Like most busy professionals, I have to keep a running list of things I have to do. At the end of the day, I’m lucky if I can cross out one of the items on my list. I assume many people rely on similar tools to remind them of what they must accomplish, so to close out this last issue of the year, we asked several of the industry’s leading marketers what was on their company’s “to do” list for 1993. After you read these lists, I think you’ll agree that while we have much work yet to do in the industry, we have a lot to look forward to next year.

Rosie Chia, IBD International Beauty Design, Inc.

• Form partnership with nail technicians to increase consumer awareness of salon nail care

• Expand education program to in-salon support

• Increase Gel Nail benefits

• Expand Soft Light Gel line

• Promote Gel Nail services at salon level

• Continue support of Nail Manufacturers Council

• Implement salon retail program

Jan Nordstrom Bragulla, President, Creative Nail Design

• Innovate new product technology to satisfy these goals: high quality, long-wearing, beautiful, time-saving, safe and healthy

• Incrementally improve existing products

• Increase technology-driven education

• Grow Productive Quality Program to provide highest quality at value-based pricing

• Hold prices for fourth year in a row while increasing quality

• Help build a strong, intelligent nail program in schools

• Grow Nail Advantage for distributors so we, as partners, can better service the needs of nail artists, salon owners, and consumers

Susan Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Products

• Make enough OPI Nail Lacquer so no one is back-ordered

• Finally tell everyone what OPI really stands for

• Introduce our Micro Wrap System, but not until it’s perfect

• Shed some light on new sculptured nail technologies

• Convince salons that without a salon retail program they’re losing money

• Convince salons that without OPI’s retail program they’re really losing money

• Continue innovating and improving our extensive educational program

• Limit the tradeshows we attend to only the best

• Keep listening to what our customers want---and gives it to them

Essie Cosmetics 

• Introduce Essie’s Color Consultants program to allow customer input on polish shades and names

• Continue offering seasonal free sample program and same-day shipping

• As a fashion-oriented company, continue to give customers what they want and allow them to generate income

Mehaz International

• Improve and redesign nipper mechanism

• Introduce manicuring tools that will ease work pressure on nail technicians

• Get across to nail technicians to be professional and buy professional

• Continue providing the best service, like free sharpening and hassle-free exchange

• Attend as many tradeshows as possible to answer questions and explain our products

• Continue to be even more visible through advertising, tradeshows, dealer shows, and educational seminars

• Make available a sterilization system

Backscratchers Nail Care Products

• Increase the number of seminars nationwide

• Introduce new products

• Hire more field staff for educational support

• Introduce new educational video

• Move to larger facilities as company expands

• Update computer systems to better service customers and distributors

• Implement new production equipment and systems

• Develop new strategies to expand our dominance in Europe

• Expand continuing education programs

Sunny Stinchcombe, Gena Labs

• Kick off spring pedicure promotion

• Complete and distribute salon marketing kits for pedicures, paraffin, and Nature’s Manicure

• Present new paraffin educational video

• Increase customer service effectiveness and expand staff

• Finalize new products for BBSI

• Increase part-time education staff by five

• Increase regional education directors by two

• Promote and educate new Footcare Collection

The Supply Source

• Increase product line and improve package tracking

• Set up program with Federal Express to offer economic 48-hour delivery

Origi-Nails

• Add two new books to our educational print series

• Fine-tune Partners in Progress education program

• Launch business seminar program

• Implement an all-industry nail hot line

• Continue new product introductions

• Upgrade the technology and fashion of a liquid and powder utensil for the professional nail technician

• Update and expand technical training video library

• Add two new levels of technology to our research and development

Orly International

• Finalize launch of Orly’s spring/summer color collection

• Complete mailing new NMC MSDS to all distributors

• Evaluate test results of new nail strengthener

• Introduce new nail color line

• Prepare show schedule for Quartz nail line

• Improve 800-number customer to nail technicians

• Introduce Orly’s fall/winter color collection

• Test new product formulations for performance, durability, and wear

Art of Beauty

• Constantly update and review our high-fashion collection of fast-drying, toluene-free, and formaldehyde-free luscious colors.

• Create easy-to-use, high-quality nail care products that don’t contain harmful chemicals.

• Expand our service department to better help you with any matter.

• Focus all our attention on you.

Star Nail Products

• Implement Client Guard concept to all salons to remove negative image of salon implement sanitation

• Continue “It’s Time to Open Your Eyes” seminars nationally on sanitation, trends, and chemical awareness

• Continue promotion of retailing professional products

• Increase educator staff nationally

• Introduce a new gel product that is a permanent French Manicure look

• Introduce Client Guard Individual Station Sanitizer, a new product for individual station sanitation

• Expand Star for a Day program, where nail technicians try all three Star Nail systems in one class.

Galaxy Nail Products

• Our primary emphasis in 1993 is E.S.P.

• Education (teaching and educating nail technicians to be the very best with the best and latest techniques)

• Service (providing the best service)

• Products (providing the best products)

Soft Touch Professional Beauty Products

• Increase national and international education threefold

• Initiate six new products for retail consumption

• Test market new products for Soft Touch Nail Wrap System

• Test market new products for Systeme Molecular

• Increase advertising

• Complete semi-exclusive and exclusive distribution for Systeme Molecular powders and liquids

• Hire and train more educators

Forsythe Cosmetic Group Ltd.  

• We intend to do many more shows and meet our loyal customers firsthand

• Introduce a minimum of six new unique nail products

• Actively seek to increase our team of nail educators

• Continue to remain a professional-only product line and increase our market share

• We have a new program for retail education in the nail salon and will introduce this new concept during the second quarter

• Do our share in helping the economy by holding our distributor and salon prices at the 1992 level

• Support and champion nail technician licensing

• Support and champion truth in advertising and true and honest representation of products without hype

Markron Cosmetics

• Introduce new dual-layer color system

• Introduce realistic-look French manicure for acrylics

• Expand current wet line products

• Provide additional production area for additional color filling equipment