Business struggling! do I give up now!

[natalie9281]

hi all,
advice needed... ive rented a room in a gym for last 3 yr, trade was slow at first but worked really hard & all seemed ok, over the last yr work nearly all but gone.. im lucky if i have 3 hr work a wk..
im lucky & only pay 25% of what i earn & luckly i have the business purerly cause i enjoy it (not for the cash really) althought i need to start earning.i think if i did if for the money i would be really upset thats its al falling apart.
the gym doesnt seem busy anymore anyway its just cheap to rent!

I FEEL LIKE THROWING IN THE TOWEL

problems are: the gym doesnt bring me any clients, im out of sight, there is a hair dressers with beauty salon underneath me, i cant afford to advertise, leaflet drops did nothing, advitising in local businesses & shops dint work!
ive lost al motivation.. i seem to do more treatments for friends at home in the evenings but i need day work.
i was thinking of mobile but i just dont have the room to store my eqipment & there too many cons & no pro's.

do you think i should try find somewhere else to rent, would like my own salon but couldnt afford with no clients... dont kno whats happened.. ive tried contacting aload of old customers with vouchers n everything, i do monthly offers, recommend a friend scheme, loyalty cards you name it..
help!!!!!!!
any advice would be great, thanks for listening xx

 

[dandelionpoppy]

If the gym is falling off too there may be a local economy problem, eg job losses, or it may be that if the gym has not got a good name you're suffering by association. Both would be valid reasons to move on.
My other thought is that if you're hidden away inside bring yourself downstairs and outside. Meet and greet people with a big smile, introduce yourself and give them vouchers. Invite them to view the salon, do free mini-treatments, let them feel and smell the products. Good luck!

 

[laureng]

Hi,
Don't feel dis-heartened, why don't you try and find another room to rent? Somewhere that is in a busier area, maybe in a hair salon?
In my local town there was a gym with a beauty salon and one day it closed down and honestly no-one had even known it had ever opened!
As for advertising; why don't you set up a facebook page? It's free, so where money is limited you can still do some advertisement on a facebook page for your beauty.
Hope this helps you x

 

[natalie9281]

thanks guys.. think i fell into the trap of because u couldnt tell i was there i did appointments only, left my flyers/phone numbers etc everywhere so i could book people in & only go when i had bookings cause for a yr or so i sat there everyday with no drop-ins dues to the location & booked people 1 after another, obviously it was borin sat on my own everyday & feelin disheartened with no customers..& i like to kno what treatments im doin so like the bookin system so not 2 turn customers away & need to work in school hrs & b on call for school as son has disability..
i tried to leaflet drop in the town centre on a regular basis but dint seem 2 b gettin anywhere..
then the gym had a security pass door put up so people couldnt get in if nobody was on reception (unless had a members swipe card)

its just depressin bein there so i think i do had 2 find alternative.

oh n i tried standin outside but with a posh, massive salon underneath me i cant really expect customers to come into my little room ..

i have a facebook page 2 but people always sayin they want stuff doin but never book in.. x

 

[Lynne Baker]

Have you tried business networking?

 

[natalie9281]

hi lynne
business networking? is that where u go to the town centre's monthly meetings to try get custom?? like ladies that lunch n stuff? x

 

[bonechild]

hi there
you sound exactly the way I feel too.
but don't feel too disheartened. someone asked me yesterday 'if you walked away from it, would you really feel you had done everything you could to make it better?'

when i thought about it I realised that I had tried loads, ads, leaflets, websites, neworking lunces, wedding fayres, you name it, i've done it. Nothing seemed to be working. I'm tucked away too. It doesn't help. Unfortunately I'm locked into my lease for another 18mths at least.

My thoughts would be, look for a place where you are more visible, try networking, contact groups and do offers, like slimming clubs, yoga or pilates clubs/groups, look at big offices/businesses in your area and offer them a discount. If you do treatments that travel, offer to go there and do pamper treatments as incentives or rewards (speak to HR . Mainly, I think you and I are in similar positions and frame of mind at the moment. I have been told my greatest asset is ME and to go out and sell myself (No, cheeky, not that way!!) but get out and try to talk to as many people as you can, sell you ideas and your expertise. People buy people but they need to find you first. I wish you so much luck and I'll keep my fingers crossed (for both of us)

hugs
bone

 

[natalie9281]

aw thanks do much... wot u said makes sense & to b honest u said exactly what i was thinkin.. just needed a bit of reasurrance, im luck i not into a lease.
i feel theres so much i can be doin its just my heart isnt in it at the moment cause im not happy where im working and as kno it grinds u down..
im sorry to hear ur feelin the same but feel abit of comfort knowing its not just me.. ur kind words have really helped me and hopefully i can find somewhere else.. hopefully i am gd enough to stay in the profession.. hope things improve for you as well

thanks very much hunny xx gd luck to u 2

 

[Lynne Baker]

hi lynne
business networking? is that where u go to the town centre's monthly meetings to try get custom?? like ladies that lunch n stuff? x

It is indeed just that sort of thing. I attend The Athena Network and Ladies Who Latte, but there are loads of them about the place. Just google Ladies Business Networking and your town, and go along to as many as you can to get a feel for which one works for you.