What do you want from your nail magazine?

[scattyfox]

I have noticed recently that my trade magazines are getting more and more articles on beauty. Nothing against beauty therapists but IMO i want just nails from a nail magazine or nails orientated articles, i don't want to read about make-up and sunbeds if i did i would buy a beauty trade mag instead.

I love the features on nail technicians and what they are working on,the salons and how they have developed them, also love the articles on the big technicans and how they got to here they are and how. Steps by steps and new innovations in the industry, theory even as well bring it on.

How do you feel about your trade magazines and what are you looking for from them?

 

[jac extreme]

I would love to see some competitions, say a photgraphic comp for a CBM would be really nice, I also like to see articles on new salons and tips on taking a good shot would be a great idea.

 

[CadenceAlex]

Great thread Lucia!

 

[1999judy]

I would like to see more articles on nail techs and their day to day working practices. Success stories. Step by steps. Articles on geeks who are doing well.
It's very nice to read about how things are in London but it's not really that interesting to me. Not that many of us go to red carpet events around here.:lol:

 

[VHunter]

I want more competitions. Results of those that have taken place, those that are up and coming. Basic info on comps.
More and more and more tuts.
More and more nail art pics.
Less beauty stuff.
Less ads.
And perhaps, I'd like to see a magazine try to create a unity among techs to band together against the NSS and other issues in the industry that need rectifying.
Who better than a trade mag? They've got our contact info etc. They have our attention. A magazine has more impact with it's ability to inform than a tech standing alone.


just some ideas.

 

[Sparklepink]

im with you on this one Scatts.... i know scratch has a beauty section.,.,. but i only want nails too..... beauty and tanning have no interest for me/..... im a nail tech full stop.

i like the tech talk things too and i also like the idea of having a gallery for techs to see other ppls work

i like a good old step by step... also the what industry leaders and techs have been up to as well as getting to know abt all the up and coming new products......

on the whole i think our trade mags are fine.... the work that goes into them... we dont im sure even realise... and hey at the end of the day they are produced for us as techs not product companies... or publishers ... you and me the nail techs who make our industry.......

maybe your post will bring up some great ideas hunnio... and they may even be taken on by Kat or Alex

Jess
xox

 

[~shelley~]

Id like to see
a readers Gallery - where we can email or send in pics
more step by steps
maybe bi-monthly photo comps in the mags
success stories
hints & tips from other techs - maybe how to generate business during quiet times, best forms of advertising, business tips etc etc...

Saying that i do love scratch & pro nails & i bet so much work goes into them & you cant please everyone xxx

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I think that there could be a lot more about how to promote your business and how to run it. So many of us are self employed and it would be great to have tips on how to get more business, be more cost effective, what to do when you start up, the pitfalls to avoid, effective retailing. That kind of thing. Maybe even following peeps as they start up their salons so we can see that it's not just a case of finding a shop and moving in, but the headaches and heartaches that go along the way, and the incessant red tape (such as needing change of use to a sui generis in most areas)

the personal safety aspect of working from home, from a salon but particularly when working mobile

I also would like to see more troubleshooting techniques - like Marco did recently, I thought they were fab.

I'm not a nail art fan but many are and may are just scared to give it a go. So a step by step for simple nail art, with a new design each month.

An A-Z of nail diseases, as many find it hard to know what to look for - I've had clients from other salons with greenies and the old tech didn't have a clue that it ws a problem let alone what it was.

More on sanitation standards and what is accepted as minimum standards - if it makes a few more techs aware of their responsibilities and change their working practices then that HAS to be good.

I love the articles on techs who are truly great - how they started and what inspires them.

I have to say I don't mind the beauty stuff - maybe have a small section at the back that is beauty, then those who don't like it can skip it. A bit like Professional Beauty has the "Polished" nails section at the back ... you see they've had to take "us nailies" on board too!!!!

I used to love Sam's articles too. In fact it was always the first thing I'd read. He really makes learning fun and not a chore.

Hm I'm sure I can think of more! that said my subs have run out and I really miss my mags as I love them, will have to start them up again once I've moved.

 

[naturalnails]

All of the above would be great - I also am not really interested in the beauty stuff.

