Business Dilema

[Violet Star]

Hi Geeks,

Im very worried about my beauty business, i have had no clients at all no-one even ringing. Ive had one client who come to me last week she is a regular and she is my only regular. Just added manicure and pedicure to my list too and no-one booked in.

Im advertising as much as i can and still nothing. I have training coming up this month which is expensive and im wondering is it worth going for more training for other treatments if my business is going so badly?
Im also still coverting my garage which yet again costing me a bomb and im thinking is it worth it

I even went to the extreme of having a tanning offer for 10.00 tans and no-one

What can i do?

thanks x

 

[pure]

Do you have any promotions or advertising at the moment and if so are people finding out about them? You said that you are converting your garage so where do you work from at the moment?

Depending at what stage you are at in your business will vary the advice. If it's a new business you need to concentrate on getting new clients or if it's been going some time you need to look at how to retain clients. Let us have some more info and there are some fab geeks on here who are amazing at promoting themselves and I'm sure they'll give you some advice.:hug:

 

[Violet Star]

Do you have any promotions or advertising at the moment and if so are people finding out about them? You said that you are converting your garage so where do you work from at the moment?

Depending at what stage you are at in your business will vary the advice. If it's a new business you need to concentrate on getting new clients or if it's been going some time you need to look at how to retain clients. Let us have some more info and there are some fab geeks on here who are amazing at promoting themselves and I'm sure they'll give you some advice.:hug:

Hi Pure,

Sorry should have given you more information. I did have a promotion last week for spray tans 10.00 and didnt get anything back from this. I promoted this allot online and on facebook.
I currently work from my spare room in my home which is a salon (but become too small so i changed to garage)

I started out in the beauty industry in Dec 07 and done tanning for 5 months, i then let this slip due to personal things and seemed to have lost all my client base i then started up again February 09

xx

 

[pure]

Well i would start by writing to all your your old clients and tell them that you're back in business and include your up to date price list and your current promotion. I tend to make offers last for a couple of months as that way you can be sure of more people hearing about them and taking them up.

Also don't just stick to using the net for advertising because you will only reach a tiny proportion of your potential client base, try a leaflet drop, putting posters up in local shops, sending them to pre-schools, local WI groups etc. Make sure everyone knows where you are, what you offer and what specials you have too.

As for your training course, as lo0ng as you can afford, sometimes having new training re-energises you into action and could do you the world of good.

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

I agree with Pure. Vary your methods of advertizing. It does not have to be expensive. Leaflet drops door to door, hair dressing salons, your local gym and hotels (if they don't have on site salons/spas).

Another idea...... and it is possible..... is to approach car dealerships eg. Toyota, Mercedes etc... Many of them give flowers to their customer purchasing brand new cars. Speak to the manager and see if you can't sell beauty vouchers to the dealership instead. Also consider approaching local pubs and sell gift voucher to them to give out as prizes for quiz nights. It's just a thought, but it has been done before and could generate new business for you.

 

[carlyfaye24]

ring around local schools (i find senior schools are best) or look on their websites for email addresses, alot of the schools in my area are now doing indulgence evenings, if you havnt heard of them before its where the school goes round local salons etc and asks if they want to pay around £15-20 for a table/stall and do nails, spray tanning, massage, jewellery stalls, clothes etc
they get all the pupils and parents to come along and they have mini treatments (or if its something like spray tan, a full treatment)
ive found this is a great way for people to find out about your salon!
even if u dont take that much on the night! if u get one regular client out of it then its worth it!

x

 

[Violet Star]

Thanks for all your advice geeks!

I have a pamper evening coming up at my local school which is on 20th march. So i hope this brings something in.

I always get a little bit nervous of going into hair dressers and gyms with my leaflets :irked:

xx

 

[carlyfaye24]

Thanks for all your advice geeks!

I have a pamper evening coming up at my local school which is on 20th march. So i hope this brings something in.

I always get a little bit nervous of going into hair dressers and gyms with my leaflets :irked:

xx

im the same, see if you can persuade a friend to come along with you! x

 

[oldgaltherapist]

Now don't be too downhearted, it will pick up :hug:. I actually don't do any leaflet drops to houses, is just not my thing, but I have put adverts on gumtree which brought me some business by linking it to my website (which i have free on microsoft office live). I also let my friends know by email and asked them to forward to their friends. I also did a couple of raffle prizes, I think they were manicure/pedicures.

