Disheartened with beauty

[Diana-Jane]

I'm seriously considering giving up working in the beauty industry and just wonder how so many other geeks manage to make a living from it.
I qualified last summer and got a job straight away in a busy hotel spa. Zero hours contract, minimum wage, 7+ hours of massage a day. So i lasted one year and when there was no sign of permanent contract or pay increase i decided to try self employed.
I've been renting a room in a busy hair salon in the centre of town since June and im getting quieter, i had hoped this time of year would pick up.
Im the only salon around that offers Kim Lawless trained Brazilian waxing using hot wax and I've promoted that fact a lot, on my website, Facebook and talking to clients. Hasn't made any difference, done around 6 Brazilians. some people have been shocked that i charge £30 for it and a few clients have said they know somewhere doing it cheaper.
Shellac and facial waxing are my most popular treatments but not popular enough to keep me busy!
Most of my clients have come to me through the hair stylists singing my praises so i don't know that being on the CND salon locator would make a massive difference.
My website is ok, basic but informative. When i ask clients how they heard of me its always either through the stylists, walk-ins or they saw one of my leaflets. Nobody has said Facebook or my website.
i know it can take years to build a clientele and i cant expect to make a profit in the first year but my situation is honestly grim! Day after day of no clients or cancellations. its so distressing after spending a lot of money on stock and flyers.
Lynne Bakers thread gave me some inspiration and I've contacted loads of local businesses, donated vouchers to fundraising events but so far I've not seen any extra clients out of it.
have i just chosen an awful time to go it alone?
I've been trying so hard not to get down about all this but months of no income is taking its toll.
Off for a cry now


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[squidgernetball]

There is not a lot I can say to make you feel better, except that we are pretty dead at the moment!!! I am off the beaten track, so all my clients have to either know about me, happen upon me or have a recommendation. I know where you are coming from, and I have been self employed for over 12 years. We are about to introduce 'recommend a friend' or similar, and I have just had my site updated, but that hasn't gone live yet. I actually get quite a lot through my website, and I nearly always link to it from any Facebook posts I put. It is linked to Twitter as well, and I quite often 'boost' a post to reach a bigger audience. I went to my hairdressers the other day - a very well established business and she is quiet as well!

I try to look at a months takings rather than a day or a week, which can (sometimes) help, but you are right that it takes a long time to build a base. I have just started employing my daughter, so am now responsible for a wage as well, which makes it harder!

I would try and improve your website. If you have done it yourself via something like Weebly, make sure people can find you by using all the search terms you can - agree about the CND salon finder - never had anyone from it!!! Also have a look at the amount of hits your site has had if you can. It will give you an idea of whether you are actually getting found.

I seem to think it is always like this, every year, and I panic that Christmas will be awful, but it always seems to pick up.

Good luck,

Vicki x

 

[fuzzyduck]

Hi felt so saddened to read your post but so totally understand where you are coming from.

I have been in the industry for 30 yrs now. When I first opened my business 27 yrs ago the only marketing/advertising we did was to place an ad in the yellow pages and wait for the phone to ring!

In very little time I had a flourishing business. After 5yrs had a huge client data base NEVER advertised was fully booked 6 weeks ahead and had a long list every day of clients waiting for a cancellation !!

I eventually closed my book on new clients as my client base was so large was always fully booked.

Sold my business a few years ago and had a break. Moved across the country and opened another business on a much smaller scale.
Boy have things changed was expecting to do a little bit of advertising and wait for the clients to come rushing through the door.... WRONG.

It has been a slow uphill struggle even with all my training and experience.

I believe one problem is we have a saturation of 'Therapists' thus supply is exceeding demand therefore everyone seems to be undercuting everyone else in price to get business. A recipe for disaster!

The only advice I can give is try and stay positive think outside the box. Try and gain training in more advanced treatments and be excellent at what you do.

Good Luck
x

 

[Diana-Jane]

thank you vicki,
i hate being so negative but every one of my clients so far this week have cancelled and its getting me down. and im looking back on my minimum wage days and thinking i wish i had that now!
need to have a pep talk with myself!


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[mm29]

I don't think leaflet drops work

Word of mouth is by far the best advertising

Have you done recommend a friend?
This really does work if done correctly

They say by the 3rd visit a client will decide to stick with you or not

 

[Diana-Jane]

no, i haven't tried recommend a friend. how does it work?

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[mm29]

no, i haven't tried recommend a friend. how does it work?

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Il pm you

 

[Diana-Jane]

thanks so much, i will give it a go!
x

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[mm29]

thanks so much, i will give it a go!
x

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It honestly works a treat when building a new clientele.

