About to jack it all in..

[BonBon]

Is any one else really quiet?

I'm still trying to build my mobile business up and to start with it wasn't too bad - couple of tans a week. I thought It would get better - word of mouth etc but its dried up apart from regulars. I know I do a great job because my clients do come back!! So its not that I'm not good at what I do.

I live on my own and am struggling financially now! Basically ready to jack it all in. I've done free advertising in the local mag, had flyers done etc

I think one prob is that this isnt my 'home' town so haven't got the large friend / family network down here.

Any motivational words of wisdom fellow geeks :sad:

 

[SJK]

The first thing is to stay positive. You have regulars coming back which is more than most people have! Now you need a few more people and to convert them into regulars.

Lynne Baker has a thread on here, where people list all the ideas they have for promoting a business. It's the bomb. There is every idea under the sun, and more. Try one you think will work, give it your everything, and see what happens. If it doesn't work, try something else. You will find an idea that works for you, and when you do, post on the thread to let everyone else know - after all, if you're struggling, someone else will be too.

 

[BonBon]

Cheers, I know I need to keep my chin up and I enjoy what I do.

I remember seeing that link on Lynnes when I first started. Think I need to re-read it all to re-inspire me.

Thank you

 

[All2Hand]

Is any one else really quiet?

I'm still trying to build my mobile business up and to start with it wasn't too bad - couple of tans a week. I thought It would get better - word of mouth etc but its dried up apart from regulars. I know I do a great job because my clients do come back!! So its not that I'm not good at what I do.

I live on my own and am struggling financially now! Basically ready to jack it all in. I've done free advertising in the local mag, had flyers done etc

I think one prob is that this isnt my 'home' town so haven't got the large friend / family network down here.

Any motivational words of wisdom fellow geeks :sad:

Yes don't give up, It usually get a bit quiet this time of the year, have you thought of asking some of your local travel agents to have your business card, if they recommend a new clients give the staff 10% discount,it might sound daft but I have a few friends who like to have a spray tan before they go on holiday or try see how much it is to rent a room in a gym. Post out flyers and are you on Facebook. This has help a lot of geeks on this site. I live near Burton on trent and it is a very small town. I know this might be a bit cheeky but why don't you pop in to any Hairdresser with an Nail Tech and see if you can swap business card to help one another.This has work for me, I have pop in a few Tanning shop which has not got a enough room to rent a space from and swap cards and it has work.
Where about from Burton do you live because I am from the outskirt (Willington) and I always popping in to the area to see family or mobile pedicures.

 

[LauraLush]

Hi,
I'm Laura I have a salon in Cheshire, we do hair beauty nails tanning.
i agree with the others - keep your chin up and keep plugging away.. If you're good at what you do, charge the right price & the ppl are out there that want what you offer - you can't go wrong long term.
I think 'thinking outside of the box' will help you immensly.. VistaPrint give you loads of freebies like flyers/postcards.. I've just got a massive order of thousands of flyers/postcards/loyalty cards/price list cards all for just over £100. Go anywhere & everywhere & get your name out. Call in local shops, jus scribble an exclusive discount on it 'just for them' & tell them hand it in when they see u for their appointment.
Go into slimming clubs, mums & tots groups, supermarkets, libraries, retail shops.. List is endless.
Just book a day off or even just an afternoon, do a plan - what you want to achieve & where your target audience will be?

Hope that helps xx

 

[skymark]

Firstly bear in mind that this is a weird week. Most parents are focused purely on the back to school that is coming soon and many people are getting in their last minute holidays abroad.

I would work on your advertising for the coming period. Keep a focus on ''keeping summer going'' and ''make your holiday tan last''. Lots of people who have grown used to having a tan at the moment that will be getting whiter by the day as we go into september.

Although the bookings may not come in just yet, it is now at the end of the month (pay days) when you need to hit people with the advertising.

Depending on their client base some people have a manically busy august and some people see a big slump in clients.

Also it may be worth you seeing if you can get a part time job just a few hours (may one or two days a week) to help bring in a bit of living expense money and it wouldnt take out too much of your availability for tanning. Or temping for a few random days here and there could help take the pressure off.

