How to Grow Your Nail Business: Our Must-Try Tips

KEY TAKEAWAYS: Looking for new and exciting tips for how to grow your nail business? Beauty pro Richelle Brigola shares her top tips for growing your nail tech biz – both old-school, analog options, as well as must-know digital marketing tips and techniques. 

So, you’re a nail tech (or an esthetician, hairdresser, or any beauty professional) and you’re wondering how to grow your nail business? 

In this blog, I’ll be sharing some tried-and-true business methods for how to grow your nail tech business – but in all honesty, these techniques work for beauty pros of all specialities. 

How to Grow Your Nail Business: The Basics 

The first thing I would like to point out is this: you are not just here to learn how to grow your nail business; you are creating and fostering relationships. 

Whether it’s online or in person, this is the heart of this beauty industry. If you always remember that, you will be as busy as you want to be. 

Creating relationships – which is really just cultivating a client base that brings joy and enthusiasm to your work – doesn’t have to be a hard process. 

But it is truly amazing how many salon industry professionals tend to get it wrong. There are several ways you can signal to your clients that you’re not interested in cultivating relationships with them – and that’s the ultimate way to deprive your business of growth. 

• Being disrespectful of a client’s time
• Not communicating respectfully or honestly
• Not bringing professionalism into the salon every day

These are things that stand in your way of building and growing your client base, business, and lasting relationships – something that grows your business.  

Building & Rebuilding Your Client Base: My Experience as a Professional Cosmetologist 

As a hairstylist for 40 years and a former salon owner, I have built and rebuilt my client base several times. 

These are the areas that I believe have been truly helpful in building my business, growing a loyal clientele, and leaving my salon guests confident in referring friends and family to me. 

If I were trying to build my business and grow my client list, the first thing I would do is start with my existing clients. 

Before you begin, though, ask yourself these questions:  

• Am I treating my guests to the best experience possible?  
• Am I presenting myself the way I want my guests to see me?  
• Am I scheduling enough time for services so I am running on time?  
• Am I clearly communicating with my guests' policies, procedures, and pricing? 
• Am I educating about and recommending care for at home?  
• Am I someone my clients would refer to? 

Here is why the answers to these questions are so valuable and important. 

Your guests have a choice! They can go to any salon and receive a service, but they make a choice to see you, spending their time and money with you. 

Their experience should be the most important priority – if they don’t feel that, there is another nail tech down the road who might make them feel that way.

They might be looking for someone who:

• Shows up on time
• Doesn’t look like they pulled an all-nighter
• Doesn’t routinely run late for their scheduled appointment
• Tells them exactly how much their service will cost ahead of time
• Is clear on their policies and procedures
• Tells them how to make their service last between salon visits

The baseline for growth is fostering a relationship where a client can’t wait to tell everyone they know how awesome their nail tech or beauty professional is.

When you perfect that, then you are creating a trusting, lasting relationship with a client – and you can grow from that. 

Your client wants to know and feel like they matter to you. It’s really that simple. 

Top Tips: How to Grow Your Nail Business 

Let’s say you are already doing those things. Let’s say you’ve got the relationships on lock.  How do you take it all a step further to grow, bring in new guests, and strengthen those lasting relationships? 

Truthfully, this is where you are playing the long game. 

This takes time. I always say that this process could take about a year to build a solid client base. There are a few ways to do this. 

Tried & True Tips: Old School Techniques for Growing Your Nail Tech Business 

Let’s start with analog and old-school ways first (because they do still work!) 

• If you are in a salon, offer to do the other salon pros' nails for free. This gives exposure to your work in an environment where the client is already comfortable.
• Get to know your work neighbors. Introduce yourself to businesses near you. Leave business cards offering a discount. This creates visibility outside the salon and cultivates future clients.  
• Let your work speak for itself. Make sure your nails look on point, always! (Or your hair, skin, etc.) You are your best advertisement!  
• If you are in a busy salon, hang out and wait for walk-ins. You never know who will want an appointment at the last minute.  
• Get to know other professionals’ clients in your salon. Be helpful, friendly, and approachable. Clients get to know you and trust you. 
• Network with other salon professionals. Let them know you’re building your business and ask them to refer clients to you when they're too busy. I refer out all the time to a few trusted salons and stylists.  
• Whenever you do have a new client, ask them to refer their family and friends. Let them know you are building your business and accepting new clients. You can sweeten the deal by giving them an extra value service (i.e.; hand massage, one complimentary nail art, paraffin dip) for every referral.  

Online Strategies for How to Grow Your Nail Business 

This is the new age, after all – so what about online strategies? 

There are so many to choose from – social media, SMS marketing, Google, and beyond. 

How can these help? In the most basic sense, these platforms reach a larger audience – which can help you reach an even larger audience. 

Potential new clients can read reviews, see your work, check your location, and let you speak directly to your guests. 

Let’s break this down further to better understand how an online presence can be helpful to create relationships and build your business: 

Social Media Marketing 

Think of social media marketing as your online business portfolio. The demographic you’re trying to reach will determine where you’ll want to expend your marketing effort. 

I find that Instagram is great for both younger (age 18) and older (age 54+) audiences. Tik Tok leans toward 18-34 year olds, and Facebook’s audience is between 25-45+. 

Create an account to highlight your work and the experience you provide. This gives new guests an expectation when they schedule an appointment with you as well as a sneak peek at what you can do. 

Post your policies, procedures, and pricing on your social media. Certainly show before and after. Give product and home care recommendations as the expert you are. And don’t forget to share a bit about yourself. 

Never forget to have your preferred method of contact in your bio, clear instructions on how they can make an appointment with you, and where you are located. 

The best advice I can give you on your content: Make it feel like you’re talking to an audience of one. Additionally, try not to get caught up in the likes and views; this is the ideal new client you’re talking to, and they are going to be local to your area.  

SMS Marketing

I love this for connecting directly with my clients. I send out appointment reminders, notify guests of cancellations, and if ever needed, I can let them know if I am running behind schedule. 

This can help with follow-up with a new client (or any client) to see how their service was and if they are having any challenges. It’s also an easy way to build a relationship, because it feels personal. 

You may even consider sending out links to join email newsletters and updates to keep up that clear communication and maintain connection between appointments.

You don’t need a paid subscription to do this, as long as you have your client's permission and cell number, you’re good to go.  

Google Business

This is an important platform for search and discovery, client reviews, and general SEO visibility in your area – location and type of services provided. 

When a potential client Googles: “nail techs near me,” they will get profiles, websites, and social media of nail techs nearby. 

Obviously, you want your name at the top of that Google profile list! 

A few key ways to ensure this happens are by:

• Completing a profile and making sure your primary category (i.e.; nail salon) is accurate. This carries the most ranking weight.
• The secondary category should match your active services (i.e.; nail tech, gel nails, pedicures, etc.). 
• Always ask your clients to leave a review. Make it easy for them by providing the link and be sure to respond kindly and sincerely to ALL reviews (Yes, even the negative ones!) within 48 hours.
• Google lets the client see photos, reviews, location, links to websites, and scheduling all in this one space.

At the end of the day, the best way to grow your business as a nail tech or beauty professional is to focus on building relationships first. People want to be seen, feel valued, and know they’re appreciated. Let them feel that, and the growth will happen. While it might not be overnight, in a week, or in a single month, it will happen over time with trust and consistency.