HOME SALONS,do they get much business..

[Dimples xx]

Hi geeks,

I've been renting a beauty room for the past few months,but recently the woman I'm renting it from has told me that she will be raising the rent by 50 a week,now I'm not willing to give this as I'm paying enough for it already (130 p/w). So I was thinking of converting our garden shed (which is a decent size,with pvc windows and doors) into a small salon for myself. But before I get ahead of myself does home salons do well? I live about 5mins outside a busy town,so I would have alot of competition from the towns hair and beauty salons. Any advice would be appreciated,thanks...

 

[Sparkle_Beauty_]

Hi,
I have my own home salon, my buisness is fairly new but im getting really busy...i think it depends on the amount of advertising/leaftlet drops you do etc. A lot of my clients prefer coming to a home salon as they the privacy of a salon but its more personal.

Kayle x

 

[mrsnails]

Hiya,

I have a home salon, in my conservatory.

I have been running since April and now have 13 regular clients, I only work evenings too and have yet to do any advertising except create a facebook page and word of mouth.

Im hoping to get advertising on the go this month to draw some new people in.

Best decision I ever made.

 

[shedunlop]

I work from my home salon and am fully booked all the time. I have just been released from school run and now have 12 hours more per week and have filled most of that time within a couple of weeks just by telling my existing clients and them booking in their friends and sisters etc.

You will save a fortune on your rent etc. Please be careful though as you might need planning permission if you are working in a cabin or summerhouse. Enquire at your local planning office first to see where you stand. One of the girls on here had an unpleasant surprise after she had converted her summer house as she had to pay for the planning.

I wouldn't let that put you off though as this would be saved out of a couple of weeks rent!!

Good luck my darling, a lot of girls prefer the home salons, more private!

 

[Lemmonie]

I too have a home salon and book 3 weeks in advance. I only work evenings and all my clients are regulars.

I love it and so do they.

Good luck x

 

[Lynn Elderkin]

Hi I also have a salon at home and am full with reglar clients.. I have been up and running for 5 years and have a three week waiting list and do not advertise. They are very popular now. The reason you will do well is that it is very personal and most clients become almost friends as long as you treat them right... Good luck

 

[shedunlop]

Hi I also have a salon at home and am full with reglar clients.. I have been up and running for 5 years and have a three week waiting list and do not advertise. They are very popular now. The reason you will do well is that it is very personal and most clients become almost friends as long as you treat them right... Good luck

I totally agree, clients love it and you do become very good friends with most of them. Some of my clients have been with me for over 12 years and I have seen marriages and deaths, births of babies etc, and they have seen my son grow up and me meet and marry my husband! It is lovely!

 

[Dimples xx]

Thanks guys for all the advice,after hearing it all I'm rearing to go and get set up and shedunlop what u said at the end sounds lovely,

 

[shedunlop]

Good! I am glad that we have put your mind to rest and that you are going to get going and looking forward to it.

I moved to Gloucester 8 years ago with my 8 year old son, we were on our own and starting again after divorce. I had to start my business all over again and it meant dropping Harry off to school in the morning, going to work, picking him up at 3.15 and then taking him with me to the rest of my clients for the day. I was mobile at the time. Later I was able to become a home salon and all my clients bar one came with me, they were totally loyal to me and have become really good friends. I may have to have an operation on my back and I have had so many genuine offers of help I am now worried that I will offend some of them if I am not off my feet for long enough!

You will really enjoy your work, you will make good, good friends and you will not have to keep any clients on that you don't like.

Good luck my darling!!

 

[master30]

I too have had a home salon for nearly four years, I'm so busy that I have now taken to renting a room within a fitness centre as I need to keep my home life away from my working life. So far I have no need to look back, so a home salon is an excellent way of building up clients and then expanding, good luck.

 

[bioslimming]

Hi geeks,

I've been renting a beauty room for the past few months,but recently the woman I'm renting it from has told me that she will be raising the rent by 50 a week,now I'm not willing to give this as I'm paying enough for it already (130 p/w). So I was thinking of converting our garden shed (which is a decent size,with pvc windows and doors) into a small salon for myself. But before I get ahead of myself does home salons do well? I live about 5mins outside a busy town,so I would have alot of competition from the towns hair and beauty salons. Any advice would be appreciated,thanks...

