How to price mobile nail services
By Guest Writer | 04 May 2023 | Business, Expert Advice, Feature
Scratch Stars Mobile Nailist of the Year 2022 & finalist for the category for 2023, Clare Woodcock of The Nail Club, shares pricing pointers for mobile nail pros…
Mobile pros: you offer a premium service, so charge for it! Gone are the days when manicures were add-on services in hairdressing salons – the nail industry is big business now. Pros spend thousands of pounds on training and products, and years practicing, upskilling and learning. What’s more, nail treatments offer mental health benefits for clients.
Techs often look to other techs to price their services, and mobile pros frequently charge less because they ‘don’t have overheads’. But here’s the important thing: you are providing convenience to your client and saving them the time and cost of travelling to their nail appointment.
Do you really know how much it costs you to run your business and perform a nail service? You need to do your sums, because it will likely cost more than you think. You must cover all your outgoings and make sure you are paying yourself once these costs are covered.
Pricing considerations
Step 1: Roughly work out product costs for each nail treatment you offer, and add on the price of the percentage of consumables you use in a service, such as lint free wipes, foil, acetone and nail files. It’s a good idea to estimate a higher amount, to cover any spills or excess use. If you offer nail art, you’ll need to charge extra for this, as this uses additional product which can be more expensive, and consider charging in time frames. The same applies to add-ons, such as luxurious scrubs.
Step 2: Add kit and equipment costs, working out how long these items will last before you need to replace them. You also need to include your fixed costs: the costs you incur to run your business, regardless of how many clients you have. These may include website fees, insurance, your booking system and advertising. Most importantly, include travel costs.
Step 3: Decide how much you are going to pay yourself per hour. You are a professional with qualifications and a valuable skillset, so charge your worth. Don’t just charge for the time it takes you to perform a manicure; include the time it takes to get to clients. That time is all part of the service and convenience you are offering and during it, you cannot do anything else.
Put a spreadsheet together, or invest in a pricing template or calculator. Scratch columnist, Maddi Cook, has an acclaimed pricing calculator, as does Salonology, and its calculator can be accessed by members of its Gold Club business coaching group. Even though I kept on top of my costs with a spreadsheet, using a pricing calculator was an eye opener, as it ascertained how much to charge to make a profit in quiet weeks. Every business is different, so you must complete calculations relevant to your own business.
If you’re thinking, ‘I can’t charge that much in my area’, stop! Your product suppliers don’t charge you less because of where you live, do they? It will cost the same amount to run your business wherever you are in the country, so don’t base your pricing on the local rate.
Having the confidence to charge your worth can be tough, but you will gain clients that want to pay more to receive a better quality of service, so consider the value you can offer them and use that as a selling point. I’ll let you into a secret: it has taken me a while to reach the prices I currently charge, and I still believe they should be higher. I know how difficult it can be to charge your worth, but if we all do it together, it will be easier!