Sometimes it’s not that you need to get more clients (we’ve already told you that it costs more to get a new client than it does to keep an old one), but that you need to get more out of your clients. That might mean sending them home with a service-preserving retail item (we’ll get to retail in the very near future) or an incentive to entice them to try a new service.

And what’s better than a new service that is unique to your salon? That’s what many nail techs and salon owners are finding out with new specialty products like Minx Nail Coatings and eyelash extensions. (I’ve personally had Novalash extensions applied and even I was dazzled by the way they changed the look of my eyes.) Adding a unique service piques the interest of clients who want to try the newest and coolest. It also positions your salon as the place to be.

“When I started on my own in January, I was looking for something that I hadn’t tried before to bring attention to my new business,” says Michelle Yianakopolos of Sweet Chic Hands & Feet in Manchester, N.H. I found Minx mentioned in NAILS and a consumer magazine, so I purchased a Mini Minx Training Kit and grabbed as many girls as possible to test them out. I love them and they attract a lot of attention.” 

So far, Yianakopolos is the only nail tech in New Hampshire offering Minx nail coatings, and she says some clients have driven more than an hour to get a set. And the best part about adding these more exclusive services, they market themselves. Put Minx or eyelash extensions on the other stylists in your salon and you’ll see the inquiries start very quickly. Offer to put them on salesgirls at nearby retail outlets at no charge in exchange for them handing out your business card when someone compliments them.

Yianakopolos says, “Since my Minx pedicures have caused quite a stir, I think my clients may come back throughout the New England fall and winter seasons, which will stimulate my economy. Some clients pretty much stay in during the winter, but I hope by offering them fresh services they will come back instead of holding out until next spring.”

— Hannah Lee

Coming Next Week: Seven (Truly) New Marketing Ideas 

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