TIP OF THE WEEK #35 Setting Yourself Apart
By Vicki Peters 

Setting yourself apart from your competition takes time and effort and can't 
be done overnight. It is a collection of good business basics, knowledge and 
experience and most of all good customer service skills. It takes experience, 
professionalism and wisdom to see what your competition is NOT doing. It 
also takes the right salon environment. If you're working in a salon that 
does not share your professional ethics then you should find one that does. 
If the rest of the salon does not answer the phone with the utmost care, if 
you're working with techs that don't have high enough standards then you 
should reconsider where your working. And for those who think lowering your 
prices to compete with those discount salons up the street is taking the 
WRONG approach. It is, just the opposite, believe me. Here are some ideas 
for you.

PROFESSIONALISM
Salon appearance - does the salon look the way you want it to look? What is 
the client's first impression and is there anything that you can improve on? 
What is the decor and does it need updating? 

Your appearance - Are you a jeans and T-shirt kind of manicurist? Will smocks 
help the appearance of the techs because it is difficult controlling what 
everyone wears? Do you apply makeup every day and do your hair so you feel 
good about the way you look? Are your nails done? There is no excuse here. 
Get a standing with a tech at another salon if you don't have time and get 
your nails done. Top coat them with gel so they are resistant to acetone. We 
are our best form of advertisement and if your nails don't look good then how 
can you sell your services? And there is nothing wrong with natural nails - 
buff them so they look neat and clean all the time. Take a look at the 
things and containers on your table - it is time for a table makeover? When 
was the last time you scrubbed your station down and removed all the polish 
and yuck from the top of the table? How about a new lamp? Is your table set 
up simple or do you have a cluttered table with personal things that looks 
like an extension of your bedroom? 

Table Manners - This is also important from the client's perspective. How do 
you handle interruptions and phone calls while your servicing a client? Do 
you gossip within the salon? Do you have salon menus available for the new 
client? Do you do nail consultations for the first time client? Do you offer 
alternatives to acrylic work? How to you greet the client and how do you end 
the appointment? Do you meet her at the front door and walk her back to the 
waiting area every time? 

Do you explain your technical procedures and why you prefer the products you 
prefer? Do you explain how you sanitize your implements? Do you share with 
your clients the extra education you take all year long to improve your 
knowledge? If not they won't know. 

WINNING WAYS
Trends - You need to be up on all the latest trends. Watch the consumer 
magazines and be on top of all the new polish colors as soon as they are 
available. Watch consumer nail shapes as well. 

Referrals & Networking - take advantage of the clients that sit in your chair 
before you go spend too much money on advertising. Your clients can advertise 
for you. Tell them you are looking for new clients and arm them with several 
of your business card. Write their name of the back of the card so when the 
new client comes in from a referral you so will know who it is. Reward that 
client with an extra 10 minutes of a massage or something special that does 
not cost money and they will remember. Discounting a service is not 
memorable. Most of your clients probably believe your booked and don't need 
more clients - if you don't tell them they won't know.

Retail - If your not retailing your missing the boat. The client wants your 
professional opinion on a top coat they do not want to go to the store and 
buy something blindly they would prefer your recommendation because you know. 
So why not sell them retail? Our recommendations can be powerful. They are 
always looking for good hand lotion, exfoliant and cuticle products. You can 
make so much more money by retailing and not having to work longer for it. 

Career Enhancement - If your not attending several trade shows and classes a 
year YOU ARE OUT OF THE LOOP. Don't you ever think for one minute you know 
enough because you don't and your business will eventually suffer. Even if 
you're fully booked now, that will not last. You have to maintain your career 
with fresh information, constantly. Go to every product class you can, even 
if you don't use or like the product. The educator may have one little tip 
she passes on that will make it worth your while going. Also you need to 
continually try new products, you never know - you just might find something 
you like better and if you don't it will just confirm your using the right 
product. 

Network at the shows - get online and find out who is going to what show and 
meet up. Help with a competition (maybe mine?) so you get the chance to stand 
over the shoulder of someone like Tom Holcomb as he competes. Watch the 
judging, hang with the competitors. Share hotel expenses with other techs you 
meet and network. Share ideas and attend classes and discuss with others what 
you learned at the classes. There are hidden values to attending a show that 
if you don't dig deeper you may miss. Spend ample time watching all the demos 
you can. Never know what you can learn.

Goal Setting - This is important to do in order to grow your career. Goals 
can be getting your time down, learning new techniques so you can charge more 
or training others. Setting goals on how much money you want to make each 
year and how you're going to do that. 

Customer Service - I can't say enough about this. Customer service and 
sanitation for that matter are two of the most important factors in securing 
a loyal client, the nails you do actually plays a much smaller part in it 
all. If you don't take pride in how you take care of the client she will not 
think the service was good no matter how good the nails are. 

So let's start with developing a phone dialog and customer service standards 
with in the salon. 
Answer the phone by the third ring. Take turns on answering the phone if that 
is what it takes when you don't have a receptionist. A consistent phone 
dialog should be written that every one uses. 
When you have to put someone on hold do so nicely don't just click. And 
please don't yell across the room if the phone is for some one else 
especially if the client is not on hold and can hear you. 
Keep track of everyone's schedule so when a client calls in for someone that 
is not there you know when she will be or take a written message and place it 
on the manicurist's desk. Not knowing is not good enough, the client called 
for a reason and she needs an answer. If you have voice mail use it and ask 
if the client if she would like to leave a message in so and so's voice mail 
if they are not there. 

Develop a standard on how to greet a new client that may be a walk in. Don't 
let her stand there and wait for some to greet her.. Put your friendliest 
tech closest to the front door for that reason. And even if you're all 
independent contractors you should be working as a team. The client does not 
care if it is not your job; she just wants to be taken care of. Bottom line. 

Customer service is easy and the best way to gain loyalty. Training on 
customer service is something to consider, there are many seminars you can 
take, Career Track is one of them and they are very good. I have taken 
several myself and there are plenty of books on the subject as well. Look 
outside the beauty industry for customer service help. Watch the way you are 
taken care of when you venture out to other salons, stores and restaurants. 
Give the client the impression that no matter what your salon can accommodate 
her.

Setting yourself apart from the other salons is easy as I said but will take 
a collection of service skills to rise above the discount salon mentality. 
And remember there will always be "Ford" customers out there but you want the 
" Cadillac" customer, and in order to attract a clientele like that you have 
to be a "Cadillac" tech. So are you?

DISCLAIMER
Any products mentioned in the "Tip Of The Week by Vicki Peters" is not an 
endorsement of any kind.