Getting started. How do you?

[tinbum25]

Hi all I'm new to this lark, recentley Qualified in Acrylic tips and overlays and nail maintenance through essential nails. Now i'm doing the Fibre glass course also. I loved the courses i worked on them intesively for a good few months and passed with credit. Now however i can't seem to get going at all!, what i mean is, i put an ad in local paper and have not had one single phone call of interest. I have a lot riding on this career change so any tips would be welcome, also can somone give me an idea of what to charge etc.
Thank you, form a very confused Shaar in Orkney

 

[geeg]

Hi all I'm new to this lark, recentley Qualified in Acrylic tips and overlays and nail maintenance through essential nails. Now i'm doing the Fibre glass course also. I loved the courses i worked on them intesively for a good few months and passed with credit. Now however i can't seem to get going at all!, what i mean is, i put an ad in local paper and have not had one single phone call of interest. I have a lot riding on this career change so any tips would be welcome, also can somone give me an idea of what to charge etc.
Thank you, form a very confused Shaar in Orkney

My advice is always to just go for it.

First you have to be visible!!

Get yourself a space in a busy small business (hairdresser, Beauty Salon etc). No good waiting until you have a clientèle before doing this you must give it your all, risk it, and get a place where you can practise what you do and where people can see you doing it.

Putting an add in the paper will not get you noticed by the people you want to notice you.

Being in the right place to get noticed is everything.

 

[tori23]

hi there. glad you enjoyed the courses what you did. It's always so exciting when you first start out isn't it? My advice would always be to just get as much practise as you can. You want to feel 100% confident when you start charging people. Rope anyone in you can to model for you friends, relative etc, do you own nails and make sure they look fab - this is a great way of advertising what you do too. When people comment on your nails and ask where you had them done you can say actually..... and there's a potential customer!! good luck x

 

[tinbum25]

thanks much, I've had lot's of practise on my friends and family and I;m feeling quite good about what i can do, I actually started my courses back in 2003 but stopped n started and stopped n started again. Now it's done i just want to get going, I do have a space in a hair salon so i'm just going to go for it indeed! How bout i pick the busiest days there to start of with and just line up my friends and family who I'm already re balancing etc, would that get me noticed do you think?

 

[geeg]

thanks much, I've had lot's of practise on my friends and family and I;m feeling quite good about what i can do, I actually started my courses back in 2003 but stopped n started and stopped n started again. Now it's done i just want to get going, I do have a space in a hair salon so i'm just going to go for it indeed! How bout i pick the busiest days there to start of with and just line up my friends and family who I'm already re balancing etc, would that get me noticed do you think?

Being part tyime givesw out all the wrong signals to those who go on the days you are not there!! Part time effort = part time money.

Go there ... stay there ... every day .... busy or not .... show your commitment ... help the hairdressers etc if not busy .... fill with family and friends for sure when ever you can ... your clientele will grow. Go part time and you will get part time clients who will be as commited as you are.

 

[tinbum25]

I get what you mean, i have no intentions of being part time, I want to be very full time just struggling to find the right way to get started, would like to be mobile also as it would be better in the place i live. I'm terribly impatient gave up my job to do this and i hate sitting idle! getting very irratating being out of work now. The boss of the salon says there has been a lot of interest so i just have to get in there but she's put it back a week to create a space for me GRRRRRRRR! i need to be doing something already:zzz: lol. Fibre glass course is going ok, nail trainer drives me nuts though lol, need some human hands!

 

[geeg]

I get what you mean, i have no intentions of being part time, I want to be very full time just struggling to find the right way to get started, would like to be mobile also as it would be better in the place i live. I'm terribly impatient gave up my job to do this and i hate sitting idle! getting very irratating being out of work now. The boss of the salon says there has been a lot of interest so i just have to get in there but she's put it back a week to create a space for me GRRRRRRRR! i need to be doing something already:zzz: lol. Fibre glass course is going ok, nail trainer drives me nuts though lol, need some human hands!

If you give it your total commitment and are good at what you do, then you will not be idle for long. Part time mobile and part time salon does not work for either. If you've got the salon space then go for it there. YOu can make much more money and do more clients in a salon situation then mobile.

 

[loubylou]

Make some flyer's up and print them off, then post them through every door in the surrounding area of the hairdressers,
so all the locals know you are there,
when you are sat with no clients at your table, get some tips out and practise, practise anything, nail art, L&P,
if you are sat there doing something the hairdressers clients will want to be nosy and have a look at what you are doing, then you get talking to them,
offer them a free demo nail on one finger so they know what you do, what is available and if it might be for them hth

 

[geeg]

If I were starting out today in the nail business, and wanting to attract the people who have high standards and appreciate quality, here is what I would do. I would have a card or literature printed that said this:

I am a nail technician of quality and excellence.
I am well educated and competent at my job.
I do nails that are beautiful and long lasting.
I make nails that look real and naturally your own …
I do not make nails that look false and unnatural.
I practise good sanitation and work safely always.
I guarantee the health and beauty of your natural nails at all times.

If you are a person that appreciates quality and professionalism from your nail artist then please call Gigi Rouse on 123 456 7890

What I would not do is ‘flog a dead horse’ and spend hours explaining to clients, that may or may not care, about products, chemicals, lack of education of other nail techs, lack of standards of other nail techs … bla bla bla.

What I would not do is spend my time constantly worrying about the lack of standards in others; the lack of skill of others; the NSS down the road; the ‘kitchen mafia’ or ‘ironing board brigade’ who ‘play’ around doing nails they are satisfied with because they know no better; the ladies who DIY with products from Ebay or the local pharmacy.

Forget it and put your energy into attracting the clients YOU want.

Apart from a very few persons, it is YOU who should blow your own trumpet and then the hardest part …. None of us can expect people’s respect or custom unless we have earned it .. it must be won by our example.

Lastly, you’d better to be able to deliver and over-deliver on your promises to your customers.

 

[lotus blossom]

gigi, i tried that phone number and it doesnt seem to work????



he he

 

[geeg]

gigi, i tried that phone number and it doesnt seem to work????



he he

Just what are you like??? :lol:

 

[lotus blossom]

Just what are you like??? :lol:

bouncing back!!

 

[berenicefuentes]

You should try making a website and put that in the paper with you regular add.

 

[amber tan]

That was hillarious Lotus, still lafin now. Word of mouth is the biggest way to get work, but there r a few other avenues you can take. Enrol yourself on to all the free web sites you can ie: YELL.COM. Print off fliers with an opening offer to good to refuse and get your walkin boots on. I delivered 500 fliers myself today as i was quiet, i know i will only get around 10 calls from them but the ten callers will have sisters, friends and mums. Ring up your local magazine and ask them to do some kind of editorial on you and your new business with your advert by the side of it. Call local schools as they are having spring fetes and take a stall and paint childrens nails allowing you to talk to mums about how fab you are. Bridal shops and gyms seem to be a really good place to advertise.

Clients vetry rarely come and find you.
Whenever you have a quiet period, never sit back and wait, use the spare time you have when starting out to get your name out loud and proud.
Good Luck, i know how hard it can be as i only started out in November as a mobile Tech and am still having quiet days.:green: