When friends want their nails done for Free...

[krissy07]

I am seeking your opinion, advice anything on the subject please. I have a few (about 6) friends who Love acrylics but wont get me to do theirs because I want to charge them (mates rates of course) But am I fair in not wanting to do them free? I feel If I do them because They asked me to, that it will continue... thus costing me a bit of time and $$. I am unsure what to say or how to make them understand. Is their anyone here that agrees with me on this too? what could I do? thanks *yes I did a search*

 

[Anna Lee]

When it comes to charging, friends and family are almost the same.

Here are some search results I did on your behalf.

http://www.salongeek.com/skin-geek/94571-do-you-charge-family.html

http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/33417-charging-family-members.html

 

[Princess*laura]

Would they pay 50% Or at least for the materials its costing you?

 

[Lady_Nightshade]

Im not a professional so I can only give my personal opinion but I wouldnt do it for free. Mates rates yes, free no.

I did a manicure/pedicure course a couple of years back before RL drama scuppered me and I did ONE friend for free, next thing I knew everyone who barely even knew me expected theirs for free too cos they knew so and so who knew so and so who saw me walk down the street once. :irked:

Its hard to tell friends no but if you want to ever get into business and open a salon etc you need to be able to hold your own hon.

Good luck. And keep smiling. :hug:

 

[moosey]

i never charge my mum but if my mates want a set of nails ... it £10 and if they want other things its just materials and something for the time to do that . If your mates are good mates they will understand. they are not paying full wak yet getting a full service surly they woud understand you charging them something??? and want to give you something ???

 

[krissy07]

hey thanks for the search results - wasnt thinking family. I know that if I do them free everyone will want it free and then everything that goes wrong with them Im going to get calls etc... wanting replacements and fixes and then there goes my business. I have said that I would do them for x amount $$ and they are just like, oh, ok.maybe one day then.I'll have to save up! which yea, alright will never end up happening.

 

[Nailtecho]

hey thanks for the search results - wasnt thinking family. I know that if I do them free everyone will want it free and then everything that goes wrong with them Im going to get calls etc... wanting replacements and fixes and then there goes my business. I have said that I would do them for x amount $$ and they are just like, oh, ok.maybe one day then.I'll have to save up! which yea, alright will never end up happening.

hi krissy,
at the end of the day you have product costs, time and other things to cover. Just because they are friends doesnt mean those costs vanish. i wouldn't and don't do friends for free. IF they are true friends they will respect the fact that doing their nails is costing you in many ways and your business wont grow or survive on nothing. I actually had a friend who offered to pay me in chocolate or she would bring over what she thinks she should pay and that is all she would have on her. WHAT AN INSULT to me that was... hence to say she no longer gets them done through me she would rather pay at a salon bar and have that crap put on her nails to ruin them.
I know if i had a friend who had their own business i would certainly want to support them if that meant paying for whatever service, product that may be, so be it.

good luck with what you decide :lol:

Stace

 

[sarahpoppy24]

Never ever do any friend nails for free. They will start hinting things like oh ill save up, or moneys realy tight this month. TBH they are never going to get them done for free any where else so they will have to pay you or have no nails. Its not like ur denying them the cure to some disease or something! Why give your time to people who want a freebie when you could give it to someone paying you proper money. If they were working say waitressing and you came in for a meal. Would they be happy to serve you for free and not get paid for the time that they spent serving you? I know that sounds a bit strict lol but people will take the piss. I have found this with people I know. Hope this helps.xxxxxxxxx

 

[krissy07]

hey thanks geeks - I know, But I feel mean or something because they all do it! and I would love to be doing their nails the have been told that x is tha amount they will be charged which is saving them money of course. but I am still being made to feel bad that I'm not doing them for free. all 6 have straight out asked me to to them for free? and oh, when can you find the time to do mine? i tell them what appointments I have avaliable at that stage and say how much the charge will probably be for what they want and then I get - oh, nah - don't worry then aye. It is a bit frustrating.

 

[oldgaltherapist]

Hi Krissy

Could you not get your friends to do a loyalty thing - maybe if they recommend 2 friends who once they have paid for a treatment they can have a free treatment or at least at a reduced price?

this is a tough call and it is something that we all come up against - it is very annoying that friends almost dont take it seriously that you are a professional. I now don't offer to do any of my friends and if they do book with me I always charge full price but always add a little extra treat that they have as a surprise (mostly things that cost me nothing - i.e if they have a pedicure I will up to a luxury using heated boots).

