Needs help to get the ball rolling!!!

[m2nb]

hey everyone..

Ive been open since the 3rd of January and although i knew business would be slow and wouldn't take off straight away i didnt imagine it to be this slow! So far ive had two clients.. one is a friend of the family and another i went to school with.. barely enough for even one weeks rent let alone four weeks! Ive done letter box drops but only with a very simple flyer that basically just lets everyone know where im located what i do and a number to contact me on.. that was two weeks ago.. still nothing..

I would love more ideas on marketing and basically how to get the ball rolling.. any advice would be great, would also love to know how things were when you all started business for the first time.. my business is set in a country town so i guess i dont the advantage of being in the city with lots of people but i have to start somewhere..

Also if any body has ideas on what i should put in my flyers/newspaper ads etc to entice people to come to my beauty studio id love that too.. a very simple website i put together (thats no where near finished) is www.m2nb.wordpress.com that might give everyone a rough idea on what my business is about..

Right now i need all the help i can get!

[KarenC]

Hi there - I had a look at your web page - please fix the spelling error with the word recieve - it should be receive. (i before e, except after c)

re promotional ideas ... A good thing would be to have a little story about what your pampering business can do for the customer. And ask editorial in your local newspaper if they could use it/edit it and take a photo.

Newspapers also love to feature stories that are true and unique.
Do you have a funny story that you can relate to your business?

For example, many years ago my husband had a three legged 'theatre cat' that would saunter across the stage which made a fabulous little story and brought attention to his business years ago. Ricky went to live with the mother-in-law and lived out a very happy and spoiled retirement. Although long gone, his memory and ghost lives on.

Perhaps you have a funny story about how you got the idea for your business ...

Regularly adding editorial will help get you noticed.

Go to some local network functions and take plenty of business cards.
Try also the senior's groups and other such groups.

Don't undercut - just promote what a fabulous service and how wonderful it is to be pampered by you and come out feeling fabulous.

Hope some others have some ideas for you.
Cheers.

[Jay-T]

Hi there,

congrats for starting your own business it takes balls to go out on your own and create value for others.

I won't say much on this thread because there's only a handful of ways to say the same thing and to be honest you have all of the ideas you could ever want at your disposal on this forum...you just gotta look.

If you're serious about getting more clients for your beauty salon then go read my blog...seriously, go read it.

There's no ads, nothing for sale...at the moment it's just pure content.

The truth is you don't need more "ideas", too many people ask for ideas, try those ideas, fail with those ideas then ask for more without stepping back and asking, why the hell didn't that work and how could I get it to work? In most cases, ideas don't create more sales, thinking in a specific way does.

For example:

Sending out Flyer's is an "idea" does it work? Yes and No. For you it didn't, but I bet there are people in this forum who have gotten them to work (I'm one of them, not flyers but letters) and the difference between an idea working or not working is the execution of that idea i.e. the thinking that drives the idea.

On my blog you'll learn about all of this stuff.

here it is: http://www.renegadebusinessgrowth.co.nz/

It's going through a face lift at the moment but it's going to be sexier than ever!

[Jazzah]

Just a thought that school is going back and all those little kids need a haircut before they return, mine certainly do! Something to think about maybe?

[MarketingHQ]

Hi m2nb,

A few thoughts for you.

You live in a country town so I assume you have lots of friends and family in the area. You need to spread the word and get them to help you spread the word. Think of them as your personal sales force. Here's what I would do:

1. Have a re-launch party - invite every single person you know in the area to the opening of your store. Serve some champers, some beer, some nibbles and give them a sample of the service you offer. Give people who attend a voucher or something to encourage them to come back - a bonus offer of some sort. I confess I don't know this market very well so I'm light on for suggestions of what to offer. Not a discount though, a bonus offer.

2. Let the local paper know about it. If they don't send a photographer, get a friend with a good camera to take some good shots and send them to the editor with a press release. Local papers love this sort of stuff and it can create some good awareness in the local area.

