Many of my students ask me ' how can I get my clients to
try something different'...
There she is sitting in front of you, and you ask her ‘ what shall we do today?’ Her reply is like so many others you’ve heard ‘ oh the usual, a French please’.
The traditional pink and white has been around for years and that’s what most of our wonderful clients seem to want, mainly because they don’t know what else is on offer. As a nail technicians we have access to brilliant trade magazines, the internet and some wonderful role modals, who are out there experimenting with coloured acrylics, so… why can’t you. What’s stopping you, producing some fantastic designs and giving you the edge over the competition around the corner? I know what you’re going to say, ‘the wonderful clients’! Who seem to be too afraid to try something else…
Are they afraid or just uneducated in the possibilities available to them?
When I first qualified as a nail tech I trained in pink and white but my main passion was nail art. Painting designs on nails gave me a reputation for being different but that wasn’t enough, I wanted to push the boundaries, and I managed to do that using
Ez Flow products. The coloured acrylics and glitters combined with some hand painted art work, even encapsulating gave me inspiration, but all I needed was the clients to be let loose on. They where few and far between at the start but now more than 80% of my clients have coloured acrylic, changing their designs on each visit. Not only will this increase your revenue but will give you and edge and reputation over and above those other tech’s less adventurous than you. You don’t need to be artistic to do this, just have a little imagination.
We as nail technicians have a duty to take care of our clients nails, however we can also influence them to ‘try something different’. Something small can give them a little push in the right direction, and then let them leave the comfort of the salon and go out into the big bad world, and I assure you they will come back and want more...
Why you ask? Because they will get so many compliments and enquiries about their nails that not only will they want to push the boat out on the next visit but so will their friends. I have found that people are pulling away from the traditional pink and white, not wanting to look like they have ‘false nails’. Well make sure you are a nail tech that can give them something different.
When your client comes in next time offer her something new and exciting, free of charge! Involve her in your business telling her you would like to try something out on her to see how it will look. I usually choose a ring finger and only try something small and uncomplicated to start with. It won’t take long or cost you any more, but could start you on the road to something new.
*Try encapsulating tiny silver or gold stars in the white, this way it looks different from just sticking something on, and your client can still polish her nails without loosing the design.
* Christmas is a wonderful time to give clients a tiny painted holly, on one of their fingers as a small gift. Comic relief sees those ladies supporting a red nose and even my die hard, pink and white, fans wear it with pride, All your mothers could have a small flower or for Valentines… well a heart.
* Daisy’s are a great one for the summer, painting some tiny little one on a finger goes well with the white, and later you can introduce colours.
* The boogie night’s collection from EZ Flow gives you a fantastic alternative to the pink. Using Foxy lady or Brick road instead of the pink gives a light glitter effect over the nail, great for the summer, as when the sun catches the holographic film it seems like the nails are dancing.
*The younger clients would be ideal candidates for something totally different, remember most of them are following a trend asking for pink and white so encourage them to stand out from the crowd and have an alternative nail. Remove one of the nails (usually the ring finger) and place a glass tip on it, either encapsulate some 3D acrylic art work or use holographic shapes in various different sizes and colours. Using a transparent glitter powder gives an illusion of light.
*Using coloured acrylic on one of the tips instead of white. Grape soda (purple) or Onyx (black) is a popular one, I usually balance out the design by using the same colour on the other hand, either with a very tiny star, heart or a thin line over the smile line.
When you have created an alternative look remember to take a photo, so you can build up a portfolio to show you other ‘Traditionalists’ what you have done. It’s important that you yourself are breaking the boundaries, and are willing to try something different! Wear these designs on your nails and tell your clients how you have found it.
It’s important that you are enthusiastic about what you are doing, and you sell the ideas. Make sure the client is always aware that you will put right, what you have changed on their next appointment. But ask them to give it a chance and to tell them to tell you what people have said or what they have thought over the past 3 weeks. Even if they don’t want to continue on the road of discovery you have placed an idea in their minds which might reappear in the future for a holiday or special occasion’s. For every one client who doesn’t like it there will be two who do. Once you started letting colour into your life the idea’s and designs don’t need to stop with just French.
