Nails
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Technique

How can I get people to get regular pedicures and try nail art?

July 1, 2008

This is the perfect time of year to get clients in the habit of regular pedicures. Let me share a couple of tricks to get your customer to book a pedicure every month.

1. Give a discount when a customer rebooks a pedicure within 30 days.

2. Offer a package deal. How about a Super Summer Pedicure Package that promotes purchasing three or four pedicures at a time?

3. Sell coupons that clients can purchase and use to pay for their pedicures. Sell each coupon for a discounted price and let customers purchase as many as they like. Sell them quarterly with an expiration date of about three months.

4. Change your pedicures seasonally. Keep them interesting and fun.

5. Give the world’s best massage. No one will ever stray from your appointment book if you give them an incredible massage. Take classes, perfect your technique, and find special ways to pamper your clients. Depending on your location and the average age of your clientele, it can be a challenge to get customers to wear nail art. When marketing your work, it is essential that you have all types of nail art from simple to downright gaudy. Keep in mind everyone’s taste is different and you need to cater to all. Displays sell nail art. It’s all about the visual presentation that makes the customer either want it or ignore it. Be clever when displaying your artwork and change it often to keep customers’ interest. I personally love to do nail art, and when I have a little extra time in my schedule I often find myself doing free art for fun (at least that is what my client thinks). But I really have more than fun on my mind:

  • Once I give them a little they usually enjoy it so much that they want  more, often returning to their next appointment with their own nail art ideas.

  • Nail art acts as a walking billboard. I know for every freebie I do I am getting free advertising.

  • Other clients in the salon stop to look at the art and either book an appointment or tell a couple of girlfriends about it.

  • It motivates other salon staff by keeping the atmosphere fun and creative. Nail art hit its peak in popularity in the ’90s but recently I have noted renewed interest. If you can’t get regular nail art customers, start off by getting customers’ feet wet by concentrating on holidays, such as Halloween and Christmas.

Veteran nail tech Shari Finger — owner of Finger’s Nail Studio in W. Dundee, Ill. — fields reader questions in the areas of salon management and workplace politics. If you have a question for Shari, e-mail it to judy.lessin@bobit.com.

More FAQ

How can I avoid the dreaded heat spikes with gels?

How can I avoid the dreaded heat spikes with gels?... read more

Is it true that gels thin out a client’s nails?

I have so many nail clients who say gel nails thin out their nails. Is this true? When I do a fill, I don’t get right down to their natural nail, unless it has lifted. I always leave as much of the gel on their nail as I can, to protect their natural nail. So, can you tell me, if in fact gel nails thin out their natural nails?... read more

Does anyone know how to whiten discolored natural nails?

Does anyone know how to whiten discolored natural nails?... read more

Why do LED lamps generate so much heat?

I have tried almost every new LED lamp out there. Except for one brand, they all generate a lot of heat. I thought LED was not supposed to be hot. I am not talking about the heat spike that can happen with the exothermic reaction, I am talking about heat in general. I’d like to understand more about this.... read more

Why does my black enhancement gel crumble away after a full cure?

I’ve been having an issue using black gel (enhancement gel, not polish). I have tried several brands. I’ve done thin layers and thick layers. Sometimes it crumbles away after a full cure, at two minutes a layer. What am I doing wrong?... read more

How do you put lemon slices in your pedicure without having the scum all over your tub at the end of the pedicure?

How do you put lemon slices in your pedicure without having the scum all over your tub at the end of the pedicure?... read more

Why doesn’t my crackle polish crackle when I apply it over gels?

Why doesn’t my crackle polish crackle when I apply it over gels?... read more

What's the best way to remove acrylic from the brush?

My acrylic brush has gone hard and I can’t use it. Is there any way I can remove the product from the brush to re-use it?... read more

How much is too much primer?

How much is too much primer?... read more

How much is too much primer?

I am a new nail tech, and in school we only did acrylics on plastic tips. I came out licensed and loving it but knowing little about proper application on actual clients. I have taught myself through trial and error and with this wonderful magazine NAILS, but my question is: How much is too much primer?... read more

How can I speed up my pedicures?

How can I speed up my pedicures? I give full leg massages and apply polish at the end.... read more

Bubbles in my acrylic. How do I stop this?

I have bubbles in my acrylic. How do I stop this? Some clients have lifting around the eponychium area, even though I have sealed it. What am I doing wrong?... read more