6 years later and still the same

[TheNailBarista]

September, October and beginning of November has always been the quietest times of the year for as long as I can remember.... Not only in my spa working career, but even when I was a student working in retail. A lot of people spend tons of money in the summer and for back to school, and then there a lull up until the busy Christmas season begins. Its totally normal and to be expected that it's quieter this time of the year..... It just gives us a little relax time until the Christmas season hits where we won't even have a pee break anymore!

 

[squidgernetball]

Where's best to find out more info on the feng shui? I constantly go around closing cuboards and drawers after people it's meant to stop your cash flowing away? Bit silly maybe but I always do it, I'm going to check which way my toilet faces now!

We got some recommended books from eBay. I'd tell you what they are but my daughter is currently feng shui'ing her house. Loo seats should always be down regardless to contain the negativity of waste - and it looks better!

I moved a mirror in the bedroom and the difference was noticeable. Even my husband who thinks I'm a total fruit loop noticed a calmer feeling!

China spend fortunes on buildings, making a hole in one to maintain the principles of feng shui.

To the op sorry to go off track and I totally understand what you are saying. An amethyst and putting your toilet seat down won't bring you new customers, but as I asked before, are your existing customers returning?

Vic x

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[beautygeek_11]

Due to a staff member leaving she took a good portion of my regular existing clients. I can see now she had been planning this for 2years prior.moving my clients into days when I was off /busy and just other scheming tricks. A nice girl on the outside but not what people think she is... But in general yes but not on a regular basis. Like a facial every 3 months and nails just when they are going somewhere you know that kind of way. Very hard to get people regularly rebooking.

 

[squidgernetball]

Can you walk outside your salon and honestly appraise it. Does it have kerb appeal? Can you improve it? Does it look welcoming? Are you offering a range of treatments and are you performing them well? This is the time to be brutally honest - with yourself. Step outside and walk back in and see what your clients see.

You may dismiss the principles of feng shui but putting all of that aside is your salon a good positive place to be? If I'm totally honest I'm wondering why your clients left with your therapist. People are creatures of habit and if parking is easy and the treatments are performed well they will return. Have you totally taken your eye off the ball and allowed your therapist too much free rein? Did you not notice?

I don't mean to sound harsh but you're putting all your excuses on her. If my therapist left tomorrow my clients may be disappointed but they would stay with my salon.

I think you need to take a long hard look. If you change nothing, nothing changes!

Vic x

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[Cheshire_Gal]

While this is true to a degree things are always shifting and changing. Salons come and go. Therapists get pregnant/move/jack it in, and those clients need somewhere to go. New people move to an area. Some salons are crap but clients don't know where else to go and so on!

You have said on here you have three salons, so why not share some marketing tips. What worked for you in the early days etc. To just come and say the market is saturated isn't much help to the op who isn't a new salon but has been open 6 years!

Vic x

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When i started 20 years ago there werent anywhere nearly as many salonsn& mobile as there are now and home salons were unheard of. Now they are everywhere. People opening home salons in there garages, gardens, living room lol. I just did what everyone is doing now and kept trying to be the best around. I dont do much advertising/promoting now as have a good reputation (i hope lol). I could actually take on another therpist part time (3 days) as constantly turning work away. I dont want to do that as would push me above VAT threshold. Also have a great team and dont want to upset apple cart. It also creates a mystique as peope who cant get an appt then want one even more.

 

[Florry]

There's some very interesting ideas in this book The Salon Owners Bible and you can download it for free!

 

[NailsXpress]

Beautygeek11. Yep I'm in the same boat again. Went well through the summer but today only had one client and tomorrow no-one booked in yet!!!!! Un flipping believable.

 

[Extensionista]

Lack of jobs over the past six years has caused so many people to look to make extra money and short beauty courses seem to have been the answer for a lot of women. Also the short courses have given loads of mums am opportunity to "retrain" and work around the kids. So I agree the market is saturated but remember you have a head start on all these newbies like me. If you've had your salon six years then I'm guessing you've been a therapist for much longer do you make sure that everyone knows that? I always always always go for experience over anything else. Especially as I am one of those women who I've just described; I did a short course and I'm trying to grow a business and while I'm getting good at what I do there's so much I don't know and I personally feel not enough established therapists/stylists hammer home their experience.

Could you take a holiday? I always come back rearing to go after a holiday. Also you'll be refreshed ready for the Xmas rush. Even a short break might give you some perspective xx


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[Sequins4]

Due to a staff member leaving she took a good portion of my regular existing clients. I can see now she had been planning this for 2years prior.moving my clients into days when I was off /busy and just other scheming tricks. A nice girl on the outside but not what people think she is... But in general yes but not on a regular basis. Like a facial every 3 months and nails just when they are going somewhere you know that kind of way. Very hard to get people regularly rebooking.

We had the same happen to us (we have a hair salon) exact same thing where she was rebooking people in with her and when we weren't there she stole client information from our computer. It was an awful situation! She left in the August about 2 years ago and the sept-end of October was awful it was quiet anyway that time of year but she took a lot of clients..... However by the December the majority came back to us through offers we had on and most clients just generally preferred coming into the salon.

Don't let her get you down, I'm sure you will pick up again. Do you run a loyalty card scheme? May help with more regular bookings
X

 

[NailsXpress]

I read The Salon Owners Bible today. It's worth reading just to get you back in the right frame of mind and also put you on track for what you need to do. I'm doing exactly what it says already ie great customer service, professional, good treatments etc etc.

My problem is getting my name out there now. Going to get a rear car window decal and a new sign for outside the salon - A board. Will also put some balloons on it to get noticed.

Also going to hand out a few leaflets in the town square to help. I'm already on Facebook and Twitter and have a website too. So many salons in my area though to compete with. Going to add new drinks for customers too. Just things like cappuccinos and hot choc, instead of just ordinary tea and coffee.

 

[katesiller]

i believe in the energy's 100% if i am having a quiet week, i change all the windows displays i clean like a crazy lady etc, i am fully trained interior designer so the energy is good but having a quiet day move items around and change the flow !!! but staff can cause a negative energy !!! i have a girl at the moment who is on commission but she just sits there no promo or talking to clients, she wont answer phone and she is polish but her English is fab so today i have to tell her to pull her socks up as my other nail tech is flat out and shes dead as she gets no other clients asking for her .... so i think the energy can also come from the staff as well !!!!