Feeling rubbish and made to feel guilty!!

[Enhance1000]

Feeling pretty rubbish to be honest!

I get the feeling that a few of my friends think I'm their personal spray tanner and that I nout else better to do with my evenings.

For the last month (since Ive passed) I have practised on them a few times but feel that I'm getting quite good now so no long need them. For this they were either giving me nothing or only until recently when I said something £5 for this!!!!

Today I was AGAIN asked if I would spray them but Ive said NO, but hasn't gone down too well. One even saying that they would now have to go and get it done in a salon because I won't do it!!!!!! GRRR! Nothing to do with using me for a cheap spray tan then?!?!??!

It's making me feel very down as I've spent a lot of money on my kit, training etc and now only seem to hear from them when they want something from me =(

Has anyone or does anyone get this from their friends? Or is just me?

I know what I need to do, just be firm and say NO but I find it so hard because I'm a big wimp and a softie and like ppl to be happy!

Im doing a nail course next month too and I can imagine what they are going to expect, I need to get it sorted NOW!!

Would love to hear if anyone has ever been in the same boat as me and how they dealt with this as I can imagine you mist get this a lot with all sorts of things xx

 

[angelina221]

I've not been in the same boat as you as my family and friends all paid when i did any training.
To start with i just asked for the money to cover the product costs but they always gave me more. That's because they are true friends.
You can't keep giving things fo free when it's costing you money.
I don't even do 'mates rates' now. My friends pay what all my clients pay.
If they want to go elsewhere, then let them. I think they are just saying that to make you feel guilty.
Just stand your ground and start as you mean to go on :hug:

 

[champagne]

Agreed start as you mean to go on !!!!

Give them an inch and all that....if you are going to do mates rates then sort them out a price list.....x

 

[sukic]

Why don't you just tell them they have to pay no that you are qualified. Not sure how much your charging but knock a couple of quid off for them.

What I tend to do with friends is I give them the first treatment free then after that they pay full price. They usually insist on paying me something the first time but I usually insist the first one's on me, then they can't say anything in the future. If they are your friends then they should understand that this is your business, they shouldn't be asking for freebies. Its a bit cheeky!

 

[Enhance1000]

Thanks everyone! Yes my Mum, Dad and Bf think it's very cheeky, especially to just assume that you are avaiable whenever it suits them to do a FREE spray tan!

The others qualified in hair and I wouldn't dream of asking her to colour it at home infact I dont, I always pay the going rate at the salon she works at!

Needless to say after I have said no that I will not be doing it tonight because I'm too busy they persisted for a while and after saying no again are now not texting me back!!! :cry:

At least I know who me true friends are, maybe they aren't some of them?!

Thanks everyone for your replies!xx

 

[gillian w]

You can always give them a price list and then say friends and family are 20% cheaper of course thats up to you as for instance i dont charge my mum at all for anything as i owe her millions.

 

[tigi]

its horrible isnt it? However, YOU are the only that can change it. I agree with everyone else. NO MORE FREEBIES SWEETIE.

give them a price list and make some loyalty cards up. give them one and say that with every spray tan they have, you will give them a point and they can have their tenth spray half price/ free or whatever you fancy doing.

Tell them that only your closest family and friends are getting a loyalty card. then let them get on with it.

You cant go on like this, and it needs to stop. most of us have had friends who have taken advantage (she is not my mate anymore though). nip it in the bud now, i didnt and it cost a friendship.

best of luck and dont let it get you down. you are a business NOT a charity.

tigi
xxxxx

 

[babychick]

I'm doin my spray tan training next week & was going to do my friends for free at first to practice....after reading this I think I'll take a small payment (to cover petrol & solution) and after that everyones paying! Its probably easier to start out that way than trying to go back.

Baby C x

 

[eva11]

We are having a mock spray tan party with my friends invited, to cover our costs they are being charged a nominal rate. We have one friend who has genuinely never offered to pay for her past treatments with us. She texted and said could she get her eyebrows done whilst at the spray tan party also, I explained no, she responded she would have to go to a salon then. Im hoping she will as she is taking the pickle and i know Im too soft. but slowly learning the hard way!!

 

[kylieb]

Ah huni, we have ALL been there at some point. People will take the micky for as long as you let them. So good on you for putting your foot down. This also happened to me with all of my friends. I had the odd few that would make me take something towards their treatment but the majority were taking the p.
When I qualified I made up some price lists for my friends and family and said to them 'now i am qualified I would like to give you my price list' and hey...hardly any of them wanted treatments any more ha ha. Your running a business at the end of the day. You've trained so hard...why should they reep the benefits. Put your effort into your paying clients hun and dont worry about your friends.
Good luck! xxx

 

[Claire-Bear]

The way I get round this is by giving a free upgrade to family and close friends only - all it costs me is a bit extra time and possibly a bit more product depending on the treatment.

