From Tips to Toes

How would like to add to your profits without having to spend money to recruit new clients or add new products or tools? That’s what offering your clients French toenail overlays can do, especially with summer-time coming. “The peak season for me is March through September,” says Michelle Cordes, owner/nail technician of The Nail Spa in Silverdale, Wash. “I’d say about 10% of my clientele get the service done.”

Athena Elliott, general manager of Beautique Day Spa & Salon in Houston, says approximately 20% of her current clientele request the service during the summer months. In particular she markets French toenails to clients with toenail problems. “It is easy to convince clients who have had ingrown toenail surgery or those who have lost nails or have badly misshapen ones to try it,” she says. “They all want that pretty, ‘normal’ look so that they feel comfortable wearing open-toe shoes.”

“I just try to remind client that while I am not a doctor, I have seen acrylic overlays help clients who were faced with making permanent decisions like having a nail cut out at the root,” says Cordes, “I am now working on a referral network with local dermatologists and podiatrists. They’d review my procedures and then feel free to recommend my services for their clients who may need them,” she explains. “The great part about it is that it seems like clients who have a ‘medical need’ for these services are the most loyal as well.”

As for clients who may just like the look, but haven’t yet given it a try, Cordes is running a special for all her regular acrylic-wearing clients: French toes for half price during a particular month. Another promotion she does to build business is to offer half price off the French toenails service to clients who refer a new client. She also offers free consultations and demos to any client and makes sure every nail technician on staff wears them on their toes.

Cordes charges her clients the same amount she does for regular full sets and fills, $60 and $30 respectively. While Elliott charges less for the service ($20), she also offers clients the option of just overlaying their big toenails for $12.

Both Cordes and Elliott predict big growth for the service during the upcoming summer months. “The word really got out in the salon this past year so I am expecting huge growth this season,” Cordes says. “We are so serious about building up the business that we’ve started to include it in all of our marketing.”