About to give up

[angelajane]

I am about rock bottom now, I have only three clients since starting (two months ago) and one of them is allergic to the acrylics that i use and i met the other one today who told me that due to work (her hands are in chemicals all day) she is only going to have her nails done on special occasions, so now i am left with one and i have covered miles of streets delivering leaflets and no one is coming forward for appointments. I am so disheartened as i am sooo passionate about doing nails. :sad::sad:

 

[Becki2003]

Give it time Hun. It takes a while to build up a client base. Are you Mobile? I found it really hard being mobile so went into a salon and I'm picking up now. Have a search for Lynne Baker's thread on more ways to promote your business. You'll need a notepad and brew but it's worth it. It will help xx

 

[angelajane]

Yes i am mobile, Thanks so much for your reply, I knew it would take some time but i think sometimes you just feel a bit low about it and sometimes just hearing someone tell you to keep on going is all you need, I will definatley have a look at that thread and hopefully it will give me a bit of a boost. I have asked in local salons but no one is willing to give me the break, i think its cause im newly qualified and dont have masses of experience.

 

[Becki2003]

Good luck with it all I'm sure you'll get some inspiration. I know what you mean about feeling down, we've all been there. You have to keep working on your business. It's the old saying "you reap what you sow" xx

 

[carlytaylor1986]

Why not get a website? that has worked wonders for me. everyone seems to be online these days. i say worked wonders, i have been going 3 weeks and have a client booked in soon and a few more calls querying? my website costs around £6 a month from vistaprint. you can get a cheaper one with just 3 pages if you only do nails that would be sufficient? xxx

 

[*Lisa-Marie*]

I started about a month ago from home and Facebook has kept me going so far..it spreads through friends like wildfire and its free chin up, all great things take time
xx

 

[angelajane]

I have a website too and have had many visitors but no phonecalls as yet, i suppose i will just need to keep trying new things and eventually it will all come good. Thanks for your replies.

 

[souz]

hun i am in same boat, i opened a few months ago and have had a few clients but not getting regulars just nails for special occasions apart from family that are coming to me. i have a website which has helped, have done the leaflets, local advertising etc. I have spoken to friends who have salons and they have been quiet too but they have rent and bills to pay!!!

Give it time, things will pick up and when it does you will be so busy you wont know what to do with yourself!

i have just been contacted to exhibit at a wedding exhibition where i will be the only nail tech and i also get a page on a website that is all about weddings!! so things are looking up, who knows where it will lead

 

[Mobile Manicure]

Go to your local primary school and stand outside the school gates at home time and give every mum your leaflet! Make sure you've got fab nails on.

 

[angelajane]

Thats fab news for you, I am not going to give up, i think i need to be a wee bit more forth coming in putting myself about and be a bit more confident about what i can achieve, i think u just loose your confidence a bit when things are not looking great. Thanks for ur reply and good luck with your business

 

[happyfeet]

hey hun

two months is very early days don't panic and chuck it all in. With spring and summer coming I'm sure it will pick up.

Chin up lovely have patience x x x

 

[souz]

i do my mums nails every 3 weeks as she always out an about, ppl ask her where she gets her nails done, can you not do something similar??

always make sure your nails are great and bright colours always get noticed....

have you got a facebook page?Gumtree is free/yell.com is free/

Can you do offers for friends and family to get ppl in the door?

what about local shops/schools/businesses?? give them an offer

see if you can do a deal with your local hairdresser?

advertise in post office/shop/windows/local free ads

Vistaprint - do great deals on leaflets, flyers, car door magnets.......the list is endless

dont give up hun, it will happen you just have to be patient!!

 

[mojo-jojo]

Don't give up....i've only been working for a couple of months and its still very hit and miss. I've collected some new clients, by doing file and paint for clients at my local hairdresser (she gets a couple of quid each time i do a treatment there). Its been a good way of getting the word about and I've picked up clients for other types of treatment.

love and luck to you hunni x

 

[sleepingbeauty]

I have my own facebook page & I always make sure my own nails have something unusal on them. Ive lost count at the amount of checkout ladies who have admired my nails & taken my number ;P
Once one uses you & you do a good job then the rest is word of mouth. You could offer a 20% to each client who recommends a friend & they take up the treatment

 

[Lucybluebell]

I hope things pick up for you hun...I'm soon finishing my training and I'm worried that I'll find it hard to get clients...I've already spent loads and going to spend more to get training with CND as I want to offer a good product.
I have offered manicures to my friends for just £5 while I'm training and only 2 people have had one :sad: £5!!!!!!!!! I'm hoping to charge a lot more than that when I'm qualified.
My friend was my client at college and we were talking about gel polish and she just kept saying 'why cant I just buy it myself and do it' arghhhhh what's wrong with people?!! She did admit her nails looked beautiful when I'd finished xx

 

[Lucybluebell]

I hope things pick up for you hun...I'm soon finishing my training and I'm worried that I'll find it hard to get clients...I've already spent loads and going to spend more to get training with CND as I want to offer a good product.
I have offered manicures to my friends for just £5 while I'm training and only 2 people have had one :sad: £5!!!!!!!!! I'm hoping to charge a lot more than that when I'm qualified.
My friend was my client at college and we were talking about gel polish and she just kept saying 'why cant I just buy it myself and do it' arghhhhh what's wrong with people?!! She did admit her nails looked beautiful when I'd finished xx

 

[souz]

i found when i was doing cheap offers when i started out i got a few mainly friends but then when put prices up they didnt want to know, so this time around when i have set up i have stuck to my ground over prices, my mum is only one i do for free and EVERYONE else gets the same offers, no specials for friends! i dont think you can build a business on friends.

quality is what ppl will pay for, it may take time but it will happen, im not saying as im esp busy as im not, like i said im starting out too (AGAIN). businesses take time but you should start as you mean to go on!

also, your price is what pays for your products, your time, your electric etc, insurance......so if you go cheap how are you paying for all these things??keep this in mind as first rule of business,

2nd is your not here to make friends but make money! that may sound harsh but you have to make a living, if you make friends too, ADDED bonus!

 

[olabecee]

i found when i was doing cheap offers when i started out i got a few mainly friends but then when put prices up they didnt want to know, so this time around when i have set up i have stuck to my ground over prices, my mum is only one i do for free and EVERYONE else gets the same offers, no specials for friends! i dont think you can build a business on friends.

quality is what ppl will pay for, it may take time but it will happen, im not saying as im esp busy as im not, like i said im starting out too (AGAIN). businesses take time but you should start as you mean to go on!

also, your price is what pays for your products, your time, your electric etc, insurance......so if you go cheap how are you paying for all these things??keep this in mind as first rule of business,

2nd is your not here to make friends but make money! that may sound harsh but you have to make a living, if you make friends too, ADDED bonus!

Well said.

Sent from my Desire HD using SalonGeek

 

[Jackie D]

I think, and I am not trying to sound harsh here, that newly trained therapists/technicians expect so much too quickly. 2 months is nothing, it has taken me 9 years to build up my business to the success it is now. It has taken dedication, sacrifice and hard work as well as keeping other jobs going throughout until I was able to concentrate on my business as my sole income.

This is not an easy come easy go industry, although sometimes I think a lot of people think it is. (This is not aimed at anyone on this thread by the way).

Trust in yourself, strive to be the best you can, offer the products people want, never under sell yourself and if you are struggling to begin with make sure you have another job that will supplement your income. Prepare yourself to work anti-social hours and if you have young kids that has a massive impact on things too.

If you can get through all that, in time you will become successful. Just don't expect it over night.

I sound a right old grouch don't I??

 

[angelajane]

Lol, no you dont Jackie, I totally agree with everything you said, i was obviously having a bad day and some times you need to let of a bit, i am under no illusions that this is going to be easy and i need to put the hours in to reep the rewards.......take the good times with the bad, and it was the reason i posted yesterday to let of my inner frustrations and recieve all the lovely help and support on here that picks me up, dusts me down and up i get for another day at building my business. Thanks everyone for your advice but no doubt over the next months and months (lol) i will be on hear telling u all of my highs and my lows. and ps i would never ever give up on nails, its my passion.