There's some really good threads on here about popular colours which helped me!i went through each writing down what was recommended,I tallied them up and bought which was recommended most!
How to succeed in nails
- Thread starter souz
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There's some really good threads on here about popular colours which helped me!i went through each writing down what was recommended,I tallied them up and bought which was recommended most!
souz
Well-Known Member
Rebecca hostile to start with I'd go for one of each colour, depending what system you are using some colours you may be able to layer to create other colours and if you havea. Selection of glitters etc also then can create other colours too. So I'd say French pink and white and the French pink can also be used on its own as a nude/ pale colour, a red, bright pink, blue, green, purple, black, grey...your black and white are also good for nail art or underneath other colours to make them brighter( white under) or darker ( black under). You can never go wrong with pinks and reds, always popular...then as you get to know clients you will see the colours they tend to go for more ands to I up on those and the colours you aren't using either use them up in rock stars or wear them yourself...whatever we have on clients always want...don't forget to take pics of your work, always better to get an idea on he what colours look like by seeing them on hands rather than on colour pops/ wheels
Which system are you buying into? May make it easier to advise?
As for printing when you are starting out I would say vistaprint is great as you only need order as many as you like so can budget yourself, also if you leave order in your basket for few days they will email you with other offers, try and make most of their free things as well , I think you can have four free items at a time!! Once you are established and going through more price lists/ business cars I would recommend searching around for your best price for bulk ordering but also remember if you are going to be adding new things to your price lists soon don't Order too many until you have added everything ( hope that makes sense) also Xmas/ valentines/ summer offers leaflets don't order too many as you will be left with them!!
When I opened my salon I used Carl at verve print for my designs and banner penguin for my printing and have to say the quality is fantastic...even clients have commented on my price lists and gift vouchers x
Which system are you buying into? May make it easier to advise?
As for printing when you are starting out I would say vistaprint is great as you only need order as many as you like so can budget yourself, also if you leave order in your basket for few days they will email you with other offers, try and make most of their free things as well , I think you can have four free items at a time!! Once you are established and going through more price lists/ business cars I would recommend searching around for your best price for bulk ordering but also remember if you are going to be adding new things to your price lists soon don't Order too many until you have added everything ( hope that makes sense) also Xmas/ valentines/ summer offers leaflets don't order too many as you will be left with them!!
When I opened my salon I used Carl at verve print for my designs and banner penguin for my printing and have to say the quality is fantastic...even clients have commented on my price lists and gift vouchers x
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adventuregirl
Well-Known Member
Excellent advice. I could have done with that at the time of starting up! Have thousands of leaflets left and now have a steady client base and work mainly on word of mouth now.
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Hi, first of all, I love this post, it's really helpful!
I've just started doing nails and I do it from home in the evening after my day job. I'm really struggling to gain business. Did you build yours up from home or did you train in a salon first and get your clients from the salon? x
souz
Well-Known Member
Hiya, it does take time to build clientele and can be hard when you are doing it around another job....although I have worked in salons I have never taken clients from a salon, always just worked on friends and family and grew it from there...although this time around I wasn't doing many friends and family but just advertising and getting myself out there at events etc making sure thee was something eye catching on my nails all the time. Try and get one or two people whether friends or family or just people you know who like their nails done to become regulars and let you try different things out, take pics and use Facebook to spread the word and a website is a good idea plus all the other things I listed!! Don't worry if it doesn't happen overnight but keep plugging away, iodate fb and website with pics regularly, even if you only get to do something different on your own nails....it's much easier to gain clients through something different or eye catching than just a plain colour...even if it is only on your ring fingers!! I'm glad this post is helpful, that's exactly what I wanted!!! Just wish fb and internet had been like this when I started out!!!x
souz
Well-Known Member
A little update!!
I am loving my salon and wish idtaken the leap years ago, it's so fulfilling in so many ways but I am still yearning for more!! I have so many ideas of where I want to go with my salon and what I want to do it literally stops me sleeping at night lol!! The first thing on my agenda for this year is to take on another room at the salon to make a much bigger nail room and then my ultimate goal is to teach...I feel I am finally in a place where I can utilise some of the knowledge I have and share it with others plus my mum being I'll has made me realise how short life really is and that we should go for our dreams and settle for nothng less!!
I don't want any of you to think that opening a salon is easy and that anyone can do it, it takes sheer determination, a little or a lot money!! And you really need to understand business , if anyone is thinking of opening up then please take some basic business or accounts courses...it will make all the difference trust me.
I am loving my salon and wish idtaken the leap years ago, it's so fulfilling in so many ways but I am still yearning for more!! I have so many ideas of where I want to go with my salon and what I want to do it literally stops me sleeping at night lol!! The first thing on my agenda for this year is to take on another room at the salon to make a much bigger nail room and then my ultimate goal is to teach...I feel I am finally in a place where I can utilise some of the knowledge I have and share it with others plus my mum being I'll has made me realise how short life really is and that we should go for our dreams and settle for nothng less!!
I don't want any of you to think that opening a salon is easy and that anyone can do it, it takes sheer determination, a little or a lot money!! And you really need to understand business , if anyone is thinking of opening up then please take some basic business or accounts courses...it will make all the difference trust me.
SmillieShellac
Well-Known Member
Souz well done I have also just opened my own salon and like you my wee mind just won't stop! I wake up in the middle of the night desperate to get in, and I feel sad when I put the shutter down at night, love it. But your right, it's hard work, long hours, sometime sheer bloody mindness and lots of patience, but I fully agree you have to be business savvy as well as being excellent at your job and without realising making people want to come back for more. Did you mention earlier that you were doing paraffin wax pedicures? Do you do this as an add on to your pedicures? SSx
souz
Well-Known Member
That's fab news!! It's amazing isn't it how many ideas you can come up with when your livelihood depends on it !! I'm already planning Mother's Day, valentines day you name it!! In fact something arrived this morning for the salon for valentines day.
