PopIts - do u want to make or lose money?

[geeg]

I find this whole scenario fascinating.

A little question to all geeks who reckon they will charge the same for PopIts as traditional hand made nails:

When you get a client who, for whatever reason, demands the old fashioned type of tip and overlay or sculpt, will you be happy to sit there for three times the amount of time, and accept the same money?

If I'm getting paid the same for using PopIts then ... yea too right I would.

I would have based my charge on the handmade nail so I wouldn't be loosing anything by still doing them at the same price as always.

 

[blossom]

If I'm getting paid the same for using PopIts then ... yea too right I would.

I would have based my charge on the handmade nail so I wouldn't be loosing anything by still doing them at the same price as always.

Well let's say the charge is £40 for your handmade set (just supposing lol!) If you got that for using the PopIts (half hour service I understand), at that rate, would an hour and a half's work not command three times the half hour service's price?

I'm not trying to be argumentative at all here. It's just something that has occurred to me.

 

[geeg]

Well let's say the charge is £40 for your handmade set (just supposing lol!) If you got that for using the PopIts (half hour service I understand), at that rate, would an hour and a half's work not command three times the half hour service's price?

I'm not trying to be argumentative at all here. It's just something that has occurred to me.

NO.

The increased charge for the PopIts applied nails is for the convenience to the client. ALL clients want to save time in the salon. TIME is precious to us all. I'd pay more to get a faster service any day and so would most other women.
Why do you think they go to NSS?? It's not because they are cheaper ... its because they are Quicker.

Why do you think women endure unsanitary conditions, drills, nail damage and often poor communication?? Because it is quicker NOT because it is cheaper (because it isn't anymore).

 

[NAIL FRENZY]

I find this whole scenario fascinating.

A little question to all geeks who reckon they will charge the same for PopIts as traditional hand made nails:

When you get a client who, for whatever reason, demands the old fashioned type of tip and overlay or sculpt, will you be happy to sit there for three times the amount of time, and accept the same money?

I think I would to be honest. I have been happy enough to sit there for an hour and a half so far, so I don't see why I should'nt be in the future. My only reason for thinking about changing more for traditional nails is that maybe the client will be asking questions if I don't. I'm still not sure about upping the price though as I said in my last post, I still need to think about that one. The going rate in my area is £25.00 and there is no way I will go any lower than that, whatever anyone else is charging. I've paid a lot of money for all the training I've had and spent endless amounts on products. If you think about all that, training, products, trainer hand and even the products used just for training to make ourselves better technicians, advertising costs etc, etc. We deserve a decent wage at the end of the day. I am sure Hairdressers charge for the end style and beauticians charge for a particular treatment and correct me if I'm wrong but I dont think they charge by the hour but for the service itself.

.

 

[Lucy-Jayne]

How long have we all been using Popits? A couple of weeks max?? I went to the demo last week and at the moment, I don't think I'm in any position to be able to state a set time for a full set of these babies or a set price.

In an ideal world it's going to be great to be able to do a full set in this time frame with every customer. But in a realistic world:

• it's all going to take us a bit longer to start out with to do these
• not every client is going to what the same effect. Some people may want coloured acrylic / gel, some white tips, some sculptured tips. Some of these things take longer.
• Some people will have nail beds that can't take Popits.
• You could end up with a client who has half of her nails with Popits and the other half the hand made way

Imagine you start advertising around that you can do a set of nails in 30 mins for a set price, say £30. A client comes in with very large nail beds, the size that Popits won't fit. (My sister in law is a client like that). She sits down all excited and then reality hits that you're going to have to take longer and probably charge more. She's not going to be happy that she can't have them done the quick way etc etc. It's not fair on her either that because of the way her nails are, she has to miss out and be charged more. How bad is that going to make someone feel? She'll probably go to the NSS up the road just to get them done quick and cheap, the same way others do.