Good tip to increase you client base is to offer something different from your high street salons. Buy the best products that you can afford. Use different skincare and bodycare products than your local salons. If your shed is big enough put in two plinths and do pamper parties for 2, check out www.westfieldhouse.biz

 

[angel fingers]

not every home salon can be a success, the same as every high street salon cant be.

it is largely down to the expertise of the therapist. if you are good at what you do, your reputation will soon spread and you'll get what you deserve. keep up witth new ideas and train ing and be the best you can be.

i think those of us who have a home salon have to work that little bit harder to attract clients in the first place. if you think about it, its quite a leap of faith for new clients to come into our homes, at least with a high st salon they can have a bit of a nose in the windows and get some idea about what they will be faced with when they get there.
i think its very important to be just as professional in a home salon as you would in a high st one.
keep kids and pets out, have an area that is seperate from your family life to work from and use good products.
it can be very rewarding and very practical for those of us who have family responsibilities too.

best of luck.

 

[Cloppie]

I hadn't really considered working from home until I saw this thread, it does sound really positive. I hope you don't mind if I ask a few questions?!

With your Home Salons, do you advertise your full address? I would be concerned about security.

What room in the house do you work from? e.g location in the house?

Do you find it easy to keep your Home and work life seperate? does it affect other people in your homes in any way?

Do you price yourselves cheaper than commercial salons?

Many thanks!

 

[Emma Bagnall]

cloppie... my answers to your questions..

With your Home Salons, do you advertise your full address? I would be concerned about security. no I advertise as ' based on the churchlands, stoke on trent'. The Churchlands is the estate I live on. I obviously give customers my address once they have booked.

What room in the house do you work from? e.g location in the house?
my conservatory, clients come through the side gate and straight in to me, no footfall through the house, helps with house insurance.

Do you find it easy to keep your Home and work life seperate? does it affect other people in your homes in any way?mmm... kind of, I do find myself cleaning and doing loads of washing between clients. But generally I do work most of the day! It doesnt affect my home life with me working in the conservatory, once the blinds are acoss and the internal door is locked, theres no interuptions.

Do you price yourselves cheaper than commercial salons?
no my prices are slightly more than my local salons, but I consider myself good at what I do, better than average, but most of all I still have overheads... insurance,products,business rates, prs, underfloor heating in the winter, fans in the summer, tea/coffee, window cleaner, washing of towels, stationary, internet, phone, water,business banking charges. granted the overheads are alot smaller than a salon, but why should I be cheaper just because I choose to work from home?


hope all this helps...

 

[MissConfused]

it's so nice to read such positive posts! it can seem really scary for us who are just starting our journey reading all the posts about people struggling to get clients and struggling to keep clients that it is nice to read about how well people are doing

well done you shedunlop for getting back out there and starting all over again - you're such an inspiration! x

 

[gattia]

I am a home based therapist and have been for 10years. I am very busy and have very loyal client, some of them came to me when I first set up and was newly qualified. It is true that many client become friends which I think is lovely. I make sure I take myself of on courses and training and invest in good quality products. I always try and be the first in my area to take on the latest products & treatments. Last year it was Tantrick spray tanning and Minx nails and have recently started with Shellac and Dashing Divas. I don't plan on being left behind or being out of touch and this is one of the reasons my clients come back time & time again. It fits in perfectly with home life. I have a seperate entrance at the side and a private purpose built room that was part of a big extension anyway. My husband and kids have always supported me and been considerate. What a wonderfull job I have, I consider myself lucky and I have never looked back.

 

[Cloppie]

Yes, a really great thread.

Thank you emmie b for sharing that information!

We may looking to move house next year and I am now thinking that it could be worthwhile looking for somewhere that would suit working from home. A very big decision though :suprised:

 

[Jujunails]

I've just recently qualified and am working part time evening and weekends from home. If your work is good then word of mouth will get new clients coming to you. I'm getting regular bookings now and really enjoying my work! I've also got a page on facebook, and just started up a website and am in the process of having business cards printed. The Home Salon definately works for me while I'm in the process of building up my clientelle. I'd recommend it!

 

[M00min]

Just wanted to bump this up as it's such an inspiring thread. Good on all of you! x

 

[kezza*]

I worked in salon's for 9 years and found myself jobless last year. My other half and his kids were great telling me I should set up at home, I spend one day jobless and went for it working from home. I use our spare room downstairs, took me a month to redorator, get eqiupment and products, sort the council, insurance etc. That ws last Septmeber and it's the best thing I ever did. I have spent alot of money and time advertising, I was working 43 hours a week in a salon and I now work more than that. I work 9 in the morning to 9 at night monday to friday, becasue I do late evening I find saturday's quiet which is great. It's hard work always thinking ahead, I'm now trying to get evrything sorted for christmas. I invest in new treatments and products and clients love it. They love coming to a home salon because it's more personally, your not rushed for time. I'am cheaper than town salon's.
Like someone said do check about planning permission, I had the council round to check me out. I had just started so everything was ok as long as the room is used for something else, (I put a tv and dvd player in there nad said the kids come in here sometimes for time out) otherwise I would have to apply for planning permission. So I have to keep it low key abit, I just leave off the house number of leaflet drops.

Kerryx