How to avoid slipping into bad business habits
By Metta Francis | 24 January 2019 | Expert Advice, Feature
Award-winning nailist, Metta Francis, reveals how to boost your spirits and avoid falling into bad habits in your nail business…
With January well underway, how are you getting on with any resolutions or good intentions you set for the year? Apparently it takes 21 days to break a habit, and if you’ve already broken a resolution, I’m sure you won’t be alone.
Slipping back into bad habits can be bad for business, a waste of time and money and bad for your professional reputation. But it’s not too late! Here are a few top tips to recharge your January:
- Review your service menu and pricing
Was December so busy that you didn’t have time to sit down and review your business? If you haven’t reviewed your services or increased your prices for 2019, why not?
Have you invested in more education or developed your skills and services over the last 12 months and has your cost of business (products, travel, etc) increased? If so, look into raising your prices.
It could be £1, it could be £3, or even more if you feel it is justified. Create an updated menu and pricing and set a clear start date. Make each client aware of the changes (ideally face to face) and give them sufficient notice. Once the start date arrives, make sure you stick to your guns and new pricing. It can be confusing for clients if you charge everyone differently or offer “secret” discounts and can cause distrust.
- Don’t forget to charge for extras
Love nail art? Adore glitter and foils? Are you charging sufficiently for these upgrades? Nail art products can cost more and take longer to do – make sure your costs are covered by charging extra for these services (per nail/per upgrade) or at the very least, ensure your standard pricing takes these into consideration.
- Time is money
Are you a mobile nail tech, constantly on the go? Unlike a salon, you can’t fit in a large volume of clients back to back. Travel time is often overlooked but if you’re spending more than one hour driving in the car, you have to double check that your mobile appointments are profitable. Was it worth travelling half way across town for one client?
To minimise travel time, set a clear service radius. Don’t be afraid to charge an excess travel fee for clients that live outside of this area (you can charge a per mileage rate + time). You can also look at working set days in specific areas and book your clients accordingly, to reduce travel time.
- Implement a clear cancellation policy and stick to it
It’s easy to take it personally when a client cancels last minute or when you turn up at your client’s home and they’re not in because they ‘forgot’ about their nail appointment. Make it easier for clients to remember by sending automated text message/email reminders and implement a clear cancellation policy. Twenty-four hours notice is generally the acceptable standard in the industry.
For your own peace of mind and to ensure your clients commit to their appointment, you can take a non refundable booking fee which ensures that even if they do cancel, you still have a small fee (or full fee, depending on your policy). Certain booking systems enable free SMS/email reminders and some card reader providers also have the ability to take payment over the phone, making it much easier for you to manage.
- Have your standards slipped?
It’s easy to fall into familiar territory with your clients. They’ve been with you for years and have become friends, but don’t forget that all clients – old and new – love to feel special. Are you putting the same amount of effort into their treatment as when they first booked you?
Make sure you’re giving everyone the 5* treatment and your clients will continue to spread the word and keep coming back for more!
Metta