There are tons of good reasons to keep track of your past and future appointments.

I hope the reason to keep track of future appointments is obvious, so let’s focus on why you’d dwell on the past.

*Hopefully your past isn’t quite as painful as Simba’s.

Even if your business has done very well in the past, Rafiki’s point stands – the past has many lessons to teach us. Whether you’re aiming to get the most out of client data or run revenue projections, tracking your past and future appointments is essential.

To help you along the way, here’s a step by step guide!

Step 1: Take a good, hard look at your current approach

There are several businesses who take an ad hoc approach to appointment scheduling. We’re talking about the people who scribble down their appointments for the week on a piece of paper or the backside of a napkin, only to crumple it up and throw it in the trash when they’re done.

*You might be improving your shot, but you’re not improving your shot at repeat business.

This is not the way.

You need to digitize your appointment scheduling and tracking – we’ll explain how in Step 3.
But first…

Step 2: Find those appointments!

For those of you who are…*ahem* less organizationally inclined, this might be a challenging task. You’re going to want to find as many appointments that you’ve made in the past as possible and consolidate them all in one place.

Businesses with more than one professional booking appointments should try to consolidate all of the appointments made by every professional so they can all be digitized. Basically, ask every member of your team to help you find as many past and future appointments as possible.

Step 3: Digitize those appointments!

Like Homer, we’re in a digital world – and if you’re still using pen and paper, you need to get on board.

There are a number of ways you can digitize your appointments: putting everything into an Excel sheet, using scheduling systems like Google Calendar, or using software like Bookedin, to automate your appointments.

This step is probably the most cumbersome – it is, after all, manual data entry, a task we find pleasantly mindless, but that others often find pretty dull. Once you get through this rote work, however, you’ll find that everything will start to click into place much more easily.

Step 3.5: Get everything in one place

Having 10 different Excel sheets full of appointments is almost as bad (okay, not really) as having 100 Post-It Notes filled with appointments. The point of digitizing is to make everything as easy to access as possible.

For those opting to use Excel or a similar spreadsheet software (Google Sheets works fine), you can create separate sheets for every month, every member of your team, or in any other configuration that works for your business.

With Bookedin, you can easily sort through past and future appointments by client name, team member, and/or date.

Step 4: Review your data

*Hopefully you don’t experience the summer dip.

Now that you’ve got everything in one place, you can take a good, hard look at when people are booking, who they’re booking with, and how much they spend on average. You can also try to find what data you might be missing. Here’s some data you might not have thought about tracking:

• How much they spent.
• How much they tipped.
• The amount of time between bookings.
• How much time the appointment took.
• What services they purchased.
• Notes about the customer (their dog’s name, etc.).

Gathering this data can help inform a lot of your decisions.

Step 5: Form the right habits

This might be the hardest step of all – it’s also the most important.

You’ve got all of your data in one place. You’ve added important fields so you can better track how your customers interact with your business. Now you’ve got to add every single appointment to your new system – and get all of your team members to do the same.

With Bookedin, this is relatively easy – appointments are automatically tracked as your clients book with you. The do-it-yourself way takes a bit more effort – as with anything, you have to choose between spending money or spending time.

You’ll also have to habitually check your past and future appointments in order to accomplish all of the things that we laid out in the intro to this piece. Trust us – it’s worth the effort.

It’s been one of *those* mornings.

The kind where you sleep through your alarm, wake up in a panic, and shower faster than you thought humanly possible. Then on your way out the door you shove a cold bagel in your mouth (breakfast of champions) before tearing out of the driveway to make your first appointment.

You get to work exactly one minute before your client and take a quick moment to compose yourself. You think you might actually be doing okay until you realize you forgot something.

You don’t have your appointment book.

In your rush to get out the door, you left it on your bedside table. Now you have no idea what the day ahead will look like for you, which clients you’ll be serving… you got nothing.

This is the moment you realize somethings gotta give.

Sound familiar? Every service professional has *that story* about the day their client booking process just didn’t work anymore. So they started looking for alternative options and discovered the solution: online appointment scheduling software.

In this guide to online appointment scheduling, we’ll teach you how this kind of solution will save you time, reduce your stress levels, and help you grow your client list. We’ll also cover how to choose the right software for your unique business and promote it to your clientele.

Let’s get started!

What is online appointment scheduling software?

It’s pretty simple: online appointment scheduling software is any application that allows hair stylists, tattoo artists, massage therapists, and other service professionals to create an online calendar, which their clients can visit and book appointments through.

Let’s pretend you’re an in-demand physical trainer who spends most of their day in the gym, sculpting muscles to God-like perfection. You’re busy and can’t answer the phone every time a potential client wants to book a session with you.

