Lack of clients - losing confidence

[Jodie1991]

Hey guys.
So i have trained in nails and beauty for a few months (trained since nov 14, officially started business march this year) and offer my services mobile, part time (i have a part time job else where as in a hospital)

I know first year can be slow.. But i literally have no clients booked in. Its starting to annoy me now and ive lost faith.
Ive made business cards and price list flyers all with many ways to contact me on it. But still, nothing.
Ive had 2 people overall since starting. (apart from the odd family member i use to test my skills and products on)
Or colleague's expect a freebie (maybe why i have no business and im not providing a service for free)

Its a hell of a lot of money spent and i love this so much but im really starting to not see the point.

Any advice or ideas at all to what i could be doing wrong or what to do???

My main advertising is facebook and word of mouth. Given flyers to relatives to put in their work staff room but some didnt even put them up and other family live in a different area to advertise for me.
I dont know many people so its im struggling to find 'strangers' to use my services.

Sorry for the rant

Tia xx

 

[jesuislouise]

I felt inclined to reply because I trained on the exact same day as you and started properly in February after buying more colours etc. I have only in the past month started getting more people and this has been through Facebook.

What really helped me was doing a Facebook competition. I did some nail art (or an eye catching colour) on a family member/friend, took a pic and posted to Facebook with something along the lines of 'like this picture and my business page for a chance to win a free manicure' and 'boosted' the post so it reached more people. You will be surprised with the amount of people who interact with this and the person you pick as a winner might just keep coming back!

Good luck because I know how hard it is but it will be worth it in the end!!

 

[Jodie1991]

Awh thank you for kind words and encouragement.
I did have a break advertising for about 2 weeka because i just got fed up. But started again.
I offer promotions but not as much luck but ill keep trying.
I think i need more before and after pictures maybe.
And definitely boost posts.

Im hoping now its summer (well kind of lol) that people want more pampering.

Ill keep at it

Thank you

 

[tronk7]

Hi. It's very hard at first and took me a good year to build a clientele but if you're really passionate about it you'll succeed. Don't give up. Facebook is great and posting pictures of your work will help , you could offer 10% off first appointment maybe? Go round to local businesses in your area with flyers, you could go to local events , fairs etc maybe put an ad in the local paper? It's hard work at first but pays off in the end if it's something you really believe in. Good luck and don't give up x

 

[mrioshairguru]

First I wanna start by asking are you in a salon? If you are chances are you should try relocating to a salon that has a better team and everyone is willing to help each other be a better team. That's really important. Then another thing I've noticed is that starting stylist with part time jobs have the same struggle as you. I only think because in this field of work to build a clientele you have to be 110% available or at any given time for a client. It's hard. And you sit for a while. But it's rewarding later. I was licensed in June of 2013 and didn't do anything until last April and starting was a challenge but I made myself available Tuesday thru Saturday 8-6 and I saw that business boomed for me. Also with the help of my boss and coworkers. Most of the other stylist had a clientele so they gave me walkins and booked me appointments that called in. Two others started when I did and they have part time jobs and aren't so available for the clients and they either come to me or go find another salon with an available stylist. So what I guess I'm trying to say is that if this is what you love to do make it a priority and don't lose hope. Business will soon be good!

 

[Baggybear]

If you are not doing the service and not adding new images then there is nothing for people to interact with so although I agree that you can't be doing everyone's nails for free I think you need to be doing something to keep yourself in practice & to have something to post on facebook & people walking about with your nails advertising you.
You could try a facebook competition as already stated above or you could ask a friend or workmate if they will advertise for you (tell everyone they meet about your fabulous nails) in exchange for sets of cheap (or free nails).
If nobody has a set of your nails there is nobody talking about them, there is nobody new seeing them, there will be no new bookings. You are in the VERY early days and business takes time to build so think about your advertising and try to stay positive, can you find someone who is out all the time socialising that will wear your nails and hand out your card to anyone who asks about them for free sets. You are allowed to bill these sets in your accounts as an advertising cost & hopefully by doing a few sets free you will get new clients that will pay you.

 

[jesuislouise]

Definitely try and take pictures of every set of nails you do, even if you're getting someone to take a picture of your own nails, post it all to your FB. Show people the colours you have if you get any new stock. People love photos and I find they interact with them a lot more than regular posts.

I also post to local mum Facebook groups which I find gets your name out there.

I can't recommend boosting posts enough, I try to have at least one boosted at a time, If I go a week without boosting I can definitely see a drop in new clients enquiring!

Just be persistent with updating your social media and it will definitely come

XX

 

[Jodie1991]

Thank you for all your help guys. I think the struggle is only offering 4 days (due to my other job) but im free for weekends and most people i know are free then so ill keep at it.
I like the 10% for new customers will offer this.

Does anyone do introduce a friend and get a discount off for introducing?

Read some really good ideas, thank you everyone.

I will print more flyers and business cards and carry some in my bag so they are readily available, as well as on my phone to text to people.

