How can we help?

[Kim Lawless]

Are you stuck in a rut and wondering if it's all been worth the slog and financial outlay of starting up on your own? Are you feeling lost and alone? (Then call the Samatitans LOL....ok kidding).

Tell us what stage you're stuck at in your business and let's see if we can help each other.

I'll start shall I............Yellow Pages: Shall I, shan't I?

I'm not too worried about the cost, £320 for the year but I'd like some feedback from you all on whether it's been worth the money.

Does it generate much business and could you please give us figures on how many extra clients you've had since you went in it?

xxxxx

 

[tonilee]

Good idea brow queen!! Ok here is my dilemma....I have not been qualified long, and am still doing the odd course now, I work for myself mobile and home based but (i want to add I was FULLY prepared for this) business is slow and a hard slog, I have spent alot of money on my training, stock etc, and time without clients I see as time to invest in my business in the way of practicing or the admin side leaflets etc or just simply refreshing my memory. I knew it would all take time...I advertise with my car magnetics, business cards which i leave everywhere, the local gym and the most successfull our local free mag, but .....I am due to go to Saks Academy in September to train as a hairdresser, and after I qualify me and my gf are planning on moving away to warickshire....so although I want to bring business my way im reluctant to spend too much knowing in a few months I will be full time at college for 6 months etc...... Im a bit stuck wondering what to do next?? Any ideas would be most welcome

PS sorry I waffled a bit there hope it all makes sense!!

 

[Kim Lawless]

If I were you, I wouldn't spend another penny on promoting your business where you're living now. I would spend this time, planning and marketing yourself for when you move. If you don't do that now, before you know it, you'll have moved and you won't have any work coming in. Also, once you start your hairdressing course, you'll be too knackered.

Big yourself up.........spread the word 'COMING SOON TO YOUR AREA'. By the time you get there, they'll be salivating with excitement.

So what you gonna do first? Come on............you're not getting off that easily. xxx

 

[1999judy]

The only advice I can ever offer is get good training and stop spending money on crap you don't want or need.
Sorry to be blunt but so many techs are wasting money on poor training without looking it up (I did originally before my mate kicked me in the butt) and bits of rubbish that will never be used.
Buy a good basic kit and add to it as and when you need to from a good supplier....just don't be tempted to buy things you are not going to use.

 

[tonilee]

I did actually fully research my training and have trained with the some of the best companies, creative, nouveau lashes, tantrick and of course will be going to Saks which are very reputable, and ones of the reasons they have cost so much as good training comes at a price. I dont overstock what I dont need as I too agree thats a waste of money.

 

[1999judy]

I did actually fully research my training and have trained with the some of the best companies, creative, nouveau lashes, tantrick and of course will be going to Saks which are very reputable, and ones of the reasons they have cost so much as good training comes at a price. I dont overstock what I dont need as I too agree thats a waste of money.

Sorry hun the advice wasn't aimed at you, just techs starting out:hug:

 

[tonilee]

So what you gonna do first? Come on............you're not getting off that easily. xxx[/quote]


:lol::lol::lol:

Cheers chick, I think thats a very good point, and to begin with I feel a brainstorming session coming on, to explore all my ideas on promos, offers etc then I can come up with some ideas for flyers. I want to think about what people really want and cant say no to and then set myself apart from the rest.......watch this space!!!

Cheers

 

[tonilee]

Sorry hun the advice wasn't aimed at you, just techs starting out:hug:

No worries chick x

 

[oey]

I'll start shall I............Yellow Pages: Shall I, shan't I?

I'm not too worried about the cost, £320 for the year but I'd like some feedback from you all on whether it's been worth the money.

Does it generate much business and could you please give us figures on how many extra clients you've had since you went in it?

xxxxx

I decided not to go with yellow pages for my salon, due to the fact the my husband who also runs his business gets nothing from his yellow pages advert.

I just think that it is expensive for what you get.

Dont know how mobile therapists go on though.

 

[1999judy]

Sorry we went off topic there for a mo.
I've never had a yellow pages add simply because I tend to look at other people and say "Wow where did you get your hair done?" etc.
I like to think that people say the same about their nails and tans etc. and ask for me.
So, no I won't do the Yellow Pages thing.
Word of mouth is my best add atm.

 

[blossom]

When I started out I paid nearly £400 for a box ad in Y Pages, and it wasn't big . . . I just thought if people didn't know about me (was mobile, no shop front) then how was I going to get any business.

I considered that it was worth the money and had recouped that £400 fairly quickly; the ad brought several new enquiries every single week, which led to bookings, spin offs, etc. And they put me on their web site as well at no added cost.

I have friends whose hubbies are in construction/loft conversion/landscape gardening and they find it a waste of time.

However for me I give it the thumbs up. (Only have a free lineage now as business is thriving and mainly word of mouth referrals now but this is 3 years on). hth x

 

[jnail]

Last years advertisments in our yellow pages here went really well for us.
Every day, every week there were calls, emails etc.

This year though I have decieded not to have a print add with them, but am considering the online version Yellow pages online [something to that effect]
People from more than 100klms away staying here for weddings, hens weekends, reunions etc were able to view our details & book with us.

Also came across this site TotalTravel.com - Travel Guides, Accommodation, Maps
There's more sites like this available but this one has really given me ALOT of enquire's/ booking's in the last month since I signed up FREE.
You can upgrade & choose which months you wish to be featured. Still works out cheaper than the yellow pages yearly.

In comparison the t/travel website has outdone yellow pages response's already half way into the second month in saying that though I still believe for us an online advertisment with y/pages would benefit as well.


