Get Your Beauty and Barber Business Ready for the Holiday Season

If you’re a beauty or grooming professional in the beauty and barber industry, you can probably (definitely) relate to this. The holiday season is usually the most stressful time of the year — but it can also be the most profitable. With the right strategy and enough advanced planning, you can take advantage of the season without working yourself excessively and causing burnout. Here are the top things you can do now to prepare for the holiday season and set your business up for success with StyleSeat.

Manage Your Calendar and Holiday Hours

Set aside time for vacation and personal time. Clients are also busy during the holidays, so they’ll be booking last minute, trying to book outside of your regular hours, and messaging you when they realize you don’t have many openings left. If you’re in the beginning stages of building your clientele, making a few exceptions is okay. But otherwise, it’s essential to stand your ground. If you want to give clients your best, you need rest and relaxation as well.

Set your holiday hours (and stick to them). If you decide to extend your hours, get the word out early, but make sure your message is clear so clients know what to expect. Use StyleSeat’s email marketing tool to let clients know of your holiday hours, but also provide a friendly reminder that this time of the year is super busy, and you won’t be able to accommodate any requests outside of those hours.

PRO TIP: To set your hours and block off vacation time in your StyleSeat calendar: Tap the (…) button in the top right corner of your calendar and select Manage Availability.

Encourage Clients To Pre-Book Appointments

The number one way to avoid stress and chaos? Pre-booking. This will give you a clear idea of what your schedule and income will look like through the rest of the year.

Announce that your schedule fills up quickly during the holidays, and if clients want to secure a spot on your schedule, they’ll need to book an appointment in advance.

Update your message in the description on your booking page or website, send an email marketing campaign, post about it on your social media, and remind clients when they’re in the chair that they should book all holiday appointments as soon as possible.

PRO TIP: To stay on track and avoid as many last-minute surprises as possible, set up a No-Show/ Late cancellation policy. Clients enter a credit card when they book, so you get paid for your time if they cancel late or don’t show up.

Get StyleSeat Payments

If you’re not already set up with StyleSeat Payments, take some time before your busy schedule. Not only do you benefit from options such as instant deposits, no-show/late cancellation policy, and Smart Pricing, but your clients can benefit from features like Contactless Payments and the option to Book Now, Pay Later with Klarna.

Post your best holiday looks on Instagram and inspire clients to book. Remember to always include a clear call to action in each post — for example: “Love these holiday nails on my last client? Hit the book button on my profile page to get this look before my schedule fills up! Don’t forget to get the official “Book” button on your Instagram page.

Set up an “Instagrammable” holiday-themed selfie station in your salon and encourage clients to tag you in their photos. Ensure your social media information is visible, so clients know which account to tag.

PRO TIP: While adding your new looks on social media, don’t forget to update your StyleSeat profile with your latest work for direct booking.

Offer Upsells and Add Ons

Create a few holiday packages to add to your service menu. Your goal is to increase the average spend per client. Take some of your most booked services and create a special with a small add-on service for a small discount. Let clients know the package is only available during the holidays, so they should book now. Not only does this encourage clients to spend a little extra, but it’s also an opportunity to introduce them to a new service they might continue booking in the future.

Update your retail display to be more enticing for the holidays. You can market products as stocking stuffers or package certain items together and market them as the perfect gift.

Reward Loyal Customers

Show your loyal clients you appreciate them. Something as simple as a personal thank you email or text message can go a long way. If you have a few clients who have always supported you, showed up on time, tipped, and referred you to their friends, give them a small complimentary add-on service to show them their loyalty hasn’t gone unnoticed.