Finding creative ways to make extra income quickly became the norm the moment the COVID-19 pandemic struck. And that’s especially true for beauty and wellness professionals who had to close the doors to their businesses to keep people safe.
Instead of turning to Google and searching for ways to make money or reaching out to family members and friends, read on to find out how one creative nail stylist named Alexandra Nanette decided to host her very first online class, which made hundreds of dollars in profits.
Keep in mind that Alexandra runs a successful business called Nails By Nanette that’s based in Orlando, Florida. But she was able to attract online learners from across the country. Her advice could very well help you stay afloat during these turbulent times.
Learn from her insight, creativity, and resourcefulness—the same skills that she employed to quickly put together an online course that taught her students how to better market themselves and gain a larger online following. Take the time to read her story and learn from her successes.
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At 25 years young, Alexandra has already been featured in Nail Pro Magazine for being one of the top nail professionals under the age of 30 in Orlando. Alexandra is known throughout Central Florida for being a Booksy Ambassador, a brand ambassador for Valentino Beauty Pure, and a salon suite owner.
With over 32,000 followers on Instagram, she’s also a well-known nail influencer with an incredibly bright future ahead. As a leader in the nail industry, she wasn't going to let her dreams to achieve so much in the world of beauty and wellness get put on hold by the pandemic.
Like many industry professionals, she had to close the doors to her private space, where she creates nail designs that loyal customers describe as flawless. Part of the reason she gets such positive feedback from customers is her warm demeanor, which never fades even while she’s performing intricate shaping treatments or creating entirely new designs.
When beauty and wellness professionals were asked to close their doors, this determined young woman decided to bring her creativity and passion for the nail industry into the classroom. And as it turns out, a host of students were interested in attending.
It’s been over two years since Alexandra first opened the doors to her own salon space. And the knowledge that she’s been putting to use is in high demand. Specifically, people of all ages and backgrounds want to know how to better market their work online.
One of the reasons why her virtual session was such a huge success was the fact that 75 people registered to participate in her class designed to help nail artists and other business professionals grow their reach and increase their revenue through social media marketing.
“We were in quarantine, and I wanted to show everyone how they could make money off of social media. And I wanted to share what I’ve done to gain multiple streams of income using Instagram, which helped people find me, since it’s easy to get noticed there,” said Alexandrda.
The course aired via Zoom on Monday June 8th at 8 p.m EST. Alexandrda said she knew her first class couldn’t be too pricey, so she only charged a $5 registration fee. To help spread the word, she advertised everything using Instagram posts, IG stories, and IGTV videos.
The strategies that she used to market her course became part of the lesson. The course was aptly titled “The Tools I’ve Used to Keep My Business Successful.” And within 75 minutes she was able to help people get more online exposure, while making a healthy profit.
Alexandra made approximately $375 from teaching students online. She started preparing just two weeks in advance. Her main task was creating a landing page using an online tool that didn’t require any coding. And she also put together a PowerPoint presentation.
"Everyday for those two weeks, people kept signing up. And it was really, really cool to see people actually wanting to take one of your classes. That was a really nice feeling,” she said.
Alexandra freely admits that teaching a virtual classroom took careful planning. And even though she'd already taught beauty professionals at trade shows—teaching an online course is something that other industry experts can do without a heavy background in educating others.
To get started, she gathered inspiration from questions she’d received over the years. Before the pandemic, people would stop and ask her about social media marketing strategies. This happened at trade shows or networking events. Other times, people would reach out online.
“How did you get your name out there? How did you get so many followers on Instagram? This was something that people have wanted me to do for a while. I was getting so many questions over the years, so it was nice to provide some answers,” she said.
She also recommends getting very comfortable with the technology, since people will need to see and hear you during the session. It’s a good idea to set everything up with plenty of time in advance to troubleshoot potential technical problems, such as camera angles and sound.
“I had a little bit of trouble when I first signed into Zoom. The audio wasn’t working, and I was trying to get people to hear me and stuff like that. I ended up figuring it out. But getting it right was nerve wracking. Next time, I would probably start much earlier to make sure everyone could see and hear me,” Alexandra said.
It’s also important to devote the right amount of time and attention to balancing finances. Charging the right amount is key, she said. And that’s because people may not want to pay too much, if it’s your first lesson. But do consider your costs and take them into consideration.
Finally, Alexandra said it’s a great idea to have plans in mind for future classes. Since the success of her first class, she’s already planning her next class. It will be a beginner's course for nail techs that covers nail shaping and applying acrylics. Her expected date to air this course is coming up in October, so don’t miss out!
