We had such a great response to our Blog of last week, with a request to be more specific about how to use any of our callus products in the Pedicure room.
I miss all of it! Being able to share my creative ideas with you…..helps keep those juices flowing. Thank you to those who requested more info. I have a “page full” to share with you.
TO BEGIN WITH
If you’ve been reading my Blogs, you know that I personally believe our consultation begins at the reception desk.
If you change this one thing in your Salon, you won’t have to offer 3, 4 or 5 different Pedicures. You offer 1 Pedicure which is customized to each clients need. We modify our basic pedicure to include services such as scrubs, hot stones, callus work etc. etc. Plus, we modify each pedicure based on the clients age, how much time they have and the health condition of the client.
Can you imagine going into a clinic or even a Dr’s office with a UTI and they treat you like you have the common cold? Sounds silly doesn’t it? In reality, this is what we are doing when we offer the same Pedicure(s) to all clients.
You also need to be well versed or well educated in order to teach your reception to ask the right questions? They won’t ask ALL the questions, but they certainly would get the consultation started.
Remember, the basic need for a consultation is to protect yourself as well as your client. You want to protect yourself from not leaving enough time for a client who requires extra work. You want to protect yourself from not servicing a client who has an infection. You want to protect yourself from under-charging for your services.
What should a consultation sound like coming from the Reception desk?
- Is this your first Pedicure
- If no, what if anything, did you like about your last Pedicure.
- If no, what if anything, did you not like about your last Pedicure.
- Do you have any concerns with the skin on your feet?
- If so, would you mind texting me a picture? (This is very popular in Hair Salons)
- Does massage bother you?
- Will you require polish?
- If so, would you want a standard polish or a fast dry (as in a gel polish)
Notice, there are no specific Medical questions. This should be left up to the Foot Care specialist.
However, also notice the questions being asked are directed towards knowing how much time will be needed in the chair and having a picture of the skin of their feet will help you begin the process of what service should be suggested.
At this point, the reception would simply say, our prices begin at XXX. The Foot Care Specialist will make their suggestion and pricing will be established at that time.
WHAT NEXT?
Once the client sits in your chair DO NOT automatically put their feet in the water. In fact, the water shouldn’t be waiting for them at all.
- You need to consult with them on Medical challenges.
- Are they diabetic
- Have they ever had or now have cancer
- Are they on blood pressure medicine.
- Do they have circulatory problems
- Do they have fibromyalgia
- Do they have neuropathy
- Are they pregnant
- Do they have any allergies
- Do they have any sensitivities
- You need to do a visual. The integrity of the skin on our feet change once they are placed in water. Not looking at the bottom of their feet, between their toes, removing their nail polish to look at their toes is neglect on your part. It’s like going back to that Dr. who provides a prescription for a common cold when you really have a UTI.
In addition, there are more questions which should be answered prior to performing the service.
- How often to you get pedicures
- What do you do to take care of your feet between services.
- Tell me about you! Are you active, do you wear shoes or sandals mostly, do you walk barefoot?
It isn’t until all these questions are answered and the visual consultation is done, should you begin the Foot Care process. Why? Because;
- Depending on their health concerns will depend on the temperature of the water
- Depending on their health concerns will depend on whether you use implements on them or not
- Depending on their health concerns will depend on what type of massage you give
- Water to hot can throw some with circulatory problems into a blood clot
- Someone pregnant receiving a massage can be put into labor
- Someone with Diabetes should not have their cuticles clipped
- Someone with Cancer has very specific needs
3 CUSTOMIZED SERVICES
FOOTLOGIX
In my early days with Footlogix, I always recommended these products to be used in every Pedicure. It didn’t happen and I couldn’t figure out why. It’s a great product, it’s effective. Yet, I noticed my clients using the product only used it for specific services. They listed it on their menu as a “Medi Pedi” a “Heeling Pedi” a “Cure All”, just to name a few. In addition, they were listing these Pedicures at a price of $75.00 upwards to $150.00.
Sounds great right? Only if they sell. But they weren’t. One big reason is because it was listed as a separate type of service on their menu…..as stated above. That’s a problem why? Because clients looking at that service didn’t feel like they needed that type of Pedicure. And, the Technicians weren’t knowledgable enough in Foot Care to be able to “sell” the difference.
Problem #1 – be knowledgable
Problem #2 – don’t list it as a separate service
Recommending the Footlogix products for a Pedicure should be customized. It’s marketed as a “clinical” brand. Why? Because it’s safe for the diabetic and it as no fragrance. In addition, it’s absorbs quickly into the skin without that greasy feeling.
These products are great products to market to your men. It’s also a great product to use if you are in a clinical environment such as a Podiatry office.
In addition, this is an easy to use product for at home care.
Footlogix has no fluff or buff. It’s simple to use, it’s effective, it’s very 1-2-3.
PODOSAFE
I try not to show favorites, because I truly believe in all the products I Educate on. However, I can tell you right now. If I still had my Salon….with PodoSafe, I would be doing things a lot different. I would be working smarter…..not harder.
PodoSafe came to my attention last August at the Foot Forward Summit. What you don’t know, I was very angry at being a part of that Summit. I felt it was very expensive to participate. Yet, Centre for Beauty had to be there. Why? Because my main 2 Mfg’s were there……right in my back yard.
I won’t get into all that, it’s not important. What is important is the real reason I was there. PodoSafe. It was just mean’t to be.
As soon as I started talking with them and began watching their demo, I knew there was something special. It was the same….yet different….then what I already carried. It was a product I could introduce into the Podiatry market yet introduce to my clients as a stand alone service. A way to work less, make more money.
I’ve recommended this service to be no less than $50.00 for 30 minutes and highly recommend you charge $75.00. Why? Because results are amazing and they are quick.
You don’t perform a full Pedicure service with the product. It is a “Callus Solution”. A service for those who have angry skin on their feet. A service for those who don’t like the whole process of a Pedicure. A service we keep in the Salon. A service where the product works for us…..we don’t work for it.
LCN
By far my most favorite full service pedicure brand. Over the past 3 years i’ve been affiliated with the brand, i’ve come to realize the European nations really have the low down on creating great, quality products. It doesn’t matter what is introduced from the home office Wilde Cosmetics, it just simply wow’s me.
What I have grown to love about the LCN brand is the reality that all men are NOT created equal. Some people like to stick with the same thing, some people need a variety in their life. No matter which category you fall into, we can provide what you need all from the LCN brand.
Its Urea product line is my anchor. Much like Footlogix but with many more beneficial ingredients. These added ingredients are visible in the results. It shows more hydration by far.
This is your full service line. You can ambience around the world with its exfoliating scrub capable of being used as a European gommage. The mask, as with any mask in the LCN brand isn’t typical. It’s lightweight and is not recommended to be washed off…..simply massaged into the skin.
The LCN brand is the epitome of customization
I also love the seasonal brands with the LCN line. Citrus and Red Wine, just to name a couple. But….hold onto your hat. In a couple more months, we will introduce their new Spa line. Wilde Cosmetics has revived some of their best sellers. It’s very exciting.
Who is your client for LCN…..simply put…..everyone! You can make it clinical, you can make it sexy. It does have a slight fragrance to it albeit a very clean fragrance. therefore, if you are looking for non fragrance, Footlogix might be your answer.
With all this being said, the one thing I truly love above all my brands…..they are interchangeable. There are no contra-indications in mixing one brand with another. This is awesome when you are trying to 100% customize and or modify to your clients specific needs.
To put all this in summary.
- Offer only 1 Pedicure and customize the service to your clients needs
- Use Footlogix as your more clinical product for those who simply don’t like the fluff and buff, the fragrance, the feel of more hydration
- Use PodoSafe as a stand alone. No full service Pedicure. Simply a callus solution.
- Use LCN as your full service Pedicure. It combines the benefits of Footlogix with benefits of luxury. Hence why we call it “Results with luxury”
You don’t have to use all 3, but I do recommend 2 of the 3. I highly suggest PodoSafe as your “solution” service and either Footlogix or LCN as your Foot Care service.
With that being said, you can ambience any of these products and do very well with them. However, remember, everything you add has a cost. That cost needs to be incorporated into what you charge.
Also, as an FYI…..all 3 brands are safe for the diabetic client.
WHAT IF?
- You scheduled for a haircut and everyone received the same cut
- You scheduled for a hair color and everyone received the same
- You scheduled for a nail service and you received the same as everyone else
- You scheduled for permanent eyebrows and you received the same shape as everyone else
This may sound a bit ridiculous, but it’s the truth…the list goes on and on. As Technicians we have got to start realizing….not all pedicures are created equal.
I believe we depend too much on our menu’s. We use our menu’s as our salespeople instead of training ourselves and our team to ask the right questions.
Happy Pedicuring!
CJ Murray, President
