The bigger issue... gaining new clients

[jnails]

First of all I really want to apologize for my english as its not my first language so Im sure there will be some mistakes :cry:
Girls I have been in the industry for a while but just about july I started my home-based salon as well as mobile treatments.
And Im not busy at all... I mean I had some girls from my country but I never had british. Im not sure what am I doing wrong here... I ve got an advert on yell. com, on gumtree and my own website www.jnails.co.uk
So Im wrtiting to ask you for an advice what else I can do to bring more british girls to my homebased salon
By the way Im charging £25 for a full set and that is including nail art so I dont believe its very expensive... is it? Im also thinking of charging for mobile nails £5, would that be ok? Please help me.. as most of you are british.. and I would really like to join you in the industry
Im hoping non of you are ofended or anything because its not my intention.
If you can please take a look at my pictures at my profile and fill free to give comments about them...
Oh... one more thing.. Ive noticed that here most of the girls are in love with french.. but what about the nail art.. like 3d acrylic flowers and glitter... I havent really noticed it anywhere... is it not that popular?
Feel free to visit my website www.jnails.co.uk and tell me... if you were a potential client would you come..?

 

[GillyGirl]

First of all I really want to apologize for my english as its not my first language so Im sure there will be some mistakes :cry:
Girls I have been in the industry for a while but just about july I started my home-based salon as well as mobile treatments.
And Im not busy at all... I mean I had some girls from my country but I never had british. Im not sure what am I doing wrong here... I ve got an advert on yell. com, on gumtree and my own website www.jnails.co.uk
So Im wrtiting to ask you for an advice what else I can do to bring more british girls to my homebased salon
By the way Im charging £25 for a full set and that is including nail art so I dont believe its very expensive... is it? Im also thinking of charging for mobile nails £5, would that be ok? Please help me.. as most of you are british.. and I would really like to join you in the industry
Im hoping non of you are ofended or anything because its not my intention.
If you can please take a look at my pictures at my profile and fill free to give comments about them...
Oh... one more thing.. Ive noticed that here most of the girls are in love with french.. but what about the nail art.. like 3d acrylic flowers and glitter... I havent really noticed it anywhere... is it not that popular?
Feel free to visit my website www.jnails.co.uk and tell me... if you were a potential client would you come..?

Hi there. Well done with setting up your own business!! I'm no expert on nails becuase i'm still training myself but i have read other posts on here that say it takes a long time to build up a good client base when you start out on your own.... it might just take a little bit of time.

You're nails looked lovely to me and your prices seem reasonable.

The only other thing i can think of is..... if English isnt your first language, do you have any problems communicating with your clients? I think clients like to have a chat and a gossip with their nail techs like they do with their hair dressers. By your message above i would say your english is better than many English born people these days so i doubt this is a problem but just thought i'd check!!!

I'm sure if you keep at it and keep producing lovely nails the clients will come eventually.

Good luck, i hope it all goes well

 

[jnails]

Thanks GillyGirl..
I havent really checked my english because I never had a chance.. no british clients but when I were to do my nails just to see the standards etc I had a strange feeling that the nail technician had cleary enough of me and my talking and questions so.. I dont think is bad
But the main problem is.. how to get those clients.. I understand I need time to build my buissnes up and that needs time.. but how to get that very first important client?
I was thinking about doing leaflets ( good advice- microsoft publisher - create what you want and how you want) but where to give those leaflets.. ?
I dont have any british friends here.. so its difficult ...

 

[AllThumbs]

now i'm not from britain, I live in the US, but can you explain to me why you are after the britsh clients? Where are you from if you don't mind me asking? In my non-brit opinion, i would think if you are going after a certain type of client you should explore the market that they normally go to. As in what do you see the brit girls wearing? what shops do they go to? what do they pay at those shops? go in and act like a new client, ask the techs question and find out what its all about. Hone your skills and offer what the girls are wanting and they will come. take pictures of your work and post them on your flyers and brochures and If you are friendly and make an attempt to conversate with the new clients, i'm sure your lack of english skills won't be a problem. The fact that your product is nice and its what they want will surely make a difference.

 

[PlumberRaccoon]

I can't really help you out much but I have some feedback on your website:

1. It's great and looks professional.
2. But you need more information about your qualifications, what's the name of them? There's different kinds. Clients might be interested in this.

