Feel so down, I've been in tears!

[tara1]

Hi

I've been qualified in Beauty since 2009. Since then have added to my skills by traing in nail enhancements, massage and spray tanning. I have been working from home in a room completely seperate from the rest of the house. My biggest problem is i've only 4 regular clients that have been coming to me since i started. i have the odd other person in but nothing regular. The feedback about my room has been good. Clients like the fact they are seperate from the rest of house good parking etc. How ever i live in a small village with not much passing trade. I have advertised locally in school pre school local village magazines etc. Given vouchers to chrity events leaflet dropped you name it i've done it but the business 3 years down the line is just not happening!
To cop it all got an email from a regular client of 2 years very short to the point saying they were canceling appointment and wouldn't be coming back! I phoned her to say recieved email and i was sorry she had canceled and had i upset her in any way. She replyed no its not you but i won't be having any more treatments!! I feel completely useless and upset what have i done? I'm always polite never gossip and always check with client they are happy! My business basically has never taken off and one of the only regular clients i have has ditched me. feeling so low just want to give up. Should i just give up?:sad:

 

[tara1]

Srry to ramble just need some clear advise on what to do. Maybe i'm just not good enough!:sad:

 

[Lynne Baker]

Nope, you should get out there and find networking groups.
Your client has very possibly stopped having treatments because she can't afford them anymore, and really, who wants to admit that?

 

[tara1]

thanks for replying lynne. realy appreieciate the reply.

 

[Only-me]

Sorry you feel down about this ...
Drop some leaflets round free postcards on Vistaprint at the mo..
Don't give up sending you a hug x

 

[Jbeauty couture]

Don't give I kno how u feel what about going Mobile beyond your Village or networking as said above that's what I'm going to do as my business is just friends and a random I off xxx

Don't give uh lots of :::Love::Love::Love:

 

[Sweetyrex]

how about party planning? another way to get an income as you get commision. you could get all your friends together for your first one and ask them to tell thier friends and so on. You can promote you beauty room at the same time.
fb page, twitter with regular updates. text and email offers regularly. I've just done a special offer for spray tans and nails ready for races. holiday specials. keep changing them so theres something new.
get your friends involved. for every new person they send to you they get a prize or free mini treatment.
maybe join a fitness class or something and hand your cards out whist your there.
could you do pamper parties for groups in their home?

Times are hard and we are all feeling it but try not to get down. youre not alone!

 

[Jen889]

Hi

I've been qualified in Beauty since 2009. Since then have added to my skills by traing in nail enhancements, massage and spray tanning. I have been working from home in a room completely seperate from the rest of the house. My biggest problem is i've only 4 regular clients that have been coming to me since i started. i have the odd other person in but nothing regular. The feedback about my room has been good. Clients like the fact they are seperate from the rest of house good parking etc. How ever i live in a small village with not much passing trade. I have advertised locally in school pre school local village magazines etc. Given vouchers to chrity events leaflet dropped you name it i've done it but the business 3 years down the line is just not happening!
To cop it all got an email from a regular client of 2 years very short to the point saying they were canceling appointment and wouldn't be coming back! I phoned her to say recieved email and i was sorry she had canceled and had i upset her in any way. She replyed no its not you but i won't be having any more treatments!! I feel completely useless and upset what have i done? I'm always polite never gossip and always check with client they are happy! My business basically has never taken off and one of the only regular clients i have has ditched me. feeling so low just want to give up. Should i just give up?:sad:

Oh hun I know exactly how you feel, been there done that! Started my business three years ago and it was sooooo slow I thought many times about closing up shop but didn't as this is where my wart is. I opened from home but lived in a rural area and it was so hard to get people to come to me from outside my area. I decided last year before my two year anniversary to move to a rental. That went much better! Was slow in the winter so I opened another place (this one from my home in a populated area) it has been so different. I am busy, finally catching up to bills and everything.

I would say don't give up!! Try a rental in a populated area, don't be scared! This might be a way to get your business out the door and on its way up

 

[Hiltonbeauty]

Do not give up as what is the alternative to not work at all or to work in tescos? Sorry to be frank but clearly there is something wrong if you have on,y 4 regular clients in 3 years but that doesn't mean something is wrong with you! Maybe it's the advertising, do you have cards/leaflets, website, Internet adverts, local paper. Also you must think why have none of these 4 clients recommended you to their friends do you offer referrals etc?

Also have you looked at maybe working in a local salon part time until you build a base?

Have you done local research to see what people are offering and maybe try to do something different to the others? Have you compared your prices to local salons or mobile therapists?

