Competing with NSS & Advertising Not Working!!!!!!

[Moby]

Hiya geeks,

I'm wondering how many of you have problems with clients who are so used to the NSS nails??
I live in Slough and the people here are well off - But they seem to be soooooo STIGGY!
I have opened my salon just over a month ago and poured every penny into it with no avail :cry:

I have an NSS each end of the highstreet and I'm at the centre. They charge £20 - £22.50 for a basic set.
I charge £25! And we both charge £30 for white tips & £35 for P&W.
But I think people still think I am too expensive!!!

I have only had 4 clients return from the xmas period... (whos nails were perfect) and I still keep praying the others will be back... but after 4 weeks...?

I have spent over a £1000 on advertising!

- £120 for 5000 coloured leaflets - These were done professionally & look beautiful! (The beautician who owns the place knew the guy & they did them on card by accident! )
- £100 for salon signs etc from guy above.
- Gave out 1500 leaflets to all the highstreet shops to put in staff rooms and 400ish of them in leaflet drops and I've held onto some and so has the beautician. - I HAVE HAD 1 RESPONSE - Just for a soak off.
- Paid £70 for a man to deliver 1000 - Genuine man - it's his business, did those last week - NO RESPONSES THOUGH!
- I'm now been on the BestOf for about 2 weeks, NO RESPONSES
- I've paid to be in the Yellow Pages for February
- And finally, I have paid a whopping £800 for 4 weeks of radio advertising and got less than 10 clients from it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
The guy was nice and has been checking up on how I'm doing - I said it wasn't good, not enough people have rang up! I don't want money back but he's booked to see me about another Radio scheme called Bonus - and if he thinks i'm paying another ridiculous amount after this fiasco, he has another thing coming!!

I am now going to do another 2000 leaflets where a guy who runs the local shop recommended me someone, he said they shouldn't charge me more than £20 to do a 1000! I might go for it... I'm desperate, I have made massive losses after the Radio advertising and such minimul leaflet response....
And most importantly, my finances are very low and I don't know what to try next!

I know it's January and we're all poor and so forth but I see one of the NSS salons full every day and it disheartens me!!!!! I am not a shop front but this is ridiculous! I am trying to force my boyfriend to hold a sandwich board now on Sats in highstreet!!!!! At least then I won't have to dish out money!!!!

Has anyone got any other ideas?? The closest pro salon to me is about a mile away in another town but I don't think she's doing too well either.... Maybe people just won't pay for these type of nails??
Cheap and nasty is what people want here.... :cry:

Sorry, i can never help rambling on!

Please help!!

 

[nailaddict2007]

My salon in down from a NSS too. I find the same thing happens with our nail services. I don't understand why people will insist on going there. I guess they just need to feel that they are getting a deal.

We too have fallen for the radio advertising. I listened everyday ALL day for the ads but never heard them. The hairdresser next door told she heard one at 5am! I don't know who is going to be paying attention at that hour.We have tried the leafletts and all too. Not much has come back from that either. I was very surprised at all these mediums that you would expect to work that don't.

How long have you been open? We are coming up onto our first year in a month. I have found that it has been pure word of mouth advertising that has been the best. Everyone I meet gets a business card EVERYONE!!! haha.

If it's someone i think is interested I write either 10% off or free eyebrow wax with purchace. If you don't do anything other than nails you could try a free nail art.

In the end the people will learn, probably the hard way that pro is the way to go. In the meantime I hope things get better, hang in there love.

 

[Moby]

I've only been open for about 6 weeks - which I know isn't long but with the amount I poured into it - I'm surprised that I practically got zilch!

I know the radio was official - I got my time slots off the guy and heard it - it kept making me cringe actually! lol

Even word of mouth doesn't work for me though!!! I have only EVER got 3 people from word of mouth from any of my regulars. This is why I stopped doing mobile, I thought I would get a salon base and people would like to come to me - advertising where I am is easier and my old & new clients i've had love the fact the it'll be open 8pm if they want it any day of the week!

They tell me they've told people - but people will just not come!

I also had a new client today who used to go down the road to an NSS and was pleased with her nails and how light they were etc (intimadating woman, scared me a bit!) She knows loads of people who go there and will recommend me - but will they come??

Also - have you tried a loyalty scheme? Just to keep the clients I have extra happy and another thing for them to tell their friends about!
I'm thinking of - Have 4 treatments and get the 5th half price or something - Or lower it even more if they pay it in advance?? I duno?

 

[Moby]

Oh and I can't give business cards everywhere! I am trying now though. I get scared - people find me intimidating! I just look miserably evil! lol

I have never been approached about my emmaculate nails - but my sister has plenty of times!

I actually went food shopping earlier and saw the checkout girl had purple nail varnish on - so I thought "You can do this! Put that smile on your miserable face!!!!" So I did, complimented her colour choice and had a nice chat about me doing nails and showed her mine! Gave her my leaflet and she seemed interested!

Or did she??? :irked:

My clients think i'm lovely

Or do they??:irked: lol

I duno, people may not know where I am still - I may get a sandwich board man to stand in town at the end of the street where I am (As i'm a 20 second walk at the back of the highstreet) on saturdays and see if people take any notice!

 

[xxlauracrossxx]

be positve,
its a very tight month for most people, hopefuly they have kept ur leaflets and are waiting to be paid.
keep ur chin up
good luck x

 

[hekate01]

I've found advertising in gyms helpful as these ladies are already investing time and money into their image. Although i admit it's hard competeing with NSS as people seem to not care on service as long it saves money. ( sometimes it only like £2.00 saving ) madness it is. I think the industry need regulating properly x

 

[nailaddict2007]

Keep it up! Our industry is all about making those contacts. I have been told that I look miserable most of the time too. I've had to just start actually thinking about smiling all the time! Again it is a very slow time of year.

I haven't done any loyalty schemes yet but have been thinking about it. Just make sure that you work out all the costs first. You don't want to lose money on the deal.

This industry definatley needs world wide regulating. I"m not sure about over there but nothing esthetic related is governed here in Canada. We have massage therapists that need licences and hair dressers, what makes us any different. I think it would be a lot easier on all of us if the governments would set some standards. This is a rant I could go on for days about.

But all in due time, this takes hard hard work now a days to compete with the NSS's. Hand in there!

 

[ProblemS]

Do you have a website? These days many people who are looking into getting their nails done will look on the internet (I know I did). Make sure you have the right words on your site, so if somebody googles "nails slough" your page will actually show up!

 

[Zingara]

Theres been several threads on here about NSS lately and why people go to them...these 2 polls may give you some interesting info....in a lot of areas they are not that much cheaper.

My advice would stop trying to compete with them and differentiate yourself.

http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/48022-why-do-they-visit-apparent-nss.html

http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/48074-how-cheap-cheap-nss.html

 

[gillian w]

Theres been several threads on here about NSS lately and why people go to them...these 2 polls may give you some interesting info....in a lot of areas they are not that much cheaper.

My advice would stop trying to compete with them and differentiate yourself.

http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/48022-why-do-they-visit-apparent-nss.html

http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/48074-how-cheap-cheap-nss.html

Exactly..you need to clarify why your nails are better.
People don't realise that there are good and bad ways of doing nails until i came on this sight i was totally ignorant and believed that if you had nail extensions you are going to ruin your own nails and you should just expect it.I used to tell people so .
Thats because initially i wasn't taught properly ,hence i gave up doing them and everyone i saw who had had them had wrecked nails but then most people would be picking them off,not maintaining them or going to what i now know as nss salons.
I educate people all the time now even if they don't want the nails i do.I tell them what to look for from a nail technician and salon.
I would do some leaflets saying what can happen when they aren't done properly get some pictures of wrecked nails and go on the attack ..
People are interested in the health of their nails this is why bio sculpture and calgel have taken off.
A lot of their popularity has been down to clever and some may say controversial marketing but whether the system is less damaging or not their advertising has worked and its one of the more expensive systems.

 

[ValencianNails]

Sassy wrote a fab article on advertising... http://www.salongeek.com/business/28153-sassy-guide-advertising-your-business.html
hth's

 

[Mrs Geek]

Call your previous clients - see how they are doing

"Hi, we've missed you and it's been 4 weeks. just wanted to make sure your nails are OK beacuse I imagine you could do with a R/B or how about a lovely natural nail manicure" etc... PICK UP THE PHONE.
(BTW checked your profile and I adore Kung Fu Hustle:lol: )!!

 

[kadie]

i feel for you. i have had a lot of customer's which have come from NSS. some stay, some don't. one lady didn't want to come back because i don't use a drill!!! NSS customers don't have their R/B don't that often and even when i try to encourage them to come more regularly they refuse. The NSS nails are like cement and they don;t understand the damage they can cause! OK, so perhaps mine aren't spade like and like rocks at the end of fingers...but i like them like that!!

there isn't any point in competing with them, try to aim for better clientele. I think NSS nails are generic and plain bloody awful. I find them really claw like too and a bugger to make thinner! My clients like my nails because they suit THEM. The smile suit them, they do not rub off they are not cheap. I also do not rip them off by telling them l&P is gel. the damn cheek of it.

perhaps you could take some pictures of you nails, make a website and put them there! OR you could display them in your shop window? Put pictures of your nails and put them on your leaflets? Perhaps, without pointing the finger at NSS, put questions like 'Are your nails thick, square and white?' Do you want a shape that suits you, nails that look natural and aren't damaging your own nails? Then you should be coming to me!!

They might look at it and thick, yeah that's exactly how my nails look and give you a go!!

 

[Sassy Hassy]

What is it about the NSS that you think is making them so busy? Is it the interior, the price, the speed, the no appointment necessary etc? Or is it the "full restaurant" syndrome? (You know ... when you want to go out to eat and you go in the restaurant that's full because you follow the crowd, think it must be good cos it's packed and have a better atmosphere.) And then they see your place that's empty and think, well she can't be much good, no one is in there!

My stepdad used to own an audio shop many moons ago. My mum used to call me and my bro and three step brothers "rentacrowd". We would go in there on a Saturday and you could guarantee that the place would suddenly get customers because for some reason people thought they had to go in cos it was so busy! So maybe get your family in and make yourself look busy - it might just work lol!

Also with your advertising consistency is the key, a leaflet drop here and a newspaper ad there won't work. Commit to one type of advert and make it work for you, and although it's expensive it sounds like the radio advertising has worked for you. Once you have people coming through the door then it all just falls into place The fact that you had 8 new clients is fab. If you have a client that only comes for 4 weekly maintenance at £20 a time then that is £240 a year - fornightly and it's double that! THAT is how you have to look at your advertising returns, not what happened that week with it, but the annual value for each client.

Remember you make your money on your infills / rebalances NOT the full sets. Why not do an offer in January and February that you do a full set for the price of an infill? Yes you may get the odd one off client, but you will also get the long term clients too. And when they are in you are going to have to plant that smile on your kisser and love your clients to death so they come back again and again.

Good luck hun, it's not easy out there.

 

[nailzoo]

Opening up a new business in the between 2 competitors is always gonna be a hard slog, it's gonna take some time to win over their customers or establish your own. Many people in the area who want nails may already have them done by your competitors. The location may be at saturation point, after all not everyone wants nails.
I would have thought about these things before going into direct competition with established businesses. There are so many fronts you will have to compete with, their price, their speed and the fact many of their clients will be completely happy with their current tech. Yes of course us "in the know techs" know the pitfalls of going to NSS, but many of the public don't care, all they want is nails at a reasonable price done quickly.
GOOD LUCK.

 

[beautynails]

I've only been open for about 6 weeks - which I know isn't long but with the amount I poured into it - I'm surprised that I practically got zilch!

Even word of mouth doesn't work for me though!!! I have only EVER got 3 people from word of mouth from any of my regulars. This is why I stopped doing mobile, I thought I would get a salon base and people would like to come to me - advertising where I am is easier and my old & new clients i've had love the fact the it'll be open 8pm if they want it any day of the week!

Word of mouth can take along time. Someone might see nails you've done but not really want nails at that time, but that may change in the future.