3. Joint a local chamber of commerce or networking group - you need to get your name out there. Go and press some fresh and talk about your new business.

Just a few suggestions, hope they help.

[Accounts Studio]

With any sort of marketing you need to be consistent and ongoing - so don't just fall for the common 'helicopter marketing' technique. How about some before and after photos of clients you have worked on (use friends), or targetting weddings - see if you can affiliate yourself with other wedding providers eg photographers, wedding dress shops etc. Also how about joining forces with hairdressers and doing some cross promotions? The only way I would have thought you would get clients for that type of business would be word of mouth or if people have seen your work. How about running a competition in conjunction with a local dress shop - the two of you put on a fashion show, you do the makeup, she provides the clothes, and get members of the public to enter. That should drum up some publicity. You could do it for older women or teenagers, or maybe something like 'refresh your look after the Christmas madness', see if there is also an image consultant nearby who you could do this with, and a photographer to photograph the winners.

[Bridal Discount Book Aust]

Firstly Congrats on your business and your website is already a great start!

If I can make one suggestion that may help you - Add more pics of your actual work. In the form of before & after pictures so that people can physically see exactly what you are capable of!

For an example I too am a hairdresser by trade (well before starting Bridal Discount Book) Take a look at my site http://www.flair4hair.com.au and incorporate some of those things. Including any awards you may have won, media work/ representations etc.

Remember the beauty industry is a cut throat business and clients are looking for someone with an edge and proof to back it up

Good luck!

[TheCakeMum]

Good on you for opening your own business!!!

Firstly promote yourself and talk yourself up A LOT. List with every free search engine possible especially Google Maps (my husband did that for me).

When I first started out, I knew NO ONE. I was doing cakes for family... that's it. Then I joined Facebook and just kept adding friends of friends, family member friends. Don't be afraid to suggest your page to people (that reminds me to do that again).

Flyers are all well and good - but to be honest. I don't think they work for everyone. I did Tupperware for a month and they pushed fliers all the time. They just didn't work for me.

I also think this is a great idea

1. Have a re-launch party - invite every single person you know in the area to the opening of your store. Serve some champers, some beer, some nibbles and give them a sample of the service you offer. Give people who attend a voucher or something to encourage them to come back - a bonus offer of some sort. I confess I don't know this market very well so I'm light on for suggestions of what to offer. Not a discount though, a bonus offer.

Run a competition on FB - my friend who is also a hairdress www.shineateve.com is running a FB competition for anyone on her page to get a free wash and blow wave.
Your's could be different. Maybe have something a long the lines

"The person who refers and brings back the most clients for me wins a 6 month worth of colour treatment" - I don't know I am not a hairdresser LOL.

Being in a small town is a BONUS as your new!! Use that to your advantage.

And have fun - you can't learn from your mistakes unless you try doing something different

[belle]

Originally Posted by m2nb

hey everyone..

Ive been open since the 3rd of January and although i knew business would be slow and wouldn't take off straight away i didnt imagine it to be this slow! So far ive had two clients.. one is a friend of the family and another i went to school with.. barely enough for even one weeks rent let alone four weeks! Ive done letter box drops but only with a very simple flyer that basically just lets everyone know where im located what i do and a number to contact me on.. that was two weeks ago.. still nothing..

Ok, personally, I don't rate letter box drops. There's something called 'reach and frequency' that you need to know about them. Basically, someone won't respond to that letter box drop until they've seen it for three or more times.
Therefore it can be a costly expense.

Can I ask who your target market is?

And the other thing, who is your competition?

[belle]

The other thing.. Sorry had to take a phone call...

Are you targeting mums with kids? How about going to the playgroup, giving a free hand massage and a voucher for discount off another treatment?

Working women? Free neck and shoulder massage plus voucher...

Really have a think... who are these people, where are they, what are they doing, how do you access them?

: )