Text appointment reminders are now live in the United Kingdom and Australia!

That’s right, Bookedin just launched a text messaging feature over the pond and down under.

Automated text reminders will help you stop worrying about no-shows and give clients an easy way to confirm, cancel or reschedule via text. No more relying on email reminders, phone calls or getting bombarded in your DMs.

This feature is now live for all paid and trial accounts, and works automatically for clients who have a valid mobile phone number.

Want to learn more? Here are a couple tutorials that explain the ins and outs of Bookedin’s text reminders feature.

• Simple guide to Bookedin text reminders
• Text Reminders in Australia & the UK
• Edit text confirmation & reminder settings
• Enable text reminders for specific clients

Need an account? Get your business booking online and streamline your appointment process. Just click here to create your account and try Bookedin free.

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new mobile app design for Bookedin! With this update, we’ve made significant improvements to the user experience, making it even easier for our users to schedule appointments and manage their businesses on the go.

The new design features a sleek, modern look and feel, with a focus on simplicity and ease of use. The home screen now prominently displays upcoming appointments and allows for quick access to important features such as scheduling, client management, and appointment reminders.

In addition to the visual updates, we’ve also made several functional improvements. For example, the scheduling feature has been streamlined to make it faster and more intuitive.

As per a recent survey of North American Consumers, “94% of respondents would be more likely to choose a new service provider if that provider offered online booking options.” (Source: GetApp)

So if you haven’t already, why not sign up for Bookedin’s free 14-day trial?

We’re thrilled to bring these updates to our users and are confident that they’ll greatly enhance your Bookedin experience. We’ll continue to work on new features and improvements to the app in the future, so stay tuned for more updates!

Thank you for choosing Bookedin and we look forward to your feedback on the new design. Comment below, or give us a shout on our social media or email, we’d love to hear from you.

You’re a talented barber with a passion for service and big ambitions. You’ve decided to open your own barbershop. Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step toward creating something unique and truly yours. The rewards you can reap are incredible: creative freedom, economic freedom, and the ability to truly make a difference in people’s lives. Getting started can be complex; we’re here for you. In this guide, we’re going to look at:

• Taking the leap
• Finding a space for your barbershop
• Creating your brand
• Budgets & costs
• The legal stuff
• Hiring staff
• Promoting your barbershop
• Building your client base
• Finding efficiencies

That’s a lot to cover, so let’s dive right in!

Taking the Leap

You’ve already taken the first step – deciding you want to start your own barbershop. The next step is taking the leap.

There’s an old saying – “Look before you leap”. At some point, you’re going to have to dive in, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t gather your bearings first. Work hard to get enough cash to start the business (more on that in the Budget section). Make a business plan. Talk to other barbers in your community. Tell current clients about your plans (if you don’t have a clause in your current contract that bars you from doing so).

Most of all – believe in yourself. There’s a reason you want to do this. Follow your dreams and passion. We’re here to support you – we believe in you.

Setting Up Shop

There are so many different places you can set up shop – which one you choose will depend a lot on your budget, your current client base, and your area.

Let’s start with the least expensive option: starting your barbershop business out of your own home! There’s a lot of obvious advantages to this route: much lower overhead, no commute to work, and a comfortable environment for your clients. The cons are obvious too; it’s going to be harder to brand, you’ll have to dedicate a part of your home (or your garage) to your business, and the area you’ll work in is dictated by where you live. That can limit your client growth. Work hard to find and keep clients, though, and you can have a lot of success – check out @redbeardbarber, a barber who’s been using Bookedin for a few years, located on Vancouver Island, Canada. He’s a perfect example of at-home barber success. 

The next option is to rent a commercial space and open up shop there. The easiest way of doing this might be to find a barbershop that’s looking to sell, and buy their business. That comes with a lot of advantages – you might get their old clients, as well as all of their equipment. The disadvantage is that it might limit your ability to rebrand – you might prefer starting with a fresh space.

