Setting goals

[Danielle0904]

its odd isn't it, this is clearly a thread people want to see answers to but the working geeks out there would rather post numerous pics of all their clients nails than give us some much needed inspiration of how they got there :sad:

I long for the day I can post my success story to inspire all newbies :biggrin:

 

[lktanning]

Laaaadies be positive! This can be a tough time of year due to people buying Christmas presents and decorating the house in time for the New Year and what not so it can be difficult to gain clients. Take some faith in the concept that maybe people aren't replying in this thread because they are so busy with clients and making lots'a money ☺️ That's what I'd like to think!

Regardless of what you do whether you're a butcher, baker or a nail tech it's about your attitude and your outlook towards the business.

A woman in my area started out mobile a couple of years ago (nails) and now you can't even get an appointment with her 5 weeks in advance! Try looking through google success stories it's what I've done and it's very motivating! I hope this lightens the spirits a little although I don't have any experience to offer!

Best of luck xxx

 

[DivineByDesign]

Ladies, please don't feel ignored, sometimes people read the threads and realise their situation and story is perhaps not appropriate for the questions asked and therefore don't feel able to offer advise/support.

I qualified just over 2 years ago in CND L&P, CND Shellac and Minx. When I first qualified I planned on just working on Clients and friends to build up my confidence and skills for a couple of years whilst I had my youngest son. I tried leaflet drops, pamper evenings, recommend a friend etc, but I didn't seem to be able to get any appointments booked in. However I was offered a slot in my local salon in April last year when the previous nail lady left (my friend worked in the salon and I do/did her nails). I took the offer although I was 7 months pregnant. When I first started I was lucky if I had 2 appointments a week. It took a few months to start to build up some clientele and I found that things really picked up once I started uploading numerous pictures to my facebook page and playing with art during the Christmas period (I hadn't offered art prior to then). By January this year I was booked up weeks in advance which was a wonderful feeling.

My advice, is to take your time to pick a business name that you feel reflects you and your image you want for your business. Get a logo designed, you can have this produced for as little as £20. Set up a Facebook page (not profile) solely for your business and only upload business related posts/pictures. Take good quality, well lit pictures and upload them to your facebook page (I take mine on my iPhone 4S.). With the client's agreement, tag them in the pictures so that it reaches their facebook friends too. Make your work immaculate, your biggest opportunity for gaining and maintaining clients is through people actually seeing the nails you produce and this by far is my most successful way of getting new business. If you do these things, it will give your business a more professional feel, and instil trust in your abilities. Then give it a few months to pick up. Also, I'm a big believer in knowing your products, and the science behind them and anatomy and physiology of your client's hands and nails. If you can talk honestly to your clients about your products and services, they will develop a relationship of trust with you and will recommend you.

I hope this helps a little xxx

 

[Jojo@salongeek]

Hi Danielle

I too have a home salon & work full time now & have done since April this year (when I finished my part time job with Clarins) prior to that I did 22 hours in the spa & nails/beauty from home. Iv gradually built my clientele up to what it is now & I'd say it's taken a good 12 months.

The only advertising I have done so far is Facebook & it's been brilliant for my business.
If your working from home already you need to get word of mouth going, few things that have worked for me.... I did a competition on Facebook, 'like/share' my page for a chance to win a gel overlay, I chose the winner carefully (lady who had a big circle of friends, 3 sisters & mum..... all who are now clients of mine)
Occasionally I'll post on fb a status describing my facials & the benefits of Indian head massage, Hopi ear candles etc,, one post describing the Indian head massage procedure & benefits got me 25 likes & 3 bookings!!
I did a friends nails (who is also a mum at my sons school) it got everyone talking in the playground & I got quite a few customers from that!

I now average 35-40 clients per week. I analyse my diary every week, working out how much iv taken in ££ per day, how many clients iv seen (new/existing), how many re-booked, how many hours iv worked that day, any gift vouchers or retail purchased & any cancellations/no shows. I then work out my averages - average customer spend, average re-books, average £ph. I then use this information to set myself goals/things to focus on etc. for example if iv fallen below a certain £ph I know next week I need to focus on filling up gaps in my diary to increase occupancy 100% advertise higher end treatments & try retailing to every customer & have gift vouchers on display for sale.

Hope iv given you a few ideas there xx

 

[Manda79]

I've just started working at home a few months ago after qualifying in June this year.

I only really have a facebook page and have been putting up pics of all my friends/family nails that I have been doing, I post up interesting articles/pictures and plugging new products coming along to gain interest, gets people talking ! this has got me quite a few new clients and now am finally getting re-bookings ! I ask my clients (respectfully) if they wouldn't mind writing something nice on my wall or on their photos, some of them I don't even have to ask they just do it anyway, its definitely slow going but considering I haven't actively done much advertising apart from facebook (and gumtree) because I have another job, (which I also hate and am bored in!!) I think its going well. Don't expect it to happen overnight !

I started offering a callus peel treatment as I tested it on myself and its worked well and gained a lot of interest !! I upsell then by saying if you get the callus peel add shellac on top for an extra $....whatever you want to charge and they always go for it. Upsell if they get fingers done do a combo deal with toes too, they are happy to be paying less and toes don't take much extra time really.

I've started loyalty cards and gift certificates in case people are after xmas present ideas, also a list of items I retail (Vinylux, solar oil etc)

I've got business cards coming in the mail that I'm going to start handing out, I have a few other friends with home businesses and we all plug each others business too, free advertising

at the moment I do only about 2-3 per week, hopefully it will pick up in the lead up to xmas (I'm sure it will) and then after that, onwards and upwards ! hopefully can kiss my boring job goodbye

 

[cloughers]

I also have a boring office job and want to leave but am too scared to yet. My husband is self employed too so I worry that if both of us are and I don't get enough clients we will be in trouble. Saying that, I was absolutely flat out in May, June, July and August in my home salon, working every night and got very stressed out. I've also got 3 young children and do 32 hours in the office job so it's really hard. Sep and October were quiet and I only had an average of 4 clients per week in the salon whereas it had been 15 in the summer. I do Gelish, Nouvatan, and have recently trained in ear piercing and Kim Lawless waxing and Intimate waxing and I hope waxing will bring me more clients. I'd really like the intimate waxing to be my main treatment because I like doing it and it's a good money earner. I just need to get a few clients and get a good reputation for it then it's all word of mouth. I've got a fb page and I put photos on there all the time, nails I've done, tans, pics of my new room etc. I also printed some vouchers in denominations of £10 and gave 4 to my kids school for the Christmas fete on Saturday. That's 4 new people through my door who might come back again. I do lots of the Mum's from school's nails. The problem for me is that's its hard to build up enough clients to give up my job when I only have limited hours I can work. I can't really do Saturdays because my husband always works and although my boys are ok when I'm in the salon my little girl is only 3 and very demanding so I can't work in there when I've got her. It's a vicious circle, I can't give up my job until I've got more clients but I can't get more clients until I give up my job because I can't fit them in!!

 

[Danielle0904]

This is amazing girls , just the answers we are looking for

Thanks so much and well done with your success

Any others wishing to share their stories would v very much appreciated

 

[DONSLJ]

I really think location and promotion is the key, I can't say 'I've made it' as my circumstances aren't at the stage where I'm able to full time commit to my business, but when I do I'll be looking to rent a space in a salon. GL you will get there just put everything into it if your at a stage in life where that's possible!x

 

[hazeleyes]

I also have a boring office job and want to leave but am too scared to yet. My husband is self employed too so I worry that if both of us are and I don't get enough clients we will be in trouble. Saying that, I was absolutely flat out in May, June, July and August in my home salon, working every night and got very stressed out. I've also got 3 young children and do 32 hours in the office job so it's really hard. Sep and October were quiet and I only had an average of 4 clients per week in the salon whereas it had been 15 in the summer. I do Gelish, Nouvatan, and have recently trained in ear piercing and Kim Lawless waxing and Intimate waxing and I hope waxing will bring me more clients. I'd really like the intimate waxing to be my main treatment because I like doing it and it's a good money earner. I just need to get a few clients and get a good reputation for it then it's all word of mouth. I've got a fb page and I put photos on there all the time, nails I've done, tans, pics of my new room etc. I also printed some vouchers in denominations of £10 and gave 4 to my kids school for the Christmas fete on Saturday. That's 4 new people through my door who might come back again. I do lots of the Mum's from school's nails. The problem for me is that's its hard to build up enough clients to give up my job when I only have limited hours I can work. I can't really do Saturdays because my husband always works and although my boys are ok when I'm in the salon my little girl is only 3 and very demanding so I can't work in there when I've got her. It's a vicious circle, I can't give up my job until I've got more clients but I can't get more clients until I give up my job because I can't fit them in!!

I'm in the same situation and it's so depressing, I am really afraid to leave part time admin job but I need to in order to build my business. Currently only managing to do 2-3 clients per week because I don't have the time. I've just made a Facebook page I'm petrified of leaving and going it alone! I have kids so would get support from working tax credits but still I'm terrified. Listening to people talk on threads like this helps a lot. I dream of having 30 clients per week between home and mobile that would be amazing!

 

[DONSLJ]

Ps a good week for me is 4-5 clients and a bad week 1-2 so I've a long way to go, if I could have all good weeks I'd be happy at this stage as I only work part time due to childcare. Hth.xx

 

[Danielle0904]

Just to update I have a space in a salon now, paying 20% of what I earn which is great at the moment with not having a client base

the owner is a great help and support getting her clients and friends to book so I have done a few sets and got a few booked in over xmas so far, so fingers crossed it just keeps growing

my only issue at the mo is I really want to work from home, so any clients I can get ''on my own'' I want to do from my home salon to make more money as this makes logical sense but I don't want the salon owner to think I am not doing anything or bringing in any clients myself

 

[ch-ela]

its odd isn't it, this is clearly a thread people want to see answers to but the working geeks out there would rather post numerous pics of all their clients nails than give us some much needed inspiration of how they got there :sad:

I long for the day I can post my success story to inspire all newbies :biggrin:

I think everyone is just really busy at the moment. You have had some great replies now.

I will write a nice reply when I'm successful ( no where near yet, I'm afraid) but I have set the goal of selling at least one retail item per client tomorrow at our Christmas open evening, or get them to book in!