We’re excited to announce our newly supersized Refer-a-Friend Program, designed to reward you even more for spreading the word about Bookedin!

Now you’ll get a cool $100 bill credit when your friend subscribes to any paid Bookedin plan. They’ll get a free month too!

Getting started is easy:

1. Log in to your Bookedin account or launch the mobile app
2. Go to Account > Refer a Friend in the menu
3. There you’ll find a special referral link. Share it with your friends and when they sign up and pay for a plan, you’ll both reap the rewards!

Don’t want to bother with the link? No worries.

Your friends can simply mention your name during their account setup and we’ll take care of the rest.

Remember, there’s no limit to how much you can earn, so start referring today and watch the rewards roll in! Referral credits are added during the first week of every month. We’ll send you a quick email to keep you updated on your earnings.

Thank you for being part of the Bookedin community and for helping us grow!

Today’s the big day!

We’ve refreshed Bookedin’s online booking pages with a modern look and added features to make it even easier for your clients to book appointments.

Here’s a few of the new booking page features:

• Totally new modern design
• Drop-down menus to help clients choose their favorite provider or service
• Better organized services list
• Dark mode
• New color palette options
• And more!

Here’s a sample of what your clients will see: 

Desktop version:

If you’ve been searching for a free online scheduling tool, then look no further. Bookedin is excited to announce our new and improved refer-a-friend program!

It all started when we heard that our customers were referring their colleagues and local businesses. After receiving several emails like this one, we decided it was time to reward everyone for spreading the word.

We Diana

How the Bookedin Referral Program Works

All you need to do is sign up or log in to Bookedin and share your special referral link. Whenever someone clicks your link and purchases any Pro plan, you’ll both get a free month!

Web/tablet view (Account > Referral Program)

Mobile app view (settings > referral program)

Why are referrals so important?

Because of the free rewards of course! But seriously, no business owner on earth wants to spend their precious spare time researching appointment apps. They want to know what other savvy business owners like YOU use.

So why not be a leader in your community and let your fellow business owners know about Bookedin? As someone who runs a busy shop, you know the power of word-of-mouth referrals. It’s one of the best ways to find new customers and discover powerful new tools for your business.

Help build the Bookedin family & reap the rewards

Here are the steps:

• Log in to Bookedin (new here? sign up for free)
• Go to “Account > Referral Program”
• Behold! Your shiny new referral link
• Hit share
• People can click the link, sign up for free, and if they purchase any Bookedin plan, we’ll credit both of your accounts with a free month!
• Referrals get credited the first week of every month. We’ll send you both a quick email to let you know.
• There’s no limit on how many free months you can earn.

Who is this for?

Well hmmm, who do you know who could use an appointment scheduling software?

They’re that friend of yours who is absolutely killing it in their business. They’re running their own shop and you’re often left wondering how they’re able to balance it all. Finding great staff, keeping the Instagram feed fresh, balancing family time with the constant incoming emails, phone calls, DMs and texts from loyal clientele. As you know, the stress of managing an appointments-based business is no joke. Bookedin melts all of that stress.

And even if their business isn’t *exactly* booming, setting up an online scheduling tool for clients will make it easier to book and increase the flow of clients coming in the door. Especially through “the ultimate happening” of 2020, booking online is the new normal, and a key way to get more appointments booked.

Either way. You want the best for them. To help them reach K2-summit-levels of success.

She’s your massage therapist. He’s your local barbershop owner. They’re your tattoo artist. Your therapist, your personal trainer, your physiotherapist, your massage clinic, your go-to beauty salon. You want to help them cut down on stress and help them improve their business. Just like you did.

It’s time for a free online scheduling tool

We won’t lie. Some folks are scared to get started. But do you remember how easy it was to start booking appointments online?

If your friend is feeling a bit skittish, you can tell them that in about 15 minutes anyone can setup an online appointment booking system. After the setup, staff and clients take to it like a little kid at the water slide park.

Or like a duck in water.

Or this:

You get the picture.

And even if they’re allergic to tech, the Bookedin team can help them get their account up and running over a zoom call, phone (1-888-966-8176) or email support.

Here’s one last piece of motivation.

One final tidbit to help convince your colleagues (and get your sweet-sweet referral credits rolling in…)

With online appointment booking, your friend’s business and books will boom overnight. Just ask Deborah whose salon got ~50 appointments booked within hours of setting up Bookedin.

Share Bookedin with your friends now…

…and help their business get to the next level!

Meet Clara, Owner of Pronoia 11:11 Skincare in Miami, Florida.

Let’s give a warm welcome to Clara. Once part of the corporate skincare game, Clara left to pursue her dream of owning a business where she could accomplish her goal of making each of her clients feel good physically, mentally & spiritually through a unique suite of services.

Now, 11 years in, this Miami-based skin magician is thriving. We hope you enjoy our interview with the owner of Pronoia 11:11 as much as we did:

Why did Clara choose Bookedin for appointment scheduling?

Clara found Bookedin as a happy accident . Knowing she needed *something* as a new business owner, she stumbled upon us when she was checking out another Bookedin user’s profile. Once Clara clicked the link she realized straightaway she’d found something “cool.” The moment she saw Bookedin was a spa booking app that took up-front deposits & online payments… it was a match made in heaven. Deal officially sealed.

How did online booking change Clara’s life?

Clara’s business has gotten busier since COVID-19 (yes, you read that right), and Bookedin’s software has been there to help. Now that she’s added her booking link to her website, she’s free from constant interruptions during her appointments and finding it easier (and more financially lucrative) for invoicing.

Thanks to upfront deposits & an online schedule, Clara has more time to take care of her business… you know, beyond just answering the phone & returning voicemails.

You can read our full interview with Clara below:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Pronoia 11:11 Skincare Inc. (@pronoia11.11_skincare) on May 6, 2020 at 6:22am PDT

Tell me a bit about how your shop got started.

Well, I’ve been an esthetician for just a little under 11 years now. I had tried to start my business prior but I ended up working in a corporate skincare facility. And from there, I just didn’t feel like I was able to grow, so I ventured out. There were other treatments I wanted to do that weren’t being offered where I was at. So I just decided to expand and start my own thing.

Related → The Must-Have Guide for Booking More Makeup Clients

What challenges were you experiencing in your business that led you to look for a solution like Bookedin?

When I started out, I just didn’t know what to use. I was just kinda like, “What do I do?”

I knew there were booking apps out there, but I wasn’t really familiar because I never had to use them — it was always done for me. I just kind of stumbled upon Bookedin by accident, to be honest with you.

I had actually looked into someone else’s profile and the link was in their profile and I clicked on it, and I was like, “Oh, this is perfect.” And I looked into it, went on the website and looked at it and I was like, “This is something cool.”

And then on top of it, I realized that you guys also added a feature where you could take payment on there too, so for me that was awesome, ’cause for deposits and stuff like that, it really works.

For some services our clients do deposits, and others don’t need to put a deposit down. It really helps.

What made you choose Bookedin over other products on the market?

People had mentioned others, even while I was already on Bookedin. I had looked at others, but I’ll be honest with you, I’ve just been so very comfortable already, that everything else is either comparable or is different, and the differences are things that I don’t really care for. So that’s why I’ve always just stuck with Bookedin.

What specific improvements have you seen as a result of using BookedIn?

Well, more specifically, speaking of what’s going on right now (COVID-19), it’s helped a lot. It’s helped a lot with that. Honestly, I didn’t have the link put into anything just yet, I would only give it to specific clients of mine.

And that was because I, for some reason, I don’t know what it was, that I just really liked to have control over my book like that. But most recently, because it’s been getting a lot busier, I’ve given the link out, I’ve posted it.

Now I have it on my website so people can just directly book from there, and it makes life so much easier for me. And actually, even financially, yes, because the way I was doing my invoices before for payments or deposit was a little bit different, and now they can do it directly through the website when they book their reservations, which is a lot easier for me too, versus having to write out an invoice for them.

I guess, what I’m trying to say is, it does benefit me financially, yes, because even people that I haven’t spoken to in the past can just go on the website, and if they wanna book, they just put their deposit there versus where I think people were shy to ask before.

So, now they’re just, “Okay, whatever.” And it’s easier. Because sometimes people, even though I try to pre-book while they’re in my suite, sometimes people don’t know their schedules, so sometimes they do have to book later on.

And I think for them, sometimes it’s easier because still since I’m with other guests, sometimes it takes me a while to answer them. So for them, it’s easier to just go online, book it, and that’s it, and then, it shortens that period of time where they’re like, “Okay. Well, does she have the time or not?”

So they can just do it, and I think it helps and it helps us both, that way I’m not taking time from the clients I’m with & in between clients, I can just do other things

Related → How to Build a Business that Stands Out (and Thrives)

What would you tell other salons who are experiencing similar challenges like you were?

Just to stay positive.

I think a lot of people tend to, when they see things not going right, they tend to just, I don’t wanna say give up, but they just get stuck in this, “I don’t know what to do.” But just keep pushing forward. We all start somewhere.

And then surround yourself with like­-minded people that are gonna help you and aren’t scared to tell you, “These are my suggestions, these are my recommendations, these are the tools that I use, and the tools that help me.”

‘Cause some people always see other people as competition, and instead of that, “No, we’re here to work together.” I’m very pro small business owners. I love it, I love it.

Especially nowadays, I feel like they’re coming out more the small businesses, so I’m very pro, “Yeah, go out and do your own thing.” And I give people… Even Bookedin, I constantly, I’m like, “This is what I use, and it really helps me a lot.” So I’ve had a couple of others… I also teach I don’t know if I mentioned that to you before, I teach classes. So I always give them a list of information and things that I use, and I tell them, “As far as booking apps, this is what I use.“

Meet Jana, Owner of Styles and Smiles Family Salon in Rexburg, Idaho.

Say hello to Jana Bake. Hard-working hair salon owner from Idaho. This September Styles & Smiles Family Salon will celebrate their 4th anniversary. This mother of seven {yes, SEVEN} sat down to chat with us about all the ways Bookedin has helped her shop. From reducing interruptions, saving on startup costs, and (no biggie) 10X the number of clients in her chair.

Watch now and learn how salon scheduling software has been with her since the very beginning.

Why did Styles and Smiles Family Salon choose Bookedin for appointment scheduling?

The free trial initially drew Jana in… but it was all the features that kept her. The app gave her the option to take her *salon* home without her clients experiencing any difference in service. She could see what her appointments were, what was available, and what she could schedule – it made her look professional.

How did online booking change Jana’s life?

Moving to salon scheduling software has reduced the time and effort Jana has to spend interrupting the clients in her chair to pick up the phone. The hours wasted returning missed calls & endless messages left on voicemail. Jana also no longer has to worry about micromanaging the other stylists that work at her salon. They have full control over their day-to-day schedules, giving her more time to spend with her clients and family.

Related → The 4 Best Methods for Attracting New Clients to Your Salon [2020 update]

You can read our interview with Jana below:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Rexburg Hair and Beauty Salon (@styles_and_smiles_family_salon) on Mar 25, 2020 at 9:32am PDT

Tell me a bit about how your hair salon got started.

I was a stay-at-home homeschooling Mom with five kids and pregnant with number six, and I decided I needed something more to do. So I just thought I should buy and open up my own salon because I’m just like that, where I just like to have a lot on my plate. So I talked my husband into it and opened up my own salon. I opened in September of 2016. So we’re just coming up on four years now. I feel like we’re legit now. Like, we’re not so new anymore.

What challenges were you experiencing in your business that led you to look for a solution like Bookedin?

Well, I knew that I wanted something that would help save client information because we were using paper books to book people, I wanted something that would save my client information. Where I could save their color information, or their hair cutting information, or anything that I wanted to save on the client, and their appointment history.

I knew I wanted something that would help with that, and so that’s why I was looking for booking software. That, and the fact that I didn’t wanna have to pay for a salon phone. Because local phones cost so much and you get hardly anything out of it. So I didn’t wanna have to pay for a local phone. And so I wanted something that I could do on my own phone. And so something that had an app with it that would save information.

What made you choose Bookedin over other products on the market?

I just saw that it had the features I want. I liked that it had the app, and I liked that I could do it on my phone, and it had the computer version so I could use it on the computer at the salon as well. So they do have different views, and so I like that there are different ways you could have it on your phone.

But then, kinda the biggest thing, because I was just starting out and there are so many costs of starting a business. It was because it had a 30-day trial as opposed to a three-day or a one week, or a two-week because I wanted to cut down my costs as the start-up, and then I wanted to make sure that I liked it before committing to paying for something when I was like, “I don’t know if I’ll like it, I don’t know if this will be useful.”

I didn’t wanna have to fork out that money to start up with. So it was kind of that free trial, I was like, “Oh, this one has a longer free trial than the other one.”

So that’s kind of what got me because there are so many costs that go into a business. So, cutting them out wherever I could, and just looking at the monthly price and things like that as well. Well, this one has a free trial and then the monthly fee was cheaper than maybe some of the other ones as well. So I was looking at that as cost-wise.

And then I liked it enough that I kept with it, but I wanted to make sure that I liked it before spending the money on it. And I found that it was worth it, so I kept going with it, obviously. So I’ve had Bookedin from the very beginning. It was one of the very first things that I did. I was like, I’m gonna need something for my clients, I’m gonna need something for appointments, and I’m gonna need something that I can do from home, so I can answer the phone at home and pretend like I am at the salon and schedule people’s appointments right there, so.

Even with screaming kids in the background, I could say, “Yes, I’m at the salon. Let me look after you.” So, I could just fake it, just go hide in the bathroom and book appointments.

It made it nice that way that I could have a phone at home and I could take calls anytime 24/7. And I could see what my appointments were, what’s available, what I can schedule, and just do it right there from the phone. So it made it really nice that way.

We have a website now that we get a lot of bookings [on]. And I love that with Bookedin, I could embed it right on my website instead of having a link to go to a different website. A lot of booking systems have to do that where they have to click a link and then take them to a different website, but I was able to embed it right in there.

So my other stylists get a lot of bookings from our website, but then with Bookedin, I’m able to give them each their own login so they can have it on their phone. So they can check their schedule, they can adjust their hours if they need to, if they want to schedule appointments. And then it just shows on my end who scheduled the appointment, whether it was a client booked, or if one of my stylists booked it versus like if I booked it from my login or something.

So it does show who booked the appointment, and how it was booked and stuff. And so it’s nice on that end too, that I can see that the clients did it, or that my stylists did it, but then they can adjust their schedule. If they have extra hours and they wanna come in for more hours, they can adjust that on their phone and get more bookings. Or if they have to get off early, then they can adjust their schedule that way too, so I don’t have to worry about always having to do it myself.

