Want to give up now

[natalie9281]

hiya all, its been sometime since i visited on here..i look for advice & on the new amazing tutorials often but never wrote.
i did the hard work of setting up a business...i rent a room in a gym, have all products & stationary i need & after 12 months starting to wonder if this business is going to work!!! help......
i dont do it for the money b4 i start..its nt a needed income.
i love the work but dont have much of it, all started wen i broke my collar bone last xmas, i lost alot of excisting customers & have struggled alot since.
i have regulars but some weeks i may only earn £20 if that...luckly the gym only takes 25% of earnings or £50 a wk if i earn decent money... they have been great but now im wondering if there is any point.
i have done all advertising ideas since day 1, i am not visable from outside the gym, cant afford signage at the main door & cant put banner outside my window due to listed buildin...a beauty salon opened up downstairs in the hairdressers (very expensive salon!)
i have done th leaflet drops, advertising in cafes, shops, bridal shops, notic boards, wrote to employers offerin staff discounts....dont kno wot else to do
i am not at all motivated now & im finding it hard to stay positive, am i just rubbish in this industry, i find myself thinkin that i am going to forgt how to do certain treatments.
The only treatments i find myself doin is small areas of waxing, pedicures, manicure & the odd acrylic enhancements..........
has anyone got any advice for me cause i wanna cry now...feel that ive tried everything & its getting tiredsome..
thanks in advance...friends definatly needed xxx:sad:

 

[karenstars]

Hi, I was sorry to read your post. Did i read he beginning correctly that you don't need the income? but then i later read can't afford advertising. Which is it? It is very easy to lose motivation when things aren't doing well. Perhaps you could think about offering new services to clients that will create new interest and attract new clientelle. It cost little to do an eyebrow wax so could you offer a special such as free eyebrow wax with every manicure or Acrylic nail service? While your preforming a service let the client know about the exciting new serive or special you are running in a non pushy way. Share your excitment with her. Look at offering something that you know will be of interest. There are so many different little promotions you could run. May i suggest and i could be wrong here but IF you are talking about your bad run lately wether it be your collarbone or lack of clients etc this could be sending of alot of negative energy your clients way. I don't mean to sound heartless but it's ok to tell people things here and there but no-one wants to constantly be around the same negative person. Look good luck i hope this helps you somehow. Try to remember the vibes you give off and the conversation plays a BIG part in this industry.

HTH!

 

[Lynne Baker]

Have you tried local networking groups?
I've been to two now and picked up 3 new clients as a result - and all for the cost of a glass of wine and a cup of coffee.
Take a look at my more ways to promote your business thread. I can personally vouch for the efficacy of all of them!
I won't wish you luck; what you need is creativity, hard work and determination to succeed, you'll find the first here in spades. The other two are down to you.

 

[natalie9281]

thanks for the replys...
karenstars..when i said i dont do it for the money im not rich, i have a disabled child & get enought working tax & things like that to live on. obviously the more i earn the less money i get from working tax, not earnin much at the moment means full working tax keeps me & my son...i do not have extra or enough money to pay for things like advertising, signs etc.

& im not usually a negative person & never portray that to my customers or anyone i meet really, just havin a gd moan on here cause im sure people understand at this time that its fustrating..
I kno wot i need to do but sometimes its anoyin wen things dont seem to work.. x:smack:

 

[Blue Rose]

Hello Natalie,

I think there are a lot of issues that need addressing here, so in no particular order I'll give my tuppence worth.

Firstly, regarding your income & tax credits. Tax credits are based on your profit for the year & not actual earnings (thank goodness). It might be you were lucky enough to pay yourself say £150 per week which will take you over your personal tax allowance but if your profit is only £3000 for the year, that is what your credits will be based upon. Spending on things like signage will offset your profits keeping them lower.

Don't let the thoughts of losing your tax credits hold you back. Don't forget also that the credits are worked out on the previous years figures so get out there promoting & earning.

You mention you lost a lot of existing clients when you broke your collar bone. The beauty of our industry (sorry, no pun intended) is that we have record cards with client details on. That is your potential goldmine.

Utilise your list & write to the clients you haven't seen for a while. Tell them you miss them blah, blah, blah & would very much like to see them again. Offer them an ethical bribe/really really good offer to get them back through the door. Now's a great time to be doing that cos you can make out you're doing it (the offer) from the goodness of your heart to help their pennies go further, or as a Christmas gift from you.

The clients you do have, you need to get them spending more. Offer them a cheaper treatment they wouldn't normally have done when they book in for their regular treatment. This works really well by offering eyebrow shape clients a 1/2 price eyelash tint. We've now got quite a few having that done as well on a regular basis. We charge £10.50 for an ELT & you don't need to do many in a month for the takings to stack up.

Now, location, location, location. In all honesty, it doesn't sound like you are now in the best place for your business, especially given that a (more visible) beauty salon is below you. Could you relocate your business elsewhere?

Where you are, what's the journey like for clients to get to your room from the main entrance? Is it pleasant & welcoming or do they have to go through a gym full of sweaty people? Do they have to walk along a dark, dingy corrider? Take that journey through your clients eyes. You may be surprised.

I know that once you've lost some motivation it's hard to get it back. As already mentioned, introduce something new, that'll soon get your mojo back. I've recently introduced the Bali Spice Heaven Ritual from Spa Journey & it didn't cost the earth. It's proving to be very popular.

