A few questions for nail techs that work/worked in a hair salon

[McKenna]

Hello Geeks!

More of a searcher than a poster usually so here it goes ...

I have been offered an amazing opportunity to rent a nail desk within a busy hair salon.

My questions are really directed at making an absolutely fab first impression.
I have only worked in nails salons up to this point so would really appreciate your answers :biggrin:

I have seen people in the past offer file & polishes whilst a hair clients colour is developing, Is this offered at a discounted price? Free hand massages?

I really want to get my hands on the hairdressers nails so they can advertise my work, the girls are 100% up for it (there are 3 ladies) If my shellac prices are £20-25, how much do I charge them?

I plan to be a grafter, I'll be there when I have no clients, mucking in with salon duties, I have a lot of customer service under my belt... I think its just the nitty gritty of being in a hair salon that I need to get to grips with

What worked well for you?

How did you ease your way into salon life?

Anything you would do differently?

Any tips that you've trialled & tested?

Any Advice greatly appreciated xxx

 

[classixuk]

Really really wish you were in our salon. We are desperate for a nail geek! We do over 170k in hair and our clients are crying out for shellac!

My advice would be to offer the stylists a free shellac every 2 weeks in a colour of your choice. In return they do a free cut and colour every 6 weeks in a colour of their choice.

Forget about shampooing etc. and getting involved with the background salon work, get yourself in there offering free hand massages while the colour is being applied and telling them all about shellac. Offer them 20% off if they have shellac with you while their colour develops that day and whatever you do...change the colour from whatever they had before and make it match the hair colour they are having that day.

So much other stuff, but I won't give it away for free on here! Lol

 

[McKenna]

Gosh! I want to live in Liverpool with an offer like that!

Thanks so much for your great ideas didn't even consider treatment swaps as I'm usually so dull with my hair decisions! So that's a fab idea!

I also like the idea of me choosing the colour that the stylists have, brilliant!

Clients having an 'on the spot offer' (for want if a better term) I also love that!

I'll have to stalk your previous posts for more freebies! Lol

Thank you again, really appreciated xx

 

[Lauz012]

I recently rented a nail bar in a hair dressers offered half price gelish manicure with a cut and colour was my best offer cause when people are board sat waiting for there colour to take u r there to take the boredom away
Also if you are goin help out with salon duties be careful they DNt take the mick that's why happened to me I would brush up wash dishes etc when I had got a free half hour and they soon assumed I'd do it all the time and remember you're paying them to be there and the other employees are payed to do that

 

[stephanie_87]

Didn't want to read and run but just wanted to say I wish I could find a nail tech with your work ethic. Someone with a bit of get up and go. Good Luck in your new venture

 

[Wonda]

I'm a Nail Tech in a Hairdressing salon, & your working ethos is spot on.

I muck in with the hairdressing side when i'm quiet, brush up, sort out towel, chat to clients, take money for the sun shower, answer the phone, make appointments, make clients cuppa's.
Cause at the end of the day a few clients will always say, oh i didnt realise there was a nail tech here, what do you do/how much do you charge.
From then, i've managed to get a bit of business.

As for doing the staff's nails, i do Gelish & Acrylic nails. I dont charge the staff for their nails as in return i get free treatments every couple of weeks from them, free Gelish to the Beauty Therapist & free acrylics/backfills with gelish colour/design to the hairdresser who colours & styles my hair every 6-8 weeks.
The clients of them then say, wow your nails look great, where did you get them done ... & hey presto, they know i'm there.

I'm there when the salon is open, i give the them £5 from every set i do rather than a set rate per week, cause building up a client base is hard.
At the point where i have a full book it'll change to £40 per day & i can work when i want.
However, i dont think this is the place that'll give me a full book every day, as to have a full book which is profitable it'd have to be for Gel polish & most clients i have are after acrylics which is twice the work/time for the same pay near enough.

 

[McKenna]

I recently rented a nail bar in a hair dressers offered half price gelish manicure with a cut and colour was my best offer cause when people are board sat waiting for there colour to take u r there to take the boredom away
Also if you are goin help out with salon duties be careful they DNt take the mick that's why happened to me I would brush up wash dishes etc when I had got a free half hour and they soon assumed I'd do it all the time and remember you're paying them to be there and the other employees are payed to do that

Thanks so much for your advice I really want to do my best, I like to hope that they wouldn't take the mick ... but I'll soon find out & at the same time I also don't want anyone thinking I'm being too pushy. It's just finding a nice medium I guess

Didn't want to read and run but just wanted to say I wish I could find a nail tech with your work ethic. Someone with a bit of get up and go. Good Luck in your new venture

Thank you so much! I am so looking forward to it!! Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say! :lol:

I'm a Nail Tech in a Hairdressing salon, & your working ethos is spot on.

I muck in with the hairdressing side when i'm quiet, brush up, sort out towel, chat to clients, take money for the sun shower, answer the phone, make appointments, make clients cuppa's.
Cause at the end of the day a few clients will always say, oh i didnt realise there was a nail tech here, what do you do/how much do you charge.
From then, i've managed to get a bit of business.

As for doing the staff's nails, i do Gelish & Acrylic nails. I dont charge the staff for their nails as in return i get free treatments every couple of weeks from them, free Gelish to the Beauty Therapist & free acrylics/backfills with gelish colour/design to the hairdresser who colours & styles my hair every 6-8 weeks.
The clients of them then say, wow your nails look great, where did you get them done ... & hey presto, they know i'm there.

I'm there when the salon is open, i give the them £5 from every set i do rather than a set rate per week, cause building up a client base is hard.
At the point where i have a full book it'll change to £40 per day & i can work when i want.
However, i dont think this is the place that'll give me a full book every day, as to have a full book which is profitable it'd have to be for Gel polish & most clients i have are after acrylics which is twice the work/time for the same pay near enough.

Yes this is exactly the kind of approach I was hoping to achieve, I am quite lucky that I will be on the shopfloor so all clients can see me so with that being said I think it would come across as massively creepy if i was just sat there - not approachable/friendly at all!

I shall definitely take into account the treatments swaps, I shall figure it out but with a ratio of 3 stylists to 1 nails tech it may get tricky :lol: but it wont be impossible so that's the main thing!

I'm quite lucky that the owner is a shellac lover/fanatic so I know that she wants to push the shellac side of things, which is amazing for me! I obviously love the enhancements I do, but there is nothing quite like getting a newbie hooked on shellac!

Thanks again for all your stories and advice xx