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Reader to Reader: How do you interest hair clients in nail services?

April 1, 1998

Make sure that the hairdressers in your shop have their nails done by you – they make good walking advertisements. It’s also good to offer complimentary manicures or nail repairs to hair clients when you’re not busy. Some hair clients may have never had a manicure and if they happen to have a broken nail, you can introduce them to artificial nails. – Yvonne Mitton, Haney’s Happenings, Lamasa, Texas

If I’m not busy and one of the hair stylists has a client, I approach them and ask if they’d like anything to drink. I let them know that if they want to pamper themselves, they should give me a call. I also give our stylists pedicures and manicures and paint daisies on their nails. Their clients usually ask about those and get referred to me. – Tina Daubenspeck, Sanibel Beauty Salon, Sanibel, Fla.

I’ve found that giving hair clients complimentary hand massages is very effective. I just approach them, offer them a massage, and we usually start talking about nails. – Caroline Pomakis, Eclipse Salon, New Orleans

We’re very busy in out salon so we usually don’t have time to mingle with our hair clients. However, we have nail art that has appeared in NAILS hanging on the walls, and we also have a book filled with different designs that’s passed around the salon. – Gabrella Ellena Carino, Gabby’s Razzle Dazzle, Hair & Nails Studio, Islip, N.Y.

I approach hair clients with a big smile on my face and tell them that I am offering a special on manicures and would love to treat them to a manicure or any other service they are interested in. This worked when I was a new tech and was still building a clientele. People love to pamper themselves and the worst thing they can say is no. – Tina Robertson, Fingerpaints Salon, Clovis, Calif.

We were a nails-only salon when we first started out. Now, we’re about 50-50, so in order to attract hair to nails, we put ads on our ceiling. While clients are getting their hair shampooed, they lay back and see our “Ask About Acrylics” ads. We also put up ads on the mirrors. We’ve received a huge response from these. – Judith Zaretzke, Bridgewood East, Neenah, Wis.

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