I never had this problem. Even had to close down my website and not take any new clients just referrals. In London there is a large amount of competitors but also lots of customers. There are plenty ways to stand out from the crowd you just have to think further and instead of comparing to the competitors stand independent of them in a league of your own!
I think you're all wrong in focusing so much on price all the time. Even people with limited amount of cash save up for a gourmet veal cutlet or a designer wallet because it is worth it in the end, just saying. I dont think always blaming your failure on "bad times" is the way to go. Many of my clients are hard working single mums who see this as perhaps a luxury but something they would never give up even in harder times. Besides that, some of the companies that did the best in the recession are luxury brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton, brands that are in a league of their own and move away from price and offer a story, an experience. This is something we can do too. What I am saying is maybe you are targeting the wrong people. The people with money will always have money and these are the clients I for one like to keep around and who I try to attract through my marketing efforts. I never had that much disposable income but I always got my extensions every 3 months no matter what, it was a necessity for me. But you sure as hell wont attract these clients with your £150 full head hair extension offer and lush us hair. These women know what quality costs, and are not afraid to pay it. If you havnt found customers willing to pay up your target marketing and marketing efforts are all wrong, and perhaps your strategy to go for the cheapest and please the bargainers, because rest assured you won't win and these or the least loyal customers.
I only ever had 1 person cancel an appointment and 2 people not decide to go ahead after the initial consultation. In several years of doing it.