It has been slow for me but suddenly it is going mad, in fact I had a couple of clients yesterday who had kept a leaflet I gave to a gym 6 months ago, so they are definately worth trying. Also look at your local police station, fire station, etc.

Not sure if this is any help.

 

[angelina221]

I go round the town dropping leaflets. The nice lady in Boots had a load of leaflets from me and said she would put them in people bags. I get my response from leaflet drops than advertising in the local paper. Have also had an ann summers party at the shop and am hoping to soon get a psychic in and do a psychic night at the shop. Anything that gets people in in the first place is great as they then tell their friends. Word of mouth is the best advertising but unfortunately it's the slowest!
I had a load of spray tan solution that i wanted to get rid of so advertised for models for spraying at £7.50. I had a good response from this (20 in the last week). They then went and told their friends. Have had more bookings even though the price has now gone up.
Also have agreed to do the carnival soon. Am doing the carnival queen, princess and rose buds-hair,nails spray tans etc...Am doing this for free but they will advertise for me. Have donated a gift voucher also.
Prom season is coming up so maybe you could go round the schools and see if you can advertise your services in their newsletter or leave them some leaflets.

 

[Blue Rose]

With Mother's Day just around the corner, another idea is for you to approach all your local pubs & restaurants and see if they want any of your vouchers to give out to their 'mums' who come in next Sunday.

We have a pub directly opposite the saslon and the landlord/lady are very good clients so I will let them have some vouchers FOC for a back massage or something similar which they can then hand out to their customers.

I would assume that their bookings for next Sunday will be with very local peeps, which is good for me.

We have a florist opposite as well so may do the same there. Just given myself some ideas here, lol.

I would also suggest you contacting all your lapsed clients with a newsletter informing them of your new treatments, your new treatment room, etc and give them a really good ethical bribe/incentive to get them back in again.

I do this every couple of months or so & it's amazing how many clients you can get to become regulars again. The best bit is that it doesn't cost much.

You have already been given some sound advice & I'm sure more will be on its way. Just try and be positive & positive things will happen.

 

[Violet Star]

Wow fab ideas will get working on these!! I need to build my confidence with approaching people without feeling embaressed

I shall start my leaflet drop tommorow and take my nephew with me he seems very keen to want to do it.

Thanks guys for all your advice and help i feel more positive now and ready to get into action with advertising, it can be so upseting when your business is everything to you and it goes through patches like this

xx

 

[Blue Rose]

Just been reading your other thread and realised you've had a lot on your plate recently. No wonder you're finding it hard to focus on work.

I'm sure though if you keep yourself busy with work and stay focused on that your other issues will resolve themselves. :hug:

 

[Lynne Baker]

have a look at my thread - all of these ideas have worked wonders on my business!
http://www.salongeek.com/biz-geek/83160-more-ways-promote-your-business.html

 

[Violet Star]

Just been reading your other thread and realised you've had a lot on your plate recently. No wonder you're finding it hard to focus on work.

I'm sure though if you keep yourself busy with work and stay focused on that your other issues will resolve themselves. :hug:

Yes i have had it hard recently but if im honest whats happened in my personal life has pushed me more to focus on my business and getting my success! This is all what important to me now as its something thats mine and something that i will be proud of.
xxx

 

[Violet Star]

have a look at my thread - all of these ideas have worked wonders on my business!
http://www.salongeek.com/biz-geek/83160-more-ways-promote-your-business.html

Thanks calla will have a look now xx

 

[BeautyPrincess.]

Hiya hun,
Im new in the industry too, i rent a room in a hairdressers and i have been there 9 weeks now. At the start i was the same but now i have alot of regular clients and even just people wanting treatments after their hair cuts and stuff. You will start getting busy soon it just needs time.. Are you mobile or do it in your own home?..
You will be fine trust me. when i first started i was like whats the point in this?.. but now imm making my rent money in one day then the rest of the week its my money. How aboout making pamper packages?
Hope this has helped x

Hi Geeks,

Im very worried about my beauty business, i have had no clients at all no-one even ringing. Ive had one client who come to me last week she is a regular and she is my only regular. Just added manicure and pedicure to my list too and no-one booked in.

Im advertising as much as i can and still nothing. I have training coming up this month which is expensive and im wondering is it worth going for more training for other treatments if my business is going so badly?
Im also still coverting my garage which yet again costing me a bomb and im thinking is it worth it

I even went to the extreme of having a tanning offer for 10.00 tans and no-one

What can i do?

thanks x