Nails or tan?

[becca2101]

Hi,

So Ive been trained in tanning around 2 months now and Ive promoted promoted promoted with little interest ..

My question is.. Do I keep promoting and hope it takes off soon or do I add a service - gel nails?

Ive looked at peoples tan pages compared to peoples gel nails and it seems gel nails are way more popular..

What would you do?? Stick it out with tanning until it takes off or add the gel nails too??

Any advice would be appreciated...

Thanks

 

[littlekate]

Hi,

So Ive been trained in tanning around 2 months now and Ive promoted promoted promoted with little interest ..

My question is.. Do I keep promoting and hope it takes off soon or do I add a service - gel nails?

Ive looked at peoples tan pages compared to peoples gel nails and it seems gel nails are way more popular..

What would you do?? Stick it out with tanning until it takes off or add the gel nails too??

Any advice would be appreciated...

Thanks

Tanning I do every now and again. Nails I do every day. My business wouldn't be where it is without nail services.

 

[Emily9]

I'm the opposite way around i do a minimum 5 tans a day every week all regulars and get about 2/3 new clients a week where as I don't do that many nails!

 

[kellybeauty]

I think it depends what area you are in. Most people in my town would rather have their nails done than a tan x

 

[Rebecca Rebecca]

W

I'm the opposite way around i do a minimum 5 tans a day every week all regulars and get about 2/3 new clients a week where as I don't do that many nails!

Can I ask what tan u use? X

 

[beki1611]

I know you have already said that you are promoting but have you got a website, done flyers, given out introductory money off vouchers Etc?
Two months isn't that long really (I know it feels it), but it takes a lot longer to build a decent client base x

 

[Rebecca Rebecca]

Sor

W

Can I ask what tan u use? X

sorry that question was meant for Emily x

 

[Emily9]

I use St Tropez and charge £25 since there express mist came out that's all I do no one asks for the original or dark mist anymore!

 

[Rebecca Rebecca]

I use St Tropez and charge £25 since there express mist came out that's all I do no one asks for the original or dark mist anymore!

Oh ok, I was considering st tropez but was concerned because I use the mousse at home and it still smells quite biscuity - is it the same with what you use? X

 

[Emily9]

No there's no biscuity smell to the mist which actually is one thing everyone comments on! I think these days a lot of mists have aroma guard the biscuity smell is abit old school haha!!

 

[Pollypocket85]

2 months is really a very short space of time. It's taken me over 18 months to secure a good client base.
Get some summer offers going as its Prom and Holiday season.
If you don't mind me asking how much do you charge? If you're new and it's too high then it'll put people off.

 

[becca2101]

Thanks for your reply pollypocket ... I thought it was a short time but Ive messaged people who started near enough the same time and one said she had done 130 tans and im no where near that!! I charge £10 with my countless offers and my normal price is £15.00.... But ive always got an offer on it seems .. And ive done book before 9pm tonight for 25% off your thursday tan etc and that worked slightly .. Im not sure what more I can do tbh .. Ive booked my training for nails but its not until end of september so ive got time to build as much as possible .. Every single response ive had on facebook are either lying to make them sound good or are doing something amazing with their customers because they all say it took a month ... It took 3 months .. And they were getting 20 tans a week ... So im not even sure what else to do xxxxx

 

[beki1611]

Thanks for your reply pollypocket ... I thought it was a short time but Ive messaged people who started near enough the same time and one said she had done 130 tans and im no where near that!! I charge £10 with my countless offers and my normal price is £15.00.... But ive always got an offer on it seems .. And ive done book before 9pm tonight for 25% off your thursday tan etc and that worked slightly .. Im not sure what more I can do tbh .. Ive booked my training for nails but its not until end of september so ive got time to build as much as possible .. Every single response ive had on facebook are either lying to make them sound good or are doing something amazing with their customers because they all say it took a month ... It took 3 months .. And they were getting 20 tans a week ... So im not even sure what else to do xxxxx

Don't listen to what people say.. half of them are probably over exaggerating. I bumped into a girl last year who had I had done beauty therapy with and she was saying how she was really busy and fully booked all of the time but I usually had spaces.. turns out that she was doing 3 days a week (school hours) where as I work 6 days a week with 2 of them being 12 hour days lol. So someone could say it took two months or 3 months to get booked up but may only be working a couple of evenings a week.
I also think £10 is too cheap tbh so that could be putting customers off and the same goes for doing constant offers.

Have you tried leaving leaflets in bridal and prom dress shops, gyms etc?

 

[becca2101]

Awww i see!!! Haha .. Makes sense ... I thought to myself am i really doin poor here or are people making out like they are doing better than they actually are!! ... I had an offer of £10 and a fair few booked and hardly any at all at £15 then when £10 offer was on again more booked so I was wondering if I was too expensive at £15?? But I do see what you are saying actually I think I would possibly be put off too... Ive tried gyms and dress shops yes and the only two that said theyd take some - my friend went in to 'check' for them the following day and the flyers were nowhere in sight so bin i assume ... Once this offer is over should I go to £15 and stay there?? .. And just talk about my loyalty cards instead?? .. It seems everyone is busy but me but then again - maybe not!!! I really cant think of anything else to get ppl to book xxxx

 

[EmmaLF]

I wouldn't bother asking others they are not going to tell you they're quiet. They'll boast and lie and take pleasure in you saying you're quiet. I personally wouldn't do the £10. £15 is cheap enough, if its too cheap people think 'god whats going on there that shes so cheap she mustn't be very good if shes that desperate'. Obviously I'm sure you're great but it can give off a bad vibe.
Also if you start doing it at £10 people will ALWAYS expect it to be £10 and you'll only attract the bargain hunters who will wait til its £10 again before coming back and will move from salon to salon depending on who's cheapest that week. You'll never build a loyal client base, trust me I've been there and done the cheap offers and it ruined me and my reputation.

