How to know when to drop a treatment?

[noreenoconnor]

Hi All,

Would really appreciate some advice from people who specialise in a particular area of beauty.

I'm currently doing make up, spray tanning, nails (shellac, polish, and gel and acrylic) and waxing.

I recently did a training course with Kim Lawless and absolutely loved it and am now have all my marketing focusing on me being a wax specialist. The only thing is that i seem to be getting busier and busier with nails and feel like my book is taken up with acrylic slots , I can do a good set of nails- however it takes me 2 hours and I'm charging €45 for a new set and €35 for refills (still takes me 2 hours) , I can do a brazilian in 30 mins and charge €40 so it's maddening to see my book being taken up with appointments for acrylic and then turning away waxing clients. Acrylic clients also seem to be murder for canceling and changing there appointments at the last minute meaning i have 2 hours going to waste that really effects my daily totals.

How do you know its time to drop a treatment? I think i would be making more money in the long run if i didn't do enhancements because i would then fill it up with more profitable treatments , and would mainly like to focus on the waxing.

How did you decide it was time to drop treatments from you menu and how did you inform the current clients for that treatment what you were doing?

Any help much appreciated as always geeks xx

 

[blossom]

I would say you would be well placed to increase your nail prices, making it more profitable when you do them, invariably you will lose some of your nail clients, freeing up some extra time for waxing. Then as the waxing gets busier, increase the nail prices a little more etc, until you have the balance right.

When you get to the point where you have enough waxing clients you can drop the nails altogether if you dont enjoy it AND its making you less money, or mabe get someone else in to do them.

I would be loathe to drop nails just like that right now, unless you are totally confident you can fill all your time with the waxing.

 

[Murfles]

You could start by telling people you're not taking new clients for nails - stop doing new sets and only do infills. This will decrease slightly and then as others have suggested, raise your prices and see how many clients you lose. It sounds terrible but it will free you up for waxing!

 

[noreenoconnor]

Even if I didn't fill it with waxing I would fill it would make up or shellac which earn me more per hour , if I try to price the nails at the same hourly rate as shellac I would need to charge €50 for a refill which is a huge jump and way over par for going rate which is why I thought of just getting rid of them.

I've also thought of extra training to get my time down on them but do not really see the point in investing more time and money on a treatment I plan to get rid of eventually anyway.

 

[Aydie]

I made the decision last year to drop a treatment as I could make more money in less time from other things, that I enjoy doing more.
I wondered if I had done the right thing at first, but months later I don't regret it.
Reading what you wrote I think I would stop taking on new acrylic clients, just do acrylic infills, but take less time, and run your stock down.

 

[Kim Lawless]

It's a difficult one as you still need to make money in the meantime until your diary is booked out with the treatments that earn you the most money and that you enjoy.

I'm really honest about it and when a client wants to book in for a leg wax, I say 'Please don't take this the wrong way but I specialise in Brazilian waxing and I have a waiting list, so I have to give priority to that. So I can do your Brazilian and underarms etc but I won't have time to do your legs'. I've never had one client that minded; they just get their legs done elsewhere.

Just to add………why not drop enhancements? Most of the salons where I am have done and leave them to the salons that do them all day.

Being in business in not just about the money but ultimately it is about running a successful business that makes you profit and if you can do that by filling each hour with treatments that bring in more money per hour then happy days. x

 

[squidgernetball]

I used to offer nail extensions and hated them with a vengeance. I hated doing them as they could take me 2 hours and it was so non profitable for me compared to waxing which is SO profitable. I stopped offering them and started concentrating on the natural nail and made this my usp in a land of nail extensions. I have clients now who know that we don't offer extensions. We promote the fact that we work with the natural 'you' and we state that we don't offer botox and fillers and never will. This all stemmed from giving up extensions 10 years ago and our clients love it.

I'm pleased that you found your brazilian mojo training with Kim. I remember your posts from long ago saying how awful you found brazilian waxing. I think our treatment menus should always be a work in progress - unless you're Kim - and that we should always aspire to offer treatments that we enjoy but we're also in this business to make money!

Vic x

 

[Aphrodite26]

I hate nail enhancements so I dropped them. I find when I don't like doing something I'm not that good at it.
I love waxing. Would do it all day if I could. I'm going to do Kim's training this year

Love the idea of the natural you salon

Phase your enhancement clients out. That's what I did. Only offered infills for a while then stopped that.
X


Sent from the catphone

 

[sandydee]

What a refreshing post this is. I carry out all treatments but there does seem to be a saturation in the nail trade with nail bars popping up everywhere, leading me to think I should concentrate on skincare, waxing etc & not enhancements. Very interesting replies.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Diana-Jane]

I'll be getting new price lists printed in the summer and one thing I'm definitely dropping is party lashes. Only been asked for them a few times but I hate them, fiddly annoying things!
Would love to phase out shellac as I don't enjoy doing nails and the products are so expensive. Can't wait for when I'm busy enough to be a waxing only salon!
My first 6 months in business were such a struggle. I came on here almost ready to give up but the last few months have seen a big change and word has spread in my town that I do proper Brazilian waxing. Light at the end of the tunnel!!

Sent from my GT-I9195 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[Joely_x]

Hi noreen
Could you create a waiting list for your wax clients e.g. You are fully booked with acrylics, when an acrylic client cancels leaves you with 2 hrs spare give your wax clients a ring and say I've had a cancellation I can fit you in such an such time. I also agree with another post about phasing out the acrylics, also are you telling your clients that are offering brazilian waxing. Could you do an offer on waxing? Hope this helps, good luck xx


Sent from my iPhone using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[dudeymel]

I would put a cancellation policy in place, give them 3 chances and then sack them, that way you either get the money anyway for that app or you get rid and free up some space for waxing clients. Also advertise that you are no longer taking acrylic clients, that way chances are the acrylic wearers will more than likely eventually dwindle out and people will think you must be a brilliant therapist for being so busy and that will help your reputation xx

 

[noreenoconnor]

I do have a cancelation list but it doesn't always work for filling gaps people are just seeking another therapist which is what I'm trying to avoid

Yes it's only enhancements that I am planning on dropping , shellac is my bread and butter at the moment , hoping to slowly move that over to waxing

I had the same kind of idea as not to take on any new clients for enhancements just do refills until they die out and then get rid of them all together

Makes sense really but sometimes you just need others to agree with you lol thanks everyone who replied , I really appreciate it xxx

 

[noreenoconnor]

I'm pleased that you found your brazilian mojo training with Kim. I remember your posts from long ago saying how awful you found brazilian waxing. x

It's like night and day ! Kim's training has undoubtably given my the confidence to not only wax well - but to shout it from the roof top that I wax well , I have been trained in intimate waxing for 2 years now and only had 2 loyal clients for a basic wax , but since doing Kim's training in feb I am getting recommendations every week and now my client base is growing rapidly , very exciting I have to say , something just clicked on the training day and I just thought " yep , I could see me doing this as a career" . No better feeling x

 

[squidgernetball]

It's like night and day ! Kim's training has undoubtably given my the confidence to not only wax well - but to shout it from the roof top that I wax well , I have been trained in intimate waxing for 2 years now and only had 2 loyal clients for a basic wax , but since doing Kim's training in feb I am getting recommendations every week and now my client base is growing rapidly , very exciting I have to say , something just clicked on the training day and I just thought " yep , I could see me doing this as a career" . No better feeling x

I was exactly the same x

 

[mimid]

I think u may have answered ur own question- thats a fab feeling to get so id say follow the waxing and wind down the nails!!!