
On the Move: Relocating Your Salon
Moving your salon to a new location doesn’t have to be a logistical nightmare. Lean on the experience of fellow salon owners whether relocating down the street or across the globe.

Moving your salon to a new location doesn’t have to be a logistical nightmare. Lean on the experience of fellow salon owners whether relocating down the street or across the globe.

A new business development e-book titled Building Your Clientele in 6-9 Months: A 360° Guide to Generating Income is available on the NSI website to help nail technicians across the globe.

Attention-getting design and visual merchandising — the art of placing retail products in a way that increases sales — can give you a major advantage over your competition. Even if you don’t have a hefty visual merchandising budget, remember that creativity, initiative, and a sense of humor don’t carry a price tag. A visual strategist at Chute Gerdeman Retail shares 11 Dos (and a few Don’ts) to help you prepare for a successful holiday season.

Universal Companies’ education program — Advance with Education — offers targeted topics to cover the needs of industry personnel, from business owner/manager to nail technician, skin care professional, or massage therapist. Spas may choose from a wide range of webinar classes or workshops held across the U.S.

We know we should be saving for retirement — or taxes, or that vacation — but often we can’t seem to find a way. A free service called Auto-Save from Integrity Payment Systems automatically deducts a pre-determined amount each time a client pays with a credit card and deposits the amounts into an interest-bearing, no-minimum savings account.

"It’s a small price to pay to help set myself apart from the rest of the salons in my area," says Melodie Hand of Nail Designs by Mel in Clayton, N.C. She’s talking about her new client gift packs, a special gesture to welcome new clients to her salon.

With social networking, manufacturers’ advertising, and insider support, techs can be in the perfect position to catch the momentum when a wave of national attention sweeps over our industry. Are you poised to harness the power of the consumer press the next time there’s big news in our industry?

For many potential clients, the Internet is their first stop in the search for salons. While a salon menu, contact information, and great pictures of your salon (and even your nails) are a necessity, a snazzy, snappy promo-video can really help set your salon apart from the rest.

Veteran nail techs have seen significant changes in the nail industry, and they may fear the best years are over. However, growth is still possible when you stretch yourself and your business to meet the demands of the new customer. It’s never too late to reinvent yourself.

From Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, beauty manufacturers showed their latest wares and chatted with their clients about the industry. In light of the economic recession, NAILS asked: How is 2010 looking so far? Have you made any changes to the way you do business?

Part art, part science, pricing your services is one of the most important and delicate tasks you’ll undertake in the salon. And no two salon owners approach it quite the same. We asked readers: How do you decide how much to charge for a particular service?

Train your staff — and yourself — to answer this sensitive question so you’re able to respond quickly and confidently to clients’ concerns.


Recognizing what’s important to our employees and clients is more than knowing their favorite shade of polish or the names of their children; it’s about understanding that they embrace the things they do, in part, because of what the world looked like as they grew up.

When mobility becomes limited, aging men and women who always saw pedicures as a beauty treatment may realize it’s a great alternative to monthly visits to the podiatrist for basic foot maintenance. Tap into this niche of golden girls and guys with some targeted marketing techniques.
Nail salons are one of the more resilient businesses in stagnating economies, but the current downturn has reached everyone to some extent. Many salons are still thriving despite the slowdown — so what’s their secret? Seven techs share their experiences on how they’re beating the odds to stay afloat.
Sometimes we feel so much pressure to be more and do more for clients we overlook the elementary principles of customer service. But instead of fretting about what to do next, try going back to the basics.