And then they see your place that's empty and think, well she can't be much good, no one is in there!


Also with your advertising consistency is the key, a leaflet drop here and a newspaper ad there won't work. Commit to one type of advert and make it work for you, and although it's expensive it sounds like the radio advertising has worked for you. Once you have people coming through the door then it all just falls into place The fact that you had 8 new clients is fab..

I agree with Sassy, I think looking busy is important, also finding the type of advertising that works for you.
I only advertise in the local TV guide (fortnightly) & people know that's where I advertise & look for it.
Just remember it all takes time.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

The other thing that may be affecting you is location. People are naturally lazy and if the NSS are closer to the car parks then they will choose them first. Location is one of the prime factors when choosing where to set up a salon. Plus I think as Nailzoo said, we really are over run with nail techs at the moment, and those who are already established will do better ... unless a better new kid on the block arrives! Make your clients feel special and some WILL prefer that to the conveyor belt mentality.

They do say that only 10% of the population wears nail enhancements, so why not focus on the 90% that don't and offer a free manicure with every pedicure?

I have a leaflet at the moment ....

"The BIG Beauty sale @ Buff nails & beauty

Winter weather getting you down?
Need a pick me up?
Then treat yourself, or a friend, to an amazing bargain and enjoy being pampered."

I then have an offer for a facial, for spray tans and also a free mani worth £16.50 with every pedi. I had set myself to get 5 treatments booked by the end of Feb because that is about the average response I get with each new leaflet campaign. Well I am currently up to 9 (and my new client yesterday booked for Brisa toes in 2 weeks at FULL price!)and we are still in January - that's existing clients as well as new. They have all said that it is the wording I have used and how they really are fed up at the moment and are going to treat themselves. Even I am amazed at how well it is working!

 

[pazzy]

As already said...we can throw a fortune at advertising and when its quiet we panick because it seems like money down the drain. BUT, people will pop their leaflets on the corkboard for the spring/summer.

All you can do is wait - this is a critical time for well established salons also...so, please just forget about the other nss salons for now or it will drive you insane and make you feel bitter. They are doing their thing so you have to do yours.

There are clients out there who dont want to just sit in those places - some people love just having their nails done in a relaxing manner. Perhaps this is what your selling point is - no rush, relaxing treatments = fabulous nails.

Why dont you get some questionares? find out what THEY really want.

Try and get some free publicity - like charity days, offer a percentage of takings for that day. People need to get to know YOU and if they like you, happy with their nails, they will come back.

Def, get people in to busy the salon up.

 

[Moby]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for dragging up my old post! I just wanted to say.... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR RESPONSES!! :hug:

I'm really irregular on here, I only got to check the first few reponses and then went completely offline for about 4 months with no internet! I've just started going through my old posts and thought "I don't remember all these..."

Well, i'll give you an update! (Even if you don't want to read it - there's always the X! lol)

My business did pick up! BUT...
I left the place i was renting at in June! I was paying £400 4 weekly & then £150 for home rent - I just had no money left! afterwards, it was £0-£50 if i was lucky! And then i'd have to buy products!

But no, I didn't give up! My parents saw how stuck I was so I now work from home! My parents actually built a room like garage (does that make sense??) which is so much bigger! And they only increased my rent by £50 - so £200 flat rate for home & business!!

I've learnt so much too, especially with advertising, I might actually do a thread on that later...

Anyway, I came 2nd place in the Novice at Excel in February, not the highest of points, but still 2nd from everyone who entered so it really gave me confidence after i was freeling so down.

Now i'm relaxed at home and just toddle off to work, word of mouth really works now, and I think me actually NOT being an (official?) salon (Because I'm based at home) women seem to think my nails are 'special'!

Anyway, not much of an update, I think I'm itching to do an advertising thread now...

Last thing I thought was that I'm going into Beauty! Yey!

 

[ValencianNails]

Anyway, I came 2nd place in the Novice at Excel in February, not the highest of points, but still 2nd from everyone who entered so it really gave me confidence after i was freeling so down.

Well done you That's a fab achievement, you should feel very proud xx