It was my first day today...

[8889jenny]

Renting a room in a hairdressers, I feel abit down :cry: I had no clients as I'm starting from scratch, I know these things take time, but I can't help but feel abit scared about what I'm doing.

Everyone there is really nice and they have tried really hard to get me some clients today but knowone really seemed to want a treatment. I have posted a few pricelists around to local shops, this is what I really want to be doing but I'm just scared that it wont work out and because I've never really had a proper paying client apart from friends and family i'm just scared that I won't be good enough :cry:

I have to do the salon owners nails tomorrow and I'm so scared that I'll take too long or she wont like then. I think I've thrown myself into the deep end big time :irked: sorry for moaning but I can't really speak to my family about it at the moment as I don't want to stress them out. How did all of your first days go when you all started out? I really hope things pick up x

 

[THERAPY]

Have a hug Jenny :hug:. I rent a room in a hair salon and I was exactly like you, I still have some days where I only have 1 or 2 in and I've been there since December 07 but business is a hundred times better than when I first started so please don't worry, it was your first day. Once people know that you're there they will come, don't lose confidence as this will show and you'll end up making mistakes and getting in a right old flap! Go in there tomorrow with confidence oozing from you and you'll be great then word will get round. Good luck hun, let us know how you get on xxx

 

[8889jenny]

Thank you Donna. I'll have to let you know how I get on. I really hope things will pick up other wise it's back to the office job :cry: I feel like a spare part at the moment. I have been trying to chat to the clients there and keep myself busy! x

 

[Lil Linz]

I started in a hair salon on tues, and i've been offering a half price mini manicure to the hair clients whilst their colour is developing. This has worked fantastic for me so far, & i've had several book in for full treatments for when they are next in for their hair.

I put an offer in the local paper with a 20% off voucher, but i've only had a couple of people bring these in so far.

 

[fiona wallace]

It is hard in the beginning but you have to believe in yourself! If this is what you really want to do then you have to get through the 'pain barrier'

When I first started I used to sit and pray for the phone to ring...and then one day it did...and then again, and again.

Hang on in there, be strong, work hard to improve your standards and give friendly, bend-over-backwards service.

If you stop now, then it won't ever work will it?

The very best of luck:hug:

 

[oldgaltherapist]

Aww jenny - you will be fine. You have made the brave step getting this far. Have faith in your abilities. I am hopefully going to take on what I preach - lol!

:hug:

OGT
x

 

[champagne]

Hey its 1 day ...... Dont get down ..... I did exactly the same, opened a small room in a hairdressers....

Do all of the dressers nails and toes....Offer free mini manicures whilst clients are waiting for colours etc ...

Design some large posters for every station .....Stand outside with leaflets with offers on....

Most of all chat to everyone and get them to try things ie: one acrylic nail, some polish .... anything to get them interested ....

You will go back to the office if your heart isnt in it & you cant keep positive, its very hard to start out & it takes dedication & hours & hours of chatting & walking around the salon.

Motivate yourself & enjoy it xx

 

[Martin Duffy]

There's nothing as depressing as feeling like a spare part! My second ever salon job was above a hairdresser's and I found it quite difficult at first. I did as someone else further down mentioned, put a sign up in the hairdresser's saying I would do a mini-manicure whilst they were having their hair done, that helped build-up a few clients. Other than that it's faith & confidence - hope it all works out for you!

 

[PeepPaws]

I did the same thing myself last December. Slowly and surely my client base has grown and continues. Don't doubt yourself! Keep a positive mind and it will show through to your potential clients. You will come across to them positive and passionate about what you do and what you can do for them!

I to offered a complimentory mini manicure to those who had tints etc on. They loved it better than reading a magazine and ask if they would like to book a treatment.

You have to get brave at selling yourself!

Good Luck xxx

 

[Vixmg]

I did the same thing myself last December. Slowly and surely my client base has grown and continues. Don't doubt yourself! Keep a positive mind and it will show through to your potential clients. You will come across to them positive and passionate about what you do and what you can do for them!

