Turn a half empty appointment book to full by building clientele as a nail technician. In a small service business, such as nails, repeat clients are your bread and butter. Not only can these clients provide the bulk of your income, but they can also provide a steady referral stream. By pampering repeat clients with a more personal service, and implementing marketing tips that introduce new services and clientele, you can increase the amount of your business over several months.

Things You Will Need

  • Gift coupon

  • Business card

  • Gift card

  • T-shirt with business name

  • Bottled water

  • Thank-you card

Build a reputation as an expert by attending trade shows, such as the Las Vegas Hair and Nail Conference, to learn about the latest products, trends and designs. Post pictures of your entries in nail competitions to show clients the different techniques along with displaying any ribbons or trophies you won. Register for specialized classes and workshops that provide hands-on instructions for new nail design techniques to use on your clients.

Design a website that not only provides information about your nail services, prices and hours of operation, but also includes short informative answers to questions about the products used and the differences between techniques, such as gel and acrylic nails.

Create social media sites, such as a blog to showcase a blog about new trends in nail colors or the latest nail techniques. Create a Facebook page to showcase photos of you in nail competitions; and use Twitter to inform your following of current weekly specials on nail services.

Invest in quality equipment, such as the rolling massage chair, for the comfort of your pedicure clients. Buy a variety of nail polish and nail charms to provide styling options for your clients.

Offer prepaid services by designing a gift coupon for sale. Inform existing clientele of the coupon for holiday gifts and place coupons in charity raffles or auction events to become known.

Schedule the next appointment on the back of your business card before the client leaves. Offer repeat clients a free nail design for every five services. Reward clients who bring in new business with a small $5 gift card, T-shirt with your business name or free nail design.

Add extras to your services that cost nothing, such as wrapping heated towels around the calves of pedicure clients or giving a slightly longer massage. Bring a personal touch to your services by offering items of minimal costs, such as bottled water, to clients.

Network with hairstylist and other possible referral sources, such as estheticians and tattoo artists. Offer a small percentage, up to 5 percent of the service amount, as a referral fee or send a small gift card for the local coffee shop with a thank-you card to the referrer.

Tip

Place business cards on bathroom mirrors of restaurants, nightclubs and office buildings.