Really fed up!!!

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emmad

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Messages
319
Reaction score
6
Location
Wokingham, Berks
I started doing nails very much on my own initiative. I really fancied it and as time has gone on I've completed a lot of training and become quite good. I don't get much support from family or friends and although initially I felt pride about having learnt new skills etc, I'm beginning to feel lonely and dispondent.

As I've spent alot of money to get this far, I am anxious to get started and earn some money but I seem to be dogged by bad luck and dissapointment. I'm offering my services on a mobile basis.

My only regulars are the lady who was my model during training and I've always done hers for free and my Mum and my best friend who have man/ped with polish and the odd bit of nail art - all for free. I had a paying nail biter come to me who left with a lovely set of acrylics only to go AWOL and 2 weeks later I still dont know whats happened to her despite me explaining the need for weekly visits and her agreeing to that. 2 girls who were going to the Henley Regatta desperatly wanted a set of extensions and a deluxe ped each at short notice only to call 15 mins before their appt to say they couldn't make it. To top it all last Friday eve a lady called who desperately wanted a ped before her holiday next week. I returned her call first thing Monday morning leaving a message saying when I was free and she hasn't called back either! She wanted a specific time and day which I just couldn't do.

I get loads of people saying they will definately call me as they are either going on holiday soon,fed up with their natural nail condition, like the way I've done my own hands and feet and they want the same etc etc. They don't call though.

Im in a quandry as to whether I should fork out more on advertising, sit and wait to see what happens over the next few weeks with things as they are or go all out to open a small salon and put the children into part time day care to let me offer more of my time so people can get the appointment times they want.

I've lost all my self beliefe and am really worried that either I'm not good enough or its going to take even more investment to get things going which will take a lot of justification to "him indoors". Also I really need the practice!!!!

Can anyone sympathise?
 
I can totally sympathise and i'm sure many on the site would say the same. It does take time to build a regular clientele so please dont give up and be patient. I also have done some advertising and havent had a peep from anybody so feel it was a waste of money. See if you can interest local schools in doing indulgence evenings so you can have a stall and give out your leaflets etc. Have you done a leaflet drop? I know its hard work but it may give you some result. Eventually something has to give so keep coming up with ideas for advertising that arent too costly. If you get leaflets printed with your services on but also with something like "introductory offer: 10% off on production of this leaflet" you may get a good response coz I think that people like a bargain! Hope this helps a bit!
 
Hey Emma don't loose hope just yet. We can all sympathise with how much things cost, new things you haven't got & can't wait to try & how we buy things cos we need to practice & experiment. The list & costs are endless. And now it's summer term so get that out of the way & focus the next 6 weeks on promoting yourself.
 
Instead of going whole hog and opening a saon why not approach a lcoal hairdresser and offer your services, sort out a comiison or rental agreement. Een if you do it one day a week it will get your name out there.

Good luck
 
that's a great idea cos then you won't have to shell out so much in child care etc. and it'll give you a day each week where you can guarantee people appointments! xxx
 
Hi, Emma

I too started out as a newly qualified mobile in May. I had lots of work colleagues etc who all said they would have their nails done but guess what... when it comes down to it, they don't want to pay!

I tried leaflets on notice boards of quite big Companies where lots of women work eg. call centres and also in post office windows etc and only had one response who wanted me to travel approx 20 miles.

I have since put two adverts in a local newsletter that goes out once a week to surrounding villages and have been inundated with calls. Lots of people have full sets and I don't hear from them again (which worries me as I always think they aren't satisfied and makes me question my ability). On the other hand, I have approximately 8 regulars now who have infills. I'm pretty sure if I advertised more often I could get a bigger client base but I only do nails on a part time basis for the time being to see how it goes.

I think the secret is to advertise in a paper that is not too big otherwise the advert gets lost, plus can be costly. I also quote my prices in adverts and I know I am competitive. Some people can't be bothered to ring and ask for prices.

Hope this helps Emma and don't give up as am sure it will only be a matter of time.

Tanya
x
 
Emma, I know exactly what you're going through! Your story is more or less similar to mine...I trained 2 months ago and want to start earning money to recoup the money spent on training and supplies. Up to now I've not had much luck even though I've advertised in the local papers, but I suppose it does take time and like you I want it all to happen now. I've only done about 6 sets on nails and 1 rebalance, 2 of them were free to friends that I needed to practice on...and like you, the paying clients haven't called back for their 2/3 week infills, even though they said they would. They seemed happy with the end result, but I can't help thinking they were put off because I took so long to do them lol!!! I suppose we all go through a period when your confidence gets knocked to pieces, but it is nice to know that this site is here to give us all the support we need to gain that confidence back as alot of techs have gone through exactly what we're going through at the moment. Anyway....lots of love and luck to you and hope this time next year, we'll be soooo busy we'll be complaining that we have no time for any social life lol!!
 
Hi Emma


Im in exactly the same boat, I am starting to seriously look at the advertising options as i have the same thing with friends and family.

Reading the replies has given me a bit more confidence and made me even more determined to succeed so dont give up we all know what its like!

Good Luck

Brooke xx
 
I know exactly how you feel, have been there many times :cry: and wonder why I put myself through it. Then I have a glass of wine and an early night and the answer comes to me!!! BECAUSE I LOVE NAILS AND I LOVE THE JOB :lol: :lol:

I have been doing nails for the last year but only went mobile four months ago. I had exactly the same as you, loads of offers all the time I did them half price, but no-one wanted to pay full price!!! So I stopped offering a discount. Even my sister pays full price. When I use to do her nails for half price, she constantly would pick them off, but now that she has to pay for them, she doesn't abuse them.!! ;)

A couple of my customers have been from the school but the rest have all come from advertising in my local paper. Having read other threads on advertising I would say I have been very lucky.

