MENU
SEARCHGetting started in the nail business can be intimidating. What prices do you charge? Are your services good enough? Can you survive on salon income? So many questions race through your mind. Once you get started,
Getting started in the nail business can be intimidating. What prices do you charge? Are your services good enough? Can you survive on salon income? So many questions race through your mind. Once you get started, what happens when you switch salons or the salon itself changes locations? Do you offer discounted services, place an ad in the paper, have a mini meltdown?
I have been facing both challenges recently — starting back into the salon after a five-year hiatus, and then after a few months the salon has now moved to a neighborhood location with no “window traffic.” To start, I have a hard time giving away my services. With fuel at astronomical prices, a 30-mile drive one-way to the salon, quality professional products, and high day care costs, discounting my time does not seem sensible.
How do you draw in a few new people without offering them discounts just for stepping in the door? Put some thought into what you want them to come in for. What is your favorite service to perform? I’m sure you will all be shocked that my favorite thing to do is polish — whether it is traditional polish or gel polish. With that in mind, that service should be the focus of my plan.
Next, if you don’t want to discount your base service, what can you offer to give them an incentive to come in? Are there any add-ons to your favorite service that will not increase your product cost so much that you are losing money? For me the answer was an upgrade from a “Shellac” (which includes cuticle work, shaping, and Shellac) to a “Super Shellac” (which includes nail art and is $5 higher on my menu).
This accomplishes a couple of things — the client can still get a “deal” (or $5 savings) if she doesn’t want the nail art, and she has been exposed to an add-on service that is my trademark. AND, I’m not losing money by cutting into my base service price. How do you get the word out about the special? I have some postcards announcing the move and the special offer for current salon clients, and then I’m going to have my favorite current clients pass along some postcards to their friends. Facebook is another option; I’m just getting the salon FB page rolling so a contest amongst salon clientele to build my following is also in my plan.
When you’ve needed to build your clientele — whether you’re just starting out, starting over, moving salons, or the salon itself is moving, what has been successful for you? We can all learn from each other and maybe even mix and match ideas. I’m looking forward to seeing your creative marketing minds at work!
— Holly
Here I am sharing a very comprehensive and well-rounded almost back to work package of information for you from Virox (Rejuvenate) that is the complete set of materials to help you feel confident that everything is in place and ready to go, even if you are already back at work!
Every Tuesday for the next four weeks, Holly will be doing an alcohol ink tutorial.
National Nail Tech Day is May 30, and to celebrate YOU, Virox and I would like to offer up the opportunity to win a canister of disinfecting wipes.
Join me Wednesday evening 5/27/20 for a Live chat on Facebook with Dr Spalding to get some idea of what it takes to be that level of clean and safe.
If your salon has re-opened, you may have found some challenges with wearing a face shield while working. If not, here are some tips that could help save you some headaches when you do get back.
This video is a really awesome resource for figuring out a reasonable hourly rate for yourself in addition to seeing the average your area can bear in service prices in some ways.
Have you ever heard of the stages of grief? With everything going on, we are grieving our “normal”. That means you should give yourself permission to feel the way you feel.
Has all this PPE business got you down? Does it feel like it cramps your style? One way to help it cheer you up which will in turn cheer up your clients is to add some sparkle.
For those of you that like a little data with your info, here is some really interesting information from salon owner Michele Baker in Georgia. Being one of the first states to open left the salon owners to scramble to learn a lot of things on their own and many have been generous in sharing things they have figured out to help make operating in the COVID-19 world more systematic and understandable.
Holly orders Wildflowers Nails in a Box and tries it out Live.
Holly demonstrates how to do a vertical ombre on nails with the help of Winnie Huang.
Holly shares two videos to help you practice your liquid and powder technique.
Holly and Shelena Robinson show how to make a runway rose fit for everyday.
Holly helps you practice your hard gel technique.
Holly will be doing two Instagram Lives next week on PPE.
It has been quite a while since I made a video for the e-file chronicles so an update to that seemed in order. The latest installment is removing gel-polish from an enhancement.
Holly has a jam-packed week of live talks and demos on social media!