 

[Swordfish1973]

I think that your website looks great too

You say that you don't have any British friends but do the people/friends who you have worked on have any British friends?

My partner is a tiler and every bit of business that he gets is through word of mouth. He has never advertised and is always busy. It's his great work that others see that gets him his next job.

Maybe you could make up some business cards and gve them to your friends (who you have also worked on) so that if anyone asks where they got their nails done they can give your card out.

I had a card from the person who does my nails in my purse and the other day a girl from my work asked where I got my nails done and I gave her the card. She phoned and now she has an appointment.

I am sure that not everyone would want to carry your cards about but if it was a regular client/friend, I am sure that they would want to help you get more business.

Hope this helps
x

 

[PlumberRaccoon]

Oh, I remembered something to add to my feedback of the website:

Make sure it works properly in most web browsers, or at least the popular ones. I can't view yoir gallery and I'm using SeaMonkey, not sure about Firefox or Safari but you should make sure that non PC users can view the site as well.

 

[ValencianNails]

Your website is good, what I think might be putting new clients off are your low enhancement prices, especially your infill price and NNO.
If clients see cheap prices then they expect a cheap service/treatment, price yourself according to your skill but don't under price yourself (iykwim) :hug:

The pictures in your portfolio, are they all nails that you've done?

 

[shedunlop]

Just some information on the website. I have a Mac and can view it on Firefox so everything fine there, good point though! It just takes time to build up. Once you have your first happy client it will start to spread and you will be fine but it all takes time. It will be harder if you have no british friends but this time of year should see some through your door. Good luck to you

 

[PlumberRaccoon]

That's a great point ValenciaNails, usually when I see something that's strangely cheap I think "What's wrong with it?".

Great to hear that it works with Firefox, it's alongside Exploder the most common browser.

 

[jnails]

Hi and thanks for the advices and some ideas...
AllThumbs if you really want me to explain why im after british? well ok.. I live in UK that is why....i live in uk for 4 years now, but I used to move a lot.. I lived in oxford, in glasgow and now in edinburgh and unfortunelly the last job I had was in glasgow and my partner own his own company so again we dont really want to have his emplyee at the house... so here we go Swordfish1973
valencianNails I ve got 16 pictures in my portfolio and 11 is mine and 5 of them are just the pictures from french manicure, paraffin wax. All the pictures with jnails on it are mine as well as the pictures in my portfolio.
hmm.. you get me thinkin about my prices for infills... but you know what... the last time i had a client and she was just asking me about the prices etc... and I told her £25 for full set with nail art and £3 for my mobile service so all together is £28 and its me coming to her house with all the things etc.. and she said that she rather go to the nail salon for £30.... I just wanted to die.. but yes.. I will put my prices up.. just a bit
Thanks girls

 

[NoLimitNails]

besides the above standing I can tell: website is ok in Safari aswell. I like the design, but am I the only one who noticed that the pictures is very blurry (happens if you use to low a resolution)

Otherwise how about flyers, maybe in bridal shops, sun tan places etc??? I just started in august, and eventhough I have a few regulars already, I could use more, but somehow the word of mouth is stronger than any commercial, so be patient.

Good luck:hug:

 

[Ruthlm]

Hi there, I live just across the bridge from you in kirkclady, I have recently set up myself also, you could advertise on gumtree, and pop a link to your website in, I think there is a LOTof competition in edinburgh, if you go onto gumtree and pop nail technician in you will see there are lots, many doing offers that are very cheap as well, have you added your detail onto all the free online advertising sites as well there are quite a few, worth doing, especialy the google one... here's the link............https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?hl=en-GB&service=lbc

I think your website is vety nice by the way, and your nails look lovely!!

xx ruth

 

[Cassyb89]

The offer of £5 off attracts me

 

[AllThumbs]

sorry i didn't mean to sound silly about the uk thing. I know your over there i just didn't know how the whole english thing was going on with already being in the uk... sorry blonde moment lol forget i mentioned it.

I do love your website. I don't know if you do your own nails but always keep them up with at least art you do yourself. With french being as popular as it always is, you can wear a stunning set of pink and white and i promise people will be asking. htne you can say oh i do them, and hand them your card. Make a mental note to turn your hand upright when you pay for something so your practically putting your service in their face! And also, time time time, It usually on average takes 1-2 years to get to where you can make a living of a business and about 5 to become stable. don't stress and keep plugging along.

