Self employed please give me a telling off!

Bogof_Babe

You could also leave piles of flyers in local hair salons. Catch 'em while they are having some "me" time anyway!

Love the hen party idea. Can you arrange space for a proper reception area, with comfy sofas etc., and coffee tables with magazines, refreshments and possibly a TV or sound system for those who are waiting for their turn? Maybe throw in a bottle of sparkling fizz for parties of five or more? You should be able to get a deal on that at a local Cash & Carry.

terriblesaver

Why not do the rounds of the local employment agencies - the girls there always love this kind of thing - especially if you offer discounts.

Good luck form one self employed bod to another!!

LJD1_2

Thanks terriblesaver, there's three near us so will pop some vouchers in tomorrow. I'm also going to take some flyers to local hairdressers and to our doctors.

Huge thanks to everyone who's helped with this!

Smashing

Have you considered advertising on your local radio station? It would also be a good way to get people to visit the website, so get cracking on that.

Also, see if your local college run any beauty courses - you could volunteer to go and give a talk to the students, or just a general talk on running your own business. Could be a good way to get yourself 'known' locally.

lynzpower

where abouts in South Manchester are you ( thats my patch) PM me if you want. my parents have run businesses round S Manchester and theres some tips I can give you but only really if you are "local" to them.

I agree about getting on the hen night/ wedding market. And without a website im not joking you are putting yourself at a disadvantage. when I was @ home @ Xmas I wanted my eyebrow shape & a pedicure, as I dont know the area THAT well now as i moved away, my first search was google.

Personally, Id never look in the yellow pages book, things easier to find online.

I used to have 3 salons and they all closed down, so now I have to stump for london prices :eek: given its in your house, you wont have the sop front passing rtrade, so you need to do everything you can to make up for this!

Kevicho

Have you considered trying to improve your selling ability?
On the internet there is plenty of info about this (pm me for details)

Also do you ask your current clientele if they recommend you to friends?

Website is a good idea, as long as you market in the right areas.
Gift vouchers are also a good idea

Smashing

lynzpower wrote:

Personally, Id never look in the yellow pages book, things easier to find online.

Ours is recycled as soon as it come in the door...

*zippy*

Snap LJD1 :beer:

I work from home doing complementary therapies, I have an extension on the side of the house. Interesting to read your thread as I am guilty of getting complacent with my regulars, my family do get frustrated with me, as there is potential to earn alot of money.

I send out £5 vouchers to all past customers a couple of times a year, I will do them now in a christmas card,, make sure you put an expiry date on them to try and get them to book quickly rather than put it in a drawer and forget about it.

Personally I have advertised for 4 years in YP, this will be my last, it doesn't pay me. Did you get your free entry as well. Be careful advertising in the aromatherapy section as I had constant calls from perverts wanting "extras" IYKWIM :rolleyes: , reflexology was ok

I have put thousands of leaflets through doors, its odd, you can have loads from one area and none from others, most of mine do seem to come from word of mouth.

Do you have a customer that has, had great results from your treatment, I had a full page spread free worth thousands in a local newspaper, the only thing is they can't advertise you if its free, so there won't be a telephone number in the article so either pay for an advert to go in the same day or have your website set up ready in case they search for you.

If you advertise in your local paper, haggle! Ask them for free editorial to go with it, most journalists are desparate for stories to fill their paper, they will be glad to hear from you, I had treatment that was in the news so they were looking to an article on it anyway. It was then picked up by the mother paper and went out to a huge area and a free paper. Don't rely on emails they are busy, get them on the phone and make your story irrisitable

Dentists and doctors (if possible) are great places for putting leflets, people are sat there bored and will read your leaflet.

Is there somewhere you can put a banner up, our local garden centre will put banners up on their wall for local businesses for free. Cost me £60 to get a banner made.

I am thinking of getting those magnetic signs to go on the side of the car.

Put on your aftercare leaflet if they are happy please tell your friends. You could give rewards for referals

Good luck. I love meeting other therapists so pm if you want a chat

zippy x

sarah_skint

Hi - just a suggestion as I work with a make-up book (not the ding dong one lol) and so here is my little ideas, mother and toddler groups you could either pay them visits and hand out the leaflets and have a chin wag, the local library and supermarket notice boards, could you get some little cards done? School fetes and christmas bizarres are good as well.
Hope they help
Sarah

saubryn

Are there any local shops selling soaps / aromatherapy stuff that you could partner up with? When people buy their oils to take home, that shop slips an ad for your place in their bag, and when you're giving treatments you can advise on stuff they could by to keep themselves feeling fresh and relaxed once at home?