This IMO is a chance for us to tailor our services to the client. I think it will make the client feel special and valued. Not every client at the end of the day is the same and that's what makes our job interesting.

I for one am going to be making the decision on the quickest way to do a clients nails when they first come through my door. Obviously, with the best quality. If we can do them all in 30mins - then great, but we need to think of situations when we can't.

Not meant to be a post to put a downer of things, but I think we're all running before we can walk here!

xx

 

[Vetty]

I for one am going to be making the decision on the quickest way to do a clients nails when they first come through my door. Obviously, with the best quality. If we can do them all in 30mins - then great, but we need to think of situations when we can't.

Good point - what do I say when I get a prospective client phone up and ask 'how long does it take?'? Also, how long do I book out when I don't know how ling it will take me? Finishing quicker is fine if you can use the time you make - if I end up with gaps I make the same money but have spare time..... rather than make extra money, if you see what I mean?

 

[The Geek]

The market will eventually dictate the price. If PopIts become a common staple of the nail professionals repertoire then a price variance between couture and PopIts will be created. More PopIts = more freed up time = more room to take additional clients. This will lead to a reduced rate to attract a different demographic of clients. It is simple supply and demand. If done correctly, you will make substantially more.

 

[Lucy-Jayne]

Good point - what do I say when I get a prospective client phone up and ask 'how long does it take?'? Also, how long do I book out when I don't know how ling it will take me? Finishing quicker is fine if you can use the time you make - if I end up with gaps I make the same money but have spare time..... rather than make extra money, if you see what I mean?

That's what I was thinking but couldn't get it into words. By the time you've seen someone a few times, you're going to be able to judge for the future how long it will take.

Imagine getting someone in, presuming it will take 30-45 mins and then it taking double the time. Especially over the Xmas/New Year period when we get a lot of new customers wanting full sets. You'll have a backlog of angry customers!

On the other hand imagine telling someone an hour and a half and whizzing them out of the door in 30-45 mins. You've got a bit of spare time, but they're thinking - 'Wow'. A customer for life......

 

[Lucy-Jayne]

The market will eventually dictate the price. If PopIts become a common staple of the nail professionals repertoire then a price variance between couture and PopIts will be created. More PopIts = more freed up time = more room to take additional clients. This will lead to a reduced rate to attract a different demographic of clients. It is simple supply and demand. If done correctly, you will make substantially more.

And I'm sure that Popits will only get better too. Geeg was saying last week that they're working on two more sizes.

An once Popits are perfected (not the best word but can't think of anything else), and pretty much every client will be able to have a set of them, this is when the competition will start. Geeg was also saying that there are so many different ways of doing thing with them that even she doesn't know yet!.

Lets give Popits a chance to make their mark first and for everyone to become confident in using them.

 

['chelle]

Hello Geekys,

To start off – I seriously get peeved with this site sometimes!!!

I’m probably one of the lucky ones who has very little competition from true professionals but am surrounded by NSS – this is all most of my clientele have ever known.

BUT – it gets me really annoyed when people keep saying “oh no, don’t compete with the NSS! Have pride in your work! Charge more, people will be curious!” etc etc and so on.
Why do people think so many techs give up nails?? Even if people make it passed the hurdles of accomplishing fair / good / fantastic sets, then there is still the issue of gaining & keeping clients!
First issue for clients is money, second issue is time – I think they get the complete different & professional look as a bonus the first time they come to us – that’s why they never go back to NSS.
My local NSS charge between £20 - £25 for a f/s.

I charge £25 natural, w/tips £30 & p&w £35.
I could not charge more than this in a million years! And I have recently gone and checked through all my consult cards and found most of my regulars come from out of the area! So what about this massive pool of people in my area around me?? THEY DO NOT WANT TO PAY MORE! Most locals I do have love the nails but have said they’re too pricey and only for a Christmas, birthday or special occasion treat!

