The 80/20 Rule for Lash Artists: How 20% of Clients Generate 80% of Revenue

If you’re a lash artist running your own studio or working as a solo practitioner, one of the most powerful business lessons you can learn is this: 20% of your clients will often generate roughly 80% of your revenue.

It’s a guiding principle known as the Pareto Principle (or 80/20 rule) and applies across many service-based industries. In this blog we’ll dive into what the 80/20 rule means for you as a lash artist, how to identify your top-20% clients, how to serve them better and how to use that insight to grow your business smarter (and not only harder).

The 80/20 rule states that roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes. In business terms this often translates to: “80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your clients.” It’s a useful lens and it helps you focus your energy on the most productive parts of your business.

For a lash technician, that might mean a small group of loyal, high-value clients creating the bulk of your income while many one-time or low-spend clients make up the majority of bookings but only a small portion of revenue.

Also, recent salon industry data shows repeat clients generate around 80% of revenue despite representing less than half of client numbers. Let’s understand how to put it into practice step-by-step.

Before you can leverage the 80/20 rule, you need to figure out who your top 20% are. For a lash artist, this may involve segmenting clients by spend, frequency, booking behaviour or retention.

Here are some questions to ask:

• •Which clients book the most often (fills, upgrades, add-ons)?
• •Which clients spend the most per visit?
• •Who refers you to other clients or is strongly engaged with your brand?
• •Which clients tend to stay loyal over years rather than just one service?

Once you identify your top-tier clients, you can treat them as gold. For example, give them priority booking, exclusive offers or more personalised experiences. That way you reinforce their value and encourage them to stay in your top bracket.

Once you know who your high-value clients are, it’s time to give them a premium experience that keeps them engaged.

Here are some strategies:

• •Offer a membership or loyalty program designed for your top clients (for example monthly fills or VIP priority appointments). Many salons find these programs convert best with the top spenders.
• •Provide personalised communication: direct texting, early booking slots, specialised after-care kits, or previews of new services.
• •Introduce premium add-ons or bundles aimed at the top 20%, such as lash upgrades, advanced styles, seasonal care kits, or pre-booked refill packages.

By giving your best clients extra attention, you increase their lifetime value and strengthen your cash-flow base.

Not all clients are equal in return. Applying the 80/20 rule means you may need to say “no” or “not yet” to the 80% of bookings that yield only 20% of revenue. This doesn't mean ignoring them, but streamlining how you handle them so they don't drain your resources.

For example:

• •Set a minimum spend or booking tier for certain appointment types.
• •Use automation (such as your appointment software) for clients who book less often so you reduce manual follow-up.
• •Review your service menu: if a style or add-on is rarely booked or returns low margin, consider phasing it out or repositioning it.

This helps you free up time and energy to focus on high-return clients and high-return tasks, a core idea of the 80/20 principle.

The benefits of the 80/20 mindset extend into marketing and growth strategy for your lash business.

• •Focus your referral or loyalty campaigns on the top 20% and encourage them to refer friends with similar profiles.
• •Analyse your calendar. If you notice particular appointment types or client segments dominate your income, consider how to scale them.
• •Automate admin and queries that come from lower-value clients, saving more manual time for top-tier care.

According to business analysis, effective application of the 80/20 rule helps businesses maximise resources and focus on the “vital few” tasks or customers that drive most results.

While the 80/20 rule invites focus on the top 20%, it’s important to remember the other 80% of clients still matter. They may not deliver the majority of revenue, but they keep your studio busy, provide word-of-mouth and offer upsell potential.

Here’s how to balance:

• •Keep a streamlined process (automated emails, standard referral offers) for lower-spend clients so they feel valued without consuming excessive time.
• •Monitor performance to ensure you’re not ignoring a growth segment emerging in what used to be “low return”.
• •Periodically revisit your segmentation and metrics. Your top 20% today might shift tomorrow as styles, trends, or preferences change.

1. Pull your client data. Identify clients who have booked most often and spent the most in the last 12 months.
2. Rank them and identify the top 20%. Examine what behaviours or traits they shared.
3. Create special offers, loyalty perks or VIP treatment for that group.
4. Automate administration for the rest so you free your time.
5. Review quarterly: adjust your top-client list, refine your offers and track how your revenue mix shifts.
6. Use your lash appointment software to set tags or segments that align with your top client group.

For a lash artist, adopting the 80/20 rule means you stop working harder for every single booking, and instead you commit to working smarter for the most valuable bookings. The principle encourages you to identify the vital few clients and services that drive most of your income, to give them your best care, and to streamline or automate everything else.

Over time this not only boosts profitability, but also strengthens your brand, supports client loyalty and helps you scale without burnout. Apply it thoughtfully, keep all clients respected, but invest more of your energy where it counts most. For more such informative reads, please go through our blogs.