Nail art pricing and how to charge for nail art
Charge what you’re worth
Covering your costs and charging for your time is important, but also make sure you’re charging for your skills. You may have spent money and time on training, so this should all be considered in your fees.
Forget the notion that nail art should be a free extra, especially if it’s basic nail art like dots or a splash of glitter. It all impacts on your time so you should charge accordingly.
Think about other costs involved
It’s not just your products and tools such as striping brushes, stickers, polishes and glitter, it’s also your skill and time that customers are paying for, so take this into consideration.
Think about overheads in your salon. And, if you’re running a mobile nail art business, factor in the time it’s taking you to get to your clients and the travel expenses involved i.e. petrol.
Up your nail art pricing for intricate work
Don’t be afraid to charge more for technical nail art designs, and let your clients know why some designs cost more than what’s advertised.
For example, a full set of acrylics with intricate nail art designs topped with rhinestones will take maximum time and effort!
You could add a line to your nail art price list that states the costs can vary on design, and let your client know beforehand if you think it will be more money.
“Raising prices once a year should be enough to make sure you can keep up with your business costs”
See what the competition is charging
Looking at the nail art pricing of other nail art technicians who are mobile or in salons and in your area, will give you a good idea how to pitch your own fees. Try and go with an average so you’re not the cheapest but not the most expensive either.
Think about what makes your nail art business unique. Do you offer late hours on particular days, do you go into offices during a lunch hour? Promote that on social media, local press advertisements etc to stand out from the rest.
Plus always make sure your feature your artwork on your own nails, wherever you go. Have business cards handy for the inevitable question: ‘I love your nails, where did you get them done?’ You are your best advertisement.
Charge by the hour and nail
One way to price elaborate nail art designs that will take some time is by the minute. Calculate your hourly rate from how much you usually earn per day and divide into minutes.
For some fast effects like nail glitter, swirls or marbling you could charge by the nail. Or, a combination of these two methods might be ideal if a client wants more expensive designs such as rhinestones and gems.
Charge double for the embellishment per nail than the cost to buy it and you will turnover a good profit.
Raise prices at the right time
The cost of your nail art supplies will rise, so you should raise your prices, too. Some nail technicians may be worried about increasing nail art pricing in case they lose clients, but if you provide a quality service this shouldn’t be a problem. (And if some clients to go elsewhere, they usually come back after realising other places don’t provide such a quality service as you!)
Raising prices once a year should be enough to make sure you can keep up with your business costs. How much you do this by depends on your nail art business – has it changed to include more services, have your costs gone up considerably? Around 10-15 percent is about average.
Just make it clear to clients in advance so they have time to get used to the idea (and don’t raise your prices in January).
Don’t miss out on our next #NailTecTalk event with Marian Newman on 3rd February – get your tickets now!
Watch our #NailTecTalk series for more tips and advice.
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