So it’s nice that the stylists do have their own logins so that they can do it from their phones, and check their schedules, and know that they have appointments. I don’t have to do everything for them. They don’t have to call me and say, “Hey, I need to get off early,” they let me know, but then they can adjust it or if they wanna come in early or whatever.

I don’t have to do all that admin stuff of controlling everyone’s schedule and controlling everything. We have the weekly normal schedule that they have in there, and then they can adjust it as needed. They can book their own appointments with their friends, with their family, or if they find somebody on Facebook that’s looking for an appointment, they can book it rather than just sending to our website, but they do get a lot of bookings from the website as well.

Special note on Bookedin’s customer service:

One thing that I love about Bookedin is that you guys are always asking for feedback that I get regular emails of like, what else do you guys wanna see. What can we improve on? And so I really like that about you guys, that I feel like you guys are listening to us. And it’s not just there’s a bajillion users, ’cause some of them… Like there are other bigger booking companies, but I don’t feel like when I’m in my hairdresser groups, a lot of them are like, “Oh, you guys, I’m having this or that issue,” and they’re like, “Yeah, you’re not gonna hear from their tech support, you’re not gonna hear from their… ”

But I feel like, with Bookedin, I do get heard when I’ve ever had any issues and I email in, then there’s always somebody like, “Okay, how can we work on it?” They’re visiting my website, they’re clicking on things, seeing if they can figure out what’s going on. So what I really like about Bookedin is the customer service side. And customer service is a big deal for me, so I love that there is that part of it.

Related → Three Lies and a Truth About Appointment Scheduling Software

What specific improvements have you seen as a result of using Bookedin?

I’ve actually moved on from taking phone calls, so I don’t even have my phone number listed anymore. And so rather than taking phone calls and doing the bookings from home and taking phone calls 24/7, which I did at the beginning, now I send everyone to the website.

I’ve actually had a lot of people say that they’ve booked with us because of our online booking because they could just do it from home. I’ve had people book appointments in the middle of the night when they’re thinking about it, when they’re up late, nursing their babies in the middle of the night, and they’re like, “Man, my hair really needed to be done. Oh look, I can book an appointment.”

So I have had really, really good feedback from all of my clientele that they love the online booking feature, ’cause a lot of my clientele are busy Moms or stay-at-home Moms or Moms that are working part-time or things like that.

Students—we’re in a college town, so a lot of them are young Moms that are students or putting their husbands through school or just college students—and they love that they have the simplicity. They can look, they don’t have to make a phone call, they don’t have to try and do it during business hours, they can book any time. So I’ve gotten a really good response and a lot of people saying that they booked and came to us specifically because of our online booking and how easy it was to use.

For Jana: 

I can just, whatever, just send it to voicemail, the voicemail sends them to my website. And it’s easy enough that I’ve had very few people say that they can’t figure it out, but they’re more ones that are older people or ones that are not as tech-savvy. But for the most part, most people are like, “Oh my gosh, it was so easy. I just found the time that I wanted and I clicked on it, it was great.” So I’ve had really good feedback on the simplicity of it, and they love it.

What would you tell other salons who are experiencing similar challenges like you were?

Well, online booking is definitely the way to go with the people that you’re wanting to bring into your salon, the younger crowd. Everybody wants the convenience of online booking. So it’s an absolute must in salons nowadays that you have to have online booking. If you’re still using paper books and you’re scheduling everything by hand, that’s so obsolete, so you have to go with online booking.

And finding something that’s user-friendly, simple for people to use, that they can go right and find that time they need, that is so, such an essential thing in our business these days, especially where you can save all your client information so you know how many times they’ve been there, you know what they’ve scheduled for before, you know what you’ve done on them before. And so, it’s absolutely an essential thing for salons to have some kind of an online booking system. And so, to find one that’s gonna work for you, I love that we can do it from home, that we can have the apps, that everybody can see what their schedule is, that I can see what everyone else is doing, I can be checking on them from home.

And so, as a salon owner, you want to know what your stylists are doing. You don’t wanna just be like, “Well, I hope they’re not sitting around doing nothing,” because if you’re just on paper books, you have no idea what they’re doing.

So paper books are just out the window, out of the way. Nobody wants to do that. Nobody wants to have to call. If they can just go right to your website, book an appointment, you’re 10 times more likely to get that client. Especially with social media these days, where I can just have a Book Now button on my Facebook page where they just click that Book Now button, it sends them right to my booking site. Having my website link in my Instagram, so people can go to my Instagram profile, go right to my website, you don’t have to worry about getting DMs, you don’t have to worry about getting text messages, you don’t have to worry about getting phone calls and taking up all of your extra time, that your time is essential. When you’re working, you wanna be working and not being interrupted.

When you’re at home, you wanna be able to spend that time at home doing what you wanna do. So being able to have online booking is so freeing, and it’s liberating for you as a stylist, as a salon owner.

But then it also is so nice for those clients that you want to get in your chair. And you’re more likely to get them in your chair if it’s easy and effortless on their part, that they can figure out exactly what they need and just book it right there without having to jump through a million hoops of making a whole profile, log in on your website. People don’t wanna do that. They wanna just be like, “Oh look, this is what time she has free,” click on it.

And so that’s what I love about Bookedin. I’ve seen a lot of other different software, but so many of them, you can’t even see the appointments that are available unless you create a whole log in, and I don’t know if I wanna go here, I don’t know if I wanna make a whole profile. I just wanna see what time if she has an opening tomorrow, you know?

To see that quick, easy at a glance. Yeah, she’s got the time that I want, then click on it. Then you can put in your information. So I think it’s just user-friendly that way that it kind of has what people want. It has what the clients want, it has what salon owners and salons… And stylists want, so it’s definitely a huge asset in the business world and in the salon world to have this online booking.

Do you have anything else to add?

I think just the main thing is to get a booking system. That’s 100% essential, is just get it. It’s worth the cost. It can feel like it’s a huge cost when you’re looking at the numbers, but when you look at it for the year, it’s like, “You know what? How little we’re paying in order to get 10 times more people in our chair,” because that’s literally, you’re getting that many more people coming in because they can book online.

So, if you didn’t have all those butts in your chair, then… You’ve gotta pay for it, but because having it, it gets all those people coming in. So it’s definitely worth the cost, so don’t worry about it. You have to make an investment in your business, and it can be hard, but it’s definitely one of those costs that is absolutely essential and worth it, so.

Butts in the chair. That’s all we want. And have those butts keep coming back because they’re happy. But you gotta get ’em in the chair first off, so…

You gotta make it easy so that they want to, and then once they’re in the chair, it’s on me to make ’em happy to wanna come back. But they’re definitely more likely to come in the first place if they can figure out how to get an appointment rather than, “I don’t know. Do I have to call during business hours?”

I wish everything had online booking, honestly. I wish all my doctor’s appointments, dentist. I don’t wanna have to try and call during business hours, nobody does these days. We’re all so busy and on the go. If you can be sitting there at your kid’s soccer game and book your next color appointment or book your next haircut, then these Moms are more likely to come and actually do it. Because we have so little free time that if we can make things easier by just doing online booking, they’re more likely to come. So it’s definitely, absolutely worth the cost.

