Keeping an eye out

[Rinn]

So ...what is your opinion on keeping an eye on your competition?

One of the girls who works for me thinks that we should keep tabs on them , check out their FB page etc.

I don't agree, I think that just wrecks your head.
I think you should up your game and do your own thing VERY WELL.

What do you guys think?

 

[Baggybear]

I think that time spent worrying about competition is wasted and much better spent thinking about your own business and how you could up your game/give better service/imporve client experience etc...

Don't spend time on other's businesses, spend it on your own.

 

[AmeliaR]

To put it in few words CBA! Lol

Can you really be bothered I couldn't care less! A girl set up doing nails about 20 foot steps away from me did a groupon offer for like £9! I couldn't care less! Lol a few clients have said ohh have you seen that new girl has it affected you? Some clients just love to get a bit of gossip!! Lol

 

[lynn amber]

To put it in few words CBA! Lol

Can you really be bothered I couldn't care less! A girl set up doing nails about 20 foot steps away from me did a groupon offer for like £9! I couldn't care less! Lol a few clients have said ohh have you seen that new girl has it affected you? Some clients just love to get a bit of gossip!! Lol

Feel the same :-D

Sent from my LT30p using SalonGeek

 

[jojo@tranquil]

SWOT analysis is very important, that includes checking out your competition, Always making sure you are the best, that doesn't mean the cheapest !
Checking out other salons is a good way of improving your own service.
However I don't mean I check out, or worry about other people's businesses all the time. Just good to be aware of what's going on around you. X
For those of you who haven't heard of this it's
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats.
Everyone needs to look at all of these areas in their business and have a plan.

 

[squidgernetball]

I'm interested but don't let it affect me much. There's a girl nearish to me who seems to be very successful, until I realised I equated her success with how many 'likes' she had on FB. We also have a completely different client base - most of mine don't really do FB, so it's hard to compare. I'm often interested in what people offer, treatment wise, and wonder if some of the more outlandish ones are successful. I specialise in skin help and support which works really well for me, and she seems to specialise in chavvy thick nail extensions, so I just stopped looking lol!!!

 

[Kim Lawless]

Don't get too caught up in all of that as you'll end up stressing all the time. I couldn't care less what other waxers do, say or charge; I just get on with my own business. I'm surrounded my salons and I don't pay any attention.

I'm lucky though in that I get emails from people that I don't even know telling me that other people have lifted stuff from my site. A polite email usually does the trick and they're always really nice and apologetic.

 

[izzidoll]

I don't worry about the competition, and I don't go searching them out on FB or any other social media outlet.

Since I started my own business many years ago I always made it a point to get on with the 'competition' way back in my first business there was a salon around the corner who used the same product range as me, if I was fully booked when someone new called me I would recommend the other salon. Eventually they did the same for me. When I gave up my business to move into Education my employee was immediately snapped up by them and still works for them today

Recently I had to take several months off from my current business, and I knew a salon nearby used the same gel polish as me and I recommended it to my clients.
Now I am back at work, all of my clients have come back to me including the few that went to the other salon.

I don't know the staff at the other salon, but I am extremely grateful that they looked after these clients, therefore I handed in some flowers and chocolates for them all with a card expressing my thanks.

I know it may be different for me working in a small town rather than a city or somewhere that has lots of discount nail bars, and I am as busy as I want to be, but I just don't believe in making an enemy out of people who are just trying to make a living the same as me.

 

[Rinn]

That proves another point Izzi , clients come to you for several reasons , being good at your job of course but they also stay with you or come back to you because they like you and feel comfortable with you .

 

[Kim Lawless]

That proves another point Izzi , clients come to you for several reasons , being good at your job of course but they also stay with you or come back to you because they like you and feel comfortable with you .

I always say that it's 70% skill and 30% personality. You can't have one without the other to succeed.

 

[Claire83]

I've done this, looking at both - competition within my local area, and just checking out Geeks and other techs that I find, and it really has messed with my head.

I leave their website or Facebook page feeling sorry for myself, that my work doesn't look that good and sometimes I will admit to breaking down and sobbing because I'm just not that good.

But after a talking to or shouting at by the other half I forget about it. I have to. I would never get out of bed and work on my clients again. And although that does sound dramatic, it is probably true.

I can understand from a price point of view though, I don't want to be overcharging that no one will come to me any more. I work in a very fickle town and a big difference in price would certainly mean I would lose clients. So I need to be on the ball in that respect.

I still feel like I'm not good enough and never will be, but I've learnt my lesson and try and keep away from looking at other tech's work. It doesn't always work though.

 

[Jigglyb4ll]

I am Facebook friends with some other geeks from here who's work I think is particularly good and I love that we can support each other with likes and comments to encourage each other. It also helps me to keep focused and make sure my work is also at the highest standard I can manage.
I don't look at anyone's work locally as it creates stress where it's not needed.
Sometimes bits come up in my news feed (on for sale sites and things) And its usually enough to irritate so I don't look.
I've even seen others (local) post my work as their own :/

The only time I do look is if I start something new and need to get a feel of what others are charging.
X

 

[LoveBeauty1]

I think competition is very healthy, I would definitely become stale and stop pushing if I didn't check competition. I have had moments when I've felt insecure, I have also had moments where snooping has made me more secure!

 

[Annemarie]

nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition. Makes you work smarter, not harder. hehe

 

[Rinn]

nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition. Makes you work smarter, not harder. hehe

You're right , competition keeps you on your toes and forces you to up your game............but I still think if you are checking out what ''the nail bangers'' or ''Lickin' lashes''down the road from you is doing on FB or twitter you'll just drive yourself around the bend...........

I refuse to check out what all the local salons are doing because
1. I don't care .
2. They're only trying to make a living the same as myself.

So paddle your own canoe and mind your own business girls.

 

[LilMissEmmylou]

I am actually doing a course with the Princes Trust this week in enterprise skills and todays talk was on marketing. We were actually told that any good sales person will make it their business to know their competitions business better than they know their own.

The reason being it gives you the advantage of being able to progress and diversify your own business to ensure you are always top of your game.