I think popits are good BUT I prefer my hand-made nails a lot more, and so do my regulars so far. HOWEVER, I will be using them and will be charging only £20!! YES! ONLY £20!
I want to attract all those people who have WONDERED: “I wonder why her prices are so high?? Nevermind, they’re too expensive”. That’s as far as they get – never to think of you again.
Well, if I charge less, this will attract them, and once I reel them in, I have the opportunity to sing all the praises of the nail world and educate them, and to give them the bonus of seeing what real professional nails look like! Hopefully, I will have gained a new regular client where otherwise, they would have never even considered ringing up for an appointment.

I am using popits as purely a new set option only just to get new clients through the door, all my rebalance prices are staying the same – this is a “catch the fishy” promotion – so once they’re hooked, hopefully I’ll bag ‘em for life! lol

Also, I think people sometimes forget that not everyone is charging at a base price of £35/£40.
I think people are embarrassed to say on this site they charge £20/£25 because that’s all they can get in they’re area. I love the work I accomplish and am proud of it, but I am also happy with my prices. I have said it before and will again, as great as I know some of you are at doing nails, I personally feel that charging £40 + is plain greedy – but hey, maybe if I could charge that much in my area, maybe I would too…?

So I’m all for cheaper enhancements!
Attract those cheapo clients!

CHEAPO POPITS!! CHEAPO CLIENTS!!
CHEAPO POPITS!! CHEAPO CLIENTS!!
CHEAPO POPITS!! CHEAPO CLIENTS!!
CHEAPO POPITS!! CHEAPO CLIENTS!!

And before you say it – I don’t mind what ‘type’ of clients I attract – I work from home & am a professional one on one service and always book a gap between clients – so no one sees each other (does that sound odd? lol)
As long as they don’t steal anything….. (lol)

MONEY IS MONEY GIRLFRIEND!
And I’m a BUSINESS BI-ATCH.

If having your nails done was an essential service, I could take on board that you have to compete on price alone on some level, however having your nails done is a luxury, and in my experience, good sustainable clients are not looking for the cheapest, they are looking for someone who can give them a quality service. Those clients who want cheap nails will certainly come to you while your prices are cheap an your profit margins are low, but as soon as you try to maintain your business with the cost of regular rebalances and retail products, those nails will be bitten off and you wont see your cheapo clients again. Money is money, thats quite true, but business at any cost is not good business.
I dont agree with the comment about greedy pricing for a £40 set of nails. I dont charge that, and couldnt dream of doing with my current business structure, but if you are based in an area where you can charge that amount, thats not greed, its business. When people are in paid employment they do all they can to justify pay rises and get bigger salaries, they dont see it as greed, so it bewilders me when people see themselves as greedy for earning as much as they possibly can from self employed earnings.
Someone else on this thread has already said that we should hang on and get used to popits before we make rash judgements on how we should alter our pricing and I couldnt agree more. I think its going to be very damaging to the market if lots of techs start reducing their prices very quickly. If your business is already doing well on your current pricing, leave it where it is until popits have had a chance to settle into the workplace and we know what their limits are etc.
I'm not very experienced at nails, but I am very experienced in business and so I can see some people heading for a fall with these price reductions.
Please dont take what I'm saying here the wrong way. I'm not trying to offend anyone, or patronise anyone, I'm genuinely worried that lots of price reductions are going to be damaging to this industry and eat into everyones profit margins. I would urge anyone who is considering dropping their prices to consult a business advisor first, because unless you are one of the lucky ones who has a full appointment book with twice as many on your waiting list, you are not going to benefit from the increased profits for a lower service charge.

 

[geeg]

I'm not very experienced at nails, but I am very experienced in business and so I can see some people heading for a fall with these price reductions.
Please dont take what I'm saying here the wrong way. I'm not trying to offend anyone, or patronise anyone, I'm genuinely worried that lots of price reductions are going to be damaging to this industry and eat into everyones profit margins. I would urge anyone who is considering dropping their prices to consult a business advisor first, because unless you are one of the lucky ones who has a full appointment book with twice as many on your waiting list, you are not going to benefit from the increased profits for a lower service charge.

