Business is slower than slow what can i do?

[Violet Star]

Hi Geeks.

Im a tad stressed at the moment as my business is near enough dead as a door nail. This month of august ive had 4 treatments to do which total upto £60. This just isnt enough to live on thats like £30 a week im living on.
I have things to pay out for and cannot afford them, i have no other income other than this. I do advertising online so much, always on gumtree and netmums promoting myself, over the last 2 weeks ive sent out promotions to my existing clients practically selling myself short and null, nothing! Ive promoted my new waxing like mad but not had a client for waxing as yet and ive been qualified for over a month.

What can i do in this situation? Its stressing me out :irked:
Thanks in advanced

 

[persianista]

Oh dear that is bad, Callas tips on marketing could help you, otherwise flers from vistaprint and do the legwork delivering to peoples houses?
Or try some of the salon recruitment agencies and do a bit of temping?

 

[nixnewcastle]

I've just posted a very similar thread! Im dying here. Think the beauty industry is really taking a fall at the moment and im really feeling it to Let me know how things go and i'll let you know if i find anything that really works for advertising. Best of luck i've got my fingers crossed for both of us

 

[angelina221]

Don't stress too much-it's factory fortnight and the kids school holidays so most places are quiet.
I'm usually pretty busy now but these last couple of weeks have been really quiet.
Just ride it out and hopefully things will pick up when the holidays are over

 

[champagne]

This is exactly why I think salon experience is good, your clients are already there.....

I know you say you cant do it for whatever reasons.....BUT ..... you would gain clients and experience sooooo quickly......& you can then take those clients with you when you stand alone........

Im sure you would be getting more bookings in a salon Violet xxx

 

[Violet Star]

Thanks for your help. Its not that i dont want to work in a salon its that i cant work in a salon for important reasons.

 

[persianista]

Why cant you work in a salon?

 

[bexi]

Summer is like this whether we are in a recession or not, one minute its manic the next its not.

Figures are important over a monthly period not a weekly. If you do £60 one week but £200 the next its the same as doing £130 a week you see?

Get out there with leaflets, talks at ladies groups (weight watchers is a great starting point) and be positive!

Becki xxx

 

[collin]

Hi Geeks.

Im a tad stressed at the moment as my business is near enough dead as a door nail. This month of august ive had 4 treatments to do which total upto £60. This just isnt enough to live on thats like £30 a week im living on.
I have things to pay out for and cannot afford them, i have no other income other than this. I do advertising online so much, always on gumtree and netmums promoting myself, over the last 2 weeks ive sent out promotions to my existing clients practically selling myself short and null, nothing! Ive promoted my new waxing like mad but not had a client for waxing as yet and ive been qualified for over a month.

What can i do in this situation? Its stressing me out :irked:
Thanks in advanced

Hi VS :hug:

getting any business of the ground takes time,blood ,sweat and not least tears and even after many years still needs a kick up the bum to get back on track and move things forward.

Self belief is one of the most important factors as is support from family and friends who not only offer emotional support but "actual physical" support...child minding,someone to moan with or someone to bounce ideas around with.

You are ,relatively speaking,a newbie in so far as establishing your business and professional identity...be patient and more importantly take a couple days out and sit down and look at your business...where it is today and where you want it to be...then devise a strategy of progression in smaller steps.

From reading your various postings and blogs it does seem that you should consider focusing on one or two treatments you offer rather than trying to cram in every possibility there is.

You will find that things will start to move in the right direction with a more focused stance,word of mouth from happy customers will bring in more and more each week.

Master these initial treatments in terms of growing your customer base and satisfaction and you will find it much easier bolting on additional treatments as time goes by :hug:

You certainly are a determined individual....focus focus focus will get you where you dream of being.

HTH :hug:

 

[Violet Star]

I cant work in a salon as i suffer with anxiety attacks.

Thanks for your advice is very helpful collin & bexi
x

 

[champagne]

Sorry Violet ... I meant more along the lines of rent a room/space, that way you are still self employed, no boss & you can decide what you do & when you do it.....

That might help with the client base build up......

 

[Violet Star]

Sorry Violet ... I meant more along the lines of rent a room/space, that way you are still self employed, no boss & you can decide what you do & when you do it.....

That might help with the client base build up......

