Am I doing something wrong? how do I get Customers??!!

[sharlcat]

Hi,
At the beginning of June this year I started renting a room in a Sunbed shop for £50/week. I've done some advertising, done a website, done posters for the shop, done business cards etc. i'm nowhere near booked up which is fine cos i'm not expecting miracles straight away but i don't know what else to do? i'm doing a good job with the nails and the few customers i've had have already returned for maintanence or further treatments like toes. i'm just wondering if there's some magic formula? i've negotiated to also get a bigger room upstairs so i can start offering beauty treatments aswell (which i'm already qualified for)....suppose i'm just looking for a bit of inspiration and to know that it's not just me that's struggling to start out?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.......x

 

[1999judy]

Maybe add a few more treatments like spray tans and ear piercing?
Do you offer nail art?
Don't go to a bigger room until you are happy where you are hun x
What other treatments are you qualified in?
Can you fit a treatment bed (maybe a fold up one?) in the room you are already in?

 

[1999judy]

Oh and an A board would get attention too x

 

[nicky's nails]

i read a reply on here th other day (cant find it though) about getting customers, one said

print some £10 off or 20% off vouchers, and give them to a client when they come in, (write the clients name on ) and ask them to give them to friends, if a friend comes in and uses a voucher with their name on, the client then gets discount next time etc, if you gave them 10 vouchers and they all get used, they get their next treatment free etc

i think thats brill incentive idea, and wouldnt cost much, you could print vouchers yourself on pc even

hths xxx

 

[claireamy]

A free gift with certain treatments is a good incentive. You then don't have to sell yourself short by discounting your prices and free gifts can be cheap if you buy in bulk.

 

[RedAdmiral]

There is lots of advice from over the years so do a search. My advice is to hit the streets, take your phone and walk around town handing out your pricelists and flyers and call into other business'. We did an offer only for retail staff that worked very well

 

[priory]

The best possible way of getting new clients is word of mouth.. You need to make your current clients so happy that they'll tell about you to all their friends

 

[sharlcat]

Thanks for all your replies! I'm going to keep the room i'm in, i'm getting the second one aswell. Although the nail room serves a purpose it really i is just big enough for nails so would definately need the other room. I'm also qualified in spray tans, waxing, eyelash tint & perms, bodywraps, ear candles etc.....i've had more requests for these since i've been there than nails so really feel like i'm missing out on a lot of clients just doing nails...i do offer nail art and have loads of nail art stuff, this has been really popular, even more so than acrylics! people wanting nail art on toes etc?
the vouchers are a good idea to get referrals in think i might try that one.
thanks again and keep the good advice coming.....feel like i really need it at the moment x