I to offered a complimentory mini manicure to those who had tints etc on. They loved it better than reading a magazine and ask if they would like to book a treatment.

You have to get brave at selling yourself!

Good Luck xxx

its all great advice.
wish Id known about this website before i opened/

 

[8889jenny]

It's all fantastic advice, thank you all so much. Do you all think that I should go round and offer a mini mani for £5? I'm not going to make my rent at this rate! LOL It's so messed up because as much as I want things to pibk up but at the same time I'm scared! Think I need a :smack: x

 

[PeepPaws]

The £5 offer is a tricky one. I can see where your coming from saying you to struggle to cover your rent. Did you not save some money beforehand to cover the first couple of months? This is a good idea, as you are very lucky to walk straight into a salon, with no client base, and get the money immediately needed to over rent, supplies etc. Sorry to sound a bit harsh, but its a good business to plan for this in advance.

If you haven't done this you need to think of ways to grow your clientelle. I have to say the 'complimentory' offer of a mini mani worked so well for me. I got lots of bookings from a relatively small initial outlay.

Buy one get one free? Book manicure and receive a free solar oil?

You tend to have to offer free items to get them interested. And then really go into your professional sales pitch and convince them they can't live without you!!

 

[8889jenny]

Well... That was the plan to have some money saved but it didn't quite work out like that to cut a long story short, so instead of looking for another job I decided to just take the plunge but I wouldn't have done this without all of my familys support so paying the rent shouldn't be to much of a problem really it would just be nice to, I'm quite lucky really because the rent is only £50 per week so I suppose that's not too bad.

Hun, do you know when you say that you make a ''professional sales pitch and convince them they can't live without you'' just out of interest how would you do that, what kind of things would you say to them? I need to learn how to sell myself more I think but at the same time I don't want to be to pushy if you get what I mean x

 

[champagne]

A mini manicure could take minutes & could use mininmal products .... but .... could lead to a £50 appointment ......

People will always want something for free or cheaper to suss you out, then they will go on to want more.

I have a booklet made up that i did myself, i offer it to them to look at whilst their hair is being done & i always offer them a look at the room..

All of the above have worked for me .... but esp the dressers nails, they will be your best advert ....

I have only been going for 3 months so i know how hard it is xxxx

Good luck x

 

[nails&toes]

Dont get disheartened, have a hug :hug: things can only get better.

There is some good advice on here and i think i've seen a sassy guide to advertising which will also help you. CLICK HERE Also there are some other very good articles under features/articles which i highly recommend. Have you signed up with vistaprint for their emails yet too?

Take your time tomorrow when you do the owners nails, relax and enjoy it, really pamper her and i'm sure she'll enjoy it and then tell lots of other people. i would also offer to do the other hairdressers nails whilst you are quiet - because you wont always have the time. They can be walking adverts too.

I like peepaws suggestions, also consider approaching clients who are having the hair done and explain that you are free at this particular time and can offer them a free file and polish if they purchase 2 varnishes (or similar) from you - you should let the owner know but she should be ok as it will benefit everyone.

Most importantly, don't quit, its early days - you will have busy and quiet days but stack the odds in your favour by getting some marketing done.

Louise x

 

[crystaltash]

Hi hun,
I rent a room in. a hairdressers too. Been there since April and it was exactly the same as you at the start. Not a soul in. It makes it worse when the hairdresser is booked out and run off her feet, while you're trying to look busy, but feeling like, how you put it, 'a spare part'.

I have very little confidence in myself too and can't do the selling thing at all. What I did was, i got to know the regular hairdressing clients and built up a rapport with them. When they got to know me, they started enquiring about my treatment list and some went on to book in with me. They then told their friends and word got round the village. (Word of mouth is the best advertising tool!!)