Starting with a fresh space can cost more – you’ll need to buy all of the furniture, remodel the place, etc. Those of you who are handy, on the other hand, might find this a less expensive and more fulfilling option – to be blessed with magic hands for both renovating and cutting hair is a boon you shouldn’t waste.

Want a bold option some barbers are choosing in this decentralized, digital world? Become a mobile barber, moving from client to client. You’ll save a lot on overhead and rent, and you can find clients anywhere in your area. This option isn’t as tried-and-true as the other two, however – you’ll never pick up walk-ins and might find it more difficult to gain brand recognition.

Brand Power

Building a brand starts with introspection. Who are you? What do you stand for? What are your goals and aspirations? Write these things down – they’re your reasons for opening your own barbershop, and they can help you drive your branding.

During this introspection, you’ll probably come to understand who your target market is – the people who will gravitate to your philosophy and style. They’re who you’re trying to attract with your brand.

Next, you’ll choose your name. Alliteration can work really well here (who could forget a name like Bob’s Burgers?). You might also look for simple imagery – something like “Good Fellow’s Barbershop”. You could name your barbershop after yourself, after the street you’re located on (if you don’t plan on moving, that is!), or something hip like “Deer & Gunn”. No matter what you choose, keep it simple and easy to pronounce. Keep your perfect client in mind – what kinds of images, symbolism, or stories appeal to them? Integrate that into your name.

Your choice of decor and color scheme is going to depend heavily on your name and brand identity. You might start by reading up on color psychology, opting to choose calming colors if you’re looking to create a serene experience, or a monochromatic or contrasting color scheme if you want a bolder look. Most importantly, trust your own tastes – you’re a barber. A master of aesthetics. You’ve got this.

Budgeting

Your budget is going to depend on a wide variety of different factors. How much is real estate in the place you want to open up shop? How much does it cost to incorporate and get all of your legal obligations fulfilled? How much will it cost for all of your equipment? These expenses vary from place to place.

There are, however, a few estimates we can give. Truic and Profitable Venture both estimate that you’ll need approximately $150,000 in the USA or Canada, or £100,000 to start a barbershop in the UK. Some of that cost is for barber school – we’re assuming you’ve got that covered.

Keep in mind that a substantial portion of this cost is to pay for rent (usually around a quarter or a third of your total costs). Another important consideration is the cost of equipment and staff. 

Staff might not be an important cost to you if you’re just starting out and you want to operate as a solo practitioner to begin with. The cost of rent can be virtually eliminated if you want to open up shop in your own home, or if you decide to take the mobile route. As for equipment, you can try to find used equipment from a barbershop that’s about to close, or look for equipment that’s on sale.

This all to say, while $100,000-$150,000 might seem like a lot, don’t let it be a barrier to your dreams. You can find ways to lower your costs, and with a great business plan, you can find a starter loan to build your dreams.

via GIPHY

The Legal Stuff

We can’t elaborate on this too much, because what you’ll need to do varies so much based on location. You’re going to need to look at local by-laws, as well as state (or provincial) and federal laws. Getting a lawyer is an excellent idea to make sure you’ve dotted all of your I’s and crossed all your T’s. Display your license prominently somewhere in the business; you wouldn’t want to get your haircut by anyone but a licensed barber, would you? 

Get Those Clients!

You’ve set up shop, you’ve got a beautiful sign to let people know who you are, and you’re ready to start taking on new clients. You’ve probably worked at other barbershops before, and hopefully you have a list of clients who can’t wait for you to cut their hair. It’s time to expand your reach.

First, your website. You can do a website inexpensively and have it look amazing. Trust us. Tools like WordPress make it easy to promote your shop, and tools like Bookedin make it easy for you to book appointments and to accept payment – no matter how your customers want to pay. Keep your website consistent with your branding: your logo and colors should be on display. A “Book Now” page, an About Us page, a Location page, a Home page, and maybe a blog and/or an “Our Services” page – that’s all you need.

