We recommend reading this blog post before using our pricing calculator!

As a professional nail brand, the success of our customers business’ is of great importance to us, which is why we have just launched our new pricing calculator! This pricing tool has been in the works for some time now, created by an amazing effort from our dedicated team of in house staff. We bring this calculator to you as an exclusive feature for registered Nail Order customers on our app, so make sure -if you haven’t already- that you are signed up for a trade account to be able to access this FREE to use business tool. We feel that by providing nail techs with the necessary resources to help maximise profits, we can in turn help empower them to become business savvy entrepreneurs.

Product cost breakdowns

Since launching our gel range, a question we are frequently asked is:

       "Do you have a cost breakdown of your gel products?”

We find this to be a really difficult question to answer. Due to the variables involved in product cost calculations -ie. length of nails, width of nails, amount of coats used, etc- it is hard for us as a brand to provide customers with an accurate costing representation. Cost of products used will depend on each nail tech, their clients, and their methods of application. We decided last year to create a costing sheet with very rough pricing, however, it is something that we haven’t updated recently as truthfully, we don’t believe in it. To be able to work out accurate costs for your business, having a rough estimate of product costs provided by a gel brand, with an average based on wide ranges (practically plucked out of thin air) isn’t going to really benefit anyone. It’s a lazy way to calculate real expenses, and we now want to instead encourage nail technicians to calculate this themselves. We don’t mean to offend anyone when we say this, we just genuinely want what’s best for business owners, and ultimately to encourage accurate calculations, and as a result are providing the tools to help this calculation process. We feel nail techs would prefer this than a brand saying to them “This bottle can yield you between 20-400 sets of nails”- in other words, a range so vast that there is no way of achieving a remotely accurate calculation.

How many sets can I get out of “X,Y,Z” gel?

Through owning a salon ourselves, we found that the best way to keep track of how many sets you can get from a gel nail product is to keep a tally mark beside/on the product and mark it off each time you use it until it is empty. Yes, it can be a tedious process, however, this is going to give much more accurate indications than a gel nail brand guessing for you. Once you have these numbers you can input this information into the Nail Order pricing calculator. The good thing is, when it’s done once you won’t need to do it again. When working out your costs it is important to not only take into account your gels, but all equipment, and being aware that most of the equipment you use has a shelf life. 

Here's an example of placing a plain sticker at the bottom of a Dura Gel pot. Simply mark a tally after each time you use it for a set of nails. This will be a highly accurate indicator of how many sets you have got from one pot of gel.

Empowering nail technicians

To be a financially successful nail tech is extremely empowering. Our goal is to provide as much education and as many resources as possible to set our customers up with valuable information. We also aim to encourage nail techs to learn how to conduct their own research when it comes to nail education and entrepreneurial advice, to be able to come to their own informed decisions on how to run their business successfully in a way that suits them best. Check our our appendix to find a plethora of resources that you can read at your leisure! The great thing about having a wealth of knowledge retained from research is that it breeds confidence. A confident nail tech who is well educated and knows what they’re talking about will inevitably become a successful nail tech. You are the professional! Clients that choose to book with independent nail salons are looking for a high quality service by a professional nail technician. Knowing your stuff is really important. Make sure that you are up to date on the latest information in the industry. You may find certain clients have specific enquiries or concerns, so knowing how to address these is going to put the clients mind at ease and feel safe in your hands.Education is key, and practice makes perfect!

Charging your worth

When using your pricing calculator you will be prompted to enter a targeted yearly salary based on your self-employment. In this moment, it will be a good idea to reflect on your own worth as a nail technician. Be self aware and consider the following things:

• Experience: Are you a complete newbie? Or have you been in the industry for decades? Clients will expect to pay lower prices to a nail technician who is just starting out and still learning the ropes, whereas clients looking for a more premium service will likely go to an experienced nail tech with an extensive portfolio.

• Education: How many training courses have you completed? Do you have extensive knowledge about nails? Take all of this into consideration. Clients appreciate receiving services from a professional who can also educate them about the services they offer and the products they use with confidence.

• Skill: Be critical of yourself. What is the quality of your work like? Some beginners may not offer the best quality of work, therefore the pricing should reflect this. In the same breath, a skilled nail technician with years of training may produce high quality work which the pricing should also reflect. Good quality = luxury price point. Mediocre quality = lower price point. Like we said earlier, practice makes perfect!

• Hours: Are you full-time or part time? Do you have additional sources of income? This will help determine how much you need to be charging for services to sustain a secure financial position.

• Real living wage: Remember the reason you became self-employed as a nail technician. The goal is to have flexible working hours and higher pay than standard 9-5 employment. Many nail technicians who haven’t accurately worked out their costs are unfortunately not even making national minimum wage, never mind a comfortable living wage.

Remember that clients are spending their hard earned money on a luxury beauty service. Always put yourself in their shoes- would you feel comfortable paying this price for this service being offered? If the answer is no, something needs to change. Try to find a balance of a price point clients in your area can afford and that you feel comfortable charging. This is knowing your worth. 

Be prepared

It is important when working out your costs that you account for time off, such as holidays and sick days. Learn from the past- if you know that certain months of the year are quiet for you, you can be really savvy by booking your time off during these periods. This way you can enjoy holidays stress free, especially knowing you do not have a source of income during that time frame. It’s also worth considering opening up your diary for extra appointments during busier periods to generate more income that will come in handy for any sick days you do encounter. Offering retail items are a great way to boost your income during quiet periods too, so make sure to stock up on things like cuticle oil pens, mini sanitisers, etc; especially when we have sales and special offers on!

At Nail Order we do two BIG sales per year that last approx 5 days long: Easter & Black Friday. At these times you can expect to get about 20% off site-wide, as well as other extra special offers.

In between these times we do special offers, for example, during bank holidays.

We also have 5% and 10% off affiliate codes running most of the time, so make sure you check our socials to see who we are working with and what codes are available. 

If you're an organised tech, keeping an eye out for these sales and offers can have a hugely positive financial impact on your business long-term.

Stock keeping

Speaking of preparation, be sure to prepare for your appointments by keeping track of your stock levels regularly- this is so important as a business owner! Having a system in place for stock keeping will guide you as to when you should be placing orders, as well as saving you money by preventing over-stock. We are often met with messages from nail techs enquiring to fast track their parcels because they need something in particular for a client the following day. Don’t be that guy! Ensure you give yourself plenty of time between stock orders from when your client is in. If your client requests for something you don’t have/cannot get in time, have the confidence to explain this to them and offer an alternative solution. This will also help you save on multiple postage costs. Getting into a habit of being pro-active with sock keeping is key. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Investing

If you’re just starting out in your career as a self-employed business owner it is important to understand that there are many initial start-up costs, especially in the nail industry. Starting your own business is going to be expensive, especially if you are purchasing professional quality stock from a reputable brand. In these scenarios, it is also important to accept that making an initial LOSS is completely normal. Starting a business means working from the ground up- unless you are someone in a fortunate position who has been gifted a sum of money or someone who has an investor. Good things come to those who wait, but more so to those who put the work in.

Did you know? When Chris and Bekka first opened their salon in Paisley they had to sell their car to ensure staff were paid. Their first years in business were really tough and sacrifices were made, but look where they are now! 

Outsourcing

Feeling like a bit of a one man band? Wearing too many hats? You don’t need to! If your business is at a stage where you are overworked and burning out, outsourcing work can really take a weight off your shoulders. If you can afford to, perhaps it’s time to look into an accountant or even a salon assistant. If you have a bigger salon, perhaps a receptionist or a social media manager might be something to look into.

Being Proactive

Don’t wait for clients to come to you! You have a living to earn, so be proactive and get yourself out there. Get yourself on social media, build a portfolio and show off your skills. Do some networking at local events and have business cards at the ready- you never know who you might bump into. Join your local Facebook community groups; here you can recommend yourself to clients looking for nail services, or even enquire with the page admins about advertising your services in a post. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools in the beauty industry, so ensure customers leave your salon feeling great and encourage them to tell their friends and family.

We hope after reading this blog you are fired up and ready to take your business strategy to a whole new level. If you are ready to begin your pricing calculations, ensure you check out this blog post: "How To Use The Pricing Calculator" first with detailed instructions on how it works and what to expect. 

Appendix: Helpful resources

Mani Science: click here

Nail Knowledge: click here

Doug Schoon: click here

Jim McConnell's Chemist Corner: click here