Yes I do chocolate paraffin wax pedicures and manicures, I love paraffin wax as a treatment so clients can either have a full mani or pedi with it or add it on to their shellac or gel treatment , I've got a client tomorrow who is having shellac fingers and toes with paraffin wax on both and a full pedi!! Once clients try it they love it x
Hi Everyone
I would like to do couple courses in Gel, Acrylic and sculpting but while I search on the net, there is so much places offer at very different in terms of price, how will I know which is the best to go for? I had a look at essential nails, Beauty Training Studio, Next Step and Nail and Beauty Academy and the price between these site are quite different especial comparing essential nails to the rest.
Any advise or guild line is much appreciated.
I would like to do couple courses in Gel, Acrylic and sculpting but while I search on the net, there is so much places offer at very different in terms of price, how will I know which is the best to go for? I had a look at essential nails, Beauty Training Studio, Next Step and Nail and Beauty Academy and the price between these site are quite different especial comparing essential nails to the rest.
Any advise or guild line is much appreciated.
Rebeccahostie
Member
Thank you so so much for such a detailed and informative answer. It really did help and you've confirmed what I thought with regards to reds etc. I'm training with Nail Harmony and will be looking to use Gelish as that's what I've always had at my salon and I really love their colour choices.
Brilliant advice with leaflets too. I'm so excited! My training will be next month and I'm just so excited to start...I just hope I'm good at it in the end!! Once I qualify and I'm gaining experience/ clients would you initially charge half price as I feel awkward charging full price as I'll still be putting into practice what I've only just learn if that makes sense?
Thank you! Becky xx
souz
Well-Known Member
Hiya no problem...once you are qualified I wouldn't offer half price no, if you are competent to complete the course and pass then you are competent to work BUT if you feel you need more confidence then I would offer say 20% off for the first month or so of trading and advertising! it's much easier to discount prices but much harder to out them up!! Advertise as an introductory offer but that price will be £xx after that period of time has ended. X
souz
Well-Known Member
You get what you pay for in thei industry so I would save for some decent courses otherwise you will only end up paying out for more courses...alot of the one day or so course you aren't competent enough or confident even to work on clients but when you do a longer course which inevitably costs more you will benefit from it and be competent. My advice would be to save for a CNd course or at least one of the bigger companies rather than a one day course and I definitely wouldn't go near a course where you don't attend a classroom environment as you need the interaction with the educator and the other students xx
SmillieShellac
Well-Known Member
I have all the paraffin wax kit but I'm always a bit wary of using it on hands or toes that I've just Shellac'd. You don't find it affects it at all? SS
souz
Well-Known Member
Never had a problem yet, it's no different than soaking for a pedi after applying shellac? If you have the kit use it!!!!! Your clients will love it x
souz
Well-Known Member
Just make sure you go with a reputable company and make sure you have a recommendation from someone who has done a course with whoever you choose xx
LittleTinker
Well-Known Member
I agree with this, I did a one day acrylic course......using NSI products.....don't actually remember a thing - was not worth the money I paid. So if I decide to do gel/acrylic enhancements I will be saving up and doing a proper course x
souz
Well-Known Member
I did lots of courses with other companies and did my nvq in nails at college because I too couldn't afford the CNd course but really wish I had saved and done it...the knowledge and training I received at CNd was far better than anywhere else x
souz
Well-Known Member
I was at pro beauty yesterday sitting having a drink and a lovely geek recognised me and said how helpful she had found this thread!!! That actually made my day, knowing I had helped someone else.xx
The salon has been open 12 weeks now and things are going so well, I'm hoping t take staff on part time in about 6-8 weeks, Fridays are by far the busiest day. I counted that I have had 60 new clients through the door so far having treatments and many more picking up a price list. I've been amazed how many normal manicurs and pedicures I've been doing so looking at adding more variety to those as well as adding to my treatments. Still looking at opening training academy as getting asked more and more to do courses....there's just not enough hours in the day!
The biggest thing I have learnt is don't sit back!! Every month do some sort of advertising whether it's updating website, Facebook, doinga. Leaflet drop or advertising on free sites on the net, going to. A networking event, approaching by local business ....there will always be people who don't know you are there or have forgotten that you were as someone else is advertising more....so keep doing it, make a note in your diary to remind you to do SOMETHING!!!
The salon has been open 12 weeks now and things are going so well, I'm hoping t take staff on part time in about 6-8 weeks, Fridays are by far the busiest day. I counted that I have had 60 new clients through the door so far having treatments and many more picking up a price list. I've been amazed how many normal manicurs and pedicures I've been doing so looking at adding more variety to those as well as adding to my treatments. Still looking at opening training academy as getting asked more and more to do courses....there's just not enough hours in the day!
The biggest thing I have learnt is don't sit back!! Every month do some sort of advertising whether it's updating website, Facebook, doinga. Leaflet drop or advertising on free sites on the net, going to. A networking event, approaching by local business ....there will always be people who don't know you are there or have forgotten that you were as someone else is advertising more....so keep doing it, make a note in your diary to remind you to do SOMETHING!!!
This is so motivational . As a newbie just starting out in this industry , thank you , a lot of people have been telling me I will struggle to make it in this industry because of my age ( I'm 35 ) but this has given me a boost :biggrin:
