Jenni Gilbert Whether your salon is in a metro hub or a regional community, odds are there will be no shortage of competitors for the available nail trade. In fact, there’s probably at least a couple of nail salons/bars on every high-traffic shopping street.
In a ruthlessly competitive economy, with so many businesses bent on discounting themselves out of the game, the key is to find a point of difference that consumers really want.
In the nail trade it could be as remarkably simple (not to detract from what’s involved) as focusing on your clients having healthy nails, not just colourful and/or long ones.
Rose Bolam and her daughter Chantelle opened Artfully Polished Beauty in Newcastle, NSW, in 2003, offering all the traditional treatments such as facials, waxing and the rest of the standard salon menu.
“Our business grew steadily by word of mouth recommendation, lots of hard work and offering high quality, reliable service – no gimmicks,” Chantelle says.
“Because of the industry shift over the years from salons offering a range of general services towards a more specialised approach, my mother and business partner, Rose, and I realised we needed a point of difference that would make our salon stand out from the rest.
“Being in the centre of the city, there is no shortage of salons competing for the available trade so we knew we had to change to remain competitive and be truly successful.
“We settled on introducing a more specialised service that no one else had embraced but would be very much in demand.
“The answer was right at our fingertips, as it were; something we saw every day and is a huge concern for clients. That is, restoring damaged nails.”
Mother and daughter took a trip to Los Angeles in May 2012 and studied with the guru of the natural nail, Jessica Vartoughian, founder of Jessica Cosmetics, at her Natural Nail Clinic on Sunset Boulevard.
“Bringing that wealth of knowledge home, we started to educate our existing clients on the benefits of using the Jessica brand; a complete system that cultivates natural nails, bringing them back to health so they will grow long and strong. That means there is no need to resort to damaging acrylics.
“This is where our story really began and we have never looked back. The Jessica philosophy is simple: Treat nails like we treat our skin.
“Nail analysis is where we begin our treatment and is the cornerstone of our success. It might sound like a waste of time but it only takes two minutes and is the most important element. Otherwise, it’s a bit like a doctor prescribing medicine without a consultation!
“It’s the tool that gives us critical information about the state of a client’s nails – for instance, if they have been damaged by incorrect use or over-use of shellac and gels – it enables us to customise the correct treatment for best results.
“We are different because we always start at the foundation and work up – concentrating on the nail base first and then on the cosmetic side after. Too many salons focus mainly on the cosmetic look.
“If the nail foundation is unhealthy, polish or gel will not last and nails will keep deteriorating.
“By providing an holistic, successful nail treatment with 100 percent results and showcasing latest trends in polishes you are creating walking billboards for your business.”
THE BIG BOGEYS
The biggest threats to nail health, both in-salon and between visits, according to Chantelle Bolam, are:
- Using cheap or knock-off products. “Normally the two go hand in hand and can ruin the surface of the nails even after just one application.”
- Poor hygiene
- Unqualified manicurists
- Clients’ lack of knowledge (which is a reflection of the manicurist)
- Keeping nails uncovered. “This is the worst thing you can do,” says Chantelle. “Keeping nails encased with a good base coat and polish is essential to add strength and provide protection to the nail plate. It will minimise breaks, splitting, peeling and drying out. Like hair, the nail plate is dead tissue and, therefore, does not need to breathe – a very common misconception.”
