Working from home

[Sammie]

Hi

I'm new to this site and nearly quailified and would be grateful for any tips and advice on working from home.

 

[willows18]

Hi Sammie

I also work from home and have been qualified for a year now. What sort of things would you like to know.

Kirsty

 

[Sammie]

Things like advertising, insurance, retail products and anything else you can think of.

 

[cmynails]

Hiya Sammie,
I work from home. Insurance is easy - just phone, pay, stick up the certificate and hey presto!!
Advertising is the tricky thing because to advertise effectively, you have to look at the area where you are advertising. I am very particular about where I advertise because at the end of the day, I have strangers coming into my home. I only advertise in the local surrounding villages. I have found it extremely difficult to get customers through advertising. I have retail products sitting on my shelf and have never sold anything in over 12 months!! If ever I go for a service like hair or nails, you could bet your bottom dollar that I'd end up spending more but I can't seem to entice my ladies into buying anything! I have had a couple of clients that have come through my existing clients. What I feel is important here is to provide a cosy, friendly atmosphere with NO GOSSIPING. If my new lady says anything about my original client, I just don't get into it. I think it's so important cos there are lots of places where you can go just for a good old gossip. Anyway, good luck with it - hope it all goes well for you.
All the best
Carol

 

[rachmcw]

I advertise in a few of my local shops and post office windows. Leaflet drops in local housing estates (newly built estates are good idea as people may be new to area). The local schools produce newsletters every 1-2 months, usually cheap to advertise and should reach all mums.

If you are working from home then the local Health and Safety Officer may need to pay you a visit(depends on local regulations), think they check ventilation, waste disposal etc...
Your household insurance will probably not cover for commercial purposes, you can try Babtac, Professional Beauty, Salon Secure.

If you have the space in your house such as spare room then try to keep working area separate, it gives a definate divide between work and home life

Good Luck

 

[willows18]

Sammie

I got my insurance through Professional Beauty, which was very reasonable and the cover was good.

I advertise mainly in my local village, in the post office and have had a very good response to this. I also recently did a leaflet drop to entice more people in, this worked very well and I'm v. busy at the moment. One thing I have noticed though, is that the whole nail thing seems to be quite cyclicle (right spelling????) ie. things got quiet towards the end of the summer, then picked up again before xmas, went very quiet again Jan, Feb and have now picked up again. I don't know whether this is the same everywhere or just in the quieter villages?

Anyway I work from home with my children around, although they are mostly at school and nursery, but I find it works very well. I also have a couple of client who bring their children with them which is great for the clients who have small children and can't take them into salons.

In terms of retail products, try not to buy too much stuff. I bought a stock of nailvarnishes, 30 different colours, with 3 of each. I also keep a stock of solor oil, files, buffers etc to sell. I also find that not very many people tend to buy stuff though.

I hope all this helps.

Kirsty

 

[*JOANNE*]

i have worked from home scince august
i dont really advertise as such but if you ring up yellow pages you are entitled to a free line in their book and yellcom just ask for the free line and dont let them talk you into anything else.
i mainly get my clients through a sort of pyramid system.
if i have one client i give them five business cards with their name on it to give out if all five are returned (5 new clients) i then give the person with the name on the back of the card a treat ie free solar oil or nail polish.
so again i have 5 new clients and i do the same with each one give them each five business cards with their name on.
it has worked better for me than leaflet drop and is not time consuming.
you get great business cards on vistaprint.com
as for retail solar oil, files and a good top coat.
you do get quiet spots eg half term summer holidays etc but it does pick up once the kids go back to school and their mums want back their "me time"
christmas is allways crazy
jo

 

[Sammie]

Thank you everyone for the advice that is great
:biggrin:

 

[yogacat]

i mainly get my clients through a sort of pyramid system.
if i have one client i give them five business cards with their name on it to give out if all five are returned (5 new clients) i then give the person with the name on the back of the card a treat ie free solar oil or nail polish.
so again i have 5 new clients and i do the same with each one give them each five business cards with their name on.

jo

What a great idea!
fyi - both Thompson's and the phone book, who now do some business listings, will give you a free line entry. I think for nails it would be good to figure out some kind of deal with a hairdresser.

 

[Mani-fique!]

if i have one client i give them five business cards with their name on it to give out if all five are returned (5 new clients) i then give the person with the name on the back of the card a treat ie free solar oil or nail polish.
so again i have 5 new clients and i do the same with each one give them each five business cards with their name on.
jo

Totally agree this sounds an excellent idea... It means that because of the little insentive of a treat your client is more likely to bring you more clients. It also solves the advertising issue a little and everyone benefits. I also think that word of mouth is one of the best ways to generate business as your reputation is the best form of advertising. Saying that its what works for you. Some areas may find great success from leaflet dropping etc. But if I was to search out a plumber for example.... I would definately ask my friends first who they recommend as they would beable to tell you if they are reputable.

But good on ya I think I might try that idea its brilliant!

 

[geeg]

I also keep a stock of solor oil, files, buffers etc to sell. I also find that not very many people tend to buy stuff though.

It wouldn't do anyone any harm to go on a retail sales course.

If you have no experience of retail, then the problem of not getting many sales is probably down to YOU.

So many women (sorry but it is women) in business tend to 'apologise' for the cost of their products. Sometimes in actual words, and sometimes with their body language. Many ways. This closes the client's purse before she has even opened it!!

If you are going to be a business woman, then go out and get the help you need in running a successful business. Learn how to sell your products. Your clients NEED these products to keep their enhancements in good condition and looking beautiful.

Number one tip of advice. Know and understand how your products work and perform ... inside and out ... tell your clients what the benefit of using the product will be for THEM. Explain and they will buy. If you just let products sit on the shelf in hopes, then that is where they will stay ...sitting on the shelf.

Retailing is the smartest way to make money without actually having to do anything but talk ... and to a captive audience ... so easy when you are taught how to do it.