GOOD advice here.

Our industry has suffered enough damage from hobby techs and the 'kitchen mafia' who charge rediculous prices. Do you know that 23 years ago when I started in this industry I was charging 35.00 for a full set THEN ... and no one batted an eyelid.

The biggest trouble in the nail business is that the people who enter it are often not business people and don't have the first clue how to run one!

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

If having your nails done was an essential service, I could take on board that you have to compete on price alone on some level, however having your nails done is a luxury,
and in my experience, good sustainable clients are not looking for the cheapest,
they are looking for someone who can give them a quality service.
Those clients who want cheap nails will certainly come to you while your prices are cheap an your profit margins are low, but as soon as you try to maintain your business with the cost of regular rebalances and retail products,
those nails will be bitten off and you wont see your cheapo clients again. Money is money, thats quite true, but business at any cost is not good business.

:idea: You have just hit the nail right on the head for me and my area and also my client "type"
A lot of the clients I have are erm......how can I put this nicely...skint !
They want everything at a bargain all of the time.
Now I associate with these people because I in a way am one of them...
But only in some ways of course...
Quite a few of them are how you would describe..."chavs" lol
(I am not one of them I hope )
Money is everything to these people, and being not very well off myself ,I fall for sob stories easily.
Its not always the best thing to keep prices low and have these type of clients ...although this wasnt my oppinion a year ago.

This is one of the things I shall be working on in the new year...
I have just gained a client who drives for approximately 40 minutes to see me...as she likes the service I provide..and nobody else in her area can cater for her needs..

This is one of the things that has made me realise I do under value myself sometimes,
So I shall NOT be keeping my prices of popIts lower than my full set prices ..

What I am going to do...is raise the price of my normal tip and overlay and sculptured sets to the full price (special offer at the moment)
And after new year introduce popIts as a introductory offer only for 25.00 mabey lasting for a few weeks..

By the end of next year my sets will be 30.00
My glitters and all of the rest ...I will be keeping popIts at the same price as couture sets..

This gives the client option of time being the only real difference...
I don't want clients seeing these as the easy and cheap option for me.
I love using popIts...But I also Love creating a handmade set..

Some of my clients like spending 2 hours with me having their nails done..they like the chat and the cup of tea..and just an excuse to have a few hours out of their own lives ..
So I Think I will have some balance with sets x

 

[Cathie!]

I showed this to 'my girl' the other day, she said it should be charged out as more due to the time saving to the client....their time is money too!

I still don't really know as I have only had a play so far and couldn't churn out a decent set in 30 mins.....never mind rebalance.....one colour yes but pink and white is not as easy as I would have imagined!

 

[geeg]

My advice is not to try and duplicate everything you do by hand using PopIts.

Use them for the 30 minute full set using a one colour overlay and a CND Performance tip in white or natural. I did a natural set today on a friend ... Beautiful Beautiful they were. Use them for what they were intended instead of getting all fancy with them .... Keeping it simple is best.

 

[ValencianNails]

I have said it before and will again, as great as I know some of you are at doing nails, I personally feel that charging £40 + is plain greedy – but hey, maybe if I could charge that much in my area, maybe I would too…?

I disagree, how is it greedy to charge for a skill that tech A has mastered over tech B who doesn't have the same level of skill and technique???
Tech A (more skilled) charges £40 per set - Tech B (less skilled) charges £25 - no contest IMO.

The technician I used to go to (before I was trained) charged over £35 for a full set, that was going back a few years, I paid her prices because SHE WAS WORTH IT and her work spoke for itself!

I would ALWAYS pay more to have my nails done by tech A.