But at the end of the day the magazines need to get the input in order to give the output - if we want techs in day to day life, more step by steps then we have to be up for providing them to a certain extent.

In this age of the computer I think some dos and donts of making a great search engine friendly website would be great.

 

[scattyfox]

Some great ideas here people so keep them coming.

Not disputing the fact that the magazines are good and lots of hard work goes into them, but what i do notice is that the top magazines can be near enough identical some months with articles nearly reading the same on the same people.

I would like to see close ups of those nails that win in competitions so i can see exactly what the judges are looking for. if they dont want them in the amg then why not put them on the websites so we can all see in detail what they look like.

 

[becki x]

Absolutely 100 % all of the above, on top of what they already give us plus some more buisness advise,suppliers hints tips etc !

Re nails only....... i don't mind the odd bit of something else in there every now and then,but i buy scratch for nails ,and up until recently hj for hair,if i were a beauty thereapist i would buy the relevant publication ... so yep nails only for me too !

 

[claireamy]

All of the above and some hints and tips on how to take photos of nails well. Mine always look a bit amateurish and I would like some advice on how to make the pics look more professional.

 

[Snugglepuss]

Saying that i do love scratch & pro nails & i bet so much work goes into them & you cant please everyone xxx

I have to say I don't mind the beauty stuff - maybe have a small section at the that is beauty, then those who don't like it can skip it. A bit like Professional Beauty has the "Polished" nails section at the back ... you see they've had to take "us nailies" on board too!!!!

I agree with all of the above posts and Sass answered my question even before I had posted it :lol: I had wondered whether Beauty mags had nail info in them. I keep meaning to subscribe to Some Beauy Mags but never got round to it Like Shelly, I love my two Nail mags - but in saying that I would prefer more of the stuff sggested above - OK just realised I'm waffling - you will all be asleep if I don't shut up :zzz:

 

[talented talons]

I also agree with eveything that has been said above. I don't mind a bit about beauty, but then i thought that was why we had seperate nails and seperate beauty mags.

I am nails through and through, so tend to flick past all the beauty stuff. I would also like to see tips on newbies starting out in business.

Step by steps done by nailtechs on their own work.

Great thread with great ideas though Scatts.

 

[Urban Geek]

I think that both Scratch and Professional Nails do a great job already, although the duplication in reporting can be frustrating but I suppose unavoidable. I don't mind a bit of beauty, although I don't do it but I may just branch out in the future - never say never.

 

[extensionten]

Make it BIGGER... more pages... I read mine in about an hour with a cuppa and biccies.
There have been competition articles but as there are comps continuously, it would be good to have someone who has maybe won a comp (any level) to give start to finish experience. From how they went about getting a model to training.... who they choose to train them and why blah blah. I've not competed but will next year. I feel intimidated as I don't know what the heck to do really. So this would help me.
PS did you all see the Phoenix feature?.... proud to of been taught there!!! Louise is absolutely lovely. Inga who teaches the nails there is fantastic, both as a teacher and person. For anyone who is looking..... I would recommend it wholeheartedly!

 

[scattyfox]

Inga was my first teacher with star lovley lady and so stunning and tall must be somethign in the water where she comes from lol x I had not heard of the phoenix school but it was a really positive write up.

 

[lovenails1]

Hiyas.

I ran my own Nail Mag called "Nail Tech News SA" for 18 months and some of the things I did in my mag were:

Perso"nail"ities; where I did photos and info on local techs, well known ones and just your average girl at home doing nails. It was fun to meet everyone.

Nail Mates; where I joined up techs in other parts of Adelaide and Interstate, like a buddy system, they both got a little certificate stating who their Mate was and a few details etc.

Tip Tours; where I went through the whole caboodle on tips and what sorts are good for what etc. This was a huge challenge cos there as so many of the little buggers.

Giveaways; Business Info; Graduation photos from colleges etc; Gossip (of course) Webs of Interest;

Tech 2 Tech; where we could ask questions etc to each other

Jobs vacant;

I got a local Nail Tech who was there in the "beginning" to take us through how it all started in Adelaide, a history type thing, which was REALLY interesting.

Also, Vicki Peters and Gina Wallace both had columns and they were extremely helpful.

So that's what I did.