Im sure im just in a bad mood stressing tonight about it all

feeling more confident already

 

[Cindy2021]

I'm newly qualified too but steadily gaining more clients that thankfully are all now regulars. The majority of my business if from FB. I post regularly so I'm on friends newsfeeds and I periodically ask them to share my page for me. Not just the nails I've done but new colours etc and just nail quotes etc so I'm regularly appearing.
I always have business cards and have my own nails done (not always to my own personal taste!) so when I'm asked about them in shops etc I can give them my card.
Good luck
X

 

[Jodie1991]

I think ill just keep posting more and more often and share posts so my regular account shows them too.
Im sure im just being a little impatient lol

Thabk you

 

[pure]

Have you thought about creating your own website? I get a lot of new business from mine. I made it for free using weebly, it's easy, professional looking and works.

 

[Jodie1991]

I never even thought of that. I will look into making one aswell

Thank you

 

[pure]

No problem I know if I'm looking for something local I tend to google it before even asking friends!

 

[Sparkly_girlx]

Be careful about using free websites as many of them are terrible templates. If you don't have the skills to make a really nice professional one then get a professional to build one for you. Also it's really worth using yell.com to advertise / you can set up a free listing and include your pics and offers, I pay 90 + vat per year and it works well

 

[AcidPerm]

Be careful about using free websites as many of them are terrible templates. If you don't have the skills to make a really nice professional one then get a professional to build one for you. Also it's really worth using yell.com to advertise / you can set up a free listing and include your pics and offers, I pay 90 + vat per year and it works well

That's interesting because my experience of Yell was awful. It was a complete waste of money but my old free website brought me a lot more business.

 

[Emily2]

It is disheartening when you first start and business doesn't build as fast as you'd like it to. It took a really long time to build up my client base but the good news is once you gain a couple of clients who are really impressed with your service, they introduce their friends and then they introduce their friends.

I've been a mobile nail tech for almost 2 years now and it's only in the last few months that I've got a good number of steady, reliable clients, new clients pop up regularly and I feel that my business is secure. I do still have quiet weeks where I panic a little but I also have the odd week where I'm booked solid and have to turn people away.

My first year was VERY slow building clients. I know it's difficult but try not to give up and be disheartened. I have a facebook page which does bring in new business. It works best when I post daily (pics of nails I've done, new colours, nail art on colour pops, nail memes, hints about possible new colour releases etc, questions about what nail art they'd like to see), and a website that has brought a couple of clients but not a great deal. I didn't advertise on Yell.com because for a free advert they include your address and being mobile I didn't need (or want!) that, the cost to have an ad without my personal address was way more than I was prepared to pay.

I'm really lucky that my friends and family have never asked for freebies (though they have been offered them sometimes!) but when I first started I did friends nails (charged full price) and gave them 2 business cards with their names on to give to other people with the incentive that if both of those cards came back with new clients they could have a half price service. It did bring some new business and encouraged people to spread the word.

Also I've found my best advertisment is my own nails. I've given out loads of business cards when I'm out and about shopping etc when people have admired them and asked where I've got them done.

There is a great thread on here called ways to promote your business, it has some brilliant ideas in it.

Perseverance and patience is necessary, and I really do know how hard it is. I wish you every success. Keep smiling. You can do it!

 

[pure]

New Be careful about using free websites as many of them are terrible templates. If you don't have the skills to make a really nice professional one then get a professional to build one for you. Also it's really worth using yell.com to advertise / you can set up a free listing and include your pics and offers, I pay 90 + vat per year and it works well

I don't think I've ever had even just one new client who found me through yell yet plenty who found and liked my professional looking, free website. I would agree that some free sites are very difficult to use but I tried many out for a basic template before choosing weebly which in comparison was easy and versatile to use.

 

[Sparkly_girlx]

Re yell - it depends on amount of competition as to whether it's worth it for you. Each area you choose to cover can be as little as £10 (I cover 4 and pay £90) but there's only 1 other advertising nail tech in my main area so I do well. My website is 1&1 and costs £15 a month and has ranked on page 1 since the first week - again because there's only about 4 other decent nail techs in the area and it is well optimised for both yahoo and Google.
Do your research in your own area and give yourself the edge by trying to appear above them, Facebook is a great tool but with 100s of uninsured and possibly even untrained people advertising at silly rates on the buy / sell / swap groups I think the quality of clients it gets you tend to be the lower end of the scale.

 

[Sparkly_girlx]

Also customer reviews are key!!! Get your google places free listing set up and ask some clients to leave a review on there. Get Facebook reviews and def at least get your free yell listing (people can review you on there too)

 

[Jodie1991]

Thank you Emily2 thats really good to know its notbjust me having a slow start. Im resharing promotions on facebook and including pictures, as well as any nail art i lile and would lile to try on people.

Everyones replies have been very helpful so thank you

Ive signed up to weebly (think thats right) and will make a start on that tomorrow.
Im a bit cautious using yell, so for now ill try weebly

Are shops etc usually ok to leave a few business cards/price lists if i ask?