MaisyMouse
Well-Known Member
Good for you, it's hard being super busy but we shouldn't really complain. It hasn't lead me to 'kill' yet though, still time!!!! Lol:wink2:
Anyone else manically busy?
- Thread starter souz
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Good for you, it's hard being super busy but we shouldn't really complain. It hasn't lead me to 'kill' yet though, still time!!!! Lol:wink2:
I'm manic this month too, feel bad I can't fit everyone in, I'm working late nights and Sundays too. I think clients think I'm lying when I say I can't fit them in for a few weeks 
the rush is welcome but feel I'm killing myself too trying to please everyone.
the rush is welcome but feel I'm killing myself too trying to please everyone.
It's great everyone here is so busy & that's due to hard work, dedication & ultimately good training & support. BUT what about those who aren't as busy but have all the above? Maybe you girls could share some tips on how to build clientele & keep them 😃 I think this would be advantageous for all. Thank you all in advance xx
Harleygirl
Active Member
I have only opened 4 weeks and not busy :-( had one booking in a week, 1 next week too. I'm advertising on FB, going to advertise on yell and my son is designing leaflets so I can do a leaflet drop. The clients I do have love my room and all comment in how relaxing it is. I do all therapies, only trained in manicure, pedicures and gel polish. Frightened to spend anymore money in nail art, acrylics etc. any advice is greatly received. Few photos of my salon attached
souz
Well-Known Member
Barley girl salon looks amazing, love the sofa
Minimum.....I would say just keep plugging away everywhere you can get your name out...I have a thread on her how to succeed in nails with lots of ideas and ways of drumming up business. For me it's all word of mouth and then once you have a client making them feel like they are getting their money's worth of your time and experience. Thorough consultations, know your clients and what they like and don't like!!!
Minimum.....I would say just keep plugging away everywhere you can get your name out...I have a thread on her how to succeed in nails with lots of ideas and ways of drumming up business. For me it's all word of mouth and then once you have a client making them feel like they are getting their money's worth of your time and experience. Thorough consultations, know your clients and what they like and don't like!!!
virtues2011
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I am very busy (to what I want to see as busy). . Not back to back and I don't generally start until midday but i do work into the evenings. I've achieved nineteen full paying CACI clients within 9 weeks and a further two new clients starting in June, with the average spend per hour per client is £45 without retail and any additional services. I never do more than four Caci treatments in one day. They are all on courses and all from my website, not friends. (I even have geek clients!) I have sold more Environ retail than I could wish to imagine and am now onto my third professional and result driven machine for skin tightening and body treatments. I offer CND Shellac manicures and pedicures, brow tinting and treatments and waxing, (not intimate).... but I have had one paying client for a Shellac Manicure in three months and a small handful of my regular Caci clients for brow treatments and pedicures. My area, like most, is saturated with nail techs, three home salon businesses in my road alone and another 7 in adjacent streets within 1/4 mile. I dare not look further! My clients buy Vinylux off the Internet and do their own nails, I ask them. I will keep the treatments other than Caci on my service list as I mess around with my nails and waxing etc but I know wholeheartedly without my machines I would've given up on beauty before I started.
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squidgernetball
Ubergeek
Really busy and looking at expanding again.
We advertised three weeks ago and got over 15 new clients from it, but the ad wasn't cheap. We are doing it every 4 weeks now through summer.
I'm with virtues. My knowledge of skincare brings my clients through the door. My environ machine gets clients through the door. My retail and average spend per client is excellent but you have to keep at it.
One ad, one leaflet drop is not going to cover it. A Facebook page won't reach everybody. You have to spread far and wide, share your knowledge and work out what makes you different from your competition.
Vicki x
We advertised three weeks ago and got over 15 new clients from it, but the ad wasn't cheap. We are doing it every 4 weeks now through summer.
I'm with virtues. My knowledge of skincare brings my clients through the door. My environ machine gets clients through the door. My retail and average spend per client is excellent but you have to keep at it.
One ad, one leaflet drop is not going to cover it. A Facebook page won't reach everybody. You have to spread far and wide, share your knowledge and work out what makes you different from your competition.
Vicki x
souz
Well-Known Member
Vicki....your knowledge of skincare shows passionately when you are talking about it and I'm not surprised your doing well and looking to expand again...good for you
I'm only just starting to get people for beauty treatments, mine is all shellac, bio sculpture, manis,pedicure and extensions with the odd eyebrow wax. I've never advertised anywhere other than Facebook and I've only done that recently really. I know my nail products and regularly get new mani and pedi products in and always make sure I know what ingredients are in them and what those ingredients do. I retail plenty of handcreams and gift vouchers so each person is spending more than just ther nails .....eventually they all have fingers. Toes and eyebrows with cuticle oils and handcreams.....I've also bought lots. Gift things in so clients can get their nails etc done and buy gifts for people all gift wrapped and cards available too....going that extra mile, knowing what people want. For me they want time out from busy lives and to be able to do as much as possible while they are with me. I am on the local business forum so can put business in touch with with other too....I support local business and they support me. I constantly ask clients what else they would like at the salon. Quite often coming to me is only time they can sit down and chill away from kids, work, life.....so nails, good conversation , a nice hot drink and some pampering and they leave happy.