I also did leaflet drops around the village, put on 3 special offers, put a little laminate in the corner of every dressout saying ' Why not have a beauty treatment while your colour develops?' and put all my special offers on a chalk board that hangs in the waiting area. Make sure the hairdressers and juniors know about your products and treatments, so they can help sell you too.

Another thing that helped me was, when one of the juniors brought the hair client a magazine, she set one of my treatment lists on top of it, so they HAD to look at it!

Your confidence WILL grow with time, hun, I promise. And so will your client base. I posted a thread nearly exactly the same as yours when I started out and all the geeks gave brill advice. This website will help you no end!!!!

Don't give up hun. It will all be worth it in the end. Even now, I still get days when there's no-one in, but I make sure i still look busy anyway - cos a therapist sitting doing nothing looks kinda bad.

Chin up chick, and let us know how you're getting on.
HTH
:hug: :hug: :hug:

 

[Lucy S]

I'm sure you'll be absolutely brilliant. The first day's always the hardest no matter where you are, let alone when you're being brave and embarking on fantastic - your own venture - that's brilliant!!

Louise is right. Enjoy tomorrow and just think of all the people who will see the salon owners hands - all that potential new custom!

Good luck babes and remember to keep us all posted on how you get on.

xLx

 

[jenny2]

Hey hun i so no were u are coming from. It is so hard when u first set up and i think we all think when we open those doors on our first day we will be in and dated. I remember my first paying lady for my salon and oh my god, my hands were trembling and yet i could do eyebrows with my eyes closed.

The best thing i can advise u hun is to stop thinking u have wasted your time and took to much on, but think i can do this, i am good at what i do and even if u do not feel like it make it look like u are confident.
Design a poster with your sep promotions. Do a file and polish for £5 - £6 as an introductory offer. Trust me your timings will come as your clientel increases. Advertise offers two or three that u are good at and talk the talk. Like for me it was my waxing and my friend perron rigot. It was something different, i trusted my wax and told everyone how good it was. How the brazilian, using the hot wax and perron rigot products was less painful, left a sleeker look and was great afterwards in the bedroom.

I would give ladies leaflets and say, i am a waxing specialist, i use a specialist wax called perron rigot that is amazing and offers an almost painless treatment. I charges £4 pound for one week for eye brows, well i was in on dated. I think i waxed nearly everyone's eyebrows in my area in that week. Ladies that had had bad experiences with waxing, even though i had not really touched them thought i was amazing and telling their friends. Unfortunately due to my landlord i had to leave and come to work from home. But you know i was there three weeks, i walked the streets and talked to everyone. Hair done, make up , eyebrows to die for and i felt good.
When i left the ladies who had only used me once have re booked in with me at home, some i do mobile . I am averageing five to six ladies a week and now men . So it is onwards and upwards so to speak. And u like me can do it hun, u just need to believe it.:hug::hug:xx

 

[urban-b]

Dont be down hunny... when the salon opened as a hairdressers I bet they were'nt turning clients away either...it all takes time. People have to know ur there. Like Louise said Vistaprint are fab, I just ordered their freebies...2 x car magnets 100 postcards 10 note cards 1 x sticky notes...all for £ 12 odd. Their great. Get some stuff printed and make yourself known. I rent a room too and I stil have empty days..we all do. If your doing nails in veiw of the window then do the hairdressers 4 free, it always gets people inwhen they can see whats on offer. Dont give up, it's early days.
Keep us posted. x good luck x

 

[sam28]

Aw, its your first day AND the school holidays ie. people away on hols, not coming because they have children in tow. I'm quiet at the mo, dont worry it will pick up. Make sure if you do the manicure thing they have a price list somewhere around them, they can also have a read of that at some point and have some time to book in. Just take this time as marketing time and write down as many ideas as you have. Redsadie sent me loads of marketing ideas (bless her). If you PM me with your email address I will send them onto you to have a read through. Good luck, you will be fine !! Although you might have to speak sweetly and grovel to your family to help out with the rent for a few weeks - perhaps in return for some freebie treatments or a short loan ?! x