This blog isn’t about getting discovered by dream clients, it’s about keeping them around. Having the right technology, creating the right atmosphere, and customizing their experience all go into creating repeat clients that pay a premium. We’ve collected and consolidated five of the top ways that you can maximize your profit and keep a fully booked calendar without burning out or stress.
Booking apps are a game-changer for hairstylists, barbers, and braiders who seek to establish a consistent clientele. By leveraging the power of technology, beauty business owners can avoid interruptions, reduce no-shows, and manage all your appointment needs. Once you scrap your paper calendar, you’ll never go back.
With the whole world leveraging technology, clients expect that you, too, have easy-to-use digital capabilities. What was once a nice-to-have to book after hours or switch their appointment with a quick tap is now a requirement to stay in the game.
Consolidate your booking efforts onto one platform like Booksy. This creates an effortless client experience because there is only one source of truth for both you as the business owner and for them as the client. There is one place for messaging from you, one place to book, and one place to reschedule. They can feel more in control of their schedules because they will be able to see for themselves when you’re available, book their ideal slot, and even add on extra services all at once.
Giving your clients a tailored experience that shows you’re thinking about the long-term health and look of their hair can do wonders for customer loyalty. The goal is to get the client to schedule the next appointment during their current one. If you can help them know what they can expect next time, they are less likely to put off scheduling and book before they walk out of the door. Here are three examples of what this could look like:
Braiders
If you’re installing braids, your client may or may not realize that they need to come back in 6-8 weeks to get them taken out for the sake of their scalp and hairline. It’s worth the 15 seconds to mention the next appointment at a natural point during the session, pressing on what you’ll work on next time and what the benefits to the client will be.
Barbers
For barbers, it is more often about maintaining a look, so frequent visits are not usually a hard sell. But if walk-ins aren’t your thing, you’ll need to teach your clients to book ahead. As a barber, you get to know your clients and what events they have coming up. Armed with this information, it’s simply a case of making a recommendation of when to book so they don’t go too long between visits.
Hairstylists & Hair Colorists
For hair color appointments, consistently seeing your clients is vital to maintain the tone and vibrance. A veteran color client might understand that touchup appointments should be every 4-6 weeks. However, if they are going for a drastic platinum blonde from red, for example, you may know that they need to sit for a few sessions to achieve their goals. You can explain the ideal steps during their consultation so they not only have the right expectations but will book that next session, too.
There are perks to being a regular. One of them is not worrying if they can’t squeeze in for that cut right before their Thanksgiving trip. But in order to secure their spot in your chair, sometimes they need to book 2, 3, or 4 sessions ahead, especially around your peak dates.
Every beauty and barber business owner's peak dates fluctuate a little, but generally speaking, national holidays and the last quarter of the year are packed and stand-by lists are long. You can help your most loyal clients skip the stress and let them in on just how far ahead they need to book. It isn’t uncommon for your best clients to schedule their appointments through the end of the year.
Encourage them to do this if you know calendar space is limited, you have a vacation, or any other events that impact their ability to see you.
Clients can become fiercely loyal to their hair stylists and barbers. This is especially true when you are a specialist: braiding, fades, butterfly cuts, vivids…The list goes on. The more experience you have under your belt, the more of an expert you become, the better you are at pulling off something spectacular. And everyone in view of your chair knows it.
There’s a well-known axiom in business that says, “It’s far easier to keep a client than it is to find one.”
Additionally, clients appreciate when their stylist can offer personalized advice and recommendations based on their individual hair type and needs. By specializing in a certain area, you can keep your best clients around who specifically seek out those services.
This can lead to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth reviews, which are crucial for building a loyal client base. Additionally, being a specialist can differentiate you from other hairstylists and give you a competitive edge in the industry.
Have you ever gone online to shop, spotted an item while browsing, and rejected it because it was too cheap? When things aren’t expensive, we assume that the quality must not be good or they skipped something important in order to offer it at such a low price. The same is true for beauty and barber services.
Increasing prices may seem like a risky move, but it can actually lead to more repeat clients. When you charge a higher price, it can signal to clients that they are experienced and skilled in their craft. Clients may be willing to pay more for a professional who they believe will give them a better result. Additionally, a higher price can create a sense of exclusivity and prestige around a stylist's services, which can attract a certain type of client willing to pay a premium for quality.
To that end, raising prices can actually help hairstylists create a more sustainable business model. By charging more, stylists can take on fewer clients and focus on providing a higher level of service to those clients. This can lead to a better overall experience for clients, which in turn can lead to more repeat business. When a hairstylist has a loyal base of repeat clients, they can rely less on constantly finding new clients and instead focus on building deeper relationships with their existing client base.
These are five ways to make booking hair appointments easier. Ensure that your technology is simple and easy to use (Check out Booksy), tease the next appointment so they are looking forward to it, understand you peaks so you can help your clients avoid getting edged out of your book, hone your craft and become a specialist, and increase your prices. One thing that didn’t make the list but should have an honorable mention is to be yourself. Beyond the tech and skills, it’s your personality that creates and deepens relationships. That’s truly what good business is built on.
