Anyone else feel like they are in a rut, or its the same old?

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TPB

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2013
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Location
Abertillery
I feel like everything is the same, day in, day out. I would love to do more training but i can't save the money quick enough, so that's making me frustrated.
I have been dead this month, and it has taken its toll. I even tried offering models £5, for tan or shellac hands or toes, £5 per treatment to try it! Got one booking.. Only hosting it over Monday & Wednesday. I have encouraged people to share the status by offering a free tan to the person who posts it about the most, so getting them to compete.

I am fed up right now. I am lowering my prices, looking desperate, i want to do so much more and i am stuck, i can't quit my job for a full time one, because when i am off i take my mam to work, plus i can get some treatments done in between (When i do get clients) And it was the only job i could get at the time, plus is it the easiest job i have ever done in my whole life, i would be stupid to quit to find a full time, they can't give me anymore hours either..

I am stuck in a rut now. If i'm not working or working on clients i am sat at home doing nothing.. :( I do start my level 2 counselling Tuesday and go swimming with my nephew.
 
I know how you feel Hun *hugs*
I'm a bit stuck on a rut too. But I'm refusing to lower my prices or post too many offers. There is a fabulous thread on here by Lynne Baker called "more ways to promote your business" I can't post the link from my iPhone I'm a technophobe. I'm going to be working my way through that this weekend. Maybe take a look at it yourself and see what inspires you. Please try not to lower your prices though I personally think its not a good idea. Cheap only attracts those kinds of clients. Repeat business is where your bread and butter comes from so use the search function on here and work out a plan using customer service, retail and excellent treatments/good value and you'll get there. Remember if you're cheap you have to work twice as hard. Nobody wants to be a busy fool. Good luck and thanks for posting this. It's helped me this morning too xx
 
I know how you feel Hun *hugs*
I'm a bit stuck on a rut too. But I'm refusing to lower my prices or post too many offers. There is a fabulous thread on here by Lynne Baker called "more ways to promote your business" I can't post the link from my iPhone I'm a technophobe. I'm going to be working my way through that this weekend. Maybe take a look at it yourself and see what inspires you. Please try not to lower your prices though I personally think its not a good idea. Cheap only attracts those kinds of clients. Repeat business is where your bread and butter comes from so use the search function on here and work out a plan using customer service, retail and excellent treatments/good value and you'll get there. Remember if you're cheap you have to work twice as hard. Nobody wants to be a busy fool. Good luck and thanks for posting this. It's helped me this morning too xx

Yea I know, I wanted to draw them in to come to mine I do it and they have tried the products then, only covering the cost of materials. I'm trying to save and everything is going backwards!! Needed a good rant! I think I seen that topic before shall give it another look, I'm just at a dead end plus need to get clients in ready for Xmas I am new started in June only have 3 regulars or 4. And they don't rebook they call when they need me!
 
It's very hard to put your prices up if you start cheap and building a business takes a lot of hard work and patience. It won't happen over night. Xx
 
Have you tried leaflet drops? I know not everyone likes doing them but I did about 2000 leaflets and got about 30 clients from them. Do as many as you want but you will be able to see what sort of a response you get and wether it is worth doing in your area. Print out a map from google maps and highlight the streets you've done so you know where you need to do next. It takes up a lot of time to do but on your quieter days it keeps you busy and gets you out and about. And don't be afraid to talk to people while your out I went with my mom to leaflet drop and she went up to 2 girls that we're getting into their car and said 'let me change your day ladies come and have a pamper!' -I thought how embarrassing! but they phoned a couple of hours later and both booked in! It's all worth a try, good luck I hope it picks up for you soon! Xxx
 
When you say clients don't rebook they just come back when they want.. Are you offering them an appointment at the end of their service? So say when you have finished & they are paying, say to them 'you're due back in x amount of weeks so what day & time will be best & i will book you in now whilst you're here' maybe that will help xx
 
When you say clients don't rebook they just come back when they want.. Are you offering them an appointment at the end of their service? So say when you have finished & they are paying, say to them 'you're due back in x amount of weeks so what day & time will be best & i will book you in now whilst you're here' maybe that will help xx

