How to develop your own creative ideas & make your business stand out
By Scratch Staff | 03 February 2020 | Expert Advice, Feature
Kara Kotsonis, Squad Leader at NailSquad Nail Bar in Deal, Kent, shares her valuable business advice…
Kara Kotsonis
It can’t possibly get any better than Scratch’s managing editor, Helena Biggs, saying she’d noticed our salon’s Instagram page and asking to pop down for a visit. OMG! It really was the stuff of dreams, and to be then featured in the January issue of the nail magazine I had spent most of my career reading was an incredible feeling.
So how do you get noticed? With so many salons, mobile techs, and home based technicians out there, how do you manage to stand out from the crowd? The answer is easy – it’s YOU! You are your own unique selling point and what you create will be different from anyone else.
But herein lies the dilemma. We see so many trends and other salons gaining accolades, should you follow these trends or even directly copy one you’ve seen elsewhere because, hey, after searching for three days to find a new pedicure bowl, isn’t it easier to copy one that’s working in a salon that looks great?
The answer is NO! Don’t do it. Don’t give in to following someone else’s dream or even regimentally following a trend.
Those extra days or weeks it takes you to come up with your own awesome idea that has never been done before is exactly what will make you stand out.
Whether it’s designing a new salon, uniforms, treatment, price list, social media, (basically everything you do) create it 100% confidently in your style. If you want to create a salon like a giant sweet shop with a Katy Perry vibe, DO IT. But, whatever it is, make it yours.
Find your tribe, create your vibe, and the rest will follow.
How to harness your creativity
Every nail technician is a creative, so you already possess everything you need – but here are my three tips to help you harness this creativity and turn your ideas into a reality:
1.Lock down your most creative time
For me, it’s early in the morning before my working day begins. Wherever and whenever it may be for you, make and take the time to write down and develop your creative ideas. Steve Jobs famously took a weekend a month solely for creative time. Even dedicating one hour a week will reap rewards for your business.
2. Inspiration, not copying = widen your search
There’s definitely a place to gain ideas without copying. In other words, being inspired.
My favourite place is Instagram, and Pinterest is another, but to be original, you MUST widen your search. Following nail or beauty salons will only give you ideas that have already been done.
I follow cake makers, florists, videographers, stylists, designers and lots of artists. That’s where the idea for the hand-drawn flowers on our salon windows came from. I spend hours searching for a spark to ignite that original idea.
The best results take hard work, and there’s no way around that. An idea that’s been done before will never win first prize!
3. Seek out technology that enables you to be unique.
Whether it’s a new paper finish on your price lists or giving salon dollars instead of vouchers, there’s always a way to present your business as unique.
For example, I love Insta stories. My latest find is a clever little app called Template, which allows you to display more than one image or even completely customise each segment with colour and text.
Finally, confidence doesn’t let self-doubt creep in it’s the nemesis of all creatives. Honestly most of the time things turn out better than you ever imagined it’s just taking that leap of faith.