Ever feel like theres not enough stable income from beauty and nails anymore?

[nixnewcastle]

So I dont know about the rest of you girlies and guys but have you noticed recently (since the recession) that there is not enough stable income to be had from having a salon or beauty business.

I tend to find the business is all or nothing/ feast or famine and whilst your at your busiest period you cant possibly fit every single treatment in but on the other hand when it's quiet its really quiet.

I find that because of this you just cant plan for anything. For example at your busiest times you definitely need more staff however when the work dies down you cant afford to have staff.

Also everyone seems to be just after a bargain and I think the likes of groupon, living social and some therapists who are offering stupidly cheap priced treatments are killing the beauty trade including those who choose to use these companies and make a pitence and worse still a loss!

Who else is finding this?

 

[birdgirl101]

Hi, I know exactly where you are coming from. The post Xmas drop has been a lot longer than I'd ever want, can't wait 4 April (norm my best month) to come!!. My staff have been very good, one girl has been using hols up rather than takin a drop in hours. I just hope there's enough to keep us going once the rush comes in!!. Times like this, il never twine of being to busy ever again!!!.

I'm currently hVing a pretty huge re structure & changing my salon concept, with the view itl make us better! Nerve wracking but hey ho thats business right????

 

[birdgirl101]

With regards to cheap treatments, there's quite a lot of this in my area. We've had offers on past few months, lashes & nails, as clients twine we don't put offers on, then when we do, they are asking why we do it!!! Can't win lol

 

[sarahpoppy24]

I started my mobile business two and a half years ago. I think people are definatly going into "recession" mode. This year we have also had a massive rise in the cost of living too. And with recession etc all over the news, I think even people who can afford it are tightening up on stuff. I was so so busy last summer and the summer before. People were going mad for nails, and now.. well they seem to not be able to afford it as much. I also do hair, for example one client who has an all over brown tint, has now started colouring her hair at home. Something she swore she would never do! Also I dont know if this is happening any where else, but pink and white acrylics seem to be losing their popularity. x

 

[TracyS]

Oh yea, I'm with you on this one. I can't say I blame clients, I know from my own experience my OH has his last week at work this coming week before redundancy so whereas before I was happy to go and spend money on things like getting a cut and highlights every 6 weeks or so, I'm now stretching it out as long as I can because money's going to be ridiculously tight.

From my point of view I'm seriously thinking about cutting down the area I cover because of petrol costs, especially for any one off appointments, I know that sounds weird when I'm looking for more business but if it's costing me as much, sometimes more, to carry out an appointment then what's the point?

I think I'm going to start looking for another salon to work 1 day a week in more locally and concentrate on building up business there rather than mobile. Not that many Salon's around here offer MDA which I've just taken on so I'm hoping that will be an attraction to clients.

Here's hoping the spring weather lifts the economy as well as the temperatures!

 

[pink_n_fluffy0]

! Also I dont know if this is happening any where else, but pink and white acrylics seem to be losing their popularity. x

No one seems to want acrylics here at all any more, its all gel, luckily we have a new gel girl who is really good.

 

[MissConfused]

I started my mobile business two and a half years ago. I think people are definatly going into "recession" mode. This year we have also had a massive rise in the cost of living too. And with recession etc all over the news, I think even people who can afford it are tightening up on stuff. I was so so busy last summer and the summer before. People were going mad for nails, and now.. well they seem to not be able to afford it as much. I also do hair, for example one client who has an all over brown tint, has now started colouring her hair at home. Something she swore she would never do! Also I dont know if this is happening any where else, but pink and white acrylics seem to be losing their popularity. x

my friend says exactly the same that she has no call at all for acrylics! she says that it's all about the shellac. not good for me as i've spent several hundred on acrylic training haha :\
x

 

[wonderwoman]

Ive definatly noticed the "slump" in ppl wages, in my friends having to close their salons, its hard times. Ive always believed that beauty should be affordable, but when you gettin ppl that are cheapening services like SP-ele, spraytans, nail enhancements.

I find that competition is not at the high standard that i like to envision it was. It seems as thou allot of ppl have set up shop without bothering to learn fundamentals like health & safety, the use of non pro products etc.

It actually annoys me, but because these ppl have been soooo bad, ive been more sought after due to improper applications of nail enhancements or other treatments. I think that as i put up my prices, more ppl were more interested, so my advice would be to not cheapen your services, and actually rate your ability and confidence. Il use the l'oreal slogan "because we're worth it!" xoxo

 

[Carlalouise]

Also everyone seems to be just after a bargain and I think the likes of groupon, living social and some therapists who are offering stupidly cheap priced treatments are killing the beauty trade including those who choose to use these companies and make a pitence and worse still a loss!

Who else is finding this?

Don't get me started on Groupon, I've not done it and don't intend to, I've looked on there and therapist are selling their souls, Shellac for £9. It was supposed to be a good way to get people in but perhaps they should listen to my mother inlaw - " you should go on groupon, me and my friends are all looking for the best man ped prices getting it for peanuts and then moving onto the next salon offering the best price" and that unfortunately is exactly what most people are doing.

 

[Sarah22]

Don't get me started on Groupon, I've not done it and don't intend to, I've looked on there and therapist are selling their souls, Shellac for £9. It was supposed to be a good way to get people in but perhaps they should listen to my mother inlaw - " you should go on groupon, me and my friends are all looking for the best man ped prices getting it for peanuts and then moving onto the next salon offering the best price" and that unfortunately is exactly what most people are doing.

Completely agree!!

 

[sarahpoppy24]

I would never blame my clients for not being able to afford it, I used the girl who said she would never colour her own hair as an example, because that was someone who had nails, toes and hair on a regular basis, and now all she does is do her own hair with a box dye. Think of the money she is saving. You cant blame her, at the end of the day as horrible as it is to say it, nails are non essential items, things like food and fuel are not, so people will be stressing and moaning (arent we all doing that. I certanly am lol) about the price of these as you cant get out of buying them. Simple answer, if you cant afford nails, you just no longer get them done. You cant blame anyone for that, as much as we would like to, we cant convince people they NEED luxuary beauty treatments. So there for we cant realy raise our prices to cover out rising costs of living, when people cant afford the treatments let alone if we put our prices. Maby if I lived in a rich area of the country it would be different. But I dont. I realy dont know what to do anymore xxx