AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I am only three years into this....I so agree!!! My background is marketing and I have used it more in the Beauty Industry than other industries I have been in...I am ALWAYS thinking a few steps ahead about this and that. I go through business cards like they are liquid...it is an everyday project to market ourselves in this industry...I like to think of it as filling a sand box with a teaspoon...one day it will spill over the ssides and it will all be good!!!!!! You are all an inspiration to me!!
On Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 6:29 PM, Jill in Ky <[email protected]> wrote: > 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<http://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]<nailtech%[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]<nailtech%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. > > -- Kelley Killop-Marble Opalized Designs Studio Salon 7859 Twenty Four Mile Road Shelby Township, MI 48316 mobile: 313.363.1755 Check us out: http://wdiv.cityvoter.com/winners/4-the-best/1830/beauty/manicure-and-pedicure?place=2 -- 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 at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en.
