Melody, GREAT ideas. I agree with some forms of advertising. I did the display ad in the Yellow PAGES and it was costly. The rep was not happy when I told her only the line ad. I had too many standings to try and get more clients. Well it is MY $$$$ and I will spend as "I" see fit.
I never reward new clients as you see in ads. My standings deserve that. I just had way too many problems with those freebie people. Too much trouble and headaches. Those who pay my mortgage and car loan are those who get the free stuff. I WILL toy with the idea of a free FS to tellers, cashiers, etc. But it will be who I choose to get them. I think it is great for those who are giving the GC out and it works for you. I just found it did not for me. Like I said previously, I will give to any client for their fundraiser. If you do not patronize my salon, well sorry. Go to where you get your nails done. You never see any chop shops giving out free GC's. At least I do not. This is a great thread. Leave it to Diana!!!!!!! Lol. She's baaaack!!!! Buenos noches, Lynnette Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile -----Original Message----- From: "Melody C. Montgomery" <[email protected]> Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:50:28 To: <[email protected]> Subject: NailTech:: Re: Just don't get it/building biz/donations Well.. I tell ya.. I have always said that it is MUCH harder for a nail tech to build clients than a hair stylist.... and my reason has always been and still is this: A woman is going to have her hair done; she can stick her hands in her pocket....! In other words, in an economic crunch, either on a national scale like we are all suffering now... or an individual crunch... nail techs don't stay in the biz because it is so hard to build a strong client base. When a tech first starts out, the only way anyone will know your work is if you wear it on your own hands. Regardless of how anyone does it, by whatever means.. the ONLY way to build clients is by MARKETING YOURSELF. I have to say I have never had ANY luck with print advertising. I have run ads upon ads and never even ONCE have I had anyone walk in the door looking for me because they saw my ad in the paper, etc etc... And I mean NOT EVEN ONCE! Which totally sucks because print advertising is pricy! I have also found it very hard to compete with all the "NSS" or "chop" shops--whichever term you prefer--because of their low prices. Yeah, yeah.. I have heard all the arguments why and why not but the bottom line is: in an economy of people pinching pennies... price matters... and the average individual doesn't know the difference between the service I provide compared to the service you get at those places...... UNTIL I get them in my chair.which is the problem we are all having at this point! The bottom line is this: it is and always will be a numbers game. You will have clients that stay with you til death.. and you will have clients that get nails for a while.. then decide to "take a break" for a while... then come back... then quit... And you will have clients that come once and never come back.... That is just how it goes in this business. You have to play the numbers! Gotta say, though: those of you who don't want to do manicures and pedicures.. you are really hurting yourself because there are a huge number of women who are seeking natural nail services... What I have found to be most productive is: 1. Give EVERY new client you work on 3 business cards before they leave... one for their wallet and two to write their names on the back and give out for referrals. For every card I get back with their name on it, (when a referral comes in with it), it turns into a $5.00 off coupon for whatever service they get the next time they come. 2. EDUCATE EDUCATE EDUCATE the clients as you work on them! If they do not know the difference in the service you provide as compared to that of NSS salons, then it will NEVER matter to them where they get their nails done! We have to create VALUE in the services we provide as the professionals that we are! I have to say most of my clientele has been built by WORD OF MOUTH referrals from my clients sending me people! I have to say, too, that I work 24/7... what I mean is, I am always handing out biz cards wherever I go... and educating women on the spot whenever I can. For those of you who don't know, I design business cards and logos. I print through Vista print so you can still get them pretty inexpensively. Also, you can get biz card size magnets, pens and lots of stuff there! You can check out my work at: <http://www.gypsycustomgraffex.com/> www.gypsycustomgraffex.com Now Vista is selling RACK cards--which is a 4X9 card (brochure size) that you can put in places like hotel/motel lobbies, restaurants, Chamber of Commerce in your city.. anywhere that has places where businesses put brochures for advertising. Another thing you can do... for those of you working in a salon that provides other services, you can always do ONE FREE NAIL to demo your work! Haha! When they see that one gorgeous nail they will want to get the rest done! Melody C. Montgomery Graphic Designer www.gypsycustomgraffex.com Certified Professional Manicurist www.everythingnailzink.com cell 252-217-8221 -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Diana Bonn Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 8:34 PM To: [email protected] Subject: NailTech:: Re: Just don't get it/building biz/donations WOW, love these debates. We all have different ideas. Maybe it is the area of country we are in, or maybe we started building eons ago. Things are different now. But what is not different is we all agree we have to get our names out there. So for those of you out there that disagree, how would you get new clients to a stylist/tech with zero clientele? What can you do to convince someone to come to you vs. the salon down the road if you have zero clients? My theory of touching as many people as possible (free or not) to get clients in, It always worked in this area. Always. As for control issues, I really don't care how they build their biz. But when they keep telling US the things I listed, it gets to the point, I just don't get it. I will say 2 of them do come and and stay all day waiting for walk-ins. The one, kind of part time. I think Simmy hit the nail on the head for me, just different out there. Just frustrating because so many get out of school and just don't get it, and they drop out of the business. the reason salon owners are begging for nail techs. diana from indiana who appreciates all the different points of view!!!! No virus found in this incoming message. 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