 

[katiebbaby]

Why are you adding extra on for mobile?? Surely you cant expect your clients to pay for your petrol etc? Just curious, that would put me off straight away. Will have nosey at your sight now. xx

 

[user 25446]

I think your website looks very professional.

However, there are two bits of info that I think it would be useful to add. First there is no address - I have no idea that you are based in Edinburgh except a price for mobile in the price list. The address needs to be put under your contact info.

Second, I like to know something about the people behind the company. There are too many dodgy website which sell stuff and you don't know anything about them. So you need an "About Us" heading on your menu, and under this say:

- something about you. You are a Polish girl that moved to the UK 4 years ago and love making nails and making clients feel special. blah, blah....
- why you love nails
- your experience and qualifications
- that you offer home-based and mobile services for their convenience

I am not too good with flags, but are you Polish? For many people in the Uk that would be a plus point. Don't hide it away.

Are there any hairsalons near you that don't have nail techs? If so, get a business card printed and on the back make a "referred by" section so the hair salon can write their name. Offer the client £5 off first service and give the hair salon £5 commission. This worked really well for Iryna when she first moved to Sweden.

It is tough to start - don't give up.

 

[GillyGirl]

Just a thought but there are a few people on her that are getting involved with local charity events and such things. Its a good way of getting your work seen and getting to know the people in the local area. Maybe you could offer some sort of service or help at some event to get people to take notice?

 

[jnails]

Hi BobSweden thanka lot for your advice
But yes... its kind of a problem.. because I have a home basen salon..
it looks like that...
you are driving the main road, then you have to turn to a private road (kellerstain) and then.. you can get lost as the house is the last one...
so when you are finnaly there Im waiting on the doors and inviting you iside and then we are going to the room which is really nice designed (for your request I can put some pictures on and Im offering you a coffe... or something stronger to relax and enjoy looking at field.. sorry Im in the funny mood :smack:
If you are coming to me by bus I can pick you up from the bus station.. beacuse its a long way to walk (like 10 minutes + you can get lost ...
Im offering mobile service for those clients who want me to come... and as Im paying for my car insurance.. and petrol..etc should I offer it for free or just add it to my price?
Many thanks :*
And yes.. Im scared sometimes to addmit Im Polish... in my past I had some bad experience on that stage.. so.. Im aware of it now
is that normal or am I just being silly :smack: again...
Lov you all xxx

 

[GillyGirl]

Hi BobSweden thanka lot for your advice
But yes... its kind of a problem.. because I have a home basen salon..
it looks like that...
you are driving the main road, then you have to turn to a private road (kellerstain) and then.. you can get lost as the house is the last one...
so when you are finnaly there Im waiting on the doors and inviting you iside and then we are going to the room which is really nice designed (for your request I can put some pictures on and Im offering you a coffe... or something stronger to relax and enjoy looking at field.. sorry Im in the funny mood :smack:
If you are coming to me by bus I can pick you up from the bus station.. beacuse its a long way to walk (like 10 minutes + you can get lost ...
Im offering mobile service for those clients who want me to come... and as Im paying for my car insurance.. and petrol..etc should I offer it for free or just add it to my price?
Many thanks :*
And yes.. Im scared sometimes to addmit Im Polish... in my past I had some bad experience on that stage.. so.. Im aware of it now
is that normal or am I just being silly :smack: again...
Lov you all xxx

OK...... having a home based salon does mean you wont get any walk in trade but it shouldnt mean you cant be found. Why dont you try popping a google map and a few words of explination about how to find you on the website? Do you talk to your neighbours? Try chatting to them, sell yourself so that they know they have a local nail tech if they ever need a nice set of nails for a night out!!

Your prices seem very reasonable and you do have the option of a salon so i dont think there is any reason why you couldnt pop a little extra on for mobile work..... after all, you are providing an extra service by going to them.

Most importantly. You should never be scared to admit you are polish!! I used to wok with 5 polish men who were some of the most hard working people in the company, be proud of your roots!!

Just remember your nails are beautiful and once you manage to get those first few customers through the doors, they are bound to recommend you to there friends.