I work in a gym part-time and am about to start my NVQ 2 in Nail Services.

I think it would be better for me to be mobile and go to clients homes rather than do it at the gym as I would have to pay something to the gym (per hour or a percentage maybe).

Lots of the gym members want me to do their nails so I was wondering if I should advertise at the gym (and mention it to all the members every day ) and pay the gym a 'one off' 'something' each time I get a new client through the gym. But what should this amount be?

Any ideas to get me thinking would be fab thanx

Your current clients:
If you are self employed and do not have a contract that states otherwise and you control the clients record cards then these are your clients and you can let them know how to contact you when you leave. Otherwise these are the gyms clients.

About the refferals:
You need to talk to the gym as more than likely they will want to fill your position when you leave and therefore will not be happy about making referrals to you, on the other hand they may not and may be happy for the referral fee (not sure how to work out what this would be). Look at it from their point of view if they make more money from someone working directly out of the gym that is probably the situation they would prefer.

I don't intend to leave my job at the gym...they are a great bunch there and would be happy to have a poster up advertising my nail services but I wouldn't expect this for free, I would be happy to give them something (a one off payment per person) for each gym member that saw my poster and booked a nail treatment with me. But should this payment be £2 per client or more I am wondering? This has got to be more effective for me than paying for an ad in a magazine, we have a captive and keen audience at the gym!

Ok I was confused by your post, I thought you meant you were working as a nail technician in the gym and looking to move to being mobile.

They may not even want a referral fee if they have no competition for your work, it's just a poster! A referral fee in this case would work however as an incentive to get them to get you clients. The amount I guess would be your judgement!

What I do is, if a client refers a freind, I send a hand written than you card to the person who referred them and I offer them a free salt scrub of paraffin wax with their next service.
That way they feel special and aknowledged and you're not out the money.