Will clients follow?

[Emily Case]

Hi all!

As some of you know, my mum and I are looking at opening up shop together using the middle section of her office building as treatment rooms. Although I'm beauty trained, I'm looking at concentrating on nails only and she wants to specialise in skincare.

I've been qualified for 2 years, mobile for 1 year and home salon for the other. When I stopped being mobile, most clients followed me to home but eventually only a handful of my original customers remained (which was fine as by then I had new clients).

My biggest worry is this: The home salon is 8.3 miles from the office... And I've built up such a fantastic loyal client base VERY locally that I'm concerned I'll lose them. Would people travel that far for nail treatments?

As a compromise I was thinking 4 days there, 2 days at home, 1 day off. Then I wouldn't lose ALL of my local clients.

Maybe I'm panicking, it's not as if I have to start from scratch... But can anyone who's experienced the same reassure me at all?!

Xxx

 

[TarasTalons]

I don't have any experience of this as in done it myself but I did follow a beauty therapist through her doing it from my home, to her home about 20mins away from where I live, to a salon 35mins away from where I live to another salon 25mins away from where I live because she provided excellent treatments and amazing customer service so I would expect the majority of your clients will follow you! Good luck with your new venture!

 

[souz]

hi hun, 8miles isnt far...is there plenty of parking where you are going? if there is then i would say they would follow you. do your clients walk or drive to where you are now?

a friend of mine had a home salon and moved to a shop that was about 20 mins away, she lost alot of them but gained new ones xx

 

[classixuk]

I would say treat it as a brand new business as you are likely to lose most of the clients you have locally if you are unable to offer them local services - no matter how good you are.

If you are upto running 2 businesses it could work, but I'd rather pour all of my efforts into one business and make it successful.

If you didn't have your mum's office space, would you still be looking to open a brand new location in that exact same street? If the answer is 'no' then I would hazard a guess that you are opening the new place for all the wrong reasons. Think carefully before you leap.

 

[Cheshire_Gal]

Clients will follow a beauty therapist - FACT. How far, well that depends on how good you are, why they come to you (convenience, ease of parking, price etc). Dont be disappointed if not everyone follows you. But as already said youll pick up new clients x

 

[ukbeauty]

The majority of my clients drive from 40mins up to 1.5 hrs for me.

Many are long standing and were regulars before I moved, but they still recommend new people to me from their areas, who make the drive too. One of my Clients who is not the in the best health, gets 2 trains and a bus......!

 

[Silver Witch]

I have been forced to leave my previous beauty room in a health club, due to them going into liquidation.

I have found another room above a hairdresser 8 miles away. I have kept my clients fully informed as to what has been going on & they have followed me (thank goodness).

If they are loyal clients & you give them a good service, then they will follow you, plus you will pick up new ones. xx

Sent from my GT-S5830i using SalonGeek

 

[Emily Case]

Thanks everyone, that helps I know I have a loyal client base I just worry because it was only a year ago when I shifted them from their homes to mine!

We shall see, I suppose, when the time comes...

Xxx