Ready to take online appointment scheduling for a spin at your salon? Click here to start your free trial.

Meet Eddie, Owner of Uptown Barbershop in Naples, Florida.

Say hello to this *new-to-the-Bookedin-family* barbershop owner, Eddie Murawski {aka Mr. Eddie Barber} from Uptown Barbershop in Naples, Florida!

Just two years ago Eddie was working multiple jobs and dreaming of opening up his own barbershop. Today he’s got 6 barbers on staff, over 73,000 YouTube subscribers, and a whole lotta expert advice. So if you’re looking to open up a shop or make your shop run “smooth as silk”, watch the interview below.

Why did Eddie choose Bookedin for appointment scheduling?

Eddie needed the transition to online scheduling to be a smooth, simple process, and that’s what he found with Bookedin. After a 4-minute Zoom call with his team they felt confident moving forward with the new app, and his clients (both young & old) “took to it very easy.” Notifications eliminated no-shows & the flexibility filled his books.

How did online booking change Eddie’s life?

Having back-to-back clients for hours on end was burning Eddie out, not only physically but creatively. He saw that Bookedin offered him the ability to block off time to breathe:

“I’m able to actually eat lunch, get away from the shop for a few minutes, kind of recuperate and come back. And that was super important to me.”

You can read our full interview with Eddie below:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Uptown Barber Shop Naples (@uptownbarbershopnaples) on Jun 20, 2020 at 4:01am PDT

Tell me a bit about how your shop got started.

I wanted my own shop since I was 15 years old. My whole family did hair, and I just wanted it for a long time. And I just… I wound up kinda struggling to get it started, it was hard. I come from a very poor background, my parents and everybody… Nobody has money. So really to make a long story short, I was actually in a factory only like two years ago. And I cut hair on the side also, during this time, but I tried to leave and it was miserable. I went every day with a pit in my stomach and I was like, “I’ve gotta get myself out here, man.” 

So I began reading business books and stuff like that, and I thought about the comeback and what I would do. And in literally, the span of only two years, I found myself sitting at from 6,000 subscribers to 72,000 subscribers from basically no shop at all, to finding the courage to leave that dead-end job, know that it wasn’t making me happy, and find the courage to follow my dream with my shop. 

So we got started about a year ago, I officially took over last March, and this place has grown. It was like a sleepy old man’s like kinda hangout, it had carpet. I mean, it was awful. But I just pretty much totally made it my style, and you know kinda came through with the logos and the UpTown and all the stuff, and we really revamped the place. It’s all young barbers now, and it’s a really cool hip place.

Related Post → How to Quit Your Day Job and Start Your Dream Business

What challenges were you experiencing in your business that led you to look for a solution like Bookedin?

I’m a long time walk-in barber. I mean, I did walk-ins forever and it was miserable. And the person that I worked for, they were dead-set against doing appointments, they didn’t wanna do them. I rarely got lunch, I would… I was one of the… I was not one of them, I was the busiest barber in the shop. It wouldn’t be uncommon for me to have five or six people waiting for me. 

And just knowing that I’m just overwhelmed, and I feel like I need to rush, and I just… I needed to bring some sanity to my situation, so I began kinda researching and looking into places, and you know I kinda found you guys. And you guys had a great free version with a lot of features. It was just very packed full of features, and I was able to kinda feel it out and see if I’d be able to use it. And I can say that my customers have found this extremely, extremely easy. It is as straightforward as it gets. I mean, when I set up the whole thing, it was really a breeze.

What made you choose Bookedin over other products on the market?

Well, when I started to look at them one of the things that were definitely a draw was needing that lunch break. And I found that you guys actually were able to separate my schedule, so now I’m able to block off a half-hour permanently of my life. And if I wanna take a client in there or something, that’s my own business, but for the most part, I’m able to actually eat lunch, get away from the shop for a few minutes, kind of recuperate and come back. And that was super important to me.

And I didn’t like how some of these other apps, they used this like review feature. And then the moment you’re gone, you lose all your reviews. So all the progress you made… It becomes like a bad marriage, you just can’t separate from. And if you train all your clients into one thing, it can be an enormous task to try to get them to go with another thing. And you don’t wanna start with the wrong thing, you wanna definitely start on the right foot. And that’s why I was pretty happy that I found this [Bookedin], because my customers took to it very easy, and you know I haven’t had any real issues or anything.

And it’s been really smooth. And my team too, like, just to highlight that side of it too, because I had to go back and train my team. But there was really not much to be done, because it was so straight forward. They were all like, “Okay, cool.” I had a Zoom meeting with them, and we talked about it for about 4 minutes, and they were like, “Oh okay, I see how it works.” That was that.

And it’s nice getting the notifications, and they send the notifications off to the customer, so you don’t have to worry that they’re not gonna show up. And I can say, based on some of the other options I used before this, it… It’s so much easier for them, and they have had way fewer issues. They don’t have to download apps, they don’t have to go through a bunch of rigmarole. I’ve got a lot of old clients. I don’t need that. I need it to be just an easy process, and that’s definitely what I found with Bookedin.

And having the time for the clients and not feeling rushed, that’s just brought a very good feeling to me, and it’s helping me with my creativity, it’s helping me with my comfort. It’s not nice to cut hair with 1000 people breathing down your neck looking at you like, “God. I’ve been here for three hours, why am I still here?” It’s so nice to just be on track, take a customer, get rid of a customer, especially with the new situation we’re all dealing with.

It’s so nice to not have… And I have six barbers. So if we were walk-in… Just theoretically speaking, what if everybody had two or three people waiting for ’em? It wouldn’t be long before the entire shop was just packed full of people, and that would just not be good right now. So everybody comes in, goes. Comes goes, and it’s been smooth as silk.

Related → How Successful Barbershops Get Booked Solid

What specific improvements have you seen as a result of using Bookedin?

I have noticed that when I tried the previous app, I noticed that I was getting a lot of people who were no-showing me. And I think that this Bookedin, the way that they notify their customers, has pretty much… It prevents that. I actually had one no-show since I’ve been using it. It was a no-call, no show, and I just sent them a nice text message to just say, “Hey, if next time you wanna book with me, please save me a little bit of time.” And he actually felt so bad, he paid me through VENMO. So I ended up getting paid…

For that service anyways. It all worked out nicely. I actually had a walk-in come in and it was like nothing ever happened. But I just love the fact that they’re sending out those notifications, and they’re not letting people forget. So if you are wise, you usually will have your clients book maybe far enough ahead and maybe even before they leave the shop. 

For some of your older clients, it’s nice to just tell them, “Hey, do you want me to book it for you real quick just before you go?” That way, you know that they’re coming back, and it’s gonna send them a message, and they’re gonna know it’s time for a haircut, 7:00 AM tomorrow, or 7:00 AM in three weeks from now, they’ll get that notification and they’ll show up.

And the repeat bookings, too. That’s what I’m always preaching to my staff. The feature that you guys have for the repeat booking, and especially it’s great because it’s unlimited. Like with the other apps there was an option for weekly, there was an option for bi-weekly, but there wasn’t an option to customize it, and I was frustrated with that, because not everybody comes every three weeks or four weeks, but somebody, he’s like, “Hey, I like to come on the second Friday of the month.” 

You can literally customize that repeat however you want. So I’m driving my staff to do the repeat appointments for as many people as you can because you will be booked solid. I’m booked solid almost every single day, and if I’m not booked solid before I get there, more often than not, I share two posts on Instagram and it’s booked again. So it’s working really well with the repeat appointments.

