You’re sitting at your desk, brush in hand, maybe half a set into a new design you dreamed up at 2AM.

Your lighting’s finally decent, you’ve got three practice sets lined up on your press-on display, and your portfolio grid is starting to look… actually legit.

But your booking calendar? 🦗🦗🦗 Crickets 🦗🦗🦗

If you’re just starting out, or stuck somewhere between friends-and-family clients, this guide is here to show you exactly how to find nail clients both online and off. Because even the best art won’t book itself!

We’ll break it down step-by-step, myth-bust the usual advice, and hand you some tricks that most techs don’t talk about until they’re fully booked and too busy to answer your DMs.

Now, let’s get you those clients!!

 

First: You Need a Vision (Yes, Before the Clients Come)

We know, you came here to learn how to find clients, not map your soul. But stick with us.

Before you put yourself out there, ask: Who are you trying to attract?

Because when you’re vague, you blend in. But when you’re clear (even if it’s just to yourself) you start to attract the people who get it. The ones who show up on time, respect your prices, and repost your work without asking.

Try this:

• Do you want to be known for maximalist Y2K art? Or clean-girl micro-French sets?
• Are you building a luxury experience? Or a cozy, come-as-you-are vibe?
• Do you want to specialize in hand painting? Builder gel? Press-on kits?
  
  

Write it down. Build around it. Your bio, your content, your brand colors... all of that comes easier when you know who you’re speaking to.

Think of this like building a magnet, not a net. You’re not trying to catch everyone. You’re trying to attract the right ones.

Build a Portfolio (Even If No One’s Paid You Yet)

You don’t need paying clients to prove your talent.

Your first five “clients” might be your own hands, press-on sets, or your sister’s roommate’s cousin. That’s fine. What matters is the quality of what you show, and the consistency of how you show it.

Use these to get started:

• Practice on yourself or pop-off tips. Photograph every set like it’s going on a billboard.
• Play with natural light. Aim for clean backgrounds, soft shadows, and a sense of style.
• Try seasonal looks, trend sets, and staple styles you’d love to be booked for.
  
  

✨Remember✨ your Instagram grid is your storefront. The visuals tell people what you can do. Your captions tell them who you are. And both build trust, even before they meet you.

If you don’t have client content yet, fake the structure: make testimonials from yourself (“client reviews from me, myself, and my ring finger”), post BTS content of your setup, or walk people through your thought process on a design.

You’re not pretending you have clients, you’re just proving you’re ready for them.

Instagram Strategy That Attracts Clients

(Not Followers. Clients.)

Instagram is still the place to build visibility. But more importantly, it’s where your future clients are scrolling at 11PM wondering who to book for their birthday trip.

We’ll get into more detail below, but if you’re a skimmer:

• Use geotags and city-based hashtags. Yes, even in Stories.
• Pin posts that act like mini menus. What you do, how to book, what your vibe is.
• Share your availability regularly. Don’t assume people will check your link.
• Post what you want to get booked for, not just what’s trending.
• Don’t leave people hanging in DMs. Respond with clarity and warmth.
  
  

And if you’re feeling stuck? Go look at a tech you admire who’s a few years ahead. Don’t copy, but study their flow. How often they post. What kinds of captions they write. Whether they show their face, their space, their process.

You’ll start to see that it’s not about followers. It’s about connection.

📎 If you want our best advice, head over to our blog about growing on Instagram!

 

Here’s How to Nail Instagram:

1. Use Geotags & Local Hashtags Like a Stalker With Boundaries

Want clients in Atlanta? Stop using #nailart and start using #atlnails or #atlnailtech. People might search those to find someone local. Same with geotagging your posts and stories, you want to show up when someone checks “Downtown Phoenix” on a Sunday scroll.

Bonus tip: Use neighborhood-level tags too. Big city? Break it down. Smaller town? Tag the nearest metro area.

2. Pin a Booking Menu Post

This should live on your profile 24/7 and scream: “Here’s what I offer. Here’s how to book. Here’s what it’ll cost you.”

Great menu posts usually include:

• A short caption with your availability + booking link
• A clean image with your signature sets
• Pricing tiers (or starting at $X)
• A vibe check, AKA a line that makes the right people think “yep, they’re my tech”
  
  

Example:
“Booking April 🚨
$XXX structured gel, $XXX with basic art
✨ No long nails (yet!)
✨ Chill energy, quiet appointments welcome
📍Chicago, Avondale
🔗 Book through link in bio!”

