Mention the beauty business and most people think of hair salons or cosmetic surgery clinics. But there is another kind of business that is hugely popular and still growing: the nail salon, which makes fingernails and toenails look good. If you fancy opening one and want it to last, there is a checklist worth working through — the things that will keep your salon standing and your customers coming back for years.
1. Interest, passion and experience
The first thing that will carry a new nail salon through is a love of service work and a genuine passion for beauty, which is what lets you shape the business around exactly what your customers want. If you already love doing nails, you will understand this group of customers well. And if you want the business to succeed, you have to keep learning — picking up new techniques to bring into the salon keeps you from falling behind the trends. Take further nail courses that teach new designs, and beyond what you learn, you will make connections that may prove useful to the business, and perhaps come away with a certificate or qualification you can use to reassure customers about the service you offer.
2. Capital to set the salon up
Once the interest and the enthusiasm are there, the next thing to prepare is capital. It goes on finding a site, renting or buying the space, designing the salon and fitting it out so it looks good and suits the customers you are after. If you are new to this and don't have much capital, we would suggest starting with a small salon that can take one or two customers at a time, saving as you go and expanding once you have enough put by.
3. Get the basic nail kit together
Your equipment is another thing to have ready before you open. Prices run from very cheap to very expensive, so you can buy to whatever budget you have set. The essentials are:
- A gel polish set : gel colours, top coat, base coat, care gel and primer
- A nail lamp : available in various sizes and wattages, used to cure gel nails faster
- Nail polish remover : glitter, gel and acrylic colours are all hard to remove, so you need the right remover. We would suggest one that smells pleasant and is gentle on skin and nails
- Nail preparation tools : cuticle nippers, shaping files, a cuticle pusher, buffing files, plus what you need to remove gel polish and to take false nails off easily
- A hand cushion : an essential in any nail salon. It supports the customer's hand and keeps them from aching through the longer treatments — gel nails, nail art or extensions
- Nail decorations : stickers, rhinestones, gems or pearls, used to finish a set off and give the nails a bit more character
4. Plan the marketing, from prices to promotions worth having
Once the salon is starting to take shape, setting sensible prices for your treatments matters. Base them on your location, the size of the salon, the style and colours on offer, and how intricate the nail art is. We would suggest not pitching them too high, so customers feel they are getting their money's worth given the skill and the products involved. You might also draw new customers in with a special promotion — money off for first-time customers, one nail painted free, or an eye-catching design that gets people booking.
5. Techniques and equipment for running the salon
Running the salon smoothly is another thing that will keep your business working well. In the early days, taking on extra staff may not be the answer. We would suggest finding help in the form of a POS till that can handle a range of jobs, because as well as ringing up payments easily, it takes payment in several ways — credit and debit cards, or bank transfers. Owners can also put it to work on the marketing side, building member packages, issuing discounts or running a points scheme, so customers feel that bit more special and want to come back regularly.
If you run a nail salon and you want something to keep the business moving smoothly, Qashier's POS system, an all-in-one till for a nail salon, will help you run the place efficiently. It is easy to set up and makes taking payment quick and simple. If you are interested, contact us for more details on Line Official: @qashier.th or call 02-544-0267