How much competition do you have?

[crystaltash]

Hey geeks!
Just wondering what sort of competition you have around your salons?
Does it have you shakin in your boots, or do you just keep your head down and work really hard to grow your own client base?

Also, what do you do that makes you stand out from the competition in your area? What makes a potential client think 'Wow! I'll definitely give in there a try?'
Where I'm gonna open my salon, there's 3 salons and a nail salon (which doesn't really concern me as I'm not a nail geek).
It has me a bit worried, but I'm prepared to put the hard work in. I've been in the industry for 4 years now, so I know what I'm doing but I'm just a bit scared!!!
LOL!!!

 

[angel fingers]

northampton is heaving with nail salons, there is practically one on every corner.

apart from concentrating on the quality of my work, i specialise in colour and art on my nails and i think this gets them noticed and brings lots of referals.
theres only one or 2 other places in northampton that you can get glitter acrylics and 3 d decoration.

i do about 60-65 % colourful stuff and the rest pink and whites.

 

[crystaltash]

Anyone else?

xxxx

 

[RedAdmiral]

There is one proper nailbar here, another has 2 girls working in office space and a few girls in hairdressers n tanning shop. the beauty salons do nails too and spray tans tho I'm not bothered.
My salon is a breath of fresh air for the town - it looks modern and is spacious I have new state of the art equipment and have excellent knowledge in my field.
The other nailbar is not clean, full of dust, the girls talk about clients, how crap the management is, how they want to leave etc. They are closing down next week despite being there for the last 5 yrs!
We offer EVERYTHNG to do with nails, our passion for nails could knock you over, whatever you want you can have, we specialise in coloured acrylics and nail art which noone in a fifty mile radius seems bothered with.
Our certs are proudly displayed up on the walls we are always ready to take clients and give them the best possible service. I am very happy with my spray tans and odnt feel I need to discount my services everytime it gets a lil quiet which sends mixed signals to clients.
All in all I stay positive no matter what - I strive for the best so my clients can have the best so its win-win all the way!

 

[joe90]

I am not really a nail geek either Tasha but what has set me apart (according to my clients) is my waxing. I get so many recommendations as clients say they have received the least painful/most thorough service they have ever experienced.

 

[suzie49]

There are about three hairdressers near me that have a nail tech working in them, but I don't worry about it as I am a home based salon and I think we get different clients anyway.
On the other hand, I had a client the other night who got a bit muddle as to where I was, she stopped to ask a lady if she knew where Suze Nailz was, the lady replied ..'No, but I'm a mobile nail tech, give me your address and I will come do them for you'
The cheeky mare..:irked:
I guess I cant fault her really, but I would love to know where she bloody lives....:lol: :hug:

 

[cro-mari]

There are 30 of them within a mile from me.
I'm sometimes thinking - I don't know who they are, we could share experiences and stuff, since obviously we all have our clients and we are all busy, so that shouldn't be a problem, but I doesn't work that way I guess...

And about what they do and how do they do it... from around 15 of them, there are only 3 that I didn't repair their work :green: you know, when client comes with old or ruined nails and says, I'm not satisfied with my old nail tech.

But I'm not intimidated by them, nor I see them as someone to watch myself from... I just do my work the best I can, I never say anything bad about them, even when the clients comes with horrible nails, I don't comment. The client is here and let's start from that.

And if someone comes for instance for waxing and has beautifull nails done by someone else, I say - oh, those are done excelently! So they don't feel any pressure that they should get all services done by me. But eventually they do :green:

I learned that different people want different nails or do different nails. Some want their nails so stupidly thin, so they don't mind them breaking every 2 days so they find a tech who will do that for them. Other tech are great in nail art and have clients who want such stuff. Some clients enjoy big, busy salons, others enjoy home atmosphere. So we can all choose whatever.

 

[t15sym]

Hey Tasha,
Where are you based? I have my own salon in Downpatrick (not a large place) there are 6 already in the town and word is another is due to open. It doesnt worry me as I know my clients are loyal. I have only been open a year there on the 15th Sept.

I set myself apart by being different - my salon is very casual, dont mind kids, offer wine on my late nights, and rather than being a relaxing salon its all about the glamour. My salon is hot pink and sooo girly - clients love it. I do everythin from kids parties to hen parties, but my bread and butter is spray tanning and probably do 30 per week, these are regulars in every week plus a few referrals.

I was hard at the start dont get me wrong but worth every second.

PM me if you want to meet up or need help on anything. I am also a sales consultant and trainer for Sienna X, Backscratchers Nails, Nouveau Lashes, and a tutor for The Beauty School based in Newry.

 

[THERAPY]

There are around 6 or 7 beauty salons in the area where I have my beauty room so I knew I had to do something different that set me apart from the others. I specialise in intimate waxing and it's been the best thing I ever did. My friend phones me yesterday to say a friend of hers does Body shop parties and a lady there was telling the women if they needed any waxing doing then I was the best person to go see! I was over the moon, word of mouth is the best advertising. Those big salons near me should be shaking in their boots, I'm ready to kick ass!!!. So my advice to you would be do something just a little bit different that sets you apart from the rest. x

 

[joe90]

I didn't really answer the question fully did I?

There are 8 other salons within a half mile radius of mine with another one recently closed. It was only open for a short period of time - 9 months or so and I have heard varying stories as to why it closed.

Three of these 8 salons specialise in nails, which isn't my main service so don't worry too much about these. I have had treatments in 3 of the others and I don't fear them. The other 2 I have yet to try.