I have just put my youngest into a creche two mornings aweek so I can offer some daytime appointments, but the majority of mine are for the evenings and weekend.

Don't let it get you down. Before I took the children too school Monday morning I had eight appointments for this week. By the time I dropped Harry off at the creche (9.30!!!! :lol: ) I had three cancel. Just when you think it's going well it all changes. Keep your chin up.
 
hi emma,

Dont let it get you down, it does take time before your established and even then you get problems. I've been doing nails for three years - years 1-2 were mainly friends and family freebies. I stuck at it perfecting my skill continually training much to my partners disgust! He thought it was a waste of time as I wasn't earning much. I didnt have time to work full time but I realised that I loved being a Nail Tech and left my job. I rent a desk in a tanning shop and it works out well, I havent the money to advertise but being there is my advertising as people see my airbrushing art boards and come over.

it will pick up but it may take time
 
You do have to realise it will take time to really get a good client base going, lets face it if it was that easy everyone would be doing it and then noone would be earning much as too many techs not enough clients....lol.

I myself have been qualified since March, but doing my own nails for about 6 years. I am quite confident but there are days i wonder if its all worth it. The answer is YES.

I love doing nails, only have a few regular clients, but have put cards in shop windows etc to hopefully bring in the clients. My aunt is also a walking advert for me as she has lovely nail art on her overlays and everyone always comments on them.

You just have to keep practising and getting your skills perfected so that you know you provide an excellent service which will boost your confidence.

Good luck and chin up.
 
As you don't have a shop front advertising is your only way of letting people know you're about. I found mobile services were really popular - I still get calls now and I rent space in a hair salon. People really like the convenience so advertise the fact, esp if you're qualified and insured etc to give people extra confidence. I started by putting a small lineage in the classified ads of our local newspaper EVERY WEEK on Tues, Weds & Thurs (they did a 3 for 2 offer) and I got at least one new client every week from it because I was mobile ( I think my wording was something like "Smart Nails" fully qualified and insured mobile nail technician - why pay high street prices?). It is quite pricey and I found that for the same monthly cost I could get a full colour ad in the yellow pages which is in every household in your area 24/7. I get loads of work from them - about 35% of my new business. I also have gone on yell.com which is great because unlike YP which is fixed for a year, you can amend your text at any time ie if you start to offer more services, and again this works well. I am on 118247 and had nothing from it. I also advertise in the Thomson local and get quite a bit from this too ( be careful because people do say they have seen you in YP and in fact it was THomson, I know because my YP ad is in colour so if they say the ad is b/w I know they mean Thomson.) I have also gone on Thomweb, but nothing from that either. I used to go round all the newsagent etc and a place an ad in their window, local shops to see if they would put leaflets out for me. I would offer all my clients a £5 discount off their next visit if they introduced a new client to me. The list is endless. There are so many nail techs out there now (good and bad) that you have to create your own Unique Selling Point (USP) to make you stand out from the competition. It does take time to build up your client base, but you must always advertise so people know you are still there, and to replace lost customers (ie ones who give up, can't afford it, move out of area etc. As a mobile tech advertising shouls be your biggest overhead so put together an advertising strategy, create yourself a logo etc so everywhere people turn they see your name. Eventually as people want nails you will be the first place they willphone. Don't get disheartened, just plug yourself more!!!!!!! (oh why are my posts alway so much more long winded than everyone elses)
 
Guys,
Thanks so much for all the words of comfort and advice. I think I was beginning to lose perspective a bit. I'm a bit hormonal as well and I've been without my hubby Mon to Fri for 8 weeks now which doesn't help.
Being mobile its common sense that my advertising needs to be reasonable. I'll renew the local newsagent ads, do a leaflet drop and check out yell.com for starters. It would cost £40 per week for a decent ad in our local paper so I'll consider that if things don't move with plan A.

I do have a logo and wear a t shirt with it on 3 times a week to the gym, have business cards, nice price lists etc so I'm obviously on the right track. I'm going to work on a website this weekend when hubby is around to help which may help if I can get some photos of my work on there.

A friend of mine (also my loyal model) is buying a shop in Ascot, she's offered me a little room at the back to do nails. She proposed a nominal daily charge just on the days I use it and for the use of the back door to the shop as my entrance. She thinks it will be small but not a bad place to start and she will keep it for me only and I can use it as I wish. I'm beginning to wonder if thats not a bad proposition. I can't get in there until Aug /Sept time but I thought I could start checking out the local competition and newspapers for potential ads now. Maybe I could put an A board up directing people to the back of the shop where the room is, do some local advertising and see what happens? I'm sure she thinks her business may benefit from me being there and vice versa. The area already has at least one place doing nails on the high street but my nail art and approach to colour and products isn't the norm so hopefully it will appeal.

I really love doing nails and apart from being Mum of 2 and wife theres nothing I'd rather do. I'm still working towards my NVQ level 3 which hopefully I'll have completed by October. My main problem with this is finding people to use as clients to document for the required 8 weeks.

Thanks guys for giving me a positive attitude again....sniff......
I hope that sometime I'll be experienced enough to impart some words of wisdom to someone else!
 

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