KEY TAKEAWAYS: If DIY nails are detracting from your business, there’s no need to panic. As a nail tech, you can use the following tips to turn the DIY nails trend into a business opportunity.
Whether you venture into retail sales, product development, content creation, or other revenue streams, the bread and butter of most nail technicians is working hands-on with clients. From building community to refining your technical skills, helping your clients achieve their dream nails is rewarding.
As more and more potential patrons turn to do-it-yourself nails, it becomes increasingly difficult to grow the client-based side of your nail business. If you have found it challenging to compete with DIY nails, you’re not alone, but we have good news.
What you might view as your worst nightmare could actually be a tremendous business opportunity!
How Nail Techs Can Compete with the DIY Nails Trend
Before we dive into how you can compete with the DIY nails trend and continue to grow your nail tech business, we need to face some hard truths. DIY nails have become popular for a number of legitimate reasons, and to dismiss that would be to misunderstand why a portion of your target market is choosing this alternative.
DIY nails are fun, they’re inexpensive, they can be done with friends, and they have the potential to look good. However, they can’t match the quality of nails done by professional nail techs, and you can win back the market you may have lost by being intentional and strategic.
Show Off Your Work
While some DIY nails look nice, they simply cannot compare to professional work. By reminding your clients and your target audience of your nail tech skills and the phenomenal results professional nails can provide, you can demonstrate the value of the services you provide.
Take to social media to share before and after photos, participate in community events where people can see your work in person, and ask your clients to share photos of their own to generate organic interest in your work. The more people see the results you are capable of producing, the more likely they are to opt for your nail services instead of DIY alternatives. You can even compare your work to typical DIY nails, giving people a clear visual of why they should choose your services.
Market Your Professional Nail Services
Showing your audience the work you do is a form of marketing, but it only scratches the surface of what you could do to reach them. If you want to retain your current clients and convert potential customers, you will want to take a strategic, comprehensive approach to marketing.
Running social media campaigns that connect you with your community, boost engagement, and increase awareness of your business is a good start. Whether you do your research and try your hand at social media marketing or work with a marketing professional, this approach can generate the leads you need to grow your business.
Other marketing tactics should be employed, too. Leverage your email list, make your services clear on your website, and utilize any other digital marketing you can, and don’t forget about more traditional techniques. Hang flyers at your shop, hand out pamphlets, attend community events, partner with other local businesses, and encourage your loyal customers to spread the word!
"DIY nails can’t match the quality of nails done by professional nail techs, and you can win back the market you may have lost by being intentional and strategic."
Adjust Your Pricing
One of the most appealing things about DIY nails is how affordable they are. Reducing your rates is never a pleasant proposition, but it might be necessary to compete with DIY nails–at least temporarily.
Take a look at your prices, compare them to other nail techs in the area, and weigh them against what people are spending on DIY nails. This process should give you a clear picture of the range of rates you should charge for your services.
You can also consider offering discounts to new or returning customers so that they can see the difference between DIY nails and your professional nail services.
Educate Your Target Market
For those who love DIY nails but have never experienced the difference provided by professional nails, education could be the key. From social media posts to in-store infographics and demonstrations, you have the unique opportunity to teach people about professional nails and how they differ from DIY options. Your clients (and future clients) will appreciate the expert nail tech insights, especially if DIY nail practices are damaging your clients' nails.
Your approach to education makes all the difference. If you come off as condescending, you will alienate the very people you are trying to attract. Focus on being welcoming, lean into your passion, and share the benefits of professional nail tech work with positivity.
As a nail tech, you have the opportunity not just to compete and survive, but to thrive. Subscribe to Elite Beauty Society for more valuable business tips, the latest industry news, and everything you need to know to reach your full potential. You can also check out our blog, which is full of amazing beauty biz resources.
Meet Hanna Marcus, the Founder and Head Copy Gal behind Boundless Copy, a one-of-a-kind copywriting agency that specializes in big, bold brand voice and industry-disrupting copy that’s all about resonating with the right audience.
Hanna has proudly teamed up with Elite Beauty Society for several years as their go-to copywriter on all things beauty, small biz marketing, and brand voice development. She’s big on feeling-first writing–her personal soapbox is that the best copy starts with telling a story.
When she’s not writing cheeky, converting copy for clients, she’s mentoring other aspiring copywriters and creating digital copywriting resources designed for service pros and focused on taking the stress out of DIY copywriting.
