working from home in small town

[leopup]

Hi There, and a big hello to all geeks, just discovered this website today, its fab, but bear with me - i haven't quite found my way round.

I'm looking for any help or advice or general info or comments anyone has to offer.

Here's the deal, I am currently a self employed beauty therapist and rent a room in a busy city hair salon, ive got a good client base and have done this for about 6 years. I have recently moved out to the country and fully intended to continue as i was just cut my hours down. However, my commute into work is approx an hour each way, am down to 4 days work, but feel like i'm working to pay my room rent, equipment H.P, travel costs etc with not a lot left over :grr:, and i'm also neglecting my family a bit.

Anyway as i said i have moved to a small town in the country and am toying with the idea of working from home, we have a spare room and off road parking but obviously my current clients would'nt travel all the way out here so it would be like starting from scatch. There isn't a beauty salon in the town and the only therapist i know of, works from the village hall, there is a larger town about 10 miles away and it has quite a few salons. Anyone in a similar situation? or any advice would be grastefully accepted.

 

[tinkywinky]

I'm not in a similar situation exactly but have moved many times because of my hubbys forces jobs and have set up and retained clients in each area I have moved to.

Here's my advice;

you've spotted a NICHE ! no salon nearby so I'd say:

go for it - you will probably make more money working from home due to less overheads

sometimes the clients don't want to go to a salon as they are scared for some reason

Sometimes clients' prefer to go to someone's house also as it feels more personal or they may not be near a city centre salon

could you do mobile? Big niche if you advertise well

some of your clients may like a mobile service; you could do a couple in a day or evening if they were in the same area

That's what I used to do in my last place and I was so busy it was untrue

If you apply similar marketing strategies as you are now I'm sure you'd do well. You may be best to do further research into prices locally etc but other than that I think you have it sussed!

Sounds like you want to knock the salon on the head

Could you not do 50/50?

At least then you aren't knocking all your income on the head?

hths xx

 

[Lavander Rose]

Hi there

Welcome to the site its great is,nt it>

Here is my advice.

I am an Holistic and Beauty therapist of 4 yrs I have been mobile for all that time. I also am home based which I much prefer because there is no travelling involded, you have the comfort of your own home and everything in one place.


Do your room out like it would be in the salon. I always find that clients prefer a home based salon because its more private unlike any high street salon, No noise, No interferece with any other clients etc.

The only way you are going to keep your clients now is to carry on going mobile. as for working from home you will need to do some market research in and around the area, get yourself advertised which takes forever but if you keep at it you will get there, I had a riding accident last year fell off the damn horse and fractured my hand, so I was out of my mobile work for some time, I did loose a few clients due to it, but I picked myself back up. got a concervatory built and now I work at home on a full time basis with a couple of nights mobile, so theretacally I had to start again with loosing clients, it does take time and a lot of commitment but if you love what you are doing then there will be no stopping you.

I would certainly reccommend going home base, I LOVE IT best thing I ever did had to upgrade on stuff mind but well worth it in the long run
I hope everything goes well for you and wish you the best of luck:hug: