clients said that remembering their preferences between visits builds long-term loyalty

• Promotional texts and emails are fine — in moderation. 54% of clients prefer just one message per week

• More than half (55%) of clients said that they expect memberships, add-ons, and retail products to be available

More than anything else, client loyalty comes down to being consistent and considerate. When you remember a client’s name and treatment preferences, they feel like a valued individual, not just another profile in your software system. Sending messages and offering add-ons means that you’re paying attention to what they want. Meanwhile, not spamming clients or trying to upsell them on everything means that you don’t take their business for granted.

Memberships can be a particularly effective way to build client loyalty while growing your business. In fact, memberships account for 72% of revenue at top-performing self-care businesses. They also give clients a reason to come back every month. When it comes to memberships:

• Two-thirds (67%) of clients want discounts and savings

• Half (50%) of clients want added perks

• 42% of clients want flexible scheduling options, such as rollover appointments or simpler booking procedures

There’s no “right” way to incorporate all these different features, since you’ll need to figure out a system that works for your business. As you craft a membership plan, though, remember the power of an occasional discount. Almost three-quarters (71%) of clients said that a discount would make them more likely to book an appointment when business is slow.

How Can Self-Care Staff Members Be More Friendly and Attentive?

Self-care clients don’t want to deal with difficult staff members, even if the treatments on offer are excellent. On the other hand, being “friendly” depends on your perspective. Some people are naturally more outgoing than others. Certain clients might prefer calm silence to constant chatting. There’s a fine line between “making conversation” and “being nosy.”

While there’s no perfect solution, active listening is a fantastic place to start. Instead of just two people waiting for their turns to talk, active listening can make conversations deeper, more rewarding, and more respectful.

To try active listening for yourself:

• Slow down and think: In a standard conversation, it’s tempting to latch onto a single point, think of the “perfect” response, and just wait for an opening. Instead of focusing on how to reply, just listen and focus on the other person’s words and feelings

• Ask responsive questions: When people talk, they usually start with their surface thoughts. You can invite them to go deeper, which they’ll usually appreciate. Ask them to expand on a point they made, or how what happened made them feel, or what they might do next

• Stay focused on the other person: We’re usually a little too eager to relate another person’s experience to our own. Before you jump into “I can relate” or “a similar thing happened to me,” make sure the other person has really said everything they want to say on a topic. With any luck, they’ll actively listen to your story next

The bottom line is clear: You need technical expertise, you need people skills, and you need them in equal measure. For ideas on how to build both, download The Self-Care Client Report 2026. Once you know exactly what your clients want, you’ll have everything you need to turn first-time visitors into loyal regulars.