I don't do that. I dunno why I've never been shown I had literally trained up and gone about my business, I was going to do a business management course but with my new job could y take time off. I will start doing that, get into a habit. I did a leaflet drop and did loads, had two from 600 but they canceled near the time, due to lack of funds! I'm at wits end trying to get people to trust me for Christmas etc but no one wanna try me out x
 
How about starting to do Christmassy pics of your nails with glitter or anything like that and start showing them put them on your FB etc to start getting people thinking for Christmas to make sure your in their head when they are planning for Xmas parties? Xx
 
Please don't take this the wrong way but a can-do attitude would be a start! Your post is so negative :( x
 
Hello

Firstly knock the £5 treatments on the head! you'll attract the wrong clientèle. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket i.e Facebook, use it as a channel rather than the be all and end all.

Sit down and write a basic marketing and advertising plan, look at the area you live in, what type of people live there and exactly the type of clients that you need to attract, think about where these people work, socialise and spend time and target them, find out if there is a local Women in Business network in your area and join it!

I live and breathe what I do, I talk to and hand my business cards out everywhere, I see everything I say and do as a potential business opportunity.

I agree with NaomiP, you have to have a positive attitude even if you are feeling like s***.

Michelle x
 
I love the advice for this topic xoxo
 
Hello

Firstly knock the £5 treatments on the head! you'll attract the wrong clientèle. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket i.e Facebook, use it as a channel rather than the be all and end all.

Sit down and write a basic marketing and advertising plan, look at the area you live in, what type of people live there and exactly the type of clients that you need to attract, think about where these people work, socialise and spend time and target them, find out if there is a local Women in Business network in your area and join it!

I live and breathe what I do, I talk to and hand my business cards out everywhere, I see everything I say and do as a potential business opportunity.

I agree with NaomiP, you have to have a positive attitude even if you are feeling like s***.

Michelle x

This is great advice, I recently sat down with a business coach and that is exactly what he told me, was to define my ideal client. Think about the clients you have had, who was your favourite, that you like working on? Once you have that image, define that person, where do they work, where do they live, what do they do in their spare time, everything and anything you can find out, what magazines they like to read, and if you don't know then ask, obviously don't grill them with 20 questions but you can bring up conversations that will reveal this information. The answers to these questions will give you lots of marketing information from where to advertise to what to put on special each month.

This is the phase I am in right now and once I have defined it all I will be working on a VIP club, a bit like Tesco's clubcard I guess, but instead of points, clients will be eligable for special offers and discounts and not just with me, but with other local business too. This will help build loyalty with the clients, the club is free to join but gives me all their contact information and will have a disclaimer on it containing my privacy policy and how the information given will be used for marketing purposes, then I have my very own marketing list that I can sent e-mails to on a regular basis.

Working with other small business can really help too. I don't do lash extensions, but there is a store near me that only does lash extensions, so I will give them a voucher for a free express manicure for their clients that purchase a more expensive set of lashes. They make more money on the lashes sold and I get access to their clients. When client books in to me for their free express manicure (30 mins) I offer to upgrade them to a full spa manicure for $25 instead of $45 due to the offset of the free manicure. Now I need to earn $20 per hour for labour, materials on a spa manicure are around $3.50 so I am making $1.50. Not much I hear you say, but my time for the hour is covered from the labour cost as is materials and I still make profit and now I enrol that new customer in my VIP club and get her coming back each month with incentives such as $15 off her lash fill at the lash bar because they are returning the favour! It doesn't have to be beauty businesses either, think outside the box and this will come from you defining your customer, what do they like? I like loose leaf tea and there is an independant tea shop near me. Would I like to get a free brow tint when I buy 5 packs of tea instead of nothing when I only buy 2? Absolutely! Upgrade to a brow and eyelash tint when they come in! Now the tea shop said I could offer all my clients a free pack of tea when they buy 4 at the tea shop, that's my special VIP offer for next month and I just sent all my clients to the tea shop!

See how it works??
 
Please don't take this the wrong way but a can-do attitude would be a start! Your post is so negative :( x

Because it is negative? I can't help it if I am in a rut, I'm a very positive person, however I'm in need of a lay off and to explain my situation I have had for the past month and half,and it has eaten at me, sorry if my post offended you.
 