For instance they pay for a 'premium pedicure' and get upgraded to 'luxury'!! I've done this since I qualified and everyone knows exactly where they stand - they save money and I get their business!!

Bit difficult to upgrade a spray tan though!! Although I offer an upper body only tan so they pay for this and they get a full body tan!

 

[*sarah*]

When I started out doing nails I made the mistake of doing it for free and it took a while for my friends to realise that its not just product they pay for its my time! Learnt from my mistakes and now charge close friends half price and they are told to book an appointment in advance to make sure I can do it! everyone seems to be happy with this and I'll ocassionally do a freebie is a mate is really skint and has been good to me when I've been skint (eg taking me out drinking when I had no dosh lol)
Put your foot down now love or they will take the pi** hth xx

 

[sarah04]

I done free treatments too, and believe me its hard to start charging them, they seem to think as you say we have nothing better to do and it costs pennies? i wish sometimes! I have lost a few people that i thought were friends since i stopped doing freebies and now knock of a few pounds off the full price but its like clients you dont want the ones who wants everything as cheap as chips you want friends/clients that are willing to pay what your worth.

 

[steve@nouvatan]

Hello there, I agree with all of the above but, what you could say is yes I will do it for free if you bring a couple of new paying customers with you. Get them to work for you.
If its any consellation we all done it and wished in some cases we hadn't.

Good Luck

Dawn x

 

[Sassy32]

What I did when I first trained was tell all my friends that I would let them all have their first tan free til I got my confidence up. I now charge them £15 (usual price is £20) they have all been back for tans. All my other treatments are the same, I knock a few pounds off for close family & friends x

 

[Enhance1000]

Thanks everyone!

Moving on from this now one is now not talking to me!! had a complete falling out :irked:

Again said this week I was unable to do it on the night she asked because I was already busy however I did say that I could do it on another night and because this was no good for her she's gone crazy about it saying Ive let her down etc.

Why do I bother?! really don't know!!! xx

 

[nixnewcastle]

I had 2 friends that did this to me and they weren't true friends. Both of them are no longer in my life at all as they did alot of sly, mean and sneaky things and they used me alot and when I didn't comply to what they wanted I was told i was selfish! No more Freebies hunny! If one of your friends is saying she is now going to have to book in at a salon have you asked her why she's willing to pay a salon to do her tan but not you?
My friends in the end tried saying things like can we do it on IOU?
Erm let me think NO! and when i said no they said well i'll have to go to ----- not naming names as it's my main competitor. Funny that isn't it? They cant afford to have a tan done from me without having an IOU but could afford to pay full price at my competitors salon.
My advice to you get them told or ditch them, a real friend will understand that you have over heads and are a new business

 

[Princess*laura]

When i finished my spray tanning course i sent a email round all my friends telling them and letting them know that they would all get thiers for half price £10.
They were and still are all happy with this. Most even give me £15.

When i do my nail course i plan on doing the same and offering to do theirs for £20 or something from the start.

 

[jimboodee2]

That's awful for you. I think sometimes that friends and family just expect it and its very hard to charge, I am too soft too, I have not yet charged for a tan but have 2 paying next week ...whoo hoo...however i did pluck up the courage to charge for 2 sets of minx and they were my best pals and they were fine. But the in laws to ask I feel a bit bad asking and they dont offer either...

This person that has fallen out with you in my opinion ,( obviously i dont know them ) is not a good friend and really from the beginning she should of offered you something for your trouble. Its an expensive gig and cant afford to give away freebies (I need to take my own advice me thinks).

Dont be down, everything will work out for the best ...big hugs:hug::hug:

 

[instantspraytan]

Really unfair on you but you do have to be firm.

If they are friends they will understand that you have to cover costs and can't continue the freebies.

I do offer my friends a discount and they are happy with this. At the start I did do some freebies but only because my firends were doing me the favour of letting me practise on them.

What i've also started doing because i'm mobile, is asking if friends do want a spray tan to have a tan party. That way i'm happy to give them the discount. The host is free and they can rotate the party around houses so that at some point each of them get a free tan. Why not offer this to them? I know not everyone wants a tan at the same time but this works for me if its a nite out or party that everyone's going to.

hth:hug: