Quiet Christmas trade

[niche_lauren]

Hello! I’m newly qualified...& looking for some advice before giving up!

I qualified with CND L&P and Shellac in Sept. I’ve been officially set up in a salon since 1st October so not very long however...I’m not very busy at all all my clients I’ve had have been happy apart from 1 or 2 who came back to say their shellac had ‘popped off’ I offered them complimentary free treatment & have them both as regulars now.

My problem is this week i have 5 appointments the whole week WED-SAT. I have tried everything I could think of to drum up business (leafleting, running introductory offers, some continuing offers, free nail art, Christmas hamper raffle for every client booked in December & so on...) I just can’t seem to busy up and find most people only book if it’s a ridiculously cheap deal..

So my question is I suppose how long did it take you all to ‘busy up’ a bit?! Seriously concerned at the lack of appointments I have I also have about 8-10 people nearby offering ‘shellac’ I have since seen from walking past the windows a few of them are using Bluesky? But have a sign in the window claiming it’s shellac for £12 I’m priced at £23 is this too expensive?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Xx

 

[sanilulu]

Hi hunni,
It takes time to build up a good client base, and you’ve only been open 10 weeks, it’s still early days, as for the £12 for so called shellac ... hahahaha ....
I charge £22 ... and if they want cheap they can jog on to whatever ‘cheap’ therapist they like is what I say.

Keep at it, but iv always found recommendation is better than any advertising / a Facebook page / insta page is better than any leaflet that ppl just put in the bin , (plus it’s free)
- get clients & friends to like and share your page, you can post pics of your work etc, & ask your clients to tag you into any nails pics they post,
Xxxxx

 

[EssexFreelance]

If your not in the running for a price war then don’t compete. Your doing 5x£22 and those people will have to do 10 bargain hunters to earn the same money and might not get loyal business.

I’ve never discounted and am average price (I think) and I’m not out to compete with cheaper people.

I pay £22 for my nails and to be honest nothing would attract me apart from good work and a reliable technician.

Your only just starting out so I wouldn’t stress at all really!

 

[JJH93]

It's taken me 3 years to be fully booked in a town with multiple salons. Word of mouth is the best for trade and that takes a long time to build up

 

[tracey87]

Hi I started a new beauty business in a salon in April, I have been fully booked the last few weeks, I’m charging £15 for a set of gelish gel nails. It is just word of mouth and having a Facebook page where u can post all your offers, competitions and photos of your work xxx

 

[Shauna06]

How about introductory offers? Such as Shellac for £15 instead of £22 on Wednesdays or something? It might help you build up a client base. Just a suggestion

 

[swilks12]

Hi I started a new beauty business in a salon in April, I have been fully booked the last few weeks, I’m charging £15 for a set of gelish gel nails. It is just word of mouth and having a Facebook page where u can post all your offers, competitions and photos of your work xxx

£15?? How the heck do you make anything on that after you have factored in costs of products/consumables/electricity and you time? [emoji15]

 

[HeavenlyBeaut12]

Hello! I’m newly qualified...& looking for some advice before giving up!

I qualified with CND L&P and Shellac in Sept. I’ve been officially set up in a salon since 1st October so not very long however...I’m not very busy at all all my clients I’ve had have been happy apart from 1 or 2 who came back to say their shellac had ‘popped off’ I offered them complimentary free treatment & have them both as regulars now.

My problem is this week i have 5 appointments the whole week WED-SAT. I have tried everything I could think of to drum up business (leafleting, running introductory offers, some continuing offers, free nail art, Christmas hamper raffle for every client booked in December & so on...) I just can’t seem to busy up and find most people only book if it’s a ridiculously cheap deal..

So my question is I suppose how long did it take you all to ‘busy up’ a bit?! Seriously concerned at the lack of appointments I have I also have about 8-10 people nearby offering ‘shellac’ I have since seen from walking past the windows a few of them are using Bluesky? But have a sign in the window claiming it’s shellac for £12 I’m priced at £23 is this too expensive?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Xx

 

[HeavenlyBeaut12]

Hi
It takes a while to build up. Beauty is a tough industry.
I’m a mobile therapist and it’s taken a good couple of years to build up regular clients.
You are charging the right amount for shellac. People will moan that it’s cheaper elsewhere; but not everyone is using proper shellac and they wreck the nails because they don’t remove it properly.
Facebook has been fab for advertising. Have you got a Facebook page? I’ve had a couple of new clients this month from Facebook x