Luckily, you can invest in online appointment scheduling software.

With this kind of tool, you’ll be able to customize your calendar, add it to your website, social pages, emails, etc., and invite your clients to book available training times whenever they want. You’ll then be able to easily track and manage your booked appointments from any phone, tablet, or computer.

Why is online appointment scheduling important?

Online appointment scheduling sounds cool, right? But we know what you’re thinking…

“A whole new system? Ain’t nobody got time for that. My old-school setup might be glitchy, but I know it like the back of my hand. I think I’ll just stick with that.”

We get it, change is hard. But switching to an online appointment setting solution is so jam-packed with benefits, you’ll definitely want to make the transition ASAP. Here are a few of the advantages you can expect to experience:

1. You’ll save time

The shop needs sweeping, the books need balancing, and someone (YOU) needs to call the plumber about that leak in the bathroom. But your phone is ringing off the hook with new client appointment inquiries. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done.

Sounds like you need a killer appointment app. That way your clients can schedule your services online, giving you the time you need to get your most pressing tasks done.

2. You’ll avoid stress

Does your daily to-do list make you sick to your stomach?

Besides servicing your normal clients, you also need to call Carl back to book his color session, reschedule your Friday afternoon appointments because your babysitter is sick, and get in touch with Tami because she still hasn’t paid the balance on her last tattoo.

This all sounds… Ugh, stressful.

Online appointment scheduling will transform your life by allowing clients to book appointments on their own time. It also automates the email and/or text reminders that follow.

3. You’ll make more money

Why did you start your own service business? We bet “to make more money” was one of the main reasons, along with “to have more freedom” and “be my own boss.”

Good news, top appointment apps help put more green into your wallet:

• First, you’ll be able to book more appointments per day because you won’t have to spend as much time on tedious admin tasks. More appointments, more money.
• Second, you’ll score new clients on a regular basis because clicking a button on a web page is *much* easier than calling a stranger to book a haircut, therapy appointment, or personal training session. More clients, more money.
• And third, it’s easy for clients to view your calendar, pinpoint empty slots, and book an available time that works for them. More bookings, more money.

At Bookedin, our customers tell us that our online booking app helped them triple (yes, TRIPLE) their business — no lie.

4. Your clients prefer it

We’re going to go out on a limb here and guess your clients do *not* wake up in the morning and think, “You know what sounds fun? Playing phone tag with my esthetician!”

Nope, your clients want to book services quickly and then get on with the rest of their day. This is exactly what an online appointment scheduling app will let them do.

First, they look in the mirror and think, “Eeeekkkk!”. Then they head to your website, check out your available dates and times, and book a session that works for them. No phone calls or let-me-check-my-calendar-and-get-back-to-yous. Just streamlined appointment setting.

5. Client communications will get easier

Automation, AKA the eighth wonder of the world, will definitely help you save time and reduce stress (see above). But it will also make client communication much easier.

Once your customers book an appointment via your online appointment scheduling app, they’ll automatically receive a confirmation email and/or text. As the scheduled date approaches, they’ll get a reminder message.

In other words, your online appointment scheduler will take care of 90% of client communication for you. That way you can focus on other business-building tasks.

How to schedule appointments online

We’ve covered the “what” and the “why” of online appointment scheduling. I guess it’s about time we tackled the “how.” Don’t worry, learning how to set up your services for online scheduling is a walk in the park. Let’s go for a stroll…

Invest in the right scheduling app

You’ve decided to make the switch to an online appointment scheduling app and you’re pumped. More time, less stress, happier clients? “Sign me up,” you think. So you jump online and realize there are A LOT of different options available. Which to choose?

When it comes to choosing the best online booking and scheduling system, here are a few must-have features to look for:

Ease of use

If your online appointment scheduling app is hard to use, what’s the point? You might as well stick with your current system. So make sure the system you choose is user-friendly.

Luckily, most apps offer free trials — take advantage! Research a few options, then take one for a test drive. Did you enjoy using it? Was it intuitive? Or did it make you want to tear your hair out in frustration? Also, was the support team helpful?

Even the best softwares on the planet have quirks and nuances you’ll need to learn. A friendly support team is one of the best ways to learn them. And don’t worry about asking *dumb* questions… Most support reps LOVE hearing from customers — promise!

Payments

Do yourself a HUGE favor and invest in an online appointment scheduler that can process deposits. That way you get at least a portion of your agreed upon fee up front. Even if your client ghosts you on the day of your booking.

We’ll talk more about no-shows later in this guide to online appointment scheduling. For now, pick a scheduling tool that can help guard your business against these unsavory client types.

Good reviews

Lastly, read reviews to see what actual users have to say about the scheduling apps you’re considering. What do they like about them? What drives them bonkers?