 

[RedAdmiral]

I'm not sure what I'm picking up from your post - unhappiness? frustration? boredom?
What do you need from your business? what did you plan would happen to your business? Did you have a business plan if so what does it say regarding building clientele, where you'll be in five years? if no why not?

Instead of feeling down and wondering where your clients have gone why dont you ask them? call or write to them, as for your skills then you need to do a refresher class to get better as you are out of the loop.

 

[champagne]

Buy an A Board and place it out side the entrance, get one wih leaflet holder then they can all take a leaflet.....

Walk around the gym handing out flyers .....

Try to focus on groups of people - do they rent out classes??? Mothers groups etc...

 

[natalie9281]

thanks everyone for ur advice...
got a massive list of ideas & things i need to start doin...contactin clients is the 1st step.xmas flyers goin out soon & im lookin into findin funds to help get my room more noticable... hopefully the gym gonna help me.

i understand the importance of business plan & mine is good (so ive been told) i did all the reasearch & marketin needed & all the estimates... unforseen curcumstances have not kept me on track.. i kept hopin things would improve & they havent...i havent tried as much as i could but now things are goin to change. any extra income would help at the moment.:Grope:

 

[champagne]

Ive only been going 5 months myself and its hard to start off with ......

Im sure alot of people dont even know im where i am, but once word gets around it starts to pick up.

I have given a lot of vouchers out for school fairs, raffles etc, that in turn (i hope) will bring in business...

Running a xmas offer ...

Try thinking outside the box....But def get yourself a sign outside that gym.

Good luck x

 

[Lynne Baker]

Honestly - join the Ladies Who Latte groups - I've had 2 clients this week as a result!

 

[natalie9281]

is that only in ur area tho, i live along way from u...

& thanks alot champagne, friendly advice is great, keeps my spritis up just lately x:lol:

 

[Lynne Baker]

Here are a couple of networking ideas for you:

Forward Ladies Business Networking : Home
Yorkshire Bradford - Business Networking & Seminars Events in Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield
Getting together: Business group to help women - Halifax Today

 

[natalie9281]

oh thanks calla..i dont really understand them yet, just havin a quick peek b4 i start tea....can anyone join, its strange that ive never herd of anything like this b4 but anything is worth a chance isnt it x:hug:

 

[Lynne Baker]

Yes, anyone can join - some of them are ladies only, some are mixed. They're a great, supportive and friendly way of meeting other business people in your area. We live in a visual society; your ladies understand how important first impressions are and want to make the best impression they can in their own business. That's where you come in - you can help them to be the best they can be. You'll be surprised at how many people take you up on your propositions. Make sure you take plenty of business cards and brochures, and your diary!

 

[Missy G]

I love the idea of the A board, have you thought about going down the mobile road as well????

Advertise on Yell.com, its not too late too ad in next years Yellow Pages ,Ive had a basic a for £12 a month this year and had quite alot of response.

Get a website from Freewebs, preettyy resonable price ,then get a Tshirt from Vistaprint displaying it and your services...cheap as chips!!!!Advertise your car!!

Wear bling bling nails !!!!Free advertising,,,,make sure you carry cards with you where ever you go!!!

Dont give up!!!Im sure youve put too much money in like me to throw it all all away like me !!

 

[Teebster]

Hi I just really wanted to drop you a line to say I am thinking of you and wish you well. I read your thread last night and have had a long hard think about what you were saying and some excellent advice that came back from other members. When I found your thread again this morning the advice being given was brilliant and really thoughfull so I am sure you will do well and you sound a lot better now. I am sorry I don't have any advice as I am just starting up and really stuggling myself with every aspect but most of all confidence and strong opinionated people if I am honest and knock backs are hard to brush off I know. My personal circumstances don't seem that much different from yours although I have no choice but to try to work from home as I cannot leave my son and have no help, so and I am just wondering if like me you don't want to make a whole load of friends because that in itself is just another thing may be you don't have time, energy or money to commit to but you do want the social aspect of pleasing clients and being paid for doing something you love. One lady explained that your financial situation would not be affected that much by a regualar rise in income so I am just wondering if there would be a chance to seek flexible employment that would fit in with your circumstances as a nail tech or beauty in your area, and maybe this would relieve a bit of pressure that you are under for now in trying to "hold the fort" all by yourself. I don't mean permanently just for a while might give you a lift.

I am sure you have thought of this anyway and it might not be appropriate or what you want at all and really I just want to say good luck for the future and wish you all the best. xxx

 

[Cadenza]

Contact Business Link. I did, and got a free one hour marketing advice and planning meeting from them, also lots of free courses on all sorts of things. Even if they are not totally relevant they keep you focused and you can also network at these events. Ask your clients to recommend you to a friend and for every friend who books they get a stamp on a loyalty card which adds up to a free treatment. Get them to take lots of brochures and put them in their place of work./clubs/societies etc...

The main thing is to sit down and put the past behind you and start again with a positive att itude and don't just do one thing. Do one thing every week and it WILL pay off. Hang on in there!!! (By the way, I have only had my salon open 3 months and it is very quiet, but I'm printing Christmas brochures as I write, ready to hand out to shoppers on Saturday)