Nail Biz Retailing

The Business of Nails
NAIL-BIZ by the Dragon

Why should I retail?

No matter how fast you work, no matter how booked up you are ... you can only do X number of clients in a day.
Even if you are already highly successful ... have a full book and do fills priced at $50 and full sets for $80 .... you can only do X number of clients in a day.

To make more, you need to retail.
And what can retail do for you?
Let us start with a simple goal ---- how about pay your rent. Whether a booth renter or if you are leasing a store for your nail business. What may it be? ..... $55 weekly, $125 weekly, $400 monthly, $1000 monthly, $4000 a year, $12000 a year.
Retail can pay that for you.
And all that rent you saved? ..... where does that go?
INTO YOUR POCKETBOOK.

PS: Get creative with your retail goals. How about goal is make enough retail this year to afford a lavish vacation in a tropical paradise of crystal clear waters gently lapping onto a unspoiled beach of pure white while soothing breezes rustle among the palms........ can you tell me you don't want that?

But I can't sell ....or.....but my clients don't want to buy from me.

BALONEY.
Number one, your clients do want to buy. To buy from someone they know and trust and feel can recommend good products. Number two, your clients will end up spending their money on products somewhere else .... and perhaps make poor choices without your guidance.
Number three .... forget your fear of selling. Don't be afraid that some clients will say no and you will lose your courage to suggest anything else. You had the courage to become a nail tech,,, you had the courage to become a business person.
Just begin by saying .... This is what I recommend.

Anyway, I don't have room to retail

Yes, that can be a problem.
In a full salon you can use many different styles of shelving. Buy inexpensive snap together shelf systems from Home Depot .... or expensive shelf systems built into the walls.
As say a booth renter, your options are sometimes limited.
But not non-existent.

Do you have your own room? Great, then there are many display options open to you. Just have a corner or just have your table up against a wall. Well we don't want to clutter your table with retail ... so how about the salon owner allowing you to install some attractive shelves on the wall behind of near you?
Or a small table that will fit beside you and your client?

It doesn't require a lot of space. Look at nail polish. To retail polish, just mount a 2' by 3' clear acrylic polish rack on the wall behind you ..... that will hold 90 to 120 bottles of polish.
(can't find a wall rack? no excuses. email us. We will ship you a super wall rack for $50.)

Now, a sign. Use your PC to print a sign for your polish. Buy a 8"x11" acrylic flush acrylic sign holder at OfficeMax for $5.
Lastly .... practice saying "This is what I recommend".
You are now retailing nail polish.

What do other nail techs retail.

Here are the top retail items.
nail polish
nail treatments, cures, top coats, cuticle
nail files & buffers
hand lotions
nail jewelry

But that is just the beginning ......
lipsticks - note that OPI offers matching nail polish & lipstick
manicure sets, clippers, combs - clients buy them for their men
soda openers
kid items like nail art stickers
sandals - easy to sell if in an upscale pedicure setting
vitamins - wow do some techs sell a lot of this
weight loss items - again, wow do some techs sell a lot of this

And some techs have great success selling .....
scented candles
flower arrangements and vases
rings, necklaces, bracelets
items for massage and back discomfort

And theme items such as ...
angel items
penguin items
elephant items
ect ect

AND THE NUMBER ONE GIFT ITEM THAT ALL SHOULD BE RETAILING IS .....

Gift Certificates

Finally, a general bunch of advice.

Ignore the fear of selling.
Retail for holidays .... theme your retail to holidays .... such as stocking stuffers for Christmas.
Whatever products you use on clients .... retail to clients.
Consider retailing a 'take care of your nails at home' kit.
Install a glass shelf on the wall about the bathroom sink.... perfect for retailing lotions and soaps.
Keep track of your sales..... the dollar amount will amaze you.
Don't put one or two items on display ..... make as large a display as possible.
Model your items .... selling nail jewelry ..... then wear nail jewelry.
Don't assume items must be low priced..... clients will purchase high priced items as well.
Aromatherapy products are hot this year.
Products based upon natural ingredients are hot this year.

Summary

Commit to retail.
Yes, we are fully aware that it can take some courage.
Just look at us.
Here we are opening a store on the internet.
We can't assume that enough nail techs are going to buy from us. We could fail.
We put a lot of time into programming and setting up the web site.
We put a lot of time into research and locating dependable manufacturers of quality products.
We put a lot of money into getting trucks of products on the road coming to us.
But we made a commitment.
We know that we have quality products..... we know that we have value pricing....we know that nail techs are already purchasing their products from someone, somewhere ..... so why not from us .... with quality, with value, with service.
Make the commitment, even if it is to merely begin with a few items .... on this web site we are selling products that you not only need for your services .... but you can also retail to your clients.
Good Luck and Good Retailing.

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