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I am a current owner in such a dilemma. I opened my nail spa with a little money from a car wreck settlement. My husband has been making my rent payments for a year. I just don't have the clientele to stay open without his help. I have tried all kinds of incentives, specials, discounts you name it. I don't have enough capital to invest in radio to say the least tv.
Right now I am looking at either teaching and working at the salon or going to another salon in a different part of town and working there.
And, yes I don't have any idea about business but my husband insisted that I open my own salon. I wanted more time to prepare. But, he keep saying the time was right. He gets upset when I say that I want to close down. Its not like he makes a ton of money either. We would be better off if he didn't have to pay my rent to. And I hate not having my own money. Every thing that I make from my services goes straight to the salon or my gas tank.
Is there anyone else out there with a similar dilemma?
Or hints to make things better?
You are truly in a pickle. You do not mention how many people you have working with/for you in your salon. If it is a booth rental salon and all your stations are rented but you are not making ends meet than you need to raise the booth rent. If it is a commission salon then you need to enlist the aid of someone to babysit the salon for you a couple hours a day so that you can attend to your main priority as the salon owner: promoting/marketing your business.
If that is your situation than no matter how busy you already are you need to "get out" of the salon and market it to the neighborhood. Attend/join networking groups, do free advertising within the community via the local schools, businesses, etc. Get your name out there to the community to attract business to your salon. How? try some of these:
Do a fashion show showcasing the upcomming spring styles. Put out flyers, be sure to include all the local high schools in your announcements, send out a press release to the local paper, tv, etc.
Go to the local high end car dealership and offer them a free pedicure or manicure to everyone who buys a car.
Go to the most successful home real estate company in your area and offer them a new home owner gift certificate to each of their new home buyers. Use Vista Print and get free postcards to make up your gift certifcates. Put them in a format that can be mailed out by the realtor. Use the url: Vistaprint.com/fallcatalog
Go to the local dry cleaners and make them a deal. Offer the manager/owner free services in exchange for putting your advertising flyers on each bundle of clothes that they send out the door. One 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of paper yields three flyers that can be slipped on hangers.
If your salon offers waxing; Go to each and every tanning salon and bikini store and offer their clients a discount on waxing. Use Vista print for business cards with the added twist of a discount on the card. Once again, free, just pay for the shipping and handling. Make a small flyer (5x7) and place in a 5x7 acrylic stand. glue a business card holder to it to hold the cards. This is less obtrusive than an 8x11 one and more readily accepted by the tanning salon or store.
Put a huge sign in your salon window advertising a contest to win something - no purchase necessary. It can be a gift basket, a pedicure, a full set, whatever strikes your fancy. Talk to your local beauty supply rep and see if they will donate some products for a gift basket.
If you sell makeup in your salon have a "prettiest lips contest" The client uses your lipstick tester and kisses a 3x5 card and places it on the mirror, wall, poster, whatever. At the end of the contest everyone votes for whose lips are the prettiest. Winner gets a prize. Lots of fun. Ask the beauty supply house that you get your makeup from to donate the prize.
Hold a drawing in the salon on a monthly basis. One entry for each referral sent to the salon. Make the prize something easy on your pocket book but that has a value to them.
Choose a large office building and make them "the business of the month" offer each of their employees a special discount on services and a free gift (bottle of polish, 1/4 oz bottle of solar oil, something that costs you under $4 each) the first time they come in.
Go to City Hall. Talk to the Human Resources person. Offer all city employees a discount on services or retail. Be prepared with a written letter proposing your plan and a copy of the discount card that would be given if any. Some cities have a special web site for it's employees or a newsletter anouncing these types of perks.
Contact your local Red Hat society chapter and make them an offer.
Hostess a party at the salon; purse party, jewelry, crafts, sex toys, crystal, tupperware, stamping, creative memories, Arbonne, what ever. Put up a big sign in the windows and post flyers all over town. do a different one every month.
Turn your salon into a boutique. Everything is for sale! Use the walls! Put up hooks all over the salon walls all over the salon. Hang purses, clothes, jewelry on those hooks. Change it up every two weeks. Talk to the purse lady, jewelry lady, craft lady, local artists and try to get their wares in your store ON CONSIGNMENT when ever possible. Starving artists are everywhere. They need a venue to sell their wares. You can be that venue!
Go to craft shows and talk to the crafters. Offer your salon as a venue to sell their wares.
Your clients will love it and it should attract more people into your salon to see what's new.
Do something for the community and send press releases out to all the newspapers and tv stations about it. Mother's day manicures for the homeless, cut a thons.
Do a food drive for the homeless - send out press releases detailing when and how to make donations. Offer a $1 off on retail purchases when someone brings in a donation.
Do a dog/cat food drive - send out press releases detailing when and how to make donations.
Have a dress up day once a month at the salon. Invite clients to participate. Choose a different theme each time; Western day, space man day, goth day, movie star look alike day, beach day. Give a prize for best outfit.
Do a demo class at the local beauty school.
Go to the park. Adopt a team. Offer the mom's a special deal when they bring in their child for a service. Offer face painting or nail art to the kids.
Start a myspace page for the salon. Start a blog. Put tips and sugggestions about nail care on it. Send out invitations to your site to every one in your area who is on myspace. Send out bulletins about all your promotions.
Advertise your services, special events and open job positions on Craigslist.com It's free.
Advertise on Stumblehere.com - also free
Have a contest within the salon - who ever sells the most retail each month wins movie tickets or something else you thing would inspire them.
Find the time to take some business/marketing classes.
Ask your husband; "why? Why is it so important to HIM to have you own your salon?" Ask him and yourself, "Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What do you hope to accomplish in that time?"
Good luck, I wish you all the best in this endevor. I know it is hard. I also know that you are going to be deluged with great advice from all those on this list.
Pam
Peoria, AZ
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