Yes I think you should stick to the £15 and get some loyalty cards. Maybe their 5th tan is £10?

 

[becca2101]

I wouldn't bother asking others they are not going to tell you they're quiet. They'll boast and lie and take pleasure in you saying you're quiet. I personally wouldn't do the £10. £15 is cheap enough, if its too cheap people think 'god whats going on there that shes so cheap she mustn't be very good if shes that desperate'. Obviously I'm sure you're great but it can give off a bad vibe.
Also if you start doing it at £10 people will ALWAYS expect it to be £10 and you'll only attract the bargain hunters who will wait til its £10 again before coming back and will move from salon to salon depending on who's cheapest that week. You'll never build a loyal client base, trust me I've been there and done the cheap offers and it ruined me and my reputation.

Yes I think you should stick to the £15 and get some loyalty cards. Maybe their 5th tan is £10?

Looking back I wish I hadnt to be honest... Do you think it will have totally destroyed me now?? Or do you think I can somehow come back from all the offers?? ..

I hope ive not destroyed my business before its even started!!!

Xx

 

[EmmaLF]

Looking back I wish I hadnt to be honest... Do you think it will have totally destroyed me now?? Or do you think I can somehow come back from all the offers?? ..

I hope ive not destroyed my business before its even started!!!

Xx

You can definitely come back from it! I have! I would get so upset by it. If I didnt post an offer I had basically no clients that week. One week I didnt do the offer and I had one woman walk in and say 'are you still doing the shellac offer?' I said no Im afraid not and she tutted, rolled her eyes and walked out!! I was shocked and so upset. It wasnt even like our usual price was much more. I stopped doing offers immediately. Now, I have lovely loyal clients who want to pay for my services and think I'm good and dont just come to me because Im cheap. I still have the odd cheapskate who will ask for an offer but I just say No I'm afraid we don't have any offer on at the moment, the usual price is ____' If they dont want it then tough luck I don't want them as clients anyway.

It takes time to build up clients, its tough, its hard on your self confidence but you will get through it. You just have to believe you're worth it and that you're great at what you do! Stay confident and fake it til you make it! Don't post on Facebook that you're not busy or that you have load of appointments available. Instead post saying something along the lines of 'ladies there's only a few appointments left this week so If you're looking for a tan for the weekend its best to book now', people always want something that there's only a few of. Get the people who do book with you to post a review on your facebook page in return for maybe 10% off their next tan (most people will do it for free anyway).

Word of mouth is key so recommending friend rewards are great too! If someone books a tan let them know you also do tanning parties for groups. They can invite a group of friends to get tanned too for a discount.
xx

 

[becca2101]

Thanks soo much Emma... I felt pretty alone with everyone saying how well theyre doing etc and getting the largest amount of clients when offers are on ... But im stopping all offers as of right now ... It sounds really hard to begin with but i will just have to stick at it every client who has paid the 15 have been the ones that have said theyd deffos rebook .. And 2 have so far ... I also didnt want the ones who do pay 15 to want to feel 'cheated' when ppl r gettin the tans for 10 because really as people have said bein mobile - using nouvatan - and being a good spray tan technician has to count for something ... Im just going to have to stick at it and see where it gets me ... But thats another question then - when i do my gel nails and first start off adding the service because its new would i offer them cheaper or just go straight in at normal price?? Xx

 

[beki1611]

Awww i see!!! Haha .. Makes sense ... I thought to myself am i really doin poor here or are people making out like they are doing better than they actually are!! ... I had an offer of £10 and a fair few booked and hardly any at all at £15 then when £10 offer was on again more booked so I was wondering if I was too expensive at £15?? But I do see what you are saying actually I think I would possibly be put off too... Ive tried gyms and dress shops yes and the only two that said theyd take some - my friend went in to 'check' for them the following day and the flyers were nowhere in sight so bin i assume ... Once this offer is over should I go to £15 and stay there?? .. And just talk about my loyalty cards instead?? .. It seems everyone is busy but me but then again - maybe not!!! I really cant think of anything else to get ppl to book xxxx

No you are not expensive at £15 at all and you need to look at your profit margins, you really aren't making much from charging £10 so it's just not worth it.

I do think there is a place for offers but you have to do the right sort of offers! I have lost count of the amount of clients who have mentioned about all of the £10 treatments advertised on fb etc and the comments are always negative.. It really does put people off! Offers that do work though are ones like 'get a £x off your next tan voucher' because they are more likely to rebook and if they rebook there is more chance of them coming back! Also freebies.. everyone loves a freebie lol so for example you could put together a little organza bag with an aftercare leaflet, a loyalty card and an exfoliating mitt for example. It won't break the bank but will make customers feel special and they are more likely to remember you when they next want a tan!

My biggest tip though is to pay no attention to what others are doing! If they want to do tans for a tenner and blend in with the countless others who are doing the same then let them but you need to look at what you are doing and ' think outside the box'.. what could you do that is going to be a bit different and make yourself stand out the ideas I gave above are just of the top of my head because tbh I don't spend much time promoting tanning but gives you an idea xx

 

[xXjazXx]

As others have said it does take a long time to build up a good regular client base, but it definitely does happen if you're offering a good service, you will get there As for doing an offer on gel nails- start doing them full price, otherwise you'll end up in the same situation. You could give vouchers to loyal tan clients to say as a thank you for being a loyal client £5 off your first set when booked with your next tan? That way you're not actually losing any money as you are already at their house so no traveling time and they feel special for receiving the offer. Or maybe put a tan and nail package price on your list?