Marla is an incredibly talented and seasoned makeup instructor, stylist, wardrobe consultant, and color analysis expert based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She came to us in the fall of 2023 ready to give her business, The Honest Image, a makeover. We were honored and excited! The updated makeup artist website launched in December 2023. The site has an intentional balance of class, artful yet luxurious design, and honest beauty. With custom before and after sliders, scrolling text, eye-catching photos, and brand story weaved throughout, it’s no wonder she’s really standing out from her competition! We interviewed Marla in the spring of 2024 to learn how her business has changed since her site went live. See her website here.
How did you feel about your website before working with Saltd Studio?
Marla: “My old website was clunky and hard to navigate. I cobbled it together myself on Square with a little bit of help from a friend. My shopping site worked okay but there was hardly any traffic from it. The worst part was my services were listed but there wasn’t an easy way for clients to message me or totally understand what I did. It was a mash-up of confusion. I really hated it but didn’t realize then what a great website would do for me. My SEO was consistently sending clients, but they weren’t booking because of my website, that’s for sure. I basically just had a website hanging out there because I was supposed to have a website, not because I gave it any attention.”
What made you decide to reach out to work on your makeup artist website?
Marla: “I realized I needed to embrace rebranding from a fellow networking partner. From her, I learned that people only take seconds to realize whether they will do business with you based on your brand, website, and social media. That rebranding experience truly ignited passion and excitement for my 32-year-old business. Now that I had a beautiful brand, my old website did not serve me. She recommended Saltd Studio. Looking over Saltd’s website and clients, I knew Emma had the talent and the right aesthetic for my luxe brand.”
What impact has your business seen since our project together ended?
“I went from an average of ten new clients a month last fall to my dream goal of 20 new clients a month since the first of this year. My sales for the first quarter of the year are up 50% from the first quarter of 2023.” -Marla Hursig, The Honest Image
Marla: “Since the website launched four months ago in mid-December 2023, I’ve hosted over seventy new clients. I went from an average of ten new clients a month last fall to my dream goal of 20 new clients a month since the first of this year. My sales for the first quarter of the year are up 50% from the first quarter of 2023. The most important statistic is that almost everyone who has found me through my website was a good fit. They understood what I did and knew they’d feel comfortable with me as their makeup and style consultant before they even walked in the door. Also, since my new website launched, I’ve had more Millennials find me for color and styling, which speaks to the universal appeal and look of the site.
I now always ask my clients: “How did you find me? Have you seen my website?” Almost all of them comment, “Yes, I love your website, and looking at the gallery and testimonials, I knew I’d be in good hands.” One of my newer clients said she told her sister, “I wish I could find someone to teach me makeup application.” Her out-of-state sister found The Honest Image makeup artist website and told her, “You have to go see Marla! She’s your person!”
Clients may be able to find your business online with optimized Google Business and with great SEO, but they have to have a reason to pick up the phone and not search on.”
What is your favorite part about your new website?
Marla: “Where do I start? I love it all! It tells my story, beautifully, honestly. Facts tell but stories sell. I love the brilliant before and after sliders on my client makeover gallery. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played with those! The layout is easy to read and aligns beautifully with my approachable, luxe brand. It is clear on every page how to contact me, and that has resulted in all my new clients. There was great care to add features that were easy to read and navigate as many of my clients are seniors. That said, it speaks to the younger generation, too, because as of the first of the year, many thirty-somethings have found me for color, styling, and makeup, too.”
What was your experience like throughout the website project process?
Marla: “My experience with Emma and Saltd Studio was nothing short of amazing. She really listened to my goals for the business and had such a thorough process in place to gather all the information and photos needed to map out the website. Also, I appreciated the “handholding” when I was unclear about how much or how little information was needed. This was my first experience with creating a brand-new website tailored to my business. It was seamless! There was also great ease in working through some difficult questions, such as the need for contact messaging vs. appointment booking, and the brilliant way Emma added my existing shopping site without having to recreate it. Emma’s advice on how to add blogs was a game changer, as well.
She beautifully captured my honest passion for my business and understood my demographic which has resulted in lots of new clients through my door in the short four months since the website launched.”
What would you say to someone considering working with Saltd Studio?
Marla: “If you’ve ever wondered if a new brand or website would change anything in your business, the answer is a resounding, “YES, IT WORKS!” I trusted that the money I spent on my rebrand would be worth it, and it was. I took a giant leap of faith to invest in my new website, and in three short months, it has already paid off. I track everything. It is clear since the launch of my site, my bookings and sales are up.”
