Is the market oversaturated with nail techs?

[Trini]

Hi Geeks,
This thread is so important on a whole because its not just there in England but world wide i am on an Island of 3000 people 1/4 of which i estimate as children and last count we have 15 people doing nails and more every week doing a course for 2 days in PR and classing them selfs as qualified nail techs. My idea is if all of u can do a reverse EXPO instead of a nail show for tech do one for the public to show the dangers of NSS salons set up a demo salon with dirty floors ,foot bath tables dust every where e-files show lg pictures of skin and nail disease let them know it should not hurt to do a treatment, but be relaxing invigorating do a nail a manicure on 1 hand a pedicure let them judge for them selves. Do a book of registered nail tech in the different areas. Just an idea sorry if i ran on on on

Tricia

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Cec you are so right in what you say - as always. I keep my prices on the higher end of the market for my area to attract the loyal clients who respect your work etc. Like you, I know that as soon as someone starts with the opening remark "how much for a fullset?" I know they won't book!

I just wondered in my original question because I advertise heavily and my phone doesn't ring half as much as it used to 4 years ago and wondered if it's because people tend to get it done by their friends who do it as a hobby for example.

I do however think that we are in a mini recession and people aren't spending like they used to, so maybe that is adding to the problem too!

 

[Mrs Geek]

I too think Cec's post was excellent - why worry about the others if you are doing a great job? People worry because they fear the unknown and are not confident enough in their own abilities!

 

[Bagpuss]

I too think Cec's post was excellent - why worry about the others if you are doing a great job? People worry because they fear the unknown and are not confident enough in their own abilities!

wow...your new pic is cool...look at those beautiful big .. eyes...lol...xxx

 

[smiler13334]

Becoming a nail tech has become a 'fashionable job' some see it as a way of making a quick buck, then realise it is harder then what it looks like.

As with any fashion, it goes out. I too don't worry about the nail bars popping up or the nss places, yes they will be inundated with clients because of the price not necessarily the workmanship. Most techs do a good job it is just the products that is used or how it is used that causes problems or worse, stops a client having them done again.

You can talk non stop until your blue in the face about the dangers, but when clients see for themselves that, it doesn't hurt, they last, and they don't look like bricks! then this is when the word of mouth starts which is the best prevention against the bad things.

If you have the passion, your a people person and you pride yourself in your work and strive for giving the client the best for them along with keeping ontop of new things and training, you will still be around for many years to come.

Take care xx

 

[Buggy]

I think there are a lot of nail techs around but not many good ones. I've only been doing this for since Jan, and i've only been advertising since May. At the moment my prices are low, which i think reflects my ability, but i do not lie about that to my clients. they know how long i have been doing it (and that i also do it part time so i'm not as experienced as someone doing it full time since May) .

I don't think you girls should worry at all. I haven't read all the replies on here so forgive me if i'm out of time or repeat something. If you are good at your job then your client's will come back. Let them go to an NSS if they want, they will soon be back when they have to keep taking the nurofen to ease the pain. i have a few clients from NSSs and they come back to me because, although i'm not as experienced, i don't wreck their nails, their cuticles don't bleed, i disinfect my stuff in front of them, and generally act very professional and act like i have confidence in my knowledge and myself (even when i don't :Scared: ). when i am more experienced, and my smiles are competition standard, my prices are going up, and they won't be coming down just because some tom dick or harry down the road can do it with an argos kit. i will have worked hard to get where i am (if i ever get there!) and my prices will reflect it. If your work is wicked they will come back to you, even if they have tried somewhere else.

a client said to me the other day, why don't you keep your prices like this and then you will have loads of clients. i told her that my prices reflect my ability now and when i have my masters (hopefully one day) i will have worked hard for it, my nails will be of an excellent standard, and will be worth the extra money.

It's like when i lost my hairdresser... i tried another one and he was naff, so i had to find my old one, which thankfully i did. and i don't mind paying his prices.

When i went on a course the other day, Marco gave me a tip (not the plastic kind, a verbal one). He said, if someone queries your price or ability or whatever), give them a freebie. Not a WHOLE set, just one finger. Give them the best enhancement on one finger that you can do. You will get the practice, and they'll go away and look at it and think to themselves (hopefully), "yea, that's really good, and i think a whole set is worth the price" and they'll be back to book up with you.