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

I am thinking along the lines of applying the glitter by hand (mostly because I enjoy it) ..then overlaying with the PopIt..if client would like PopIts that is ,,,

A lot, infact I think most of my clients have glitter of some sort..

So In some (not all ) cases it would work out better for me to do them this way...
My asthma nurse is going to love me next check up lol..

But wether I do do the top overlay With brush alone...or using PopIts,
I will charge the same.

I do suffer quite severe asthma..and at one check up last year dont know if anyone will remember, but she said I may have to consider giving up nails if I didnt improve...I told her not on her nelly !

I have improved as she put me on stronger inahlers...But now If I am having a bad few days...I know I can avoid contributing to it by doing what I love ..there is now a way around it.
(and nope the rotty and 8 cats dont help either !!! )

 

[VHunter]

Lots of food for thought.......

I am NOT dropping prices for popits, despite that I will save money due to time/finish filing & not needing 'top gloss'. The popit's themselves cost more than what I pay for tips, for one thing.
For another... my prices are low enough.. and I haven't had a raise in 3yrs since I opened my doors.
Then, I'll be able to guarantee perfect shapes.. which, let's face it.. many of us are FAR from perfect. We try hard... but who gets it every time - 10 out of 10 nails?.

The clients will be paying for 'perfect' nails.

They will be getting the same QUALITY service at NSS speed, without NSS issues...

ALSO they will have a more knowledgeable tech. Isn't a "Masters" about a technician having advanced knowledge and skills? The more knowledge... the better the tech? Well, why shouldn't a client pay for a better quality tech who educates/informs his/herself. A tech that stays abreast of the Industry and new methods etc... Everytime a tech learns something new and masters it, in MY opinion, that makes him/her better than the other guy that didn't learn and master it. So, therefor, WORTH MORE!

As for some being greedy.. well, if you're good enough to get that kind of money, then HORAY FOR YOU!! I can only hope to get 80$ a set in my dreams (and I hope one day that's a reality).
Right now, minimum wage here is 7.45$/hr. As an office Admin I was making $19/hr PLUS yearly bonus's of 4 figures, and overtime and other bells and whistles associated with big corporations (retirement funds etc). I'm not making 19/hr now and I'd REALLY LIKE TO!!!!

Why shouldn't I make that much??? Are my skills/talents/knowledge worth any less in this Industry than in the Investment Industry?
We don't get taken seriously because many techs don't take themselves seriously and THAT'S what's hurting the Nail Enhancement Industry!
When you demand the respect that you deserve, then you will get it!

COME ON! To say that I would be greedy to want to make that same kind of money or more, DOING SOMETHING I love that requires skill, knowledge and talent is just plain insulting. Are Doctor's and Lawyers Greedy? Mechanics? MailMan? University Teachers?.... and any multitude of careers where people earn more than we nail technicians?
Why do you not think we deserve to earn as much as they do??? We educate ourselves. We master our skills. We strive to be the best...

Something else to think on: many of us (myself included) struggle with rebalancing permanent french's. Getting it thin enough to re-apply, then finish file an hope you don't file too much of the white off??
That problem is SOLVED with Popits!! Glitter french's made WAY easier!

A PERFECT PERMANENT FRENCH!! Who else can offer that (other than the tech that has been in the business longer than myself) without a single nail flawed?
Can NSS offer that with their nasty airbrushing that chips,yellows and scratches off?

NO!
So why reduce the price because it takes less time IF the quality still exceeds the NSS by a long shot AND perhaps in many cases (for us 'newbies'), exceeds the quality of your own hand sculpted nails in terms of it's shape?

Geez, I'm almost tempted to RAISE the price for the perfect results.

