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Pre-Booking Incentives – Preparation Pays Off

Due to busy schedules and the desire to stretch every dollar, salon clients can stretch-out more and more time between scheduled appointments. One of the easiest ways to maximize the return rate and visit frequency of your clients is by implementing a  pre-booking strategy. Reward clients for getting back into the salon before they even leave it.

Check out this calculation:
400 clients booked every 8 weeks = $50 spend per visit or $120,000 a year.
400 pre-booked clients every 5 weeks = $200,000 a year, an $80,000 difference!

Early fall is the perfect time to focus on pre-booking strategies that contribute to busier days, fuller books and bigger profits. What does your staff say to get clients to pre-book? Start prepping for pre-booking, it can change your business.

Prepping and practicing pre-booking scripts now can makes your team shine. It’s not about what is said, but what is offered. Most clients need that little extra incentive to get them to commit. 

If you are a salon owner trying to get your pre-book rate up here are some suggestions that can be implemented by your entire salon team. Schedule a team meeting to share statistics about why pre-booking is so important and how it can positively affect each stylists’ income and successfulness of the salon as a whole.

Idea 1: Pre-booking Contests
Create a drawing to win a prize. 
Communicate the Offer: Explain to clients every time they pre-book their next appointment, their name will be entered into a drawing to win basket of products valued at $XX. The prize, combined with the chance of winning, will get a clients to give it a shot.

How To: Assemble a stunning looking basket or bag filled with top-selling products and accessories. Create a noticeable display front and center with a combination of signage and color; use tissue paper and colored pretty fabric ribbon to display. Shrink-wrapped baskets are great too. Hold the contest for two months, then draw a name.

When: Fall is a great time to start this incentive contest. Start contest September 1 or November 1, and do it through the end of the year.

Idea 2: Pre-booking Cards
Pre-Book Cards contain appointment information (time, date, and service provider name). Pre-book Cards are engineered to maximize the return rate and frequency of your client’s visits. 
Communicate the Offer: Implement salon pre-booking cards to maximize guest return rate and overall retention. 

How To: When client returns Pre-Book Card on their next pre-booked appointment they receive a free gift.

Determine the gift you will be providing to the clients when they bring the cards back to the salon. Offer a gift that will build your business, such as a retail product, a complimentary add-on service or dollars off their next service.*Changing it up every few months keeps clients interested. 

Calculate the number of Pre-Book Cards you will need; 100 minimum per team member is a good start. Have team members fill out their own Pre-Book Cards with their names and the free gift decided. Place your Pre-Book Cards at each station and the front desk.

Idea 3: Pre-Book To Win a Prize
Some clients will pre-book for a free paraffin dip, but the bigger the prize the bigger the incentive to pre-book. Give away something big, a big dollar service. Another option is a gift card for a dollar amount that may be used towards service or retail, you choose.  By running the contest for two months you are only giving away a free service every two months.

Idea 4: Front Desk
Offer a larger product gift basket or gift certificate drawing to every client who pre-books and place the gift basket prominently at the front desk. Coach your front desk to ask every guest if they would like to get their name entered into our drawing for a chance to win this basket/gift certificate by pre-booking your next appointment. You’ll be surprised how your salon’s pre-book percentage will increase. 

Idea 5: Holiday Drawing Entry
Create a holiday promotion by starting on November 1, hold the actual drawing for winner on Christmas Eve (or the last day open before the holidays). Have every client fill out an entry form with name, address, phone number, and e-mail address;  this helps you keep your salon contact list fresh.

Idea 6: January Email or Post Card Promo
Use drawing entry information as a marketing tool. Send each entry a postcard offering or email campaign for $10 off or a complimentary upgrade with a service. These target guests are engaged and will likely take you up on the promotion in your slower month January.

Are you ready? Let’s do this, book a free strategy session with me here