 

[Mrs Geek]

When i went on a course the other day, Marco gave me a tip (not the plastic kind, a verbal one). He said, if someone queries your price or ability or whatever), give them a freebie. Not a WHOLE set, just one finger. Give them the best enhancement on one finger that you can do. You will get the practice, and they'll go away and look at it and think to themselves (hopefully), "yea, that's really good, and i think a whole set is worth the price" and they'll be back to book up with you.

That Marco is a smart cookie!!! :Grope:

 

[traceypel]

WOW what a lot of varied opinions...
i always thought i was better than the girl down the road as i had more experience and she was the newly qualified but i was surprised by my reaction when i booked in for my nails and the service i got...in fact i picked up some useful tips......but she was the one with the up to date training and i thought i was!!!!!
that then lead me to become more aware of my knowledge and training.. so i started investing in new nail books on the market and testing myself...there are some really goods ones as well...
i dont have my own salon but work in partnership with my friend in tanning salon. so i offer to do a nail for them f.o.c - especially when they come off sunbed (if their gettin a tan - then it must be for a special reason- so thats where i jump in and offer the finishing look with the nail. and believe me it does work...
with regards to price - ive never ad a problem with cost- dont always assume clients want CHEAP!!!

 

[Mrs Geek]

WOW what a lot of varied opinions...
i always thought i was better than the girl down the road as i had more experience and she was the newly qualified but i was surprised by my reaction when i booked in for my nails and the service i got...in fact i picked up some useful tips......but she was the one with the up to date training and i thought i was!!!!!
that then lead me to become more aware of my knowledge and training.. so i started investing in new nail books on the market and testing myself...there are some really goods ones as well...
i dont have my own salon but work in partnership with my friend in tanning salon. so i offer to do a nail for them f.o.c - especially when they come off sunbed (if their gettin a tan - then it must be for a special reason- so thats where i jump in and offer the finishing look with the nail. and believe me it does work...
with regards to price - ive never ad a problem with cost- dont always assume clients want CHEAP!!!

How very honest of you. This is an inspiring post and one many should learn by! Well Done :Look_righ

 

[traceypel]

can i also say that any new salon or new nail tech in the area - i always go and have my nails done and that would let me know if they are professional or not... and i never listen to my clients comments or respond with them about others...
i actually introduce myself to all the other nail techs and wish them luck...
that way there is always the chance to ring them again and ask how they are doing or stay within each others price guides/offers...
i know u will always get the ones who wont!!! but never mind..
i also tend with any new client ring them a couple of days of having their nails to c if all ok.(not if have a problem with them)and if any missing or broken then i get them back in to sort....
hope this helps
sorry for being so honest or polite or too good hearted!!!!!!!!!

 

[fiona wallace]

Well done you! hope we can ALL find some inspiration from this post...I have personally never worried about the competition (if they were good)...people see beautiful nails...they just want to get their own nails done too, creating MORE business which creates MORE business, on and on etc., If the competition is bad, yes it can create more business for those who are GOOD but it can also create BAD INDUSTRY PR and stop people from getting their nails done AT ALL! So, we must all be industry aware and do all we can to increase the profile of well educated, client oriented, business-savvy, hard-working, ENTHUSIATIC, nail technicians!

 

[traceypel]

sorry its me again..
(kids gone to bed early) need some adult conversion!!!!!!!!!!!!
referring to the orig thread - the only alternative to legalising the industry is to make clients more aware of the standards, professionalism and training involved...
whats more important to a woman...of course its NAILS, SHOES, BAGS
maybe in a form of a magazine for clients to buy in shops etc...
advertising standards, training involved, beauty of natural looking nails, before and after shots, glamor pics of french nails, celebrities wearing them, who buys what enamels,bridal nails,matching nails/toes to your color outfit....etc etc loads that could be done in it..
this may have been mentioned before in a previous thread, so im sorry to repeat myself...
my clients always pick up my mag of scratch and look thro, ive even had to order stuff for them! (always place on top of HELLO mag otherwise jordan and peter will get the first look in)
this magazine could be put together by nail techs -
there is a hair mag- infact i used to buy that when i wanted a new style!

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I think Lol (bimbogeri) was talking about setting up up a nail consumer mag a while back.

Reading through this whole thread again, I think maybe I didn't word my original Qs right. What I wanted to get at was that my phone doesn't ring like it used to, I would get several calls a day, now it's more like a couple a week. Is this because there are more techs, but the market hasn't grown to compensate? ( so too may techs spoil the broth as they say!!) Or is that people are cutting back on their expenditure and so less people are having their nails done? Or a combination of the two?