Pick one service that's low cost to yourself and really push it
Think outside the box and get running with it in the run up to Xmas

 

[mm29]

It honestly works a treat when building a new clientele.

Pick one service that's low cost to yourself and really push it
Think outside the box and get running with it in the run up to Xmas

Advertise it on your fb and ask for it to be shared

 

[Christine Mary]

Being cheeky here! after a huge personal struggle this last 18 months where I virtually lost everything I had, picked myself off and dusted myself down yet again, and I too would love to learn about the recommend a friend scheme if possible. I am starting up again, as I am now full time carer for my mum, so any help would be wonderfull.

thank you in anticipation.

I really hope work picks up for everyone who needs it.

 

[Beauty4all]

Just a suggestion -
Brazilain waxing - I too am KL trained and whilst I do all beauty, I only charge £24 for it. Why? Because it makes sense to me to be fully booked every day. I am home based so obvioulsy don't have your overheads, BUT I do on average, 5 hollywoods a day as well as Shellac, Massage etc, mostly girls 21 - 30 who travel on average local to 20 miles to see me. I'm pretty quick and do a spotless job, so it pays for me, hands down, to keep the price down! I'd rather do 5 at £24, than 1 at £30?

My 2 favorite treatments are intimate waxing (bizarre!) and Shellac, so I capitalise on that.
So maybe reduce the price then update your website/facebook etc? You've got nothing to lose!

 

[shedunlop]

Getting your pricing right is the key to repeat business and attracting people for the first time. If clients are telling you that you are too expensive then your are my darling. I know that is probably not what you want to hear but if you accept it you may find it helps your business.

What are the other salons charging? That is the first thing to look at. What is the area like, do people have a lot of disposable income or not. People, especially women, cannot spend money they don't have no matter how good you are or how much they like you. I live in an area that isn't that affluent so I do know what I am talking about. I love Beauty Therapy so I have to make it work for me. I charge reasonable prices and am fully booked most days, most of my clients have been with me for over 10 years. I moved to Gloucester from Bristol about 12 years ago and had to start all over again after 7 years there, so again, I remember what it is like starting over.

I recently had 6 months off work due to cancer and I only lost one client, the rest returned to me because I have the balance right.

Review your pricelist and give it another go. I would rather be busy all day and earning that quiet and worried how I was going to make a living

 

[TPB]

I haven't had new clients only two regulars in two months? It has been rubbish for me, however as I'm new I might have to work something out to get myself noticed for next month lol -_-

 

[AmberExt]

... but every one of my clients so far this week have cancelled and its getting me down.


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This is what stands out to me. I think you need to find out why they are cancelling. Is it location, price, poaching, service breakdown a week later? This maybe your answer.


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[Tigan]

As someone once said on here, they spend more in a coffee shop than they do on a set of nails with some of the prices that are going around, its so true, i won't budge, im working on other things too now until nails pick up, not far from me someone is doing shellac for £6, well, im not playing :irked: people are becoming so greedy they'll be taking the shirt of your back next, the thing is if they went to work somewhere they would expect to be paid by the hour for what they do but they seem to think that for us they only need to cover what they think the costs are, not the work you put in or the other costs which they forget exist
It seems to be happening in every line of work, clothes etc, no wonder evryone is miserable

 

[essentia]

Sorry that you feel down but it is early days still. I found a Yellow pages ad with web link the best - make sure your website looks attractive as well as informative.

 

[squidgernetball]

Have to disagree that leaflet drops don't work - maybe they don't work for everyone. It also depends on the quality of your leaflet, and the areas you target. I send out about 800 - 1000 at a time and get a great response. My leaflets are a work of art!!!

It is then up to me to get those clients to return!

 

[Steph86]

This is what stands out to me. I think you need to find out why they are cancelling. Is it location, price, poaching, service breakdown a week later? This maybe your answer.


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See last year almost ALL my clients cancelled in November but were booked in for December & kept those appointments. Thankfully Ive only had 3 cancellations this month, but a new lady took that slot so worked out well.

This time of year is hard saving up for Xmas, Xmas parties, new clothes & your festive pamper session!


Xx

 

[AmberExt]

See last year almost ALL my clients cancelled in November but were booked in for December & kept those appointments. Thankfully Ive only had 3 cancellations this month, but a new lady took that slot so worked out well.

This time of year is hard saving up for Xmas, Xmas parties, new clothes & your festive pamper session!


Xx

Yep, i agree that could be the answer, Nov is a build up month. If people were going to cancel anyway, lowering your prices in dec wouldnt change that and could be a slippery slope.

Reducing prices is quite the opposite advice given in nearly every other thread?!

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