I live in a large village, there are two hair and beauty salons, and several home salons.....I would say I'm definitely busier then any of them working 5 long days and looking to add a sixth day as well as expand staff working hours to make sure there are at least two of us here all day
I'm only just starting to get people for beauty treatments, mine is all shellac, bio sculpture, manis,pedicure and extensions with the odd eyebrow wax. I've never advertised anywhere other than Facebook and I've only done that recently really. I know my nail products and regularly get new mani and pedi products in and always make sure I know what ingredients are in them and what those ingredients do. I retail plenty of handcreams and gift vouchers so each person is spending more than just ther nails .....eventually they all have fingers. Toes and eyebrows with cuticle oils and handcreams.....I've also bought lots. Gift things in so clients can get their nails etc done and buy gifts for people all gift wrapped and cards available too....going that extra mile, knowing what people want. For me they want time out from busy lives and to be able to do as much as possible while they are with me. I am on the local business forum so can put business in touch with with other too....I support local business and they support me. I constantly ask clients what else they would like at the salon. Quite often coming to me is only time they can sit down and chill away from kids, work, life.....so nails, good conversation , a nice hot drink and some pampering and they leave happy.
I live in a large village, there are two hair and beauty salons, and several home salons.....I would say I'm definitely busier then any of them working 5 long days and looking to add a sixth day as well as expand staff working hours to make sure there are at least two of us here all day
Chrysalis
Well-Known Member
I too am super busy, I thought through my treatments, could any time be improved upon? I looked at the biggest profit margins and dropped the services with smaller profit margins or those services that were easily available elsewhere.
I extended my opening hours but I now work till 9pm most nights from 10am in the morning.
I use a online booking system and encourage clients to book online to save me reception time as I am self employed alone and don't really want to take on staff I've done all that in the past.
I send out consent forms via email to save a little bit of time during the treatment but I do not want to cut corners or clients to feel rushed. I've already lined someone up to take my clients for a treatment that takes a long time out of my day as I may drop that too next year if I continue to get busier and busier, it's a shame as I have had to drop treatments I enjoy but business head on must do high end profit treatments.
If anyone else has any suggestions on how to manage when busy please share...I also had a cull of problem clients, didn't need the hassle and have a waiting list.... I'm also more ruthless with no shows or repeat offenders cancelling. I think that I am so busy this has also given me the confidence to do this and it has had a strange reverse psychology effect on clients, they are clambering to be a client. It has definitely sent out a message that my time is valuable, respect it.
I extended my opening hours but I now work till 9pm most nights from 10am in the morning.
I use a online booking system and encourage clients to book online to save me reception time as I am self employed alone and don't really want to take on staff I've done all that in the past.
I send out consent forms via email to save a little bit of time during the treatment but I do not want to cut corners or clients to feel rushed. I've already lined someone up to take my clients for a treatment that takes a long time out of my day as I may drop that too next year if I continue to get busier and busier, it's a shame as I have had to drop treatments I enjoy but business head on must do high end profit treatments.
If anyone else has any suggestions on how to manage when busy please share...I also had a cull of problem clients, didn't need the hassle and have a waiting list.... I'm also more ruthless with no shows or repeat offenders cancelling. I think that I am so busy this has also given me the confidence to do this and it has had a strange reverse psychology effect on clients, they are clambering to be a client. It has definitely sent out a message that my time is valuable, respect it.
curvygirl
Well-Known Member
Please, does anyone have any advice on this? I'm grateful that i'm so busy but the stress of managing my ever growing waiting list and turning away business is gonna put me in an early grave at this rate.. i can't afford to burn out but feel i should 'make hay whilst the sun shines'... :irked:
Chrysalis
Well-Known Member
Yes please me too, there are so many threads on how to build client base, but very little on managing a successful beast!
I am also considering a franchise route of my business.
virtues2011
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Extend your business plan with the aim of growing your business. Get some support from your local business bank manger, demonstrate the viability of your business, expand, and accommodate the demand. You are in a very strong position, embrace the opportunity and don't kill yourself trying to do it all on your own.
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souz
Well-Known Member
I've been told if you are busy and turning people away to put prices up!! I'm going to do this not wuite sure how yet but know I am too cheap for my area......thinking of just putting ALL prices up by say £2 instead of all different prices??
virtues2011
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Souz. This will not alleviate the problem. clients will still pay. You/OP will still be in the same position. Putting prices up by £2 is not inspiring enough for a successful business. You need a mid term strategy. Forgive me, as i'm sure you know my partner and I have many successful businesses with over 30+ staff. We started off in the same position as the OP. Don't be afraid to take risk, just calculate them.