HtH

XX J XX

 

[Susie H]

I'm sort of stalled at the mo, one minute I think I'll kick it all of again and the next I think I'll sell all my stuff on geek bay, anyway first place I look when I want something is yell.com so I would say, yep its worth it. For the yellow pages book, just remember to make it eye catching have a look at whats in there and what immediately catches your eye with an add, colour, size of add etc. Some peeps think the name of your business needs to be at the front of the section but I don't think thats needed, just stand out from the crowd.

 

[Jen Smith]

I have had a boxed ad in YP for 5 months now at a discounted cost of £300. I have had one client who has been and had treatment and one twit who was looking for some kinky lady to perform a massage!!

I won't be re listing next year.

My daughter and I both got a free line in Thomson Local way back when we first trained. My daughter no longer does nails but she gets lots of calls (and just hands her phone to me if I am about lol) but I have never got a call from that either... it is possibly down to the order of listing I think?

This year my budget has gone on a local A5 colour mag that is distributed around my local town free of charge to its readers. Plus it is in the doctors surgery. Its costing me £600 for 6 entries bi-monthly and I can swap and change the ad if I like - offering different seasonal offers is needed. So far one issue has been delivered... and got zilch response. I have changed the ad this time and hopefully will get some response next issue.

 

[Cathie!]

I had a full colour ad last year, it didn't really bring me much, the ad was good but it was right in the spine of the book, which I guess didn't really help.....I spent more than £700 on this ad! It hasn't made it's money back.

Yell.com enhanced listing is a much cheaper option and this one has definately paid for itself more than once over....

I have just gone for a small, cheap box in YP this year about £150.

I do believe that word of mouth is best and I must get my referral scheme up and running instead of just talking about it!!!

As an aside, I was one of the unfortunate/gullable ones who was blagged by ufindus.com a couple of years ago, but very strangely....I keep getting calls from the less than salubrious website they made for me...and I've had regular clients from it....so imagine what you could do with a nice, top listed website.....must get onto that one too!

 

[Nailsinlondon1]

Yell.com do a free listing, its basic but it gets your name out there....it also gets you in the yellow pages when they update them....
Web pages are even better, most people google anything these days, just get as much public exposure as possible. FreeWeb it for a start, get your keywords spot on, get it submitted to web search engines because, no one knows you are there unless you tell em.
Get in touch with your local rag, tell them what you are offering, make yourself news worthy, even if it means a free set of nails for the reporter, cheap I think for the coverage and exposure you will be getting.
No matter how many courses you have taken or how brill you are, if you don't tell then they wont know....

Just some of my thoughts there xxxx

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

An enhanced Yell.com advert has worked for me but it does not mean that one can rest on their laurels and not make further effort. I don't have a website yet but aim to get one up and running after completing my CIBTAC Beauty therapy.

Also, as already mentioned, word of mouth is a very important tool and what's more it's free advertising. Plus keep your price and service flyers out in the public domain at libraries, GP practices, hotels especially smaller ones where ther are no spa services available and B&B's etc.......

Great thread Kimmi. xx

 

[dee]

i paid about £400for my yellow pages advert and another £300 for a ad on dr's appointment cards and i got ...........................


NO CLIENTS from either of em ??????????? so havent done that again ! ,

i have set up a website and that has got me a fair few clients now , so i would rather spend money on that , thinking back i wish i had done that to start with :lol:

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Like Geegs Agony Aunt thread, I am going to take full advantage of Kimmi's Business Agony Aunt, so here goes ...................

Dear Aunty Kimmi :green:,
After a very heavy six months caring for my mum, she finally went back to her home yesterday. I feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted off my shoulders and that I can now finally start gearing towards organizing my home salon in prepartation for commencing beauty therapy training in September.

Somebody who has already done the CIBTAC course which I am doing has recommended I purchase a treatment table and waxing equipment first.

My plan is to convert our upstairs guest bedroom into my salon. It is already occupied by various bits of furniture including my nail table, product shelves, computer desk, wardrobe, chest of drawers, King sized bed with side tables and a tall upright easy chair. Sounds like alot but it is a big room with a lovely view over farm land (which is why I think it is ideal). Plus there is an en suite.

Our eldest daughter wants a big bed so I want to give her the king bed thus creating more floor space. This will be replaced with a comfortable sleeper couch, so that when we have guests to stay (which is not hugely often) they have a bed but my clients have a comfy sofa.

The house is fairly new so was painted in neutral tones with beige carpet. Budget is limited as I have to apply through the 'Bank of Husband' :green:, lol.
I have uploaded some pics so please come forth oh geeks with all your good advice and suggestions. Please ignore the TIP. My house has totally gone to pot over the past several months. Something of which I am not proud, but such is life eh!

 

[Kim Lawless]

Think I've got this correct. You've got a spare room that you want to turn into a salon but you must have a sofa bed for guests?

I'm gonna be tough here............it's either a salon or a guest room. Fair enough, a sofa in there will still look good as the room is so big. However, that's it...........nothing else that gives the impression that it's anything other than a salon.

You need to chuck/give/store/sell the rest of the items in the room and start with a clean canvas. Then, put back into the middle of the room ONLY the items that you will use in your salon. For example, wax pots, polishes, etc etc. NOT, your family filing system and Uncle Ernies ashes. Give the room a good clean and decide on the style of the salon and stick with it.

If the room needs painting then paint it. You can get a huge tub of White or creame from B&Q, but coloured paint isn't always that more expensive. Choose your colour carefully sa it's a salon, not a bedroom anymore.

Think BUSINESS not hobby. GOD !!!! Am I turning into Ruth Badger? Be honest. LOL. x