Anyway, it's 11:48pm and time I put my butt in bed...
but I just had a lot of odd thoughts pop into my head, bouncing around and thought I'd share them, as disjointed as they were LOL:lol:

Hope I haven't offended anyone
:hug:

 

[Moby]

Hello again all!
Oooh… I did enjoy the replies! Lol, and I’m very bad at quoting (it never comes up!) and I’m horrendous when it comes to following up posts, so here goes!
GEEG, I HAVE rented a place in the high street before, and had the same prices I had – and I found that MONEY was still an issue for clients. It’s not the same everywhere, some people have a time issue, but where I am, it’s DEFO MONEY BABY!
Anyway, I left there because all those skint chavs (lol) couldn’t afford it; they saw my nails and were (im so proud!) very tempted and were willing to sit for an hour & a half or more - but they just couldn’t afford it!
Vhunter –With the NSS around, nails are just not seen as luxury in my area, it’s something you get or you don’t – hope this makes sense? You’re not the rich lady who can get her nails done to perfection – it’s SEEN as anyone can get them. And I think these days it’s happening in a lot of areas.
And YES, I am sorry to have offended anyone about the GREED issue – I didn’t think, exactly that. Higher rent and overheads etc yes, I have forgotten since being at home – (it’s the best thing in the world!) And yes, there is nothing wrong with trying to earn as much as possible, and to be honest, I think I was basing my judgment on a tech I know. (35p/h every hour for 8 hours, 6 days a week – bleeding fantastic!). So I admit defeat on that one! Sorry again to anyone I offended SO DON’T MENTION IT AGAIN! LOL.
Everything else – Cheapo Popits, Cheapo Clients – I’m sticking to my guns girly wirlys! If I get the client in even for a one off set that they loved but cannot maintain – well at least it’s money for me and hopefully a life long ‘one off’ client and a recommender of my work.

 

[VHunter]

Vhunter –With the NSS around, nails are just not seen as luxury in my area, it’s something you get or you don’t – hope this makes sense? You’re not the rich lady who can get her nails done to perfection – it’s SEEN as anyone can get them. And I think these days it’s happening in a lot of areas.

Trust me, hun; I DO understand.
I live in a rinky-dinky blue collar town where you can travel from one end to the other, in ummmmmmmmmmm 5min easy?
We have about 6 NSS... all using MMA. All ultra cheap.
AND
I'm one of 5 legitimate technicians working here.

So, I really do understand.
ALSO I work at home, so hardly visible at all and must advertise like mad to get my name known, and my clients are doll's, referring me left and right.

Once you drive home that NSS/MMA is really bad and how very bad it is, people don't care how little MMA/NSS costs and would rather pay more for better without the risks associated. EMPHASIZE that MMA is 1/3 the cost of Quality product, hence the big price difference. ALSO emphasize your diplomas/education versus their lack of the same.

I'd still like to be a little higher priced... it will come in time.

I just wanted you to know that I do understand where you're coming from.
Took me a while to get here, and I still have far to go.
One step at a time.
At one point, I was the same priced as the NSS and when my prices went up a smidgeon, people walked. But guess what? In time, more came in. And now, I'm just about full. Once poppits arrive, that'll open several more slots and I'll advertise again.
In the last 1.5mths, I've had 8 referrals that are repeats. It looks like they're going to stay too.
Also, I have people travelling as much as 45min or more, in bad weather to come and see me.

Get your name out there, you'll see.
You'll get the money you deserve. Just takes time and perseverence

:hug::hug:

 

[sarita]

NO.

The increased charge for the PopIts applied nails is for the convenience to the client. ALL clients want to save time in the salon. TIME is precious to us all. I'd pay more to get a faster service any day and so would most other women.
Why do you think they go to NSS?? It's not because they are cheaper ... its because they are Quicker.

Why do you think women endure unsanitary conditions, drills, nail damage and often poor communication?? Because it is quicker NOT because it is cheaper (because it isn't anymore).

Thank u for yout comment Gigi, i totally agree,

Time is precious, lots of my clients said this is going to be a massive positive for them and they are happy to pay the same price as ive been charging for a set done in the traditional way. It totally benefits the customer and the nail tech.