Dang, Michelle! You really said it well! gone are the days when techs could sit back and let the salon market for them. Techs have GOT to be out hustling those nail clients!
You cannot leave the house without a business card (see the Nails mag newest issue for a "Just My Opinion" piece on this subject). Be sure to hand them to everyone you come into contact with.....drive thru's for bank, fast food, dry cleaners, kid's teachers, softball coach, girl scout leader, even put it in the offering plate at church! Definitely leave a pedi discount card for servers, because they are on their feet ALL day long, working hard for their money. Basically everyone you know or meet should have your card. Leave a card on the counter in the restroom of the restaurant, too. You never know who the next visitor might be that could pick it up! Get promoting yourself on Facebook pronto! That's the most inexpensive way to get the word out about what you do, plus connect with other nail techs, too! Everyone has their own opinion on natural nails VS. nail enhancements, so here's mine: enhancements are where the money is, just like hair color is where the money is for stylists. The clients NEED to keep coming back for fills, but those mani's can be done at home in a jiffy, if they find themselves short on cash or time. But with enhancements, the clients will MAKE time to keep them looking great! Jill Wright Bowling Green, KY On Feb 18, 10:04 pm, Michelle Cordes <[email protected]> wrote: > Oh my gosh, I think every successful tech can understand where you're coming > from! > > 14 long years ago (ouch!), I went to nail school full time while working as a > part time retail manager. I stayed with my 24 hour a week retail management > job for the first year I was in the business. I ate, slept, breathed nails > for that year. I went out to dinner... business card with the tip for 50% off > a full set. Bankers, grocery store checkers, anyone I came in contact with > got a business card. I gave a free set to someone who brought a friend in for > a full set! Anything to get their butt in my chair. I spent about an hour and > a half a week on MY nails so they were always PERFECT and became the fastest > business card draw-er in the west when someone complimented me on them! I put > flyers in the newspaper boxes at 5 am (right behind a very annoyed newspaper > delivery car! LOL!) for a week in a 5 mile radius around the salon I worked > in. I stayed at the salon when I didn't have any clients and practiced > practiced practiced. When I started to have > to turn away clients because of my other job, I turned in my notice and went > to full time in nails... and promoted even harder than before! I became an > educator for a company (you guys remember when that was? **wink**), opened my > own salon and have made it through all these years. When it's gotten really > really slow, I have gone out and picked up a bartending job or something... I > even took a full time job at the beginning of this recession.... which I quit > after a year because I made more in 20 hours at the salon than 40 at the job! > I know this because I never could quit doing nails... so that was a year of > 60 hour weeks! The bottom line is this.... yes, we may have reached the end > of the days where clients fell from the sky, when you could charge whatever > you wanted and turn people away every day with minimal marketing... but at > the end of the day our business is the best and isn't ever going away! You > are in control of your income! Want a raise? Add > a few clients. Saving for a vacation? Add a few clients! You have the one > thing that can't be taught... passion for the industry. Take whatever job you > have to for making ends meet, but just remember, you aren't a grocery > checker, bartender, or retail clerk... YOU ARE A NAIL TECH!!! > > I bet if you let your passion show through to everyone you meet, you will > keep your chair full no matter what salon you are in! (You are in an industry > of women for women, no offense to the men, and there will be infighting and > crap anywhere. Ignore it.) Now go get 'em, kid... > > Michelle Cordes (realizing I had A LOT to say on the subject... he he) > The Nail Spa @ Steel Magnolias Salon > "The spa for your hands and feet since 1997" > Bremerton, Washingtonwww.myspace.com/thenailspa > > --- On Wed, 2/10/10, Shannon <[email protected]> wrote: > > From: Shannon <[email protected]> > Subject: NailTech:: Need to vent > To: "NailTech" <[email protected]> > Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 6:21 AM > > Allright my nail tech sisters. I just need to vent. I have been a nail > tech for almost 2 years (still a newbie) and LOVE doing nails. My > first job was in an organic salon doing only natural nails. I was the > only nail tech and I tried it for a year. At the end of the year I was > not happy because I was working 4 days a week and only making between > $150-$200 a week not including tips. And that was a high end salon. I > thought maybe because it was all natural nails that it was limiting so > I found another salon (this one just opened too in Sept) and started > learning gels but am still having a hard time with lifting so we have > not added it to the menu but we are doing the soak offs. I am actually > making less than the other place around $125-$140 a week not including > tips. Now there is infighting between the salon owners. My thought is > now, what if I try to find a place that does not charge so much for > their services ($42.00-55.00 for pedicures and $23.00 for regular > manicures currently) and maybe going with someplace that charges less > but is busier would work better. Or is it the economy or is it that > nail techs do not make a lot of money unless they are established and > do gels/acrylics??? I am just SO frustrated that it works out that I > am making $4.35 an hour!!!?????? I love nails but am also considereing > going to work at a grocery store where I would make more. sigh. I am > just frustrated that I have put so much time and energy promoting and > helping to grow someone else's business and it is not there yet. And I > know they are doing marketing. It just is not working. Sorry this is > so long and thanks for letting me vent. > Shannon K > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NailTech" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group > athttp://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. 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