 

[BonBon]

Thanks All2hand

I'm up at Rolleston on Dove. I know Willington well, my lash friend lives there. Burton is small, but because the college there does beauty the area is quite saturated and a lot of competition.

I rent a room in a hair salon just for tanning thur and fri's , I have all my advertising stuff there and I've had it 3 wks and had 2 bookings. Luckily if I have no bookings I don't pay rent. I'm on facebook too.

Your right Laura I do have to up my game. Probably not done enough lately as regard pushing it. I'm training to be a weightloss leader and have been a bit distracted I guess so I need to take my flyers and stuff with me and put a bit more effort in. Listening to all your comments has made me realise I need a big fat kick up the backside :lol:

Thank you :hug:

 

[BonBon]

Lisa I think I do need to get me a part time job too.

or a rich man :lol:

 

[Lynne Baker]

However hard you think you're working on your marketing it's never too much!

I know I keep banging on about networking but that's because it works.
Here are a couple of links for you to peruse.
https://www.wireuk.org/stafford-network.html
Local Business Networking Events - uk - staffordshire

Be very targeted about your marketing; no point putting an ad in Pig Farmers's Weekly for a tanning company! Try to aim where your target clients are going to be.
Same goes for networking, really. You're more likely to get results if you go to ladies networking rather than mixed groups. Don't just go once and expect it all to come good, either. You need to build up relationships with people so they know, like, and trust you.

Keep at it. It never stops, but it does get easier.

 

[Blue Rose]

However hard you think you're working on your marketing it's never too much!

I know I keep banging on about networking but that's because it works.
Here are a couple of links for you to peruse.
https://www.wireuk.org/stafford-network.html
Local Business Networking Events - uk - staffordshire

Be very targeted about your marketing; no point putting an ad in Pig Farmers's Weekly for a tanning company! Try to aim where your target clients are going to be.
Same goes for networking, really. You're more likely to get results if you go to ladies networking rather than mixed groups. Don't just go once and expect it all to come good, either. You need to build up relationships with people so they know, like, and trust you.

Keep at it. It never stops, but it does get easier.

I normally agree wholeheartedly with what lynne has to say but I've found the opposite to be true for the networking meetings I go to. The one I go to the most is our local chamber of commerce & most of my business from that has been the blokes buying vouchers for their wives/gf.

The other plus side of networkinbg, is not always about actually gaining business per se initially but the contacts you meet who can help with some aspects of business.

I have a couple of contacts who do some occasional writing for me & it's that that has led to them becoming clients.

In most businesses, it's not what you know, but who you know, lol

 

[persianista]

I agree with Lyn, marketing yourself takes consistency over a very long period of time. One leaflet drop is not gonna get you a clientele. Being happy cos you only pay thruppence rent for 2 clients in a week is shocking.
Depending on your trade and pricing you should be aiming for 30-50 clients a week. I usually allow approx a year for a stylist to build this up, if they can't, and they won't follow direction about it, they lose their job.

It is a quiet time of year, I only did 42 clients last week (low for me), but that is the time to schedule any email campaigns, leaflet drops and other marketing for September when demand picks up.

 

[BonBon]

Thank you lovely people, you are all so kind and very helpful.

I'm on it now or at least i will be when I get my backside off here

Mx

 

[Lynne Baker]

I normally agree wholeheartedly with what lynne has to say but I've found the opposite to be true for the networking meetings I go to. The one I go to the most is our local chamber of commerce & most of my business from that has been the blokes buying vouchers for their wives/gf.

The other plus side of networkinbg, is not always about actually gaining business per se initially but the contacts you meet who can help with some aspects of business.

I have a couple of contacts who do some occasional writing for me & it's that that has led to them becoming clients.

In most businesses, it's not what you know, but who you know, lol

I found the same until I joined Athena. High end business women wanting high end treatments. It's a paid for club but I've more than recouped my investment.
I get little work from the mixed gender networking groups I go to, and I avoid BNI like the plague!