3. Use Story Highlights to Handle FAQs

Pin your policies, late rules, aftercare, availability, and booking process as Highlights.
If someone has to dig for basic info, they won’t.

Suggested Highlights:

• “Book Me” (with link + promo)
• “Pricing”
• “Your First Visit”
• “FAQs”
• “Art Styles” or “My Work”

You can even do a highlight called “Who I’m For” to pre-qualify your dream clients.

4. Respond to DMs With Clarity (Not Vibes)

Being “chill” doesn’t mean being vague. Don’t ghost inquiries or say “hey love” and then forget to answer.

Saved replies = your new best friend. Use them to:

• Link your booking site
• Repeat your policies
• Handle common questions (e.g. “Do you offer acrylics?”)

You don’t need to sound like a robot, but you do need to sound ready.

5. Post What You Want to Be Booked For

If you don’t want to keep doing cow print or linework? Stop posting it.

It sounds obvious, but your feed trains your audience. Be intentional. Want more minimalist gel sets? Post those. Love full-coverage chrome? Flood your grid. You’re not just showing art. You’re showing direction.

Make Booking a No-Brainer

Let’s be honest… if someone has to DM you, wait 48 hours, ask a follow-up, and still doesn’t know how to book, your chances are dwindling.

People don’t want a puzzle. They want a button.

Set yourself up with:

• A booking platform (GlossGenius, Square, Acuity—whatever fits your needs)
• Clear hours, pricing, and policies
• A pinned or Highlighted “How to Book” guide, like we mentioned above
• An FAQ that answers the common stuff: length, removals, late policy, etc.
  
  

You don’t have to sound boring, but you do have to sound reliable.

And if you’re just getting started, try a low-lift promo: first-time client deal, a limited number of discounted sets, or a simple "book this week and get a free design add-on." Make it easy. Make it visible.

Tell People You’re Open for Business (No, Louder)

Some of your future favorite clients already follow you… but don’t know you’re taking clients.

Seriously. Your cousin might still think you’re just “playing around with nails.”

Change that:

• Announce openings on your personal and biz accounts
• Text your circle! Yes, literally send a message to friends, coworkers, old classmates
• Offer a “first five sets” deal in exchange for reviews and photos
• Say it more than once. People forget. People skim. Repetition works.
  
  

And remember: there’s no shame in starting small. Every tech you admire started with one client, too.

 

 

Take It Offline: Where to Find Nail Clients IRL

Your phone isn't the only place people are finding techs. You’re surrounded by opportunities in the real world, especially when you’re building hyper-local visibility.

Try this:

• Partner with hairstylists, makeup artists, lash techs, or tattoo artists and cross-promote (Helloooo community building!)
• Host a pop-up or collab day at a boutique, coffee shop, or salon
• Leave flyers or cards at gyms, dance studios, music stores (wherever your people go)
• Post in Facebook groups, Reddit city subs, or bulletin boards
  
  

One of the fastest paths to trust is a real-world recommendation. Bonus if they saw your IG first and recognized your name.

Don’t Underestimate Social Proof (Even If You’ve Only Had One Client)

People don’t need a hundred reviews. They need one honest one.

That might be:

• A screenshot of a client saying “I’m obsessed”
• A time-lapse of your cleanup routine
• A video showing how you sanitize or prep
• A voiceover talking about your client’s inspo and how you brought it to life
  
  

The goal is to build familiarity. To make people feel like they know you before they sit in your chair. Because trust leads to bookings. Not just talent.

Keep Showing Up (Even When It Feels Like No One’s Watching)

We know what it’s like to post a set you’re proud of and get two likes and one comment from your mom. It can be discouraging.

But those first few months are less about who sees it and more about what you’re building.

Keep posting. Keep practicing. Keep your calendar link updated. And don’t let the slow start stop you.

Because one post can turn into one booking. One booking into a repeat client. One client into a referral. And suddenly you’re fully booked three weeks out.

That’s how it happens, Vexies! Quietly. Steadily. Until it’s not quiet at all.

 

FAQ: How to Get Nail Clients (When You’re Just Starting Out)

How do you attract clients to your nails?

To attract nail clients, you need visibility + trust + a booking link that doesn’t make people work too hard. Sounds simple, but here’s how that breaks down:

1. Visibility: Post consistently. Use local hashtags and geotags. Show your best work and your process, not just final shots.
2. Trust: Show your setup. Talk about hygiene. Ask for reviews and post them. People book people they feel safe with.
3. Ease: Your booking info should be easy to find, clear, and up to date. No broken links. No "DM me for prices."

Every post, story, or highlight should move someone one step closer to clicking “Book Now.”

 

Can you get nail clients from Instagram?

Hell yeah! And many techs only use Instagram to build a full client base.

But it only works if you treat Instagram like a booking tool, not just a gallery. That means:

• Your profile makes it crystal clear you're taking clients
• Your booking link is front and center
• Your location is listed (and geo-tagged!)
• Your pinned posts or Highlights guide people through booking
• You’re posting sets you want to be booked for

Most importantly: you show up like someone who’s ready for clients, not just hoping for likes.

 

How do you build a nail clientele from scratch?

Step one? Start where you are… even if that’s just your best friend’s hands, duct tape, and a dream.

Here’s the roadmap:

1. Practice sets on tips, friends, or yourself. Use them to build a photo-worthy portfolio.
2. Promote everywhere. Instagram, Facebook groups, community boards, group chats, old coworkers.
3. Offer a model rate or first-time promo in exchange for feedback, a few photos, and a review.
4. Ask for reposts. Early clients tagging you is free exposure.
5. Create repeatable systems. Clean up your booking process. Keep links live, policies clear, and messaging consistent.

Your first few clients will likely come from people you already know, or someone who stumbles onto your work and feels an instant connection. After that? Your work starts doing the talking for you.

 

Is word-of-mouth still useful?

Abso-freaking-lutely! And it might be your best client pipeline. Especially in a local, trust-based service like nails.

Why? Because no ad will ever beat someone saying, “You have to book with her.”

What fuels strong word-of-mouth:

• An experience worth talking about (clean space, killer nails, good energy)
• Clear branding that’s memorable
• Content that’s so good your clients want to share it

And don’t be afraid to ask. A simple: “If you love your set, tell your friends!” goes a long way.

 

How do I get people to rebook?

Rebooking is the bridge from hobby to business. Here's how to make it feel effortless:

• Ask during the appointment. A quick “Want to lock in your fill now?” can do the trick.
• Offer rebook perks. Even small ones, like 10% off if they book within 3 weeks.
• Send reminders. Most platforms let you automate them.
• Track your regulars. A quick message like “Hey! Your fill’s probably coming up—want to grab a spot?” shows you’re paying attention.

Bonus tip: Keep a client notes file. Knowing their fave colors, go-to shape, or even their dog’s name? That’s what turns a one-time client into a ride-or-die regular.

What if I don’t have money to advertise?

You don’t need to run ads to grow a client base. Use what’s free and high-impact:

• Instagram (posts, stories, reels, saved replies)
• Facebook groups and local community threads
• Word-of-mouth referrals
• Flyers or business cards at gyms, cafés, or nail supply stores
• Local pop-ups or collabs with beauty pros in your area

The key is consistency. One promo post won’t build momentum, but one post a day, a few DMs, a solid booking highlight, and a story asking for referrals? That stacks!!

 

What should I say when I post that I’m taking clients?

Keep it simple. Here’s a plug-and-play format:

“I’m officially taking clients!”
📍 Your location
💅 What you specialize in
📅 When you’re booking (this week, this month, next drop)
🔗 Link to book (make it easy to find)
👀 Optional: First-time offer, loyalty reward, or model rate

Repeat it. Reword it. Remix it. Most people need to see something 3–5 times before they act.

 

How long does it take to build a clientele?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but generally:

If you’re posting regularly, engaging your audience, and delivering good work, you can start building a steady base within 2–3 months.

Some techs go full-time in six months. Others take a year. And that’s okay.

Don’t compare your Chapter 1 to someone else’s Chapter 20. Keep showing up. Stay flexible. Improve where you can. The slow start is just that… a start!

Final Thoughts: You’re Not Behind

It’s easy to look at techs with packed schedules and think you missed the boat.

You didn’t.

This industry makes space for people who care, who keep learning, and who bring their own flavor to the table. You don’t have to copy anyone. You just have to keep going.

Start with what you have. Start where you are. And know that every client who sits in your chair is already proof you’re doing something right.