How's business, feast or famine?

[RED STAR]

I've been in my new premises now for a little over 12 weeks...and LOVE the new set up!

Luckily, I have bought with me a very loyal following....However.....I won't deny, I did expect to pick up more 'walk in' trade to keep my part-timer busy.

I would love to know from fellow Geeks how this year thus far, compares to last.

 

[Trinity]

Famine, big time

 

[CFBS]

About 20% up

 

[Passionate about skin]

About 20% up

We are up and down with no pattern . Jan , Feb and March was better than last year but so far April is much worse than last year .
I think everyone is so fed up with the bad weather and we need some cheery news and warm weather to get clients spending again .

 

[RED STAR]

Famine, big time

Sorry to say, but that gives me some comfort
I’ve taken to driving around and checking out the competition.....never a good idea, especially when their windows are all steamed up, and every chair seems to be taken!
I’ve had to reduce my part-timers hours - and I feel crap!
I’ve never known a time when it’s been so hard to fill a column

 

[Passionate about skin]

Sorry to say, but that gives me some comfort
I’ve taken to driving around and checking out the competition.....never a good idea, especially when their windows are all steamed up, and every chair seems to be taken!
I’ve had to reduce my part-timers hours - and I feel crap!
I’ve never known a time when it’s been so hard to fill a column

Chin up , I’m finding months that we expect to be bad ie Feb which is our worst month of the year along with November and has been for 14 years suddenly was a great month ???and April which is traditionally a good month has been way down . Just keep doing what you do best and once the weather changes people will feel good about themselves again and want to have treatments . We find this a lot and the weather really does affect mood and then spending .
Can you cut some of your overheads ? We’ve just renewed our salon insurance and found a much cheaper quote this year.

 

[RED STAR]

Thanks all for your replies
I’m keeping my head above water....but it’s just sooooo disappointing that there’s no growth!
I’ve had a salon for the last 5 years.....the last was in a small residential parade, so I didn’t expect to be ‘banged out’!
My new place however, is in a much busier area - that’s what attracted me - but so far ‘spare’ clients are thin on the ground!
I appreciate there’s more competition nowadays, and the popularity of having a mobile appeals to many..... but still surprised at how hard it is to get folk through the door.

 

[pure]

This year so far has been quieter than normal for me. Until this week. And wham! I’m busy as and I’m working all hours and whinging that I’m tired lol I’m never happy

 

[RED STAR]

I had a really good week last week, which was the much needed ‘feast’.
This week......tumble weed.....

 

[CFBS]

The uk weather has definitely affected bookings recently. As soon as the media announced 'the beast from the east', no bookings came in for that week or the next. People already booked in came but no extras

I try to look at monthly figures rather than weekly as one week might be super busy and the next week quite dead.

Having just done my accounts for 2017-2018, I would say that my retail figures have gone down though.

Certainly, when I run special offers , the ones that are extra value on treatments do better than retail offers.
Too much on sale in the supermarkets to compete [emoji853]

 

[Minkeybox]

Ive just taken on an extra day as Im busy, but... its only my second year in my current set up. I expected it to be busier than this time last year as it was the first year trading in this paticular salon.

I still get excited when I see how much its increased on last year, but do wonder what next year will bring xx

 

[EssexFreelance]

Feast, I’m working at capacity, I’m plotting my next move which I think will be a price increase

 

[Zoey92]

Jan/feb was better than last year. March was a famine & April so far has been a total feast. I to am in a small local area. Tend to get alot of walk ins, which i do if i can as I'm on my own. I have also had my salon coming up 4 year & the change I've seen in that 4 year is unbelievable.

 

[Ruby S]

I'm still waiting for a few people that tend to come at xmas, then usually around March, but haven't heard from them yet... I'm blaming the weather, so I'm hoping that this weeks hot weather will bring everyone out of the woodwork!! And then we'll all end up too busy to enjoy the sunshine ... February and March were very hard though with cancellations from clients and myself due to snow, dangerous driving conditions and frozen pipes... roll on summer....

 

[Passionate about skin]

I've been in my new premises now for a little over 12 weeks...and LOVE the new set up!

Luckily, I have bought with me a very loyal following....However.....I won't deny, I did expect to pick up more 'walk in' trade to keep my part-timer busy.

I would love to know from fellow Geeks how this year thus far, compares to last.

So like I predicted , as soon as the weather had turned nice everyone is out and about and we have been super busy this week and fully booked for the next 2 weeks . We have turned away over 4 hrs of work today with clients wanting last minute waxing etc . It’s annoying but that is the nature of our industry . Feast and famine . Xxxx