What would you tell other barbershops who are experiencing similar challenges like you were?

I would tell them, “You need to plan your work and work your plan.” You have to create this mind state where you’re just not gonna take no for an answer. I didn’t have the money, I didn’t have the resources. There were so many things that I could have just used as an excuse to hold me back because, in reality, that’s what it would have been. But I knew this was right. So whoever, or whatever the challenges in your life, you’ve gotta try to dig down and find that courage. 

Now don’t just go leaping off a bridge. That’s why I’m saying, just read some books, educate yourself, prepare yourself, make a plan, and then follow it. And you’ll get there. I accomplished more in the span of a single year, than I ever have throughout the entire time I’ve been barbering, which I’m coming up on my 18th year. So how is it that I was able to do that in one year? It was because I wanted it more than anything in the world, and I pushed myself to figure out how to do it. 

There are so many ways to negotiate. There are ways to get your own shop, and you’ve just gotta be patient, dig in, educate yourself, and you’ll get it. You will get it.”

Most of us are just creative souls, and we need to express our art in some way, and being on an assembly line, or just being in someplace that’s not making you happy is just… It’s just soul-crushing and you don’t want that. You will excel at what you’re passionate about. That’s what I tell people. It doesn’t have to be any particular thing. It’s whatever you’re passionate about, you’re gonna perform that well, and it’s not gonna feel like work.

Do you have anything else to add?

Thank you so much for having me, I really appreciate it. If you guys wanna come check out my channel, YouTube Barber Academy, we’ve got plenty of tutorials. We go live every Saturday at 8:00 PM. I’m really focused on actually teaching. It’s a channel that’s using… We’re using it as a resource. This is a resource for you. Anything that you wanna learn about barbering, I’m sure I’ve done more than 10 videos about it. So stop by and check us out.

Ready to take Bookedin appointments for a spin at your barbershop? Try our barber booking app.

Photo mini sessions are fun and exciting to shoot, and according to Stacey Potter, a children’s lifestyle photographer based in Boulder, Colorado, they can pay off too.

“It is a great way to bring in a large influx of money in one to two weekends (anywhere from $4,000-$10,000 for just a few days work). Think of mini sessions as a way of building a brand new clientele base.” says Potter.

While this might be true, most photographers will also admit these sessions can be a stressful ordeal to organize.

Here at Bookedin, one of the most popular services we help to schedule are photo mini sessions. We’ve spoken with hundreds of talented photographers, and know that scheduling these quick little sessions can be a big hit!

So with all this in mind, we decided to round-up a giant list of the best mini session tips written by pro photographers from around the web.

8 tips for scheduling photo sessions:

1. Best time of the year to offer minis
2. Pricing strategies for photo mini sessions
3. How to set up online payment for mini photo sessions
4. Marketing & promotion tips for your minis
5. Best method for scheduling session times
6. Set decoration & location tips
7. The day of the shoot
8. Client follow up advice from the pros

But before we get started, just in case you’re wondering…

What is a mini session?

A mini session is a very short photo session. A normal photo session can include hours of shooting, multiple locations, and 100+ photos to choose from. Minis are all about short times (15-30 min.), a small number of edited photos for the clients to choose, and a lower price.

They’re extremely popular for photographers. Minis are the perfect opportunity to develop new client relationships and can eventually lead to more full sessions.

They are also very popular with clients, usually families. The prices are more affordable and can be a fast way to get professional photos for holiday cards, family announcements, or just a few great photos to share with friends.

What’s the best time of the year to offer minis?

Timing is everything according to Ryan Estes, a family photographer. He gives this strategic advice to help balance minis with other busy seasons:

“I see many people offering mini sessions in the spring and autumn. I understand why: the weather is beautiful, the colors pop, and many people are naturally thinking about portraits at this time of year. One problem: spring and autumn are usually a photographer’s busiest times. Are you really prepared to give up a Saturday or a weekend during your busiest months to shoot sessions that may not be as lucrative as doing a few full sessions on those days? Not to mention the editing time required when you’re already swamped!

A better alternative may be to schedule them when you’re not as busy. During winter months, choose a holiday like Valentine’s Day or Easter for which you could put together a themed shoot to draw people. Or during the summer, pick a day mid-week to offer mini sessions at the beach when families are there on vacation.”

Read Ryan’s full post on fotothrive.com.

Pricing Strategies

Support your favorite charity
When doing mini sessions, some photographers decide to donate all profits to a charity or offer services free of charge. This approach is great for making a name for yourself, supporting a cause you care about and creating some great photos to showcase in your portfolio.

For example, Red Photo Co, a photographer duo based in Winnipeg, Manitoba have a soft spot for Boston Terriers, so they donate time to support their favorite dog shelter. Every few months they’ll do a session for dogs who are available for adoption or portraits of families who have recently adopted a new furry friend!

Calculating how much to charge
If you’re charging for your minis, there are many things to factor in. Leah Remillét, a creative marketing consultant has years of experience with this kind of thing, and gives this advice related to pricing:

• First: Determine how many sessions you’ll offer.
• Also, are you’re willing to open more slots if the initial spots fill?
• Calculate the time you’ll spend on each session + culling, editing, design, ordering, and prep for delivery.
• Based on the above, how many mini sessions do you feel you can reasonably book without losing your head?
• Now consider how much income you would like to generate from your mini session event
• Take your profit goal, divide it by the number of sessions. Ex $5000/14 mini-sessions = $357.14. This gives you a rough ballpark for your price tag.
• Other costs to consider: products, paying an assistant.
• Consider how the mini-session cost plays with your regular prices. Mini’s should be a considerable saving from your regular prices. One of my favorite things about minis is that it gives old clients the incentive to book sooner rather than later and new clients the incentive to try you out!”

If you have time, you should definitely check out Leah’s full post here.

Setting up online payments

To help save time, many photographers choose to use online payments instead of accepting checks, cash, etc. Many opt to charge for the session upfront or collect a deposit at the same time the client books their appointment. That way you won’t have to worry about people not showing up. Everyone is paid in full, and you can just focus on shooting gorgeous pics!

Kristin Robinson, a photographer based in Rockland, Massachusetts uses photography scheduling software to book her holiday minis and charge a $25 deposit fee online.

Related: How to Set Up Your Services For Online Scheduling

Client invite:

Invite links directly to booking & payment:

Marketing & promotion

This is the key to success! If you don’t get the word out about your upcoming minis, how will people know to book?

Even though this topic can make some people cringe, marketing and promoting your minis doesn’t have to be super complicated.

First up: Design your marketing images.
You probably have a treasure trove of design tools, and beautiful photos to utilize in your designs. Try to create images that are visually engaging and get people excited to book their session.

This 2020 social media image size cheat sheet may come in handy.  If you’re into creating your own layouts, but don’t want to mess with Adobe, Canva is a free and easy design tool that has templates for printed cards, social media posts, and email invites. Etsy also has hundreds of mini session templates for purchase which will save you hours of design time.

Now get the word out! 
If you have an existing client list, many photographers will recommend trying to break your promotion down into two phases.

Related: 13 Apps to Take the Stress Out of Business

Phase 1: Private Launch
Print up a few small invite cards, and then snail mail them to your existing clients. After about a week, do a follow-up email using the same design as the invite. These clients will feel special getting an exclusive invite and first pick on session times.

Phase 2: Public Launch
Now it’s time for the full-court-press! Hopefully, you’ll already have a few spots booked up and will be able to advertise ‘50% booked’ or ‘only 5 spots left’. Here are a few places you can start promoting your minis:

• Post on Facebook and Instagram
• “Boost” your post, targeted at people who like your page and their friends ($10-$30 budget should do the trick)
• Blog about it
• Put up posters in the local children’s boutiques
• Send an email blast
• Hand out invite cards at your local mom groups, dance class, softball practice, and swimming lessons.
• Put up posters on community boards around town
• Ask your followers to share your post on Facebook in exchange for a discount or special offer.

Click to view Ashlee Lauren Photo on Facebook

Arizona-based photographer, Emily Ferguson of Madison Grey Photography, uses email marketing as one of her tools to spread the word about her minis. With multiple shoots throughout the year, she uses Bookedin to stay organized, collect payments & save time:

We have been using bookedin for over two years now. Bookedin keeps track of all our appointments and events. We are able to create multiple mini sessions and have clients book the event and time slot they want. BookedIn also has the option for an upfront deposit or full payment so you don’t have to take the time to personally invoice your clients. Bookedin has made our lives so much easier! Having one place to book appointments, invoices, and keep client information is such a time saver. Our clients love BookedIN because they can click on the link to our events and choose the time slot they want and get booked right away.

Click to view Madison Grey Photography’s Website

Scheduling photo sessions tips

Booking in multiple families in such a short time frame can be tricky! Luckily there are tools to help with this. To handle the administrative chaos, most photographers will create an online booking site. With photography scheduling software, you won’t have to do the usual back and forth communication with clients, or continuously update a list of which times you still have available.

Here is a sample mini-session scheduling page from Jacksonville, Florida based photographer Sarah Hedden. Here, her clients can book online from their smartphone or any computer without having to make an account or remember a password.

Set decoration & location

The decor of your minis can be as complex or simple as you like. Theme it, and try to do something to make it extra special for your clients. Make sure to factor in your decorations into your budget.

In a recent post for photo blog mcpactions.com, Veronica Gillas, a natural light photographer based in Portland, Oregon says when it comes to location, sticking with what you know best is key.

“Mini sessions are not the time to be adventurous with your location.  Stick with a place you’re familiar with, even if you’ve shot there a dozen times.  If that means a beautiful park in an urban location or a large hayfield with a big red barn, then do it.  You need to make sure you know the lay of the land, and what the light looks like during the hours you’ll be shooting.”

The day of the shoot

If you’re taking photos outdoors, we can’t stress this enough. Have a rain plan. If there’s bad weather, wind, or even extreme heat kicks in, make sure you have a back-up location to move your shoot.

When it comes to the pace of the day, having such a short photo session time means you don’t have to rush. But you will definitely need a game plan! Kristen Duke from Capturing Joy Photography gives this advice on what you can and can’t fit into a session:

Having a quick time slot allows me to photograph:

• the family as a whole
• each child individually
• just the kids as a group
• just the parents (sometimes I get resistance on this one)
• if we still have time–the family again in a more candid way such as the “family walk.”

“The hardest part about mini sessions is not being able to chit chat and get fun stories out of my clients. One thing I love so much about being a photographer is making new friends, learning about people. I just don’t get to hear that as much in petite sessions, because we get right down to work!”

Get more tips from Kristen Duke here.

Client follow up

The session day is behind you, the editing is complete and you’ve delivered those beautiful photos to your clients. Now that the dust has settled, remember that follow up is essential to re-booking these clients. Most photographers will agree, mini sessions are not about making a bit of extra money, it’s all about building up your photography client list!

In a recent post on inspiremebaby.com, a blog dedicated to inspiration for baby photographers, Stacey Potter gives some fantastic tips on delivering photos and following up.

“You now have a new clientele base. Don’t waste it. You know them, they love you, they love what you gave them. Follow up, follow up. follow up.  Do this in a variety of ways. A monthly email newsletter, personal emails when milestones occur (6 months, 1 year, Christmas, etc), invite them to like you on Facebook.

I send a custom 5×7 calendar at Christmas time with their child’s photo and a $25-$50 gift card towards a new session fee. If your sessions went smoothly and you produced beautiful images for your new clients, you should expect anywhere from 60% to 90% to book again.”

Connect with us!

Have a tip or idea? We’d love to hear it in the comments below.

If you’re looking to save time, reduce stress, and get control of your photography bookings, we can help with that too. Start your free 14-day trial of Bookedin photography scheduling and online payment software today.

Meet Angel, Owner of Guardian Art Gallery in Orange, Connecticut.

We had the pleasure of interviewing our long-time customer Angel Caban this week. He told us all about why he uses appointment scheduling software for his tattoo shop and how it instantly solved his troubles with double-bookings. Bookedin keeps their calendar full and client-load steady, eliminating their scheduling headaches.

Watch the video below or just scroll on down to read the transcript.

Why did Angel choose Bookedin for appointment scheduling?

Angel had tried a ton of tattoo booking app, some were strong in certain areas, but lacking in others. Bookedin had everything pulled together—it was easy to use & simple to install. With Bookedin’s ability to perform across all platforms, Angel’s life became less hectic and his tattoo shop began running smoothly.

How did online booking change Angel’s life?

Double bookings instantly eliminated. No more tension-filled run-ins between two clients. And — perhaps even more important, the shop is steady. No more sitting around for hours on end twiddling their thumbs waiting for a client.

You can read our full interview with Angel below:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Angel Caban Tattoos (@angelcabanartwork) on Aug 1, 2019 at 4:54pm PDT

Photo Credit:@ab_iv | @guardian_photography

Tell me a bit about how your tattoo shop got started.

Well, I’ve been working for over 15 years, and I’ve been working for a couple of shops, and it was pretty much time for us to just start our own thing. My wife and I decided, and here we are.

What challenges were you experiencing in your business that led you to look for a solution like Bookedin?

Everything we did was by hand, so appointments were held in a notebook by hand in calendars on computers, and everything was scattered all over the place. Nice thing about Bookedin, it was all in one, so I was able to make my appointments and to even take payments, so everything came together all in one, which was really nice.

Related → How to Get More Tattoo Clients—The Ultimate Guide

What made you choose Bookedin over other products on the market?

I’ve tried SO many products, some were very strong in certain areas, which I liked about it, but it was lacking somewhere else. Bookedin really had everything pulled together. Uh, easy to use, easy to install. It works across all platforms. Which made my life easier, made the shop’s life easier, and we just took the from there.

My wife, she does all the bookings, upfront, so she’ll use the desktop. If we’re in the back with a client will use the mobile unless we bring them up to the front. So definitely versatile in using both.

What specific improvements have you seen as a result of using Bookedin?

We saw improvements instantly. One of the biggest things is double-booking. It’s the worst thing you could do is double-book, you will have two clients out there fighting for position and you don’t want that. This eased that tension. There are settings in there where it won’t let you double-book… And so it also reminds them of their appointments in case I set up something, and it’s two months away. It won’t let them forget and if something does come up that they have to reschedule, I have enough time to get someone else in.

I try to make it a point to call them and remind them, but even sometimes if I write the wrong number down or anything like that, it gets lost. And with this, the second you set up an appointment, it immediately sends them that text confirming it. So I know everything is good, I don’t have to worry about it.

It’s just horrifying to be at the shop eight hours a day and do nothing. With this, it keeps you busy. So if something comes up that someone can make it, you have at least… You can set the terms. You have a week to two days to actually fill that spot in. It’s so easy, it’s always easy to do. And because of that, I haven’t had that time to sit around. The shop has been nice and steady.

I’ll set something up and then it’ll be three months from now. I could forget, they could forget. It keeps us all in the loop and it keeps us consistent with all of our work.

Related → 30 Things Your Tattoo Artist Wishes You Knew

What would you tell other tattoo shops who are experiencing similar challenges like you were?

Honestly, I would tell them, “Don’t wait just do it. If you procrastinate it, you’re gonna lose out, everything is there for you to use everything works and they’ll be wasting time if they don’t use it, try it out, even if you do a trial, I’m sure you will fall in love with it and start using it consistently.”

Do you have anything else to add?

Don’t waste time, try it out, it’s worth it, it’ll change your whole shop’s perspective.

Ready to take online appointment scheduling for a spin at your tattoo shop? Click here to start your free trial.

Arguably the biggest challenge in the beauty industry is finding new clients. It’s a constant effort to keep your calendar full and the business flowing.

While you likely already have some loyal clients who regularly book with you, (because you make them look oh so ahh-may-zing) you may have noticed over time your client list slowly dwindles. People move away, disappear, or their styles change and they suddenly stop booking your services. Even the most loyal client in the world can all of a sudden ghost on you.

This seems to be the natural cycle of being in the industry. According to Lockhart Meyer, a top marketing firm in the UK, most hair and beauty businesses lose 10-25% of their clients each year. In other words, around half of your clients will disappear over the course of three years. Yikes!

So to be successful in the hair and beauty industry, you need to be constantly bringing in a steady stream of new clients.

So the eternal quest of how to get more beauty clients continues. To help you with this battle, we did some digging. And wow, we found THOUSANDS of tips and tricks for getting new clients. Google it and you’ll find endless articles with 101 articles about how to get salon clients and how to get new clients booking appointments with you. These lists can be overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure where to start.

Since we know you’re busy, we did the hard work for you. We looked at the most successful hair & beauty businesses here at Bookedin, all the hair and beauty marketing tips online, then boiled it all down into just four of the very best methods to get new clients walking through your door.

The 4 best methods for attracting new clients to your salon

1. Clean up your online profiles
2. Invest in your image
3. Leverage your friends and existing clients
4. Experiment with some clever promotions

Let’s dive in, shall we?

1. Clean Up Your Online Profiles

First thing’s first, a bit of housekeeping. Your business needs to show up online! Before we start working on building your client base, let’s make sure your online info is accurate and you’re appearing in all the right places.

We want your name to appear in the same places where your clients are already searching for services like yours. If someone types “Microblading in Vancouver” into Google maps, we want your business to pop up.

Follow these steps to tidy up your online profiles & contact info:

Google yourself:

• Type “your salon name + your city” into Google. Or if you’re an independent stylist, search “your name + city”.
• Right-click and open every single listing in a new browser tab. (This is easier to do on a laptop) You’ll probably see Yelp, Facebook, Yellow Pages, etc.
• Now review every single profile and make sure your phone #, address, hours, website, and appointment booking link are accurate on all pages. You wouldn’t want a new client thinking you’re closed when you’re actually open, or phoning your old location.
• Bonus step: while you’re at it, add 5-10 of your very best photos to each profile.

Get yourself on “Google My Business”:

• Open the Google Maps app on your mobile phone, then search for “your salon/name”.
• If your salon shows up, review your maps listing and make sure your hours, phone #, and booking link are correct just like you did above. The booking link is the most important thing here. This lets clients book appointments directly inside of Google Maps. Beauty Salons with a booking link can appear more prominently in Google so this could help set you apart from your competition. If you need to update your maps info or booking link, learn how here.
• If nothing shows up when you search Google Maps, not to worry! You can add your business for free here: https://business.google.com.
• Note: if you don’t own the business, you won’t have access to update most profiles, so if you find any inaccurate info, simply send this blog post to the salon manager or marketing person.

Clean up your social media profile:

We believe Instagram is currently the holy grail of beauty service marketing. By putting all your time and energy into Instagram, you’ll be more effective and be seen where prospective clients are already spending their time searching for beauty services.

If you’re currently running social media on other sites like Twitter, Facebook, or anywhere else, you’re probably spreading yourself too thin. Instead of trying to create content for multiple social profiles, try spending ALL of your time & energy on Instagram, and simply cross post to the other profiles using the little “share” buttons in Instagram, or an app like Buffer, or Hootsuite.

To let your clients know you’re moving over to Instagram, try posting an announcement image like this to your current Facebook page.

“Hey Facebook fans, we’re posting all our best stuff on Instagram now! Please follow us there for specials, announcements and daily updates: instagram.com/misspopnails”

Should I delete my other social stuff?
No. If you already have a Facebook page or Twitter, definitely leave them live. Your clients might still send you messages on there, and it’s still good to appear in Facebook search. So don’t delete the FB and Twitter apps from your phone just yet…

However in terms of how to get new clients in a salon, you’ll want to spend all of your time on just one platform. And we recommend Instagram. If you ask around, experts agree that Facebook pages are dead. The new Facebook algorithm has made brand page posts nearly invisible to fans. Facebook is now prioritizing posts from family and friends over public content from Pages.

2. Invest in Your Image

Now that your profile cleanup is done, let’s start attracting you some new clients! You’re wondering how to get beauty clients… and the answer can be really simple. Invest in beauty.

The key here is to stop worrying the gimmicky marketing tricks, and get back to basics. Focus on your image. Image is everything and should be the foundation of your marketing efforts. The gorgeous hair styles, the perfectly primped nails, expert fades, and those brows-on-fleek. It’s the work you do that is going to sell your services. And great photos of that work.

How you present yourself to the world is the cornerstone of marketing in the beauty industry. Prospective clients, (and especially the ones who’ll be most loyal) are looking at YOU to be their beauty icon. Browsing your feed and checking you out well before they’re even thinking about booking an appointment.

If clients can relate to you and identify with the imagery in your Instagram feed, this can be a powerful sales tool.

Source @browbeautybymel on Instagram

Whether you’re a stylist working at a salon, or the owner of the business, think of your Instagram feed like a tiny online store for your services. Window shopping for the babes of the universe! So showcase your best work, share the photos that inspire you, and add some fun posts that celebrate your personality. For example, check out this warm, friendly little video clip by @braidsconnexion.

Book you appointment for braids bowl use link on bio…. Comment below

A post shared by Baltimore Braids Connexion (@braidsconnexion) on May 6, 2018 at 9:52am PDT

Here are our top tips to help you level-up your image:

Improve the lighting conditions at your salon:

This is where all the magic happens, so improving the lighting will make your photos, and your client’s selfies look that much better. This is often overlooked by stylists but can be a key way for how to get your salon noticed. Go with warmer temperature light bulbs, eliminate shadows, and try to add lighting on either side of the mirrors. Read more salon lighting tips here

photo credit: ledsource.com

Take better selfies:

Even the most professional beauty experts out there post selfies from time to time. The #fotd (face of the day) trend is definitely one to get on in the beauty industry. To look your best when taking selfies, remember to keep your chin down and the camera up. Try to avoid the “duck-face” pout, experiment more with mirror selfies, try a LED light for your phone, and be mindful of those photo-bombers. Read more selfie photo tips here

A post shared by Carlotta Scarlini (@carlottascarlini) on Feb 10, 2016 at 11:32am PST

Improve your photo brightness & colors:
Before posting on Instagram, always do some quick photo editing. Great lighting conditions will always help, but that brightness setting bar can be your bff.  Try Snapseed (iPhone / Android) a free photo editing app or just use the in-app Instagram editing tools.