For example, if multiple users say something like “great app, terrible customer service,” you know that the app in question operates well. You also know that the folks who make the app aren’t the friendliest. Terrible customer service is, well, not so fun.

Streamline the scheduling process

Once you’ve chosen an online appointment scheduling tool and set up your account, you need to optimize it. That means setting up a few automations and making the booking process as client-friendly as humanly possible.

So what can you automate with a tool like Bookedin? Communications.

Once a client books an appointment, they’ll automatically receive a custom confirmation email and/or text message. You can also program your booking app to send individualized appointment reminders and post-appointment follow-ups. Think of all the time you’ll save when the robots send communications on your behalf!

Automations are a godsend once a client schedules an appointment. But if the booking process is cumbersome, few people will ever get to that point.

Here are a couple of tips to streamline your appointment scheduling:

• Social booking: If you’re a hairstylist, tattoo artist, or photographer, you’re probably on the ‘Gram non-stop. Most service professionals use social media to reach their target clients. So doesn’t it make sense to add your booking link to these sites?
• Custom booking forms: Every client is unique, which means the service you provide will change depending on who you’re providing it to. Custom booking forms will allow you to learn more about your clients so you can serve them better.
• No accounts: Raise your hand if you’ve ever planned on booking a service, only to realize that to do so, you had to create an account. It’s annoying, right? Increase bookings and satisfaction by skipping client accounts.

Everything about your booking process should be easy. The automations and client-friendly features available in online appointment scheduling apps like Bookedin make this possible.

Minimize appointment cancellations

“Seriously?” you think to yourself. “When will my clients finally show me some respect and show up for their appointments?” We hear ya. Cancellations are SO FRUSTRATING. But to cut them out of your business, you need to understand why they happen in the first place.

Here are a few common reasons:

• Forgetfulness: Most appointments are missed because the person who booked them forgets to show up. You know how it is. Life gets busy and things slip through the cracks. Annoying? Sure, but it happens to the best of us.
• Lack of funds: You’re good at what you do, so you can charge a pretty penny for your services — pennies that your clients have to fork over. Rather than admit they can’t afford you, some clients will decide to bail.
• Surprises: You may have noticed, life is unpredictable. If it comes down to making an appointment or getting their kid to the hospital, guess what your clients will choose?

Appointments cancellations are never fun. But you can minimize them by choosing an online appointment scheduling app that includes pre-payment and automation features.

Think about it, who’s more likely to arrive for their haircut, massage, or photoshoot: the guy who clicks a button to book a service, or the dude who clicks a button and fronts $50 to hold onto the booking? That’s right, the answer is numero duo because he has skin in the game. And if he still doesn’t show? Well, at least, you’re not completely out the money.

Cool, anything else you can do to minimize appointment cancellations? Abso-freakin-lutely!

Tap into your app’s automation features and send both confirmation and appointment reminder messages via email and/or text. Remember, your clients are busy. A quick note reminding them of their bookings will increase the likelihood that they show up.

5 ways to boost your online appointments

BOOM! You decided to ditch your pen and paper appointment book — finally. Now you’re set up with a slick digital system like Bookedin and can already feel the stress melting away like a creamsicle in the summer heat. Feels good, right?

Good news, things are about to get even better. Check out the five tips below to learn how to easily boost your online appointments.

1. Market your online scheduler

If you want your clients to book your services via your online appointment scheduler, you have to tell them that it exists. Revolutionary concept, we know, but we still needed to say it. Fortunately, marketing your new booking procedures isn’t difficult. Here are a few ideas:

• Website content: Do you blog? Write about your online scheduler. We also suggest creating a banner image that promotes your online booking link to your website visitors. The easier it is to find, the more people will use it.
• Social media posts: Encourage your clients to book your services online via your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter profiles. Social media is a fantastic way to reach people and generate conversations — use it! (More on social below.)
• Email newsletters: Email may be old-school, but it’s still a great way to stay in touch with people, especially for business purposes. Message your newsletter subscribers and let them know that they can now book appointments online.
• Your voicemail: People will continue calling you until they learn there’s a better way to book. Use your voicemail to promote your online scheduling link.

2. Enlist your email signature

Most of us don’t think twice about our email signature. We sign off with a quick “thanks,” or “best,” or “sincerely,” followed by our name. There’s nothing wrong with this. But it won’t help you market your online appointment scheduling capabilities.

Instead, put your email signature to work by including an appointment booking link for recipients to use. That way they’ll have easy access to it.

Most email providers (think Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook) allow their clients to embed images in their email signatures as well. A sig with your shop’s logo would look pretty sweet, right? Just be careful with this feature. Some browsers aren’t compatible