Q. When I order your product through Pay Pal will I be notified that the payment was received?

A. Yes you will be notified by e-mail that your payment was received within 4 hours of when you purchased the product. We ship the product out the very next day. We ship by regular mail to cut down on costs to you.

Can my mobile beauty business provide me with a full-time living?

The financial viability of a mobile beauty business is contingent upon several factors. For example, if you have been working out of a salon and have an established client base, some or all of your customers may follow you when you go mobile, so easing your transition into your new venture. If, like most people, you are starting a mobile beauty company with no previous clientele, it is probably more realistic to view the bookings and revenue as a part-time commitment initially.

Any business takes time to grow. The growth rate and speed are directly proportional to the amount of energy you invest. A key factor in jump-starting your progress is publicizing your business. The profile resulting from a feature story is particularly helpful. If you follow the marketing tips in this CD-ROM and convince the editor of your local newspaper that your business is worth a story, you will be amazed how much impact this level of visibility has on your business volume.

How many clients can I service in one day?

This depends on whether you concentrate on serving groups or individual clients. Group engagements allow you to earn more money in a shorter time. For example, Mobile Beauty charges $40.00 per person for a pedicure. In a group situation, Mobile Beauty can service five people in 150 minutes (30 minutes per person), resulting in an income of $200.00 per call. In high season, you can easily service two groups of five, giving you a gross income of $400.00 a day (Of course, the figure varies according to the rates you charge.)

If you work on individual clients only, and if they are spread far apart in a big city, the cost-benefit analysis may show that running a mobile beauty business is not financially viable. Dividing your calls geographically (clustering appointments in given areas on particular days) is a more effective use of your time and results in higher revenue. In this way, you do not waste time on travel or extra money on gas for your vehicle. If you live in a small municipality, these issues are of less relevance.

What services should I offer?

This is entirely your choice. The scope of services your business provides depends on the amount of capital available for equipment. You may choose to start off small, offering a few simple services and expand the service range as your cash flow is established.

Alternatively, you may choose to offer a broad ranges of services at the beginning to determine the most popular and then adjust your service range in accordance with customer response. At the outset, Mobile Beauty offered makeup, full body waxing, facials, massage, manicure, and pedicure. Now, four years later, the company specializes in manicures and pedicures only. This business decision was made because 90 percent of the company's business was generated by these services.

Every market and business will be different. As a general rule, it is wise to start with inexpensive services. The equipment needed for manicures and pedicures is much less expensive than the apparatus required for facials or body treatments.

Should I hire employees?

Deciding whether to hire staff is a fundamental business decision. You may choose a more personal, small-scale approach in which you are the only person servicing clients. This gives you the highest level of quality control. Alternatively, you may choose to hire staff to serve clients while you manage the company.

Examine your priorities in starting and running a business. After a careful cost/benefit analysis, make an informed decision about whether or not to hire staff.

How do I book large groups?

Booking a large group is a bigger opportunity for you. It is also a bigger risk if the event is cancelled suddenly.

When booking a large group or a pampering party, take a credit card number from the event host and explain your booking and cancellation policies. The general requirement is that clients are expected to give 24 or 48 hours notice to avoid incurring charges.

Be aware that it is not unusual to book a large group, arrive at the home and find that some of the women who had booked services do not come. Having the host's credit card number empowers you to make a decision about charges. You may, for example, have a policy that you charge a percentage of the fee for the clients who did not attend as planned. For more information.

If a client cancels at the last minute, use your discretion about how much you charge. Depending on the circumstances, you may decide to charge the full amount, a percentage of the cost of the services or nothing at all (if the client cancels because of illness or a family emergency). Keep in mind that the long-term relationship with the client is the most important factor. While it is disappointing to lose one appointment, you may risk losing a long-term client permanently, if your cancellation policy is too inflexible.

Having a cancellation policy in place is particularly important if the business operates through employees, as you will be required to pay your staff even if the client is not at home at the scheduled appointment time.

If you have a question you would like answered or would like to share your experience please email Carolyn at .