If you’re on iPhone and have an Apple store in your city, try attending one of their free classes where you can get help with your phone and photo editing. But be careful not to over-edit though, you might get called out on it.

photo credit: Rosie Maslin
Don’t neglect your own beauty routine:
Your entire persona is a sales tool, so looking fantastic at all times is important foundation for how to increase salon clientele. Your “look” is what new clients first gravitate to, both in-person and on your Instagram feed. Invest in some new outfits to wear to work, and never ever, ever, ever skip your own beauty routine. Ever! The awesome part about this is you get to pamper yourself a little which will help reduce your stress. Cheers to relaxing with Netflix and a sheet mask tonight!

A post shared by With Love Delaney || Delaney (@delaneywithlove) on May 9, 2018 at 8:30am PDT

Continually hone your skills:

Make time in your schedule to experiment, study, and improve your skills and services. Attend training courses, meetups, trade shows, and other industry events to stay on top of the trends.

Level up your Instagram feed:
What kinds of images inspire your creativity? Not everything you post on Instagram needs to be an original pic taken by you. Try Canva’s gigantic library of free Instagram templates or use Plann, a powerful Instagram scheduling tool designed for beautiful brands. They offer free stock photos, videos and training too.

You can also share “found” photos. Pics you’ve saved to your camera roll, screenshots from websites, or simply screenshot & re-post other Instagrammers. Adding a variety of images is a great way to express your style and fill up your feed. Soft beachy scenes, graffiti street-art, runway models, flowery bouquets, whatever inspires your style. Just be sure to add a photo credit in the caption.

source: @prephair on Instagram

Related Post: How to Get More Clients From Instagram  → 

3. Leverage Your Friends & Existing Clients

Now that your profile cleanup is done, and your image on Instagram is bursting with creativity, it’s time to lean on your network. A very powerful method behind how to get more clients in a salon is to leverage your existing ones. If you provide amazing services and have a few clients to show for it, you can grow your client list through the people you already know. Here are the best ways to encourage your existing clients to do your marketing for you:

Craft up a selfie wall:
Now this might sound tricky, but it will pay off. We promise! A selfie-wall is kind of like a photo booth that encourages your clients to have some fun taking selfies while visiting your salon. The photos they take help spread the word about your services.

You could go with something simple like hanging a new mirror, next to some great lighting conditions, then write your Instagram @ name or salon’s hashtag on the mirror using a whiteboard pen. Hang it in the salon waiting area, or if you’re cramped for space, transform your bathroom into a selfie station.

We love this gorgeous green grassy selfie wall from @PrepHair

Share client before & after photos:
Take photos of your clients before and after their service, then ask for permission to post on your Instagram. Try collecting a bunch of client photos each week, then use an Instagram scheduling app like Plann, Buffer, or Hootsuite to draft and batch schedule posts for the week. That way you can get a large chunk of your posting done in one sitting.

Make sure to caption a flattering comment about your client, and tag them too.

A post shared by CosmoProf Beauty (@cosmoprofbeauty) on May 3, 2018 at 1:00pm PDT

Get help from friends & family:
It’s easier to turn someone you already know into a client, vs trying to win over a total stranger. Leverage your friends and family as much as possible to grow your client list!

Ask everyone you know to follow you on Instagram. Ask them to always like/repost/share your photos to their Instagram and stories. And don’t forget to hit that little “share to FB” button in Instagram. This will share to your personal Facebook profile (not your brand page).

4. Experiment with Some Clever Promotions

Now that your profiles are cleaned up, your online image is attracting you lots of attention, and your client list is starting to grow, here are some bonus ideas to try. These are just a few of the top client generating ideas that have worked in the beauty industry since the dawn of time. Thankfully the challenge of how to get more clients in a salon has been an eternal one, so we already understand what works and what doesn’t.

Simple daily specials:

If you have a slow season or day of the week, try to entice some new customers with some simple specials. Try to add value instead of discounting. For example, post an image on Instagram advertising a daily special: a free deep conditioning treatment with every haircut.

Download this free template

Cross-promote related businesses:

Get friendly with other local or neighboring businesses. Post a photo of the amazing espresso shop next door and use the location/geo-tag on Instagram to make sure you’ll show up when coffee-shop goers explore that location.

Same goes for other beauty services that relate to your brand. For example, if you perform lash services, don’t be afraid to promote your favorite nail salon. They’ll be likely to post about your business as well. Share the love as the saying goes.

Refer-a-friend program:

Friends trust their friends for advice, especially with fashion and beauty. In the beauty industry, referrals are the most powerful ways to attract new clients and will work for you much better than any coupon or flyer.

To get your refer-a-friend program going, all you need to do is ask. At the end of every appointment, just say, “Refer 3, get one free”. It rhymes so it’s easy to remember! Oh and of course, post about it on Instagram around once a month.

Download this template

Try salon appointment software & allow online booking:

By offering a “book now” link in your Instagram bio you’ll be more likely to book appointments with those new clients who are lurking your Instagram feed. Check out how @darkfadr_leeds_, does it. He just opened up his own barbershop!

Ask for online reviews:

Online reviews make your services look more legit. Even just a few can help build trust with prospective clients who are researching your services and thinking about booking with you.

To get this started, make sure you have a Google business profile (see #1 above). Then send out a simple email to your list asking for a review. Use your personal email (BCC everyone) or a free service like Mailchimp. The email can be super simple, the more plain it is, the more likely they are to respond.

Here’s an example we’ve seen work well:

That’s it! What do you think about our list? Got any tips to share that have helped your client list grow? Please let us know in the comments.

We’re super excited to introduce our new team member, Geno Tominez!

Geno’s official job title is “Customer Support Rep” but we’re thinking “Head Happiness Honcho” might be more fitting. He can’t seem to stop smiling. Seriously this guy’s smile… it’s contagious!

Geno will be working from home and is dedicated to helping all of our lovely users get set up quickly and booking appointments online. Also supporting our long-time users with any questions, feedback, or feature requests via email and… drum roll, please…

Ring ring, Bookedin phone support is now live

We’ve officially opened up our support toll-free number for callback service (1-888-966-8176). You can even book a 1-on-1 Zoom call with Geno by visiting our booking page here: directory.bookedin.com/bookedin-specialists (Central Canada/USA Timezone)

Via the web app:

Via the mobile app (iOS/Android):

A little back story:

Geno hails from the Philippines but has called Canada home for the last five years. His last major role was in support and account management at a dental software company and he’s also spent 6 years at RIM (Blackberry) Singapore holding various roles in tech support.

Finally, a shout out to the elephant in the room.

We’re currently living in a wild time in history. As a small business, you’ve got a lot of stress on your plate. We know you’ve heard this before (from practically every business on earth) but whatever it takes, Bookedin is here to help you adapt your appointments and keep moving forward. We’ll get through this together.

Stay strong