I did try this begining of the year for around 3 months i used to go in when bookings were made which was more ideal for my anxiety. But i only ever had 2 bookings from there, i used to advertise for there and nothing worked. The hairdressers was more OAP, so i decided to leave and then tried to find other salons but didnt manage to find anywhere else.

 

[champagne]

Id go around every single hairdressers in the surrounding area and ask about room renting ......

Tell them what you want, not the other way around...

When I first started, i was in that salon all day every day, walking round, making booklets, showing clients the room, quick trial a nail for free whilst colours were on, printed & posted 600 leaflets by hand etc etc

I also made it clear that timescales are important, if they were booking I told them how much time I wanted before & after each client....If you are in control of your own business then you decide how hard you work....eliminates salon stress !!!

I picked up clients and so it began, I then moved on to my own salon & the rest is history....

It was bloody hard work.....and very little profit to begin with...once your name gets out there ..... you've cracked it !!!

This is by no means aimed at you Violet but I sometimes think people expect this work to land in their laps ...... It doesnt, it takes lots of hard work, sweat & tears ......

Its a dammed hard way to make a living.....But THE BEST xxxxx

 

[Jolicatellas]

I feel for you. Both for the anxiety and the slow business

I have depression and find that it too gets in the way of my work. Some times I find myself having pajama days and not wanting to get out of bed and I'm so happy when I don't have customers those days... not good for business!! I thrive when working for other people b/c the success doesn't rest on my MY shoulders - but like you I WANT success!!!!

As Collin says you are a very determined person and you want success. You visualize it and know what it looks like... it's just the getting there.
I recently met with a business adviser and one thing he said is: offer less at the start and concentrate on doing 'that' brilliantly... then when the success starts to build... that's when you offer more.
Also... when business is quiet and you're not busy... you need to be busy getting busy. What that means is on the days you have no customers get out there and bring them to you, show them you exist. Deliver fliers, or go shopping with your nails and tan done... what ever it takes.

Good Luck :hug:

 

[Jolicatellas]

It was bloody hard work.....and very little profit to begin with...once your name gets out there ..... you've cracked it !!!

sometimes think people expect this work to land in their laps ...... It doesnt, it takes lots of hard work, sweat & tears ......

Its a dammed hard way to make a living.....But THE BEST xxxxx

What I hear in that champagne is you were very busy getting busy :green: !!!!!

 

[Violet Star]

Great advice & support guys thank you very much. Sometimes i just wonder if im doing something wrong because there are many on here that have clients flying through the doors!x

 

[ukfaye]

Hi Violet,
Please dont stress, I think it can really depend where you are and the sort of clients you have, I was manic for a few months leading up to the summer holls, and literally the week it started, It dropped off dramatically.
Luckily this suits me as i have kids on holls and like to work less to spend time with them, but for you im sure it is very stressfull.
Obviously it will only do you good to keep promoting yourself, but dont panick there is only 3 weeks left and im sure you will naturally pick up again.
Then Christmas parties will start and you will be rushed off your feet!! chin up, you will be fine.xxx:hug:

 

[angelina221]

Great advice & support guys thank you very much. Sometimes i just wonder if im doing something wrong because there are many on here that have clients flying through the doors!x

The ones that have clients flying through the door have had to build up a client base and it can take years!
I see you have another thread on here about doing a charity event.
There you go, you are thinking ahead and doing what you can to get your name out there.
That's what will make a difference,get out there and do anything and everything you can.
You are doing everything right Becki and you will get there, it's just these blasted school holidays!

 

[Anastasia Vasic]

I really feel sorry for you hun. But i have to say that summer time is always the worst time for me too. Yes I do a lot of waxing, but nothing else. No matter what specials I have on, no matter how cheap I have my pampering treatments, non of it makes any deference. Summer is usually very slow. Wait a little, it will pick up. The advice I'm going to give you is keep your chin up and give 100% to your clients. Treat them very well and provide a better quality treatments than a salon next door. By that I mean your service must be better, not the price cheaper. Sometimes if you discount too much you make more harm then good to your business, so don't sell yourself short.
xxx

 

[oldgaltherapist]

Come on chin up - it will get better! I am not massively busy but I keep getting little surprises. One thing I have done is have another rejig of my website and sorted out a few things and it just gets my juices flowing (a bit sad at my age I know - lol) and excited.

Keep going
:hug: