Talk about stress. Nail tech Dawn Basset recalls the time she changed salons, bought a house and a new car, and moved – a week before Christmas. Fearing her clients would not travel the 30 miles to her new salon, she devised the Star contest. “I bought poster board and some gold stars. I put all my clients’ names on the poster board. My instructions to them were if you send a new client in or buy a gift certificate, you get a star,” writes Bassett in her new book “How to Build a Clientele & Keep It.”

“After six weeks the client with the most stars wins $100. I only lost two clients because of the move, but I gained 30 new ones!”

Bassett, an educator and a nail tech at Ageless Zone Medical Spa & Salon in Reno, Nev., shares this tip and many others in her new book. “I want to get the word out that everyone can be successful doing what they are passionate about with the right tools,” she says. Other topics include choosing the best salon to work in, marketing, promotions, networking, and what to do when you have too many clients.

“How to Build a Clientele & Keep It” is priced at $19.95. To order, go the NAILS Store at www.nailsmag.com. For more information, you can e-mail Bassett at thenailgun@aol.com.

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