four seasons - Stylist and Salon Newspapers

Exclusive to the Beauty Industry
FORTIER
INSURANCE SERVICES
Protect your Income
Through Disability Insurance Coverage
Cost starts at
Protect your Business
Independent Contractors
Professional Liability Insurance
$154.00 per year
No hidden charges or fees
$12.00
a month
*Automatic Acceptance,
No Health Questions.
Pays you when you're sick,
hurt and can't work.
*Not all Plans are available in Oregon
The Beauty Insurance Experts
WA Lic. #269041
For a FREE explanation of Benefits and the information you
need to know about Disability and Liability Insurance
Call us 1-800-927-3566, or visit our website
www.fortierinsurance.com
Click Here>
Click Here>
ä Providing Nail Care Services
for an Older Clientele
The Nail Extension
Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.
So who are we calling “old?” Everyone
older than I am? And why does that word
have such a negative connotation?
My nail salon doesn’t market to any
particular age group, nor do I track clients by
age. Some clients proudly announce theirs
(especially if they look much younger), and I
can roughly estimate the ages of others.
Far from being “over the hill” and “past
their prime,” my older clients lead vibrant,
fulfilling lives that many younger people
would envy. Marketing to them is essentially
marketing to myself, and who I want to be 50
years from now, should I live so long and well.
Yes, I have clients that old. There’s something
both endearing and inspiring about
nonagenarians (90+) who schedule a year
in advance to care for their nails. If everyone
could be that mindful, fastidious, optimistic
and committed . . .
Regardless of their age or gender, most
of my clients view professional nail care as
routine maintenance rather than a frivolous
activity or selfish extravagance. Having their
nails done isn’t about wearing polish.
Not everyone wears polish; that’s a
personal preference, more a beauty want than
a health need. What clients should understand
are there are potential consequences of neglecting/abusing
their natural nails, especially
when combined with the aging process and
other serious health concerns like diabetes.
I’ve found that the more maintenance
clients require the less capable and/or willing
they are to do it themselves. Many come to
that realization when they can no longer trim
their own toenails. In fact, attempting to trim
them could be dangerous without the proper
training and tool(s). That’s assuming that
clients have the flexibility to reach their feet,
and the manual dexterity, hand strength and
visual acuity to trim their nails safely. Even if
capable, some people will always prefer to have
a professional do the work on a regular basis.
Making your services convenient, pleasant
and affordable for older clients does take
some planning. I’ve designed my services to
focus on the basics (nail shaping and cuticle
conditioning) at a reasonable price, and
clients can always choose to expand their
service(s) with callus reduction, paraffin,
massage, polish/buffing, etc.
For example, clients who want only their
toenails trimmed choose the Foot Express
service. Moreover, during our services, the
nails are not just shortened, but smoothed
with a single-use, disposable file to avoid a
snagging/scratching hazard. This may or may
not compare favorably with what a podiatrist
would do or charge, but that’s not my
concern as long as we work within our scope
of practice as licensed manicurists.
Accessibility is of particular interest to
older clients because mobility decreases with
age. By minimizing physical barriers, or
eliminating them altogether, the salon can
accommodate clients who use canes/walkers/
wheelchairs. For clients physically incapable
of visiting the salon, whether their limitations
may be temporary, like recovering from
surgery, or permanent, like being unable to
drive or having a terminal illness, I provide
services in their homes. Let me emphasize
that these appointments are not “home spa
parties;” these clients have legitimate reasons
why they cannot visit the salon; otherwise
I wouldn’t be able to work on them legally.
(Before offering services outside your licensed salon,
check with your state board and insurance provider
to make sure you’re compliant.)
If you fear that your creativity or style will
somehow be constrained by older clients,
don’t worry. In my experience, older clients
rely on me even more than younger ones do
to keep them informed of product innovations
and color trends. Many of my older
clients are more adventurous than I am, and
want to be the first to try the trendiest colors.
As a beauty professional who regularly
works with older clients, I can assure you its
very rewarding, both personally and financially.
Granted, finding older people where
I live isn’t difficult; in fact, they’re hard to
avoid. My small town (Carmel, California)
has approximately 3700 residents with a
median age of 59.2 years. In comparison,
the median age statewide is only 35.2 years,
according to the 2010 U.S. Census. That age
differential represents an entire generation of
potential clients, both men and women who
could benefit from professional nail care.
One of the easiest ways to reach these
potential clients in your own community is
to volunteer, which is something that many
older people do themselves. You may also
want to support organizations and causes in
which you share mutual interest, like education,
health care, animal welfare and the arts.
Older clients want to feel valued and relevant.
Who doesn’t? Through your expertise,
kindness, reliability and personal interaction,
you’ll achieve that and much more.
Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D. owns Precision Nails, an exclusive nails-only salon in
Carmel, California. She can be reached at info@precisionnails.com.
READ IT! SAVE IT! PRINT IT! NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!
View this article and more at www.stylistnewspapers.com
8 | MAY 2013 | NORTHWEST STYLIST & SALON