Advice needed re: going mobile with nails

[PurpleTabbyCats]

Great tip FloJo for wrapping clients nails then finish setting up LOVE IT
I've got an oil cloth tablecloth up the loft it doesn't quite go with my colour scheme (there's my ocd again!) but it will do.
I have a lady interested in a mobile appointment later this month!!!!!! GULP

Bliss you sound like me! I've been doing a few clients in my home base salon, only started in April. I've got a lovely Roo bag & polish cube. Business cards just ordered. Facebook business page. But I haven't bit the bullet and advertised being mobile, or put my fb page on the local selling pages. Confidence issues! [emoji31]

 

[debilour]

Sound like me too!

 

[Pandanails]

I'm in this same situation, all I need now are waterproof sheets and a daylight lamp. Definitely daunting to actually start advertising! :-/ good luck x

 

[Bliss69]

I know what you mean girls it's all to do with confidence I feel safe in my salon but the idea of doing clients nails in a strange environment (their territory) is a bit daunting.
The client I mentioned approached me first so it's forced the issue which is probably for the best or I might never get the mobile side off the ground lol. My plan is to do this one client and if all goes well I'll advertise mobile services on my FB page. No pressure then!
Aren't we a bunch of wimps lol

 

[FloJo]

Sorry me again! Just reading some of your thoughts/fears. If you are worried about jumping in advertising etc then I totally understand. This is often because its fear of doing new people - people whose house you haven't been to etc when you are still adapting to being mobile yourself. No one wants to be struggling out the car with 500 bags with an unknown audience!

When I first started mobile I built myself up gradually to get my confidence. No one wants to be nervously meeting a new person while also trying to get used to your new case etc. I picked less than 5 of my friends & family who i knew worked in big offices or had big social circles. I explained I was just starting mobile (had been doing nails for a while anyway) and would they mind helping me master my timings and set up etc for a slightly discounted price. All they had to do in exchange was rave about me at work/to their friends. Of course they agreed!

So I got practice at packing/unpacking quickly and adapting to lots of new front rooms and kitchens and they raved about me at work etc. This meant that my first sets of mobile clients were friends or colleagues of my friends so it made the nerves a bit easier. Within a few weeks I was flying and those friends of friends had recommended me to even more people etc and so my network began. I've never looked back. I can now track all of my clients back through to my original clients if i want to. Friends of friends of friends of colleagues of my original friends.

It also gave me time to build my own set of personal rules/guidelines eg how to make sure those disorganized clients aren't in the middle of
cooking dinner when you arrive, how to make sure kids aren't taking your nail kit apart behind you etc! ha ha ha! All those little things that the first few mobile clients will get you ready for.

Good luck ladies and keep us updated!

 

[Bliss69]

It's just dawned on me that I have storage and a method of transporting all my bits and bobs but totally forgot my polish! Do you take ALL your colours with you to every appointment? I have loads and they aren't light are they!
How do you pro's do it? X

 

[Ellie74]

Hi all,

I'm just looking for a bit of advice around starting up doing nails particularly Shellac.

I have long put off going mobile, if I'm honest due to a lack of confidence and over thinking things and creating obstacles that don't exist.

I'm now going to just go for it!

Please can someone advise me how they work from a clients house, for example do you use a mobile nail station?

Any tips would be a great help

Hi

Not sure if this is ideal for everyone as I haven't taken the plunge to go mobile myself yet, so far only worked on a few close friends and colleagues in their homes, but I work at an ironing board with a chair at either side, the height is adjustable and I find I don't have to overstretch, I can then cover it with plastic backed cloths ( the type used in maternity hospitals) finally cover with a towel and disposable paper, I know that way nothing will penetrate it. I normally have enough in my kit to cover what I need For the amount of people I visit, decant all liquids into smaller bottles as I found the case I bought didn't hold large bottles in an upright position, therefore spills and leaks were becoming all too frequent.

Good luck

Ellie

 

[Katfin]

Hi flojo thank you very much for your advice! I love the idea of starting with offering a few friends discounted treatments to get used to being mobile and also with the potential to be recommended to other friends or colleagues! I will def be doing this now and the more plans I set in place like this the more confident I am starting to feel about doing it!
Sounds like you are doing well Ellie you should def take the plunge and try going mobile

X

 

[Katfin]

Just wanted to thank everyone who posted. I have started mobile now and it's going slow but well! The advice given has been really useful! It's taken me longer than in a salon but that's prob because it's new territory and I will speed up the more I do it! X

 

[SwissSassy]

Hi Katfin,

I have been doing mobile work for more than 3 years now and honestly I found it quite daunting at the start. It's nerve-wracking going into a stranger's house - there's no doubt about it. The key to success is to be super organised and flexible. I don't have a mobile table (way too much to carry already) and have never had an issue. Ironing boards are always a good emergency solution and work just fine. If someone's table is too wide and you stretch too far, place chairs opposite each other on the corner of the table. Make a check-list for before each job and go in knowing you have everything you need. Always bring enough change with you so you get what you have earned. For me the 2 most important items already mentioned above would be extension cable plus plastic covering - just one drop of acetone on someone's table/floor would be a disaster!
Nowadays, I don't even blink if I'm going to a new client's house as I am completely confident that I will leave them happy, but that doesn't happen over night - you'll absolutely get there - good luck!

 

[Katfin]

Thank you for your lovely message SwissSassy! I did my first clients last week and I have a few bookings this week I'm nervous but trying to not let it get to me! I try to look to the future when I will be confident like you!!
The check list is a great idea as I'm a worrier so that would help with that!!
Thank you xxx