I hope you have fun in your quest to ‘try something different’, and remember only the attitude is permanent.
The traditional pink and white has been around for years and that’s what most of our wonderful clients seem to want, mainly because they don’t know what else is on offer. As a nail technicians we have access to brilliant trade magazines, the internet and some wonderful role modals, who are out there experimenting with coloured acrylics, so… why can’t you. What’s stopping you, producing some fantastic designs and giving you the edge over the competition around the corner? I know what you’re going to say, ‘the wonderful clients’! Who seem to be too afraid to try something else…
Are they afraid or just uneducated in the possibilities available to them?
When I first qualified as a nail tech I trained in pink and white but my main passion was nail art. Painting designs on nails gave me a reputation for being different but that wasn’t enough, I wanted to push the boundaries, and I managed to do that using
Ez Flow products. The coloured acrylics and glitters combined with some hand painted art work, even encapsulating gave me inspiration, but all I needed was the clients to be let loose on. They where few and far between at the start but now more than 80% of my clients have coloured acrylic, changing their designs on each visit. Not only will this increase your revenue but will give you and edge and reputation over and above those other tech’s less adventurous than you. You don’t need to be artistic to do this, just have a little imagination.
We as nail technicians have a duty to take care of our clients nails, however we can also influence them to ‘try something different’. Something small can give them a little push in the right direction, and then let them leave the comfort of the salon and go out into the big bad world, and I assure you they will come back and want more...
Why you ask? Because they will get so many compliments and enquiries about their nails that not only will they want to push the boat out on the next visit but so will their friends. I have found that people are pulling away from the traditional pink and white, not wanting to look like they have ‘false nails’. Well make sure you are a nail tech that can give them something different.
When your client comes in next time offer her something new and exciting, free of charge! Involve her in your business telling her you would like to try something out on her to see how it will look. I usually choose a ring finger and only try something small and uncomplicated to start with. It won’t take long or cost you any more, but could start you on the road to something new.
*Try encapsulating tiny silver or gold stars in the white, this way it looks different from just sticking something on, and your client can still polish her nails without loosing the design.
* Christmas is a wonderful time to give clients a tiny painted holly, on one of their fingers as a small gift. Comic relief sees those ladies supporting a red nose and even my die hard, pink and white, fans wear it with pride, All your mothers could have a small flower or for Valentines… well a heart.
* Daisy’s are a great one for the summer, painting some tiny little one on a finger goes well with the white, and later you can introduce colours.
* The boogie night’s collection from EZ Flow gives you a fantastic alternative to the pink. Using Foxy lady or Brick road instead of the pink gives a light glitter effect over the nail, great for the summer, as when the sun catches the holographic film it seems like the nails are dancing.
*The younger clients would be ideal candidates for something totally different, remember most of them are following a trend asking for pink and white so encourage them to stand out from the crowd and have an alternative nail. Remove one of the nails (usually the ring finger) and place a glass tip on it, either encapsulate some 3D acrylic art work or use holographic shapes in various different sizes and colours. Using a transparent glitter powder gives an illusion of light.
*Using coloured acrylic on one of the tips instead of white. Grape soda (purple) or Onyx (black) is a popular one, I usually balance out the design by using the same colour on the other hand, either with a very tiny star, heart or a thin line over the smile line.
When you have created an alternative look remember to take a photo, so you can build up a portfolio to show you other ‘Traditionalists’ what you have done. It’s important that you yourself are breaking the boundaries, and are willing to try something different! Wear these designs on your nails and tell your clients how you have found it.
It’s important that you are enthusiastic about what you are doing, and you sell the ideas. Make sure the client is always aware that you will put right, what you have changed on their next appointment. But ask them to give it a chance and to tell them to tell you what people have said or what they have thought over the past 3 weeks. Even if they don’t want to continue on the road of discovery you have placed an idea in their minds which might reappear in the future for a holiday or special occasion’s. For every one client who doesn’t like it there will be two who do. Once you started letting colour into your life the idea’s and designs don’t need to stop with just French.
I hope you have fun in your quest to ‘try something different’, and remember only the attitude is permanent.
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