2 mins
Clear & Clarified
Does your treatment menu make sense to clients? Techs dish out advice to ensure clients choose the right service for their needs
Is your client bamboozled by the term ‘builder gel’ or confused by the offering of ‘acrylic enhancements’? While you’re familiar with this terminology, it’s important to note that your client may not be, which can lead to a challenging and confusing booking experience.
Without a clear description of each service, your client may book a nail treatment that doesn’t suit their needs, and you may be left feeling unprepared and without enough time to meet their expectations. Scratch gathers tips from pros on revising your treatment menu to ensure there’s no surprises for both parties at the appointment…
1 LIMIT THE OPTIONS
“I limit what my clients can book to ensure they get the right nail service for their needs,” shares Ruth Munro, Magpie Beauty educator & Scratch Stars Nail Business Mentor of the Year finalist 2023. “New clients only have two options: an overlay or extension service. At their initial consultation, I determine which will suit based on their natural nail condition, service expectations, maintenance and removal.
Ruth Munro
“For example, I would offer a gel polish service to a nurse who wants an elegant nail finish for an event, but needs to remove the product before returning to work. However, if a client has long natural nails and intends to book regular maintenance services, I would choose an acrygel service.
“I add a 15-minute buffer to all bookings, so that nobody has to book extra time if they want nail art. This also means if anyone is running late, they have a 15-minute grace period and if clients do not choose art, I benefit from some paid admin time.”
2 BE DESCRIPTIVE
If you offer a ‘luxury’ service, state what this involves via a description on your treatment menu. Each business will offer a different way to elevate a standard service, so adding detail provides clients with clarity. Always avoid using terminology that only trained nail professionals would understand.
Elissa Newton
“Ensure that if you do use certain terms, you state in brackets what they mean,” explains Elissa Newton, Lecenté educator. “For example:
• Enhancements (Do you require added nail length?)
• Rebalance/infill (Maintenance of enhancements).”
3 ADD TIMINGS
Detail the time each service takes on your menu or promotional materials so that clients can plan their days around their treatment and configure travel arrangements – including how long to pay for parking.
4 EMBRACE THE AESTHETIC
Clear presentation of your treatment menu will help clients to quickly and easily determine the service they seek. Consider using a design programme such as Canva to create a clear layout and structure. “My treatment menu has a white background with a formal black font to make sure it is clear for my clients to read,” adds Ruth Munro. “I have broken it down into sections to include the services I want to offer: enhancements, maintenance, removals and press-ons.”
“Consider using a design programme such as Canva to create a clear layout and structure.”
5 DON’T FORGET COST
No one likes extra charges added to their bill, particularly when spending is tight, so clearly detail the cost of each treatment then list the prices of any extras, such as nail art or a hand massage. Configure any booking software you use to make this clearer if a client is booking online.
“Each business will offer a different way to elevate a standard service, so adding detail provides clients with clarity. Always avoid using terminology that only trained nail professionals would understand.”