Please don't take this the wrong way but a can-do attitude would be a start! Your post is so negative :( x

Just because the OP is negative doesn't mean that's the posters permanent attitude. I'm sure you have had days where you have felt down & 'negative'. Everyone has them especially in this business. Doesn't meant she hasn't got a can-do attitude most of the time.

Sometimes things just get on top of us hun. I know exactly how you feel but just keep trying :D don't give up if its something you're passionate about xx
 
I think even the most positive person can have times like this. Over the last six months or so I have noticed that I have had two or three clients that I thought I got on great with not come back. This upsets me now and then and I brood over it for a while. I have been busy cus I have been doing other staffs clients. When they come back I won't be so busy so I found some £5 off vouchers, put my name on them with an expiry date for the end of November and went out on the street. I had to really push myself to do it and maybe I will only get one or two out of it but I know I tried.
Try not to reduce your prices too much. I've done that in the past and regret it now. Some clients I do a wet cut price when actually I use products and dry the hair with my fingers instead of a brush so I should be charging cut and blow dry price. Some of them still come back but I always have that thought that I'm putting as much effort in for them as I am a full price client. Be firm.
Retail is also a real problem for me. I'm crap at it. My company is doing an offer for October. If the stylist doesn't talk about retail and the client mentions this when paying they can have £10 off. The assistant manager is going to love sticking that sticker on my mirror and she is always having subtle or not so subtle digs at me about my lack of retail skills. I am working myself up over it to the point where I go to bed and imagine I am having conversations with clients. Perhaps this is a good thing. LOL. When it comes to rebooking I usually ask if they'd like to rebook and give them a reason like for some people it's only 2 appointments till Xmas so it might be wise to book now otherwise it will get busy or another stylist is on holiday in 6 weeks and I've noticed I'm already getting some of her clients in so it might be wise to book now.
 
I canceled that deal I did, I only had two interest and thought for the sake of that it wasn't worth my time or getting my products out! Ill message some previous clients and let them know I'm still around or rye and get rid of that solar oil I bought, just so I remind them I'm around, I do have some leaflets here but I can't think where I can post them I did most areas. I guess I could post up my sisters place, might give me an advantage. Thank you all, I'm just gonna take it on the chin and hope I can remind people I'm still here x
 
Why not offer shellac & a tan (business in one place) & maybe knock 10% off only on which ever day you choose. You'd save that in fuel if it was 2 appointments.

A reasonable offer, as to not attract the real bargain hunters. You could send it as an email to existing clients, it may introduce your shellac customers to your tans & Shellac to your tan clients.

Just a thought :)

Also last year beginning of November I tried Lynne's more ways to promote your business... Emailing local nurseries, schools offering a voucher for xmas fayres/raffles. To get your name out there!

Xx
 
Why not offer shellac & a tan (business in one place) & maybe knock 10% off only on which ever day you choose. You'd save that in fuel if it was 2 appointments.

A reasonable offer, as to not attract the real bargain hunters. You could send it as an email to existing clients, it may introduce your shellac customers to your tans & Shellac to your tan clients.

Just a thought :)

Also last year beginning of November I tried Lynne's more ways to promote your business... Emailing local nurseries, schools offering a voucher for xmas fayres/raffles. To get your name out there!

Xx

How do you do a voucher? Do you need to send them something like proof or can you just say I have a voucher, an how do these vouchers work :/ I know that sounds stupid but I don't quite get them.
 
I have some Bio sculpture vouchers so I either write on those, or make a Fake Bake voucher on the computer.

Usually...

(Add logo) Congratulations. (Add logo)
You have won a free spray tan
Usually £20

(Insert business name)

Please call Stephanie on ................
To book your appointment.

Voucher number....
Expires ../../..

I post it to them or deliver it in person, if i am passing by.

Xx
 
I have some Bio sculpture vouchers so I either write on those, or make a Fake Bake voucher on the computer.

Usually...

(Add logo) Congratulations. (Add logo)
You have won a free spray tan
Usually £20

(Insert business name)

Please call Stephanie on ................
To book your appointment.

Voucher number....
Expires ../../..

I post it to them or deliver it in person, if i am passing by.

Xx

You give the vouchers for free isit?x
 

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