'Tis the Season to Slay Bookings for Salon Success
Coming in hot, the peak season for summer blondes, party styling, and all-day blowouts is on its way! It's also the time when your booking system will face a real test as colour and styling appointments will skyrocket.
To handle the influx of bookings and overlapping appointments during the Christmas period, our expert team has come together to prepare you and your team for holiday season success, and help you master the art of scheduling Tetris!
1. But first, let’s get stocked
Back-to-back appointments is a delight to see but to ensure the season goes off without a hitch, you’ll need your salon well-prepped and stocked with everything you need. Ideally, you’ll have all your necessary salon supplies like foils, colour, shampoos and conditioners, treatments, and take-home products on-hand. Don’t know where to start? We've got all you need for your salon supplies, here.
2. Check-in with your booking system
Whether you use a digital or analog system, giving your booking system a thorough once-over is a great way to identify areas that may need improving. If you haven't already, consider adopting a digital booking system for salon appointments. Digital systems not only increase your team's productivity, but they also reduce client 'no-shows.' If you use a mobile-friendly app, you'll also have your schedule at your fingertips, anytime.
3. Promote earlybird bookings
To help leverage and maximise the surge in demand, start reminding your clients to book-in their appointments as early as possible. You can easily prompt by using your social media platforms or by sending a quick email or text. To encourage early bird bookings, consider offering incentives such as Christmas gifts or discounts for those who schedule ahead of time.
4. Client reminders and confirmations
In the era of constant phone notifications and digital distractions, reminding your clients of their booking times is a must. Depending on how you manage your bookings, a friendly reminder or confirmation via SMS, email, or a phone call around three days before the appointment is usually sufficient. This will help you plan your week of bookings in advance.
5. One team, one dream
Back-to-back salon bookings are fantastic for business, but they're only possible because of the dedicated and energized stylists in our industry. Keeping your staff informed, motivated, and sane during the Christmas period is crucial. Ensure that each team member understands their bookings and the types of appointments they're handling—this empowers stylists to make confident on-the-spot decisions.
It's also a good time to acknowledge the efforts that contribute to the salon's success—your people. Keep your team's energy levels high with well-timed breaks, time off to prevent burnout, daily check-ins, and, of course, snacks, lots and lots of snacks!
6. Extend opening hours
To make the most of the holiday period, consider extending your opening hours to meet the seasonal demand. This is also an opportunity to reach new clients who may not have been able to visit the salon due to previous opening hours or accessibility constraints.
7. Fill last-minute bookings on social
In case of cancellations, keep your clients and social media community informed about last-minute openings. These updates can be linked directly to your booking system or managed via direct messaging on social media.
8. Create a waitlist
Setting up a holiday period waitlist for clients in need of an appointment or specific time slots is an excellent way to ensure your salon remains fully booked. This can be managed via your booking platform or using a cloud-based spreadsheet so all team members can gain access when needed.
9. Thrive (not just survive) through the silly season
Along with the excitement and joy, the holiday season can be a challenge for salons. By being proactive with your scheduling, staffing and appointment management, you’ll not only survive the surge in bookings, but thrive through the madness!
Key Takeaways
- Begin promoting holiday bookings well in advance to secure a strong client base.
- Ensure your booking system is efficient and user-friendly for your clients and team.
- Use reminders via SMS, email, or phone calls to reduce no-show clients.
- Keep your staff well informed of all bookings coming up.
- Consider extending your salon's opening hours to accommodate increased demand.
- Leverage social media to fill last-minute cancellations and engage with clients.
- Establish a holiday waitlist to keep your salon fully booked.
Wishing you a joyful, fun, and successful holiday season!
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