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Press-On Nails Are Here to Stay: How Manicurists Can Make the Most of It
Nail educator Tracy Vinson shares how to ride the wave of press-on popularity and how an entrepreneurial mindset can help you bring in business.
May 11, 2021
3 min to read
During the pandemic, nail professionals around the world began selling custom sets to the offset lost clientele. Now, even as salons have reopened and most of the country pursues vaccinations, press-on nails are steady their golden age.
“If you’re already sitting on the product, why not make the product work for you?” suggests nail educator Tracy Vinson (@mobilemanicurist). “Nail techs are inundated with product – we love glitter – and there’s no need to make an initial investment to start a press-on nail business because we already have the supplies.”
It’s sweet music: You can make money, without needing to spend anything extra to launch. The issue is how and where to market your business.
Building a Press-On Shop
“Etsy is a fabulous place for crafters and creative people like us to bring in another source of income. It costs very little to open an Etsy store and you can do it in a matter of minutes,” Vinson says. It also has greater SEO value than a personal website, thus making it easier to get more eyeballs on your designs.
But one issue is that there are many unlicensed nail professionals and nail enthusiasts also selling their sets, creating competition. Too, Vinson notes that nail techs are trained to purchase from companies who sell to licensed individuals only. “We’re paying a lot more for our product than some of the nail enthusiasts that sell their press-ons,” she says.
Your profile page is a great place to list your training and accolades for meticulous shoppers who want to know more about you and the product. Here, you can share that you’re a licensed nail professional, you’ve competed in Next Top Nail Artist, you use professional products, etc.
Vinson continues, “It very well may be a $100 set, but the public buying these nails on Etsy doesn’t know, or care, if you’re licensed or not. All they care about is if it’s a beautiful product and if they want it.”
As such, some nail techs are offering cheaper prices on their nail sets than they would on a salon service, because it doesn’t require the same amount of personal preparation. “You don’t have to get up and get dressed to go into work,” Vinson says. “You can work on nails at midnight in your pajamas. You don’t have to ‘show up’ for that service, so you can offer a little bit of a discount.”
Your Designs Stand Out – What About Your Business?
Shoppers also care about the convenience of your business. Ask yourself: Is your price comparable? Is your shipping quick? What kind of return policy do you offer?
“It’s those kind of things on the business side we need to consider,” Vinson says.
She encourages artists to personalize the experience and go the extra mile when you send out your nails. “Make it a nice gift when your customer opens it. You can even include a cuticle oil, nail file, booklet on application and removal, business card and pretty tissue with the package. Do the whole kit and caboodle!”
You might not be there to rub lotion into your guest’s hands or paint their fingernails, but you can still make their experience with your product stick.
“The more you work it, the more return you’re going to get,” Vinson says.
Ready to set up your press-on nail business? Join Tracy Vinson's online class with lifetime access, which includes everything you need to know about assembly, presentaion, packaging, printables and more.
Originally posted on Nails Magazine
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