How to promote and repair a business help

[topbird23]

Hi All

I'm really in need of some help

I have recently set up in a room in a hairdressers doing waxing, spray tans, nails and lashes, the guys who own the salon are fab and I have known them for about 10yrs.

The problem is, they used to rent the room to another beauty therapist who as the weeks go on, had a bad reputation and several people stating she was not qualified or insured.

The hairdressers and hair bar have been promoting me being there and their regular clients have stated to them how rubbish the last one was ect ect........I could go on forever on the stories, but my question and help that I need is what do i do to get people through the door again? I have sent out so much advertising, leaflet drops, freebies ect but it all just seems to be coming back to the last girls reputation.

The hairdressers have been really good though, and they have themselves heard the comments from their regulars and said that they wont charge me any rent for the room until things do pick up (which is nice).

has anybody had this happen to them, do I just ride it out and wait for word of mouth to get round?

any thoughts would be of great help

 

[GIGGLER]

U putting in ur ads that it's under new management?? Maybe get a 'story of ur career so far' rather than an ad put in the local paper?? teamed with a special offer.. If u do get new clients in u cud do a 'recommend a friend' promo?? Just a few ideas for u .. Hope it picks up soon

 

[chocolatepickle]

I like that 'story so far' idea, also, get your certificates on the walls so people can see.
Why not when your quiet offer mini treatments to the hair clients, hand massage, paraffin wax... just little things they'll enjoy and get them on side.
Do treatments on the hairdressers to get them promoting your work too... you'll get there if your determined xx

 

[Baggybear]

I would get some of the hairdressers and get their eybrows shaped, nails painted or tan them up & showing off your work and get all your certificates on show (in the hair salon part for now if possible), then when people mention the last girl say but I'm qualified and insured and my work talks for itself, why not book in and have x,y,z treatment at a **% introductory discount and you will see for yourself that I'm better than she was.

 

[Jen889]

Hi,

i had/have the same problem. the room i rent now was occupied for a year by a lady who was terrible (in others words). it took me 2weeks to move my stuff in and to repairs to the room to make it nicer, thats when i heard clients of the gym(where i rent my room) talking about how they can't believe so and so is back doing esthetics work here again. i couldnt believe people thought i was her since i have a spa name and logo so the first thing i did was put up a huge nicer drawn up sign that said New Experienced Esthetician on my door above my display downstairs, basically everywhere. i offered the owners wife a free shellac mani and pedi, she raved about me and i got clients. then i offered the girls at the desk free polish changes and a mani to begin with, again raved and i got clients. you have to set yourself apart from the lady who was there before, let people know your qualified and insured

 

[topbird23]

Thank you ladies, I hadn't thought of putting up my Certs...... Will def do that first, just so I can show I am qualified also mentioned was recommend a friend and get a discount, silly question but just to get it straight in my head eg; if mrs A recommends mrs B and then mrs B comes in for a treatment and says it was mrs A who recommended her could I put a sticker on mrs A's client card.... Just so I can keep track? How does everyone else keep track?

Thank you for all your suggestions so far, sometimes it's hard to see the wood for the trees!! Xxx

 

[GIGGLER]

I got some cards printed.. Hand one to a regular client and write their name on the back.. Tell them to pass it to a friend.. You could get a little offer printed on the front (20% off first visit) .. They then hand that to u when they come in. Keep the card and attach it to the lady who recommended her friend.. Maybe staple it to her record card? Hey presto!

 

[topbird23]

Thanks so much, that sounds like a plan to me ;-))

 

[Baggybear]

I just have a small area on the back of the record card and I use the 5 bar gate tally marks (IIII then the 5th line diagonal to make it look like a gate) to keep track of how many referals that client has made.

When they have reached 5 referals they have earned themselves a free tan and I highlight the gate with a felt pen/highlighter when that tan is taken.