Open a Nail Salon: All You Need To Know About the Procedures

 

Starting a nail salon business plan is a good opportunity, if you do it the right way. To do this, you need to follow several steps and protect yourself against market risks. Indeed, any entrepreneurial activity is not without risk, this practical sheet therefore explains the tips and steps to follow to open a nail salon without risk.

1.       Prior to opening your nail institute: carry out a market study

2.       The standards to respect if you plan to open your nail salon

3.       Tips for opening a nail salon

Carry Out Market Research before Opening Your Nail Salon

Identify Competitors and Their Geographic Location

Being alone in this activity in a large geographical area is often a plus. But we must remain vigilant since the absence of a competitor can be justified by the absence of a request.

CAUTION: do not venture into areas where the market is completely non-existent. It would mean that no one is interested in nail treatments.

Identify Competing Services

To better stand out from the competition, it helps to offer care that no one else provides or products that only you sell. This study is also carried out at the level of the price of your competitor's services. You can offer the same type of care for less to attract more clients.

Identify Potential Customers

This is the most important step. If no one is interested in your nail treatments, it is because you are in the wrong place, because you are too expensive, or because your care is not of good quality.

To overcome these shortcomings, it is important to determine several criteria:

·         What local customers want: do they really need a nearby institute?

·         The type of care offered?

·         Treatment prices?

·         The use of organic or natural products?

·         The level of attendance according to the type of customer?

·         Create a newsletter?

·         Building customer loyalty with a card?

Note: you can directly question the local customers on these questions. This will allow you to know where you will have to settle, what services to offer, what products and prices, and finally what communication strategy to adopt.

 

The Choice of Treatments Offered

It is advisable to avoid for your care products already used in the sector where you are located, in order to avoid any competition based on the comparison of the price of care and products between an institute and yours.

To optimize the quality-price ratio of your treatments, it is interesting to approach suppliers of brands that are starting up, often less expensive and of the same quality. Indeed, the financial conditions attached to this type of product are not very restrictive (no minimum order, no obligation of stock, no objective). But the downside to these little-known brands is that they don't have a reputation.

Conversely, well-known brands guarantee you quality and often a clientele. On the other hand, they present financial constraints: opening an account, heavy stock and product investment at start-up, monthly objectives, etc.

Moreover, with the expansion of the organic market, it is interesting to look at the use of products bearing the label. According to your market research, check that your customers are concerned about organic. Otherwise, it is not necessary to use it. On the other hand, if you are in a geographical area full of organic markets but no one offers organic nail treatments, this is surely your chance.

As for the prices of organic products, they do not really differ from that of conventional products.

The Necessary Qualification to Practice In The Nail Industry

To be able to work in the nail salon industry, it is necessary to have a diploma (CAP-BEP) . However, it is possible to practice without a diploma provided that you have at least 3 years of professional practice as an institute manager, employee or independent professional in this field of activity.

Certain treatments are not subject to a professional qualification:

·         Non-aesthetic treatments: comfort treatments only, or massages for non-aesthetic purposes.

·         The activity of nail technician (installation, decoration, varnish), except manicure.

THE STANDARDS TO RESPECT IF YOU PLAN TO OPEN YOUR Nail SALON

Here are the mandatory standards to be observed:

·         Safety and accessibility standards: standards relating to establishments open to the public (fire safety, extinguishers); accessibility of the premises to disabled people,

·         Hygiene standards,

·         Display of treatment prices: only the prices of the most common services can be displayed outside,

·         Mandatory display dedicated to staff (working hours, collective agreement, contact details of the inspectorate or the occupational doctor, etc.),

·         Prohibition of medical activities: the expression "massage" is reserved for physiotherapists, but terms such as massage can be used,

·         Tanning: access is prohibited for minors, obligation to display the diploma or certificate of qualification , obligation to provide protective glasses, obligation to display the legal notices on the categories of machine and the risks for the health of users, obligation to display a visible and legible health warning near the device (mode of use and dangers).

Tips for Opening a Nail Salon

If you want to launch your nail institute activity, here are the key steps not to be missed:

·         Find a concept for your future establishment (previously validated by your market research),

·         Carry out a business plan ,

·         Identify the premises or the business to be taken over,

·         Look for suppliers (brands of cosmetics, linen, machines): it is important to obtain several quotes in order to be able to negotiate the conditions and therefore choose the right distribution contract,

·         Do decorative work for the institute,

·         Training in the profession (compulsory installation preparation course for craftsmen), and training imposed by suppliers (e.g.: UV machine),

·         Choose the right legal status and register with the Chamber of Trades,

·         Create a network of customers through advertising and communication.

To increase your impact on the aesthetics market, you will need to:

·         Favor high-end treatments,

·         Create an image (hence the usefulness of the concept) to stand out from the competition,

·         Be demanding of the quality of care and hygiene of the establishment,

·         Supplement its healthcare services by selling cosmetic products in order to increase its income.

The opening of a nail salon is an important decision, which must be carefully prepared and be the subject of a complete and solid project.