Do you ever find yourself thinking of the “good ol’ days”? The days before the discount salon, before computerized scheduling, before the constant white noise of clicking and vibrating from tuned-out texters. In the good ol’ days, the scent of acrylic enveloped us like a warm hug when we opened the salon each morning. Our books had standing appointments filled with customers who knew to arrive on time. They understood the need to prioritize their commitments, and would submissively schedule vacations and the birth of their children around their nail appointments. In those days, techs could even enjoy a cigarette while we sculpted nails that were long enough to touch the base of the palm.

It’s easy to see why a veteran tech with a book full of clients would be tempted to tune out industry changes and hope her loyal client base will carry her through to retirement. But what if you own the salon? What if you want to reduce your hours behind the desk and need the salon to grow? Nobody knows better than you that it could be time to reinvent yourself.

It’s my firm belief that successful nail techs are independent, tenacious, and creative. But even the best techs can get weary from listening to negative talk about the economy. It seems the ideal client books appointments further and further apart, and the only new clients calling sound like teenagers. (And they want to come in today. With a friend. For a full set. And art.) It’s easy to see how a tech from the “old days” could be tempted to view herself as washed up. Or worse, she could develop a chip on her shoulder that the “new” client type isn’t one she wants anyway. Both -attitudes are toxic to your professional (and personal) success.

“I think many techs have shrunk their dreams to match their income instead of matching their income to their dreams,” says Millie Haynam, industry educator and owner of Natural Beauty Salon and Spa in Twinsburg, Ohio. “Remember, the enemy of great is good.” That’s a great encouragement for those of us who have settled into the predictability of our careers.

Of course, you might think there’s no reason to reinvent yourself. You might be completely satisfied with the rhythm of your business. But what about your client? Is she satisfied, or does she visit a different salon for other services, such as pedicures, polish changes, or fixes? Did she ever ask if you could do something different because she saw it on her friend’s nails? Do you ever hear her “joking” that she wouldn’t dare switch her appointment because she doesn’t know if she could ever get in again? Listen closely, because that client is communicating to you. She’s looking for more than you offer.

As you consider the idea of reinventing yourself to achieve the next level of success, think of building on the foundation of your excellence. You won’t want to give up your signature service of perfectly sculpted pink-and-whites, for example. Instead, think of ways you can expand your business to excel in other areas to attract a broader range of clients.

“I always tell people to find something that no one else is doing and do that,” says Athena Elliott, a Houston-based certified medical nail technician and a celebrity manicurist who owns Spathena at MinxHouston. “Don’t just read NAILS to learn about the next thing or the latest product,” says Elliott. “Implement the ideas you’re reading about!” As a certified medical nail tech, Elliot offers clients a unique service, and she’s consistently busy from referrals she receives from area podiatrists. How-ever, Elliot saw a lull in the economy, so she wanted to broaden her client base. She introduced Minx nails, targeting the client who seems the antithesis of her “medical” clients. That bold decision helped cement her position as a celebrity manicurist.

The possibilities to reinvent yourself range from conservative to a total salon makeover. You could start by introducing a new service: permanent pink-and-white gel nails, soak-off gels, art, or personalized colors, to name a few. You might be ready to have a complete overhaul and invest in multiple pedicure booths, a natural nail bar, or a license that allows you to sell glasses of wine to clients. Where do you see yourself in one year, five years, even 10 years? How can you reinvent yourself to meet the demands of the new client?

One frustration common among seasoned techs is that they are willing to take the risk to appeal to a new clientele, but there are no techs to hire. “We know we aren’t meeting the demand,” says Lauren Cawley, a 19-year tech and owner of Volpe Nails and Hair in Johnson City, N.Y. However, all three techs at her salon have been in the -business over 15 years, and their books are full. “We’re already overextending ourselves. We have been looking for someone new, but we haven’t found anyone to hire.”

Cawley is looking for a tech with fresh ideas, one who has grown up in the generation she knows she needs to target. “I think a tech attracts a -clientele that is similar to herself. Hopefully the next person who works with us will attract the customers we’ve been missing.”

There was a time in the not-so-distant past that Cawley was ready to throw in the towel. She entertained the thought of closing down the salon, setting up a desk in her house, and reducing her clientele to a few of her favorites. “The shift in the industry happened on my watch,” says Cawley. “It’s difficult for me because I’m very old school. Not just in terms of how I run my business, but also in my mind. I don’t even text!”