 

[Mrs Geek]

sorry its me again..
(kids gone to bed early) need some adult conversion!!!!!!!!!!!!
referring to the orig thread - the only alternative to legalising the industry is to make clients more aware of the standards, professionalism and training involved...
whats more important to a woman...of course its NAILS, SHOES, BAGS
maybe in a form of a magazine for clients to buy in shops etc...
advertising standards, training involved, beauty of natural looking nails, before and after shots, glamor pics of french nails, celebrities wearing them, who buys what enamels,bridal nails,matching nails/toes to your color outfit....etc etc loads that could be done in it..
this may have been mentioned before in a previous thread, so im sorry to repeat myself...
my clients always pick up my mag of scratch and look thro, ive even had to order stuff for them! (always place on top of HELLO mag otherwise jordan and peter will get the first look in)
this magazine could be put together by nail techs -
there is a hair mag- infact i used to buy that when i wanted a new style!

Now you see here is where I bang my head again and again against the wall. For 8 years we have been educting these editors who still decide to write what they want the majority of the time or they ask non-professionals for their opinions. You ask Alex frpm Scratch or Kat from PN how difficult it is to do a trade mag - never mind a consumer mag - and where oh where do we get all these amazing images from - nails are the hardest area on the body to shoot. Many of the ads in the trade mags depict ugly looking nail shots.

Now here's a thought! How often do we buy hair magazines??? Only when we fancy a new cut maybe? or maybe if we were getting amrried - looking for ideas etc.... the general public will not choose a nails only mag over Gratzia (enough to make it successful without some real clout behind it)..

Finally BE CAREFUL about allowing your clients to look through Scratch - it is a trade publication and you are allowing your clients to see COST prices of the products YOU are selling at retail! Just a thought!! :biggrin:

 

[traceypel]

hi sass
i think there is a lot more nails about but clients are more aware of how nails should be as well so i would say that even though the market of nail techs has grown but so has the public now having nails on- and the old motto of NAIL ENHANCEMENTS RUIN YOUR NAILS has become a thing of the past - unless they have had a bad experience...but who knows whether it could have the client ripping them off or something...the fashion industry not only involves hair, makeup, fashion clothing but also nails so now it should be busier....
for example nail salons are on tv on most SOAPS...
I believe its down to the actual overall service of having nails on now...the more natural the better , rapport, skill, confidence and so now.
hope im on your wave lenght and that ive not missed the whole point your trying to make...
(its late now and my condenser dryer is packing up, ran out of coffee, what more do i need!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Cec you do have to know your market and demographics to affectively advertise and I so know where you are coming from! When I leaflet dropped I tended to go on the Council estates because they often are the people who like to spend more on themselves (and aren't affected by interest rate rises). I avoided the really big houses, or places with a really high family catchment (peeps with young children) as most of my clients tend to be either young girls who live at home (by young I mean around 20), but mainly around the 40/50 years from a working or middle class background.

To me, those that have the money don't tend to spend it, and they dothend to look down at nail extensions as common. I guess it's not like this in Norway then, as you charge such a premium?

... and before people jump down my throat, I am not generalising that ALL clients are like this, that's just my opinion in what is going on in my area.

 

[Glorsclaws]

Just generalising again... I was talking about something silmilar just last night, because the model I am possibly using for Session Scratch has gone & had her hair done ...blonde at the front with those dark pieces underneath (I know, Im crap at explaining).
Now while this all looks very nice, I wanted to use a girl with a classic look, and this type of hair style/colour is so of its time...so will date!
Whats this got to do with nails? well Im getting there, lol!
Do you not think that some of the girls (especially the younger ones) who have had been having their nails done, have done so because they see it as part of 'the look' that has been in fashion of late. You know the plastic 'look at me boys' type of look (no offence peeps).
Now that the Footie Wive's type look is dating a bit maybe theyre not bothering with having their nails done anymore, as I personally have found so many women dont seem to realise that you can have extensions that are enhancements and not so 'in yer face'. I have also had it said to me "whats the point of having extensions if no-one knows they are"
Add to that type of attitude, the lack of money around at the mo, the 'everybody's little sister is doing nails' and the fashion right now for shorter nails and its no wonder the market is feeling it...ooh & all the probs caused by NSS, tut!

 

[Buggy]

i once gave someone the creative training number in front of my mate, and she said to me, "why did you do that, aren't you worried your could lose clients?". I said, "if i am good at what i do, i won't lose them, and if i start losing them to someone else then maybe i need to look at myself and get some more training"

i honestly believe that if you produce consistently good results and your prices match your ability, then word of mouth will see you through.