Not sure if this helps but don't get too worked up about it, you are worthy of charging and that is their tough luck if they don't like it! Be strong

 

[tracey louise]

do these friends have there nails done anywhere or have they ever had there nails done elsewhere? if they have or they do then why in the heck would they not rather pay the money to a friend rather than a stranger.
i dont ever charge my mum but i do charge my friends,i give them so much off but then if they have something fancy or they break some etc.. i dont charge them for things i count as extras if that makes sense.
i would never expect not to pay my friends anything what sort of friend would that make me? TIGHT! ,lol.
you have to start as you mean to go on and draw the line somewhere otherwise even friends can take the mickey abit.x

 

[geeg]

Frankly I think it is just plain ignorant, rude and selfish for anyone to ask for free nails when thy know you are having to pay for the product.

Even my mum would pay me for the product and I would take it. I have to buy more don't I?

I've never done anyone's nails for free unless it was my choice to give them a gift.

I love the idea by one poster to offer to do their nails for free IF they send you 2-3 more paying clients .. now THAT would be well worth doing and is the really smart approach to business.

No one should get something for nothing. Oldgaltherapist knows a thing or two .... as do most of us old gals if folks are willing to listen.

 

[OBIC]

I guess you need to decide whether you are willing to offer them a reduced rate or incentive as oldgaltherapist has said. If you are willing to offer reduced rates then probably best to decide what the price will be and print this out and hand to them and say this is the price I am willing to do it for. If you go with the incentive thing then I guess if people see them wearing your nails then they might be likely to to ask where they get them done and then as said before could offer even more of a discount to friends when you know they have referred people to you.

If these friends work in an environment with loads of other women then might be good advertising for your business.

 

[the beauty box]

i think its unfair that your freinds expect to get there nails done for free as has been said would they loose out on money and custom if the tables were turned ? you should not feel bad as most on this site agree with you it is in the best intrest for your business to charge and i think it is more than fair to offer to do them at a reduced rate, stick to your guns xx

 

[pkkelly]

Poor you, luckily my friends always insist on paying me, just explain that you need to charge them to cover the cost of the products your using as there expensive, if there your real friends this should not be a problem, even my mum and sister wont let me do there nails for free, they should understand that its only reasonable x

 

[Susie H]

The only person who gets her nails free is my daughter, she has been my model from day 1, she has leaflet dropped for me, gives my business card out left right and center and all in all I feel she isn't getting a free set I feel she earns them.
Yet in the early days everyone thought I'd give free nails because they knew me or knew Kay:irked:
I was (aren't I always? lol) blunt. I told one friend she could clean my house, for free another that she could drive me to London for free and Kay's friends that they could do leaflet drops for free and that when they were doing all that for me for free I'd do their nails for free.
Your mates will come to you when you have a rep for being a great tech and they will pay the going rate and boast to everyone about your nails and that they know you, until then, let them go else where and pay more, all the more time for you to have clients who pay full rate.:hug:

 

[Anna Lee]

I told one friend she could clean my house, for free another that she could drive me to London for free and Kay's friends that they could do leaflet drops for free and that when they were doing all that for me for free I'd do their nails for free.

Haha. I like this one.

Susie is right. Ask around your friends and see if they can do something for you for free and see what response you will from them. It is more than likely they won't ask you to do their nails for free again..!!:lol::lol:

 

[tigi]

I have lost a close friend (or so i thought) since i became a nail tech and beauty therapist. SHe wanted to have her treatments for free, and still owes me money! to be honest with you I agree with everyone else, dont give them free treatments. if they want their nails doing, let them go and pay someone else if they wont pay you!

Any real friend woud understand the costs , time effort etc involved . This is your job, your livelihood. Dont them undermine your professionalism.

tigi
xxxxxxxxxx

 

[krissy07]

Hey some great ideas! thank-you all. you all understand! I love the swap services (i'm thinking clean my house!) and the two new clients (going to offer that first) and I have already given them a reduced price. that I am not going to go under. because If they book in my 'work' time slots then technically I could be getting a full paying client at that time. I wouldn't expect my friends to do stuff for me for free. maybe a swap with the kids every so often but that gets returned (so win / win) I would love to pay a cheaper rate if it was the other way around! even if I Couldn't really afford it I have still brought stuff from friends when they have had a small hobby or something like that (making jewelery, raffles etc...) and like my fathers business I always grab cards off him to give out.Don't get much in return, but that doesnt bother me too much. It's just these friends that wont leave me alone. everyweek I have atleast one of them call or text or email asking or hinting.(and the hinting in not suttle at all.) 'I really want X done', 'I really can't afford it this month', why dont I come over and you could do X Treatment on me' ? 'Hey you could practice X on me when I come over' I just sort of avoid it, or tip toe around the subject.

 

[bexlovesnails]

i dont do any friends or family for free except my mum as she helps me out if im short on money and need any stock, and i don't charge my godaughters mum as she's my best friend of 19 years and a single mum, so she has a pamper for free every now and again, also she's my guinea pig when i need practice or want to try something new .

Maybe you could say look i'll do mates rates, so if you do a full set for £25 say you'll do theres for £17 or something like a fiver off what you charge then you are still covering costs of products and money for your time.