Thankfully two back-to-back events happened that changed her mind. First, a tech with the personality and ambition she had been looking for walked into the salon and asked for a job. Second, Cawley enrolled herself and one of her techs in a networking event with demonstrations from OPI and Young Nails. “Going to that event breathed life back into me,” she says. “I loved seeing all the new options on the market, and I realized there are products out there that are exactly what we need to appeal to a new type of client.”

One characteristic of “old school” is building a base of clients who are loyal to the tech, not the salon. Victoria Vo, owner of Ku’tur Nail Lounge and Salon in Plant City, Fla., suggests an alternative. “No matter who works here,” says Vo, “I train them to all offer the same customer service and the same nail service so that the client can go to anyone and be happy.” Vo says friendships still form between particular techs and clients, but the techs themselves help prevent any personal -attachment by promoting each other to the customers. Techs affirm each other with statements such as “She’s just as good as I am. You’ll be just as happy with her.” It seems to go against human nature to promote someone else instead of yourself, and Vo says it’s not always easy to do, but the techs and stylists at her salon have found that cross--promotion benefits everyone.

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One strength of the nail industry is that there is room for everyone. The number of different ways to change yourself and your business are as numerous as the number of techs. Whether you decide to meet the new demand by expanding your menu or your entire salon will depend on what goals you have for your career. But don’t let the changes scare you. Think back to when you first got into nails. Do you remember people thinking you would never make money doing nails? I guess you showed them.

 

Do it again.

 

The New Customer

Who are these new customers, and what do they want? Depending on the demographics of your town, you may be able to tap into one or all of these potential “new” markets. Think creatively. It’s likely that many clients will fit more than one of these profiles. Once you’ve decided who you’re going to target, get the word out through clients, social networking, and other local businesses to let potential clients know that your salon has a service that will meet their needs.

 

 

Artistic Flair
This client likes her nails to announce she has a fun and flamboyant side. She might love stiletto nails, she might like glitter or mylar, or she might like hand-drawn art. You don’t need to have natural drawing ability to attract this client. Many resources are available to help the tech satisfy the client who wants to use her nails as a canvas.

 

 

All Natural
An “all-natural” client may be one who wants -certified organic products, or it could be someone who simply wants a beautiful manicure on natural nails. It may even be a client who is willing to have enhancement product applied to her nails as long as her nails still -appear completely natural. To -attract this client, techs can expand their natural nail services. One service may include manicure and pedicure services that use -organic products, another might be a mani-pedi -combo, a third could be a service intended to help -clients grow their natural nails after enhancements. Soak-off gel nails or Minx nails may also appeal to this client.

Out With a Friend
This client, like the spontaneous client, thinks of booking the nail -appointment because it seems like a good idea at the time. Often booked as a natural-nail service, the appointment is used as much to feel pretty as for a time to catch up with a girlfriend. This client chooses the salon over (or in addition to) a cup of coffee or lunch with a friend. The benefit to the tech is that this client focuses on her friend, not on you. An idea to accommodate this customer is to expand the pedicure area to include multiple booths and offer a variety of price points for services. Since this client isn’t in a rush to get out of the salon and needs little interaction, a talented tech could work on both clients at the same time.’’

 

 

Just the Girls
This client wants the nail salon to be a destination for herself and her girlfriends. It could be a girls’ night out, -complete with drinks and snacks, or it could be an event for teenagers where the music is turned up to make the salon feel like a party. Another “just girls” market is the young diva birthday party. Ideas to attract this client would be to promote times when the shop can be booked after hours; for example, on Sunday afternoons or Friday evenings. To get things started, book an after-hours party to promote your -retail products or as a way to thank loyal -customers with an -“invitation-only” event.

Spontaneous
This client doesn’t want to map out her life weeks in advance to commit to an appointment time. If she’s having a hard day, she wants to walk into the salon and relax with an -impromptu mani or pedi. To accommodate this client, -develop an atmosphere that welcomes walk-ins. This might include having techs “on-call” for certain hours so they can be at the salon within 15 minutes, or it might help to offer walk-in specials at certain times of the day, for example from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. or 3 p.m.-6 p.m.

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