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virtues2011
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There is a fab saying in business
" Train people so well they'll want to leave, treat them well and they won't want to" this is the key to delegation.
Don't buy dogs and bark yourself, a one man army will never win.
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" Train people so well they'll want to leave, treat them well and they won't want to" this is the key to delegation.
Don't buy dogs and bark yourself, a one man army will never win.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using SalonGeek mobile app
souz
Well-Known Member
Thanks virtues, I welcome all help and suggestions xx
squidgernetball
Ubergeek
I always felt that employing staff wouldn't work as my clients wanted me. Luckily I gave birth 20 odd years ago to a beautiful daughter who became a beauty therapist. I am not stupid like some of these parents who employ their children and pay them out of their pension or their lifes savings. She HAD to earn money. We agreed that I would only guarantee her 20 hours a week to begin with at minimum wage. I suddenly had an alternative. When I said to my clients "I'm fully booked but I can fit you in with Olivia - I've kept an eye - she seems to know what she's doing" they would say "Oh ok" and they might try her and find she's not a numpty, she is a fab therapist - and that is the crux of it. You don't HAVE to give birth to staff (although it might help) but your staff have to be as fab as you are. You have to be confident that when you delegate, they will do a great job, and your clients will trust your judgement. When you get new clients (this is the hard bit) stop believing that it HAS to be you that does them first. Olivia now has clients who barely know what I look like. They phone up and ask to book in with Olivia and I admit - on occasion I get the hump about it, but on my Mondays off, she is on her own, running my business and she phones me on a Monday night to tell me how much we've taken and I've done bugger all!
Looking at it like that, I think she's due a pay rise lol!
Vic x
Looking at it like that, I think she's due a pay rise lol!
Vic x
Rinn
CND Shellac EA
It's very hard to delegate things out in this business though because its such a personal thing. I mean people go to a certain therapist as much because they like her as that she is good.
I have clients who will only allow me to do their waxing for instance ....eyebrows I get , because the ability to shape them properly is an art in itself. But underarms ? Lip?
Anyhow I don't look a gift horse in the mouth . I do a 50 hour week and I cannot make 2 of myself....so I have staff and have them trained up to my standard but they have their own style and technique and are building their own clientele.
That's all I can do , I don't want to put up my prices because I think they are fair and my clients are a loyal bunch and I feel I would be exploiting them to keep upping my prices . So if they want me they have to prebook , if they can't get me there's not a whole pile I can do about it, they'll just have to get organised and get future dates and book them in. When the book is fully booked in advance just close it off to new comers or maybe you want to keep expanding , sit down and do the sums , see is it worth your while and do you want the associated headaches .
I have clients who will only allow me to do their waxing for instance ....eyebrows I get , because the ability to shape them properly is an art in itself. But underarms ? Lip?
Anyhow I don't look a gift horse in the mouth . I do a 50 hour week and I cannot make 2 of myself....so I have staff and have them trained up to my standard but they have their own style and technique and are building their own clientele.
That's all I can do , I don't want to put up my prices because I think they are fair and my clients are a loyal bunch and I feel I would be exploiting them to keep upping my prices . So if they want me they have to prebook , if they can't get me there's not a whole pile I can do about it, they'll just have to get organised and get future dates and book them in. When the book is fully booked in advance just close it off to new comers or maybe you want to keep expanding , sit down and do the sums , see is it worth your while and do you want the associated headaches .
persianista
Well-Known Member
I'm on the other side. I expanded rapidly 13-14 years ago. I kept training up and employing staff. We outgrew one salon, so went to two, then three.
The truth was that I was run ragged. I look back now, and wonder how I did it. I had 14 full time staff.
The bigger you get, the more costs you get hit with. I worked from tax bill to tax bill. VAT was a constant headache. Staff nicked, played hooky, set up on their own with my stock and my salons clients.
In 15 years, I've had one holiday where I've not tried to get a flight back halfway through.
It sounds great, have lots of people all working to earn you money, but in practice, it's not as easy as that.
I've now agreed sales on my two remaining salons, and it can't come a moment too soon. I'm exhausted.
The truth was that I was run ragged. I look back now, and wonder how I did it. I had 14 full time staff.
The bigger you get, the more costs you get hit with. I worked from tax bill to tax bill. VAT was a constant headache. Staff nicked, played hooky, set up on their own with my stock and my salons clients.
In 15 years, I've had one holiday where I've not tried to get a flight back halfway through.
It sounds great, have lots of people all working to earn you money, but in practice, it's not as easy as that.
I've now agreed sales on my two remaining salons, and it can't come a moment too soon. I'm exhausted.
