Nail Business Basics
The benefits a tanning salon can reap by offering nail services to its customers can enhance a business greatly. However, knowing the nail business basics is a must in order to be successful in the world of nails.
More salon owners are realizing the importance of diversification in order to stay competitive. Adding nail services is one way tanning salons can stay competitive for a minimum investment of money and staff. Nail services not only will interest your current clientele, but they have the potential to bring in new clients. Initially, your established client base will make up the majority of business you will pick up from nail services. New customers eventually will follow based on recommendations of your existing clients.
When thinking about advertising, it may not be a wise investment to advertise outside of your store. However, if you already are advertising, be sure to mention the addition of nail services to your salon's offerings. According to industry experts, there are several reasons why nail services are so appealing to consumers: They are relatively affordable; they provide a relaxing form of therapy; and people are becoming much more conscious of the appearance of their hands and nails.
Building Blocks
What are the basics for setting up nail services in your facility? Incorporating a nail service station into your salon is extremely easy and affordable. First, you need to determine the amount of space you can allocate without taking away from your tanning business. Nail services do not require much space, usually just enough room for a manicure table with a seat on each side.
A nail bar setup is one of the easiest ways to develop the maximum number of nail stations with the least amount of space. The nail bar can be built in a work area of 3 feet to 4 feet (per nail technician) by 22 inches, and the height can vary from 29 inches for chairs to 36 inches for stools. The total area ends up being less than 70 square feet for three nail technicians, which is enough room for technicians and clients to be comfortable.
Check out the various bar shapes that might fit your salon. If your salon is long and narrow, consider a bar along the wall. If you have a square room, a U-shape bar might be the most effective use of space. If a corner is the only space available, an L-shaped bar might work best.
The rest of the equipment you will need to set up shop depends upon the type of nail services provided. There are four categories of nail services you could offer--acrylic nails, gel nails with UV light, glass-glaze/no light gel, and silk/linen/fiberglass wraps.
Gel nails with UV light, glass-glaze/no light gel, and silk/linen/fiberglass wraps are recommended for all salons. Acrylic nails are not recommended in a tanning environment, because when the liquid in acrylic nails, referred to as methacrylic acid, is exposed in a heat-generating environment, such as tanning, the odor intensifies and causes discomfort to clients.
According to industry experts, the most inexpensive types of nails you can do to start out are either fiberglass wraps or silk wraps. The expenses are minimal because all you need are glue, tips, fiberglass or silks and an emery board. As far as initial start-up costs, a salon owner could get started in either fiberglass or silk wraps with a salon disinfection system for less that $100.
Adding a nail service to a tanning salon generates an increased amount of customer traffic. Clients will come into your salon every week or every other week depending on the type of nail service they use. Others will get their nails done after tanning. The retail products can increase a salon's bottom line.
Accessories
There are various accessories that beginning nail salons may want to offer to their customers. Useful items include nail files, buffers, cuticle pushers, cuticle oils, polishes, polish removers and other basic products that are used in the care and enhancement of natural and artificial nails. Most manufacturers conduct shows and training programs for full-service salon distributors and their nail technicians in order to keep them informed and updated on the latest products.
Displays
How you display accessories is very important. Simply displaying the products on the shelf does little for promotion. It is important to remember that product displays should look professional as well as customer-oriented. A good display usually is quite successful at presenting the selling points of the product, or telling a little story about the item. These things are helpful in sales.
Different manufacturers offer unique wire, acrylic and corrugated displays for their nail polishes. Individual-treatment displays typically come with six or 12 items and are placed in corrugated displays. For polishes, acrylic or wire displays are used. The use of vivid, yet feminine colors draw clients' attention. Try to stay away from black because it is harsh. Instead, make color polishes jump out by putting them in white acrylic displays.
Set up a plan for attaining the best use of your display space. This is why compact displays are so important. Salon owners should always keep in mind that polishes move at a much faster rate than treatment items.
Salons should stock professional nail products and avoid the no-name products on the market that can be purchased inexpensively and then personalized with your salon name. Stick to recognized brands that offer a good selection of colors. Also, make certain that you stay within an affordable price range by your clientele. Many salons eliminate a good deal of their market because their prices are too high.
A Business Plan
When considering adding a nail service to your tanning salon, chart out a plan. Make sure that by adding nail service you are not crowding the other services you offer. Find out from other tanning salons what worked and didn't work for them. If you have questions about the adding nail service to your tanning salon, there is plenty of support out there for salon owners. Incorporating nail services into your salon requires complete planning, and manufacturers and educators agree that it's a business opportunity that should not be overlooked.