Sorry I know I've thrown lots at you but you sound like you're about to throw the towel in but you cant say you've done everything you can unless you can say you've done everything anyone has suggested to you.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[angel17]

It's not you!!!! Working with the general public can be difficult. I have a home salon and slowly building up clients. It's very slow and I find word of mouth works best. Don't give up!!!!! Xx

 

[MisstyB]

Hi babes, I read your thread as had a really bad day yesterday and thought yes me to!!! only one client yesterday, : ( ....but I have only been going for 4 months, but hard sometimes to keep your self motivated! Why dont you offer your services mobile? If you live some where very rural then you are never going to have enough clients to keep you going, so maybe you could travel to other areas to find customers? Dont give in hon, xxxxx

 

[Lynne Baker]

Have you had a look at the promoting thread, by the way?
http://www.salongeek.com/biz-geek/83160-more-ways-promote-your-business.html

 

[Dolly6410]

Have you had a look at the promoting thread, by the way?
http://www.salongeek.com/biz-geek/83160-more-ways-promote-your-business.html

this thread is really helpful, i suggest you get a pen and paper and bullet point good ideas

I've been going 2 years and although business has improved loads I still find i'll have 3 weeks in a row where i'm fully booked and run off my feet, and then 2 weeks after that i'll have 1 or 2 days off and the days i am working i have 1 or 2 clients. I've also had the same as you where a regular client has cancelled a treatment and said she won't be back, I was horrified, that was over a year ago and in january this year she got back in touch and when i went round it turned out her husband had left her and she'd hardly got anything from the divorce, she'd gone from the high life to a council flat, you've got to think if it was something you had done i'm sure she would have told you, and like said above, some people are embarrised by their situation and don't want to admit it. With summer coming up maybe attend as many summer fates as possible, set up a stall and do nails and get chatting to locals or even just go down with leaflets and give them out and chat to people about what you do. Maybe also do a offer for say June that if a client recommends a friend and they come and have a treatment with you that client will get a voucher for a percent off their next treatment that is valid in July or August? good luck :hug:

 

[alanah]

Hi

I've been qualified in Beauty since 2009. Since then have added to my skills by traing in nail enhancements, massage and spray tanning. I have been working from home in a room completely seperate from the rest of the house. My biggest problem is i've only 4 regular clients that have been coming to me since i started. i have the odd other person in but nothing regular. The feedback about my room has been good. Clients like the fact they are seperate from the rest of house good parking etc. How ever i live in a small village with not much passing trade. I have advertised locally in school pre school local village magazines etc. Given vouchers to chrity events leaflet dropped you name it i've done it but the business 3 years down the line is just not happening!
To cop it all got an email from a regular client of 2 years very short to the point saying they were canceling appointment and wouldn't be coming back! I phoned her to say recieved email and i was sorry she had canceled and had i upset her in any way. She replyed no its not you but i won't be having any more treatments!! I feel completely useless and upset what have i done? I'm always polite never gossip and always check with client they are happy! My business basically has never taken off and one of the only regular clients i have has ditched me. feeling so low just want to give up. Should i just give up?:sad:

Do not give up! You will get there! I know exactly how you feel. I qualified last June and know how it is to find a client base. I started back home and it was great i had family and friends, easy word of mouth! I have now upped sticks and moved to New Zealand, where i know nobody. I am working in a salon but every day i'm lucky to have one or two clients. Just remember be the best you can be! It only takes one clients with lots of friends and the word will soon spread! I'm sure you are a fantasic therapist. hugs! xx

 

[cabby]

Yes it is hard we are in hard times at the moment. Stay with it at least you have a few regulars.just try to network as much as possible and always carry cards and give them to everyone you meet xxx

 

[souz]

dont give up hun!!! i have my 2nd home salon and this time its only been 6 months, some weeks are busy some are dead! it takes time and effort!

i went to excel and bought a glitter tattoo set as i thought where there are children there are mums! i am doing a few events for the jubilee coming up, one im doing for free in my village just to be able to promote my business where all the local mums will be!! maybe you could try something similar....

or golf clubs, hotels, wedding exhibitions the list is endless and dont always have to cost money!!!xx

 

[ClaireL]

Hi

Don't give up!

The way I read it is although only afew regular clients they are still regular so you must be doing something right _ I think it may be the way you are marketing/advertising yourself, have you thought about sending a short questionaire to your regular customers asking what they like or dont like, why they visit you, what you could improve and ask if they have anyone they could recomend for and you could add a little extra onto their service such as a brow tidy etc

Hope you feel better about it all soon

xx