Next, let’s talk social media. A huge Instagram following is the holy grail for barbershops – haircuts can look incredible in both video and photo formats, and they tend to do best on Instagram. Of course, it’s worth being on Facebook too, and it’s easy to cross-post between the two. Be sure to post at least once a day, but avoid overposting so you don’t clog up your followers’ feeds. Pictures of your space, your staff, and (of course) the incredible work you’ve done can all help you gain followers. Be sure to engage with your followers, use hashtags on all of your posts – you know the drill.

Finally, there are several things you can do to make sure you’re visible when people search for you. The most important of these is to register your barbershop on Google My Business, Yelp, and other business directories. Basically, when someone looks up “barbershop”, you want them to find you! 

One last note – you can get a lot of business through word of mouth. Encourage your clients to tell their friends and leave reviews. While social media is the premier way of finding clients right now, word of mouth is still invaluable. After all, who do you trust more than friends with great looking haircuts?

Keep Those Clients!

Here’s a quick anecdote – for years, in my early 20s, I went without dental appointments. It’s not that I didn’t want or need them – they just kept falling off the list of things to do. My current dentist always tells me when they can book me next, and we schedule my next appointment as I’m leaving my current appointment.

Follow this philosophy. Your clients want their hair to look great, and if they like what you’ve done, they’ll be happy to book another appointment. You can create repeat clientele by rebooking them as they leave. Just fire up your barber scheduling app and schedule their next appointment – you might even ask them if they want to do recurring appointments to keep them looking stylish all the time.

Some people get nervous about doing this – they feel like it’s too salesy. Trust me; it’s not. Your clients will appreciate you doing this. People are busy, and your appointment booking software can send them reminder texts so they’ll never forget their next haircut with you.

via GIPHY

Grow As Fast As Your Clients’ Hair

Now that your barbershop is well-established, (we’re glad the guide worked!) it’s time to grow your shop. You can do this by:

• Offering retail products
• Expanding your services (non-haircut grooming services, for example)
• Opening new locations
• Adding new chairs and hiring other barbers
• Extending your hours
• Offering higher-priced services (or increasing your prices)

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention our booking software – it’s an awesome way to grow your business. Using Bookedin, you can get clients to book appointments directly through your website and your social media, so people who are casually browsing cool haircuts at 3 AM can book with you right away. 

Improved appointment booking form

Booking appointments online is our super power, so our top priority is to make this easier and more enjoyable for you, your staff and your clients!

The biggest change you’ll notice is in the private view. If you or your staff are booking an appointment, you can now leave many of the fields blank, such as “client name” or “service”. This is handy if you’re saving the time slot for someone, or just blocking time off for something personal.

Mobile app view (business):

Desktop view (business):

Online booking page view (clients):
Not much has changed in the client view, other than some “behind the scenes” things to make this page more mobile-friendly. Fun fact: over 77% of appointments booked online by clients are made using a mobile device! Learn more online booking stats here.

Enhanced security

Now you can sign out of all your devices at once. This is now located under “Account > My Info” in the desktop app.

Desktop how-to videos

We added a bunch of tutorial YouTube videos to the desktop app. Leanne’s soothing voice will now guide you through your setup, directly inside of Bookedin! You can now access these videos via the “Help” menu.

Various other updates

We’re always on the lookout for things to enhance. Speed, stability, better design, usability…  Got any ideas for us? Send us an email! You can also browse the full product launch details on our Release Notes.

Related → Hello Phone Support (And Welcome Geno!)

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Small business owners are constantly seeking the holy grail of production. Unless your business employs Santa’s elves, you need a productivity plan. A few efficiency-boosting guidelines can help increase effectiveness in any business.

1. Delegate

There is power in delegation. All employees should know their responsibilities and what is expected of them. Delegating tasks breaks bigger jobs into smaller, manageable parts that speed up output.

2. Prepare for Change

Only the salmon swim upstream. There’s a reason the masses go with the flow. Accept the fact now that someone is going to constantly be moving your cheese. The sooner you accept the idea of change, the easier it will be when the time comes to adapt to it.

3. Use Technology

Mobile technology is an extremely efficient tool for businesses. The fact 52% of the population looks at its smartphone at least once per hour means your business needs an app to help increase its productivity. Apps bring with them countless benefits—all which revolve around people’s most prized communication tool. Don’t forget to protect your business with Cyber Liability insurance from prevalent threats in today’s tech-driven society.

4. Time Management

Your time is your most prized possession. Don’t allow yourself or your employees to get distracted by frivolous events or meetings that have no bearing the responsibilities to doing the job. Set up one or two days a week dedicated to meetings. Allow the majority of the week’s time for accomplishing the tasks that are crucial to productivity.

5. Prioritize Tasks

A to do list is not enough. Your to do list should be ever-evolving as new tasks enter the day that require a higher priority than what is already there. Try using a task management tool like Trello or Things to make prioritizing your tasks more efficient.

6. Avoid Multitasking

Although many people feel that multitasking is a way to accomplish more, studies indicate those who multitask are actually harming their creative ability. Creative thinking is crucial to any business, and it cannot be jeopardized just so that people can do more than one thing at a time—it’s not worth it.

7. Keep Things Real

By all means, set goals! Keep them realistic. Most clichés will tell you overreaching is not harmful, and if you want to aim big, by all means do so. Just make sure that you do so in a realistic manner. Don’t set the goal without giving enough time to accomplish it.

8. Schedule Email Time

Email can be a major distraction—especially if you try to answer it immediately. Doing so forces you to quickly read correspondence, which creates the possibly of overlooking important information. It can also yield rushed responses. Schedule a time to answer emails. This way you are staying fully informed.

9. Self Reflection

It is important that you look at your role in both positive outcomes as well as negative outcomes. There is always room for improvement. Keeping your mind open to see where change is warranted will go a great distance in streamlining processes and boosting efficiency.

10. Prepare for the Next Day

Take a few minutes at the end of the day to set up for tomorrow. Most people come in to work in the morning raring to go. If you are set up and ready to work, you won’t disrupt that flow, and you will produce more.

Click here for more information about our booking software

Winnipeg, MB—April 8, 2014

BookedIN rolled out a much-anticipated feature today: custom email messages. This feature was specifically designed to help business owners who use BookedIN improve their client communications. Many loyal BookedIN users requested the feature, and so the development team is very excited to have released such a handy tool that is sure to become a widely used feature with all BookedIN users.

“The customer is always right they say, that’s why we really pay attention when our users request a new feature.  We keep a long list of every feature ever requested, we prioritize them and develop them as often as possible,” said Mike Iwasiow, Founder and CEO of BookedIN. “No matter what, we want to continue improving BookedIN and adding value to the service. We always make sure to include our users in this process. We’re pretty obsessive about it actually.”

The new custom email message feature lets business owners add custom messages to automatic booking confirmation and reminder emails. Users can include one message for all emails, or add a unique message for each service offered.

“We’re seeing all kinds of creative ideas around this feature. Some of our users wanted to add parking information, others a thank you message or a link to a survey. Overall, I believe it’s the flexibility of BookedIN that gives people the tools they need to run their business, that’s why flexible features like custom email messages get us so excited here.”

About the Application:

BookedIN is an easy-to-use, online solution that gives service-based businesses the essential tools that they need to get up and running online quickly. BookedIN provides businesses with a free web page and a customizable scheduling tool that lets your customers make and pay for bookings at any time, from anywhere in the world.

About the Company:

BookedIN is a privately funded software company created to help other small businesses succeed and grow. BookedIN has been featured in the Google Chrome Web Store and is in the Mozilla Marketplace. We’re headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and online at www.bookedin.com.

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Media inquiries:
Mike Iwasiow, Founder & CEO
BookedIN
+1 (204) 415-6627