Nails techs: Here’s how you can raise your business profile

Scratch Stars award-winner 2022 & 2023, Clare Woodcock, founder of Surrey-based mobile beauty business, The Nail Club, shares key ways to raise your profile as a nail pro…

You’ve got your business up and running, you have a handful of loyal clients and you feel confident in your work. Now, you just need to put yourself out there. But how?

Over the last few years, I have noticed an increasing number of nail businesses open. Thankfully, with the rise of nail content on TikTok and Instagram, the demand for techs has also grown. But with more competition, it is imperative to stand out from the crowd. There are a number of reasons why you may want to raise your profile. You might want to become a social media influencer or nail brand ambassador, or you might simply want a full diary. Either way, you have to put yourself out there.

If you’re new to nails or working on a mobile basis, start with your local community, as this is where your core clients will come from. The most effective way to build your client base, and subsequently your profile, is through recommendations. Let’s face it: when you book a beauty treatment, you are more likely to choose what has been recommended – and this is what your clients will do. Consider setting up a website, as this allows potential clients to see who you are, the work you produce and what other clients say about you.

People buy people

Let potential clients know who you are and what you offer via the following platforms:

• Your website. Even if you have a one-page site with a photo of yourself, details of your experience, qualifications and values, and pictures of your work, you are speaking to anyone who is interested in you.
• Social media. Remember to populate this with posts about you, as well as your work. Admittedly, I am still building up the courage to post more face-to-camera content, but it is a valuable way to raise your profile. As a mobile nailist, it’s challenging to film nail work, as I can’t always carry around a camera tripod or lighting for filming, therefore it’s important to be creative in other ways.
• Local press. Do you have a story to tell? The local press love a feel-good community story, so think of ways to connect for a feature about you.

Enter competitions & awards

Clare with her Scratch Stars Awards trophy for Mobile Nailist of the Year 2022.

If you can write ‘award-winning’ in your title and on your social platforms and website, your business has an instant edge. Competitions are great for raising your profile and improving your skills. There are international competitions like Nailympia, and challenges at trade events, such as the FNP nail competitions at Professional Beauty.

Awards are brilliant for business, too. Obviously, the best (and only) awards for the UK&I nail industry is the Scratch Stars Awards, but it is also likely that there are local business awards that you can enter. If you are required to pay a fee just to enter a competition, you might want to investigate its legitimacy. Every competition offers an opportunity for you to take a closer look at your business and identify areas for improvement.

Even if you don’t rank in a competition, do not be disheartened. We level up when we improve on what we have already built. However, if you become a finalist, promote this to your clients to raise your profile and showcase your success.

Click here to enter the Scratch Stars Awards 2024!

Click here to check out nail competitions that are open for entry.