should i stay or should i go?!

[hippy-chick]

I'm pretty sure that if you work in the same place at the same time every week then you have to be employed, you can not do this as self employed.

 

[Mrs Bean!]

Here are a few tips which I have been applying recently and have noticed a bit of improvement all round (I was feeling like you Oct/Nov last year and took on a couple of bits and pieces of extra work, but am back just doing my own and its made me MORE DETERMINED THAN EVER!).
1. Always try and get your clients to re-book.
2. If a client comes in for one treatment, talk to them about your other treatments, especially some of your more lucrative treatments (eg: facials)
3. Look at your treatments. Instead of offering a price reduction as a special offer, why not just include a bit of something like a free eyebrow wax or free file n polish with some of your most profitable treatments, the ones you should be pushing.
4. Do you do any retail? Even if you only buy a little in to sell and you only sell one or two items a week, it covers your carriage when you order your products.
5. Do some cheap advertising, (I put posters up in other shops).
6. Sell gift vouchers
7. Have an 'A' board (while its still free!)
8. Try and upsell if you can. For example if someone asks for a file and polish ask/look if their cuticles need doing and advise a full manicure (they would be happier with the results and its more money for you).
9. Make your clients feel really special, fuss them, make them a drink, give them a chocolate, take their coat and hang it up, fetch it when they go and help them put it on.
10. Always compliment your work and tell your clients how good they look when they leave!

Good luck with everything! If you do have to do some extra part time work it will help you out moneywise for a bit and if you are anything like me it will make you even more determined to succeed with your own!

Luv Mrs Bean! xxxxxxxxxxx:green:
P.S. Are you tied into a lease or anything?

 

[loubylou]

I have my own salon, i have only had it now for 9 months,
i am not taking a wage but i am there 48hrs a week,
i have not managed to build up a full book as yet and this is why i can not take a wage,
i have applied for working tax credits,
i get £43 per week and my rent payed as i am in a council house i also get a massive relief on my council tax,
i know it is not a lot but it is better than nothing,
maybe put in a claim and see what you can get, when you phone for the form they ask you a few questions and give you a rough idea of what you are entitled to hth

 

[gemini_beauty]

i know it is not a lot but it is better than nothing,
maybe put in a claim and see what you can get, when you phone for the form they ask you a few questions and give you a rough idea of what you are entitled to hth

I have already enquired to see if i am entitled to any help but because i dont have any children they said im not entitled to anything at all. I cant work part time because i would still have to pay rent on the premises and once i get a wage i have to pay my parents council tax because they arent paying at the moment due to being out of work with ill health. therefore i would be working for nothing again, the only logical thing to do is quit but i dont want to regret it if i do!

The only help they said i could get is job seekers allowance and they said that i would only be able to work under 16hrs a week to qualify for it, at the moment im working 42 hours a week.

 

[Blue Rose]

I really do feel for you gemini_beauty.

I've been in business for 16 years & I still have moments of wanting to call it a day. Having said that I'm not a defeatist so keep at it.

Instead of making any rash decisions why not give yourself a time frame of say 9 months which will take you up to Sept and include the busier summer months. In that time keep focused on being the best you can be.

Do you have much competition where you are? If you do, there's obviously a demand for beauty services. If not, you should have a captive audience.

With the clients you have, are the majority re-booking? If they are then target your existing clients with offers different to their usual treatments. So instead of them just having a leg wax every 5 weeks they also have a facial/ massage or whatever, therefore spending more money. Only a few need to do this to generate more income.

Give them a really good incentive to recommend you to their friends. A lot of places offer a 10% discount but tbh if a client only has an eyebrow shape, she's not exactly going to save much.

If you have some quiet time that needs filling, how about sending out some text messages.

If your clients aren't re-booking, have you thought why they're not? Money (or lack of) isn't always a factor. From experience with staff, it could be lack of conversation, too much conversation, the room being cold, too much background noise....If they don't re-book there & then, try following up their treatment with a thank you note & a re-booking incentive.

I don't wish to sound rude but if you're having negative thoughts about your business could this be having an impact on business?

As for reducing costs, what can you be 'stingy' with without it impacting on clients welfare. For some treatments, I use the couch roll single ply, tear cotton wool pads in half, only use 2 strips per 1/2 leg wax (when trade testing I'm always horrified that therapists get through about 12). Have another look back over your expenditure and see where you've perhaps overspent - advertising is usually one area you can cut back on if you've already got a good client base.

Hopefully, you'll feel like pulling your shoulders back and giving it some more wellie so to speak.

 

[gemini_beauty]

Do you have much competition where you are? If you do, there's obviously a demand for beauty services. If not, you should have a captive audience

There is only one other salon within the area, but to be honest i dont see her as competition as such. She rents a salon that had previously closed last year. The new owner isnt a beauty therapist and doesnt have any knowledge of the trade, therefore, she has employed a girl fresh out of college to run the salon for her.
The salon is also funded by the owners husband who is a drug dealer. As you can expect, not a lot of clients go there because they dont want to give their money to people like this.

There was one other therapist just up the road that worked on selected days but she has recently called it a day aswel.

thanks for your suggestions x