Hard wax verses soft wax... which is best?

Waxes come in two choices. Hard waxes and soft waxes.

Hard waxes come in tins and pellets or blocks. Apply, allow to set, then peel off. No strip allows you to contour application to the anatomy of the body. This is useful for nooks, crannies and that tricky detail work. 

Hard waxes/ non-strip, generally go on at a lower temperature than a strip wax. This makes them more gentle to sensitive skins and intimate areas.  

Soft waxes come only in tins. Once warmed, apply then lay a strip on top. Press strip into the wax, then remove.  In most cases soft waxes/strip waxes are applied more thin than non-strip.  

Strip waxes are best for speed waxing. Apply the over a large area then remove working from one edge of the wax to the other.  

The super thin application of a strip wax makes it more cost effective for large areas. For those working only with non-strip waxes adjust your pricing. Non-strip wax will take more time and use more wax for large areas.

A full leg non-strip wax is typically twice the price of a strip wax for the same service. But, if the client has sensitivities, they are happy to have this option.

Some facilities prefer to use only a strip wax.  This single wax philosophy dates back to the 80s when there weren't the choices that there are today. It makes ordering and stocking simple.  It takes less space in the treatment room.

But today is about offering more than just a service.  It is about offering a custom experience tailored to the client's needs. Today's clients want choices. Offering a diversity of waxes or wax options is key to happy, repeat customers.

Size matters. For example, Cirepil Blue MSRP for 400 grams tins are approximately $5.35 per 100 grams.  If you buy the 800 gram size, the price drops to $4.85 per 100 grams. Purchasing the blue in the 3750 gram size, the price drops to $4.00 per 100 grams.  And of course, with your member discount or buying by the case can save you even more.

If you do a lot of waxing, buying larger sizes will have a definite impact on your bottom line.

Strip waxes don't come in different sizes.  They are sold in the tin as they would not hold their shape and would melt in hot weather. Look for the opportunity to save money when buying multiple tins, or buy a case.  Yes, the case has a lot of tins in it. Store it in a cool, dry place and there is really no expiration. 

Is Your Advertising Working?

At some point in your business you realize it needs promoting.  You  need to expand your customer base. Grow your revenues. Be able to cover anticipated increases in overhead like rent. 

You've worked hard at collecting client emails.  You've got people  liking your business on Facebook, Google or Instagram. But if you spend money to bring more people in, how do you know if it is working?  Much of the time, there is no way.  

Television, newspaper, radio, magazines, local school groups... everyone wants you to advertise with them. It's great to support local, but is it giving you a return on your investment?   Most venues will "increase public awareness", "build brand awareness."  They don't necessarily bring people into the door.  This is general advertising.  

The goal of general advertising is to leave a mental picture of the business in our head. They hope at some time when we might be in the market for an item, we will think of them.  Like a sexy new car, a comfy new sofa, a repair man when something breaks.  We certainly aren't going to call a repairman when everything is working well.  

Think of this as seed advertising.  You plant the seeds and hope they will grow and blossom.  But you never really know how well your dollars are working.

There is another type of advertising you can employ.  Trackable advertising.  A coupon is trackable.  Those codes you enter in to get an online special are trackable.  If no one brings in the coupon, you know that didn't work.  Don't repeat.  Do something different.

If you have an active business Facebook page, you can do trackable marketing there.  Create a unique offer with a code attached to it.  You can set it up to sell it right from Facebook. And you will know exactly how well it is doing.    Trackable return on your investment. 

You could also put an offer on Instagram, Yelp or Google. Make it a little different, or use a different code.  You want to know which venue and which offer your clients responded to.  It may take a little testing and tweaking to find what hits your clients' hot button.  But you will have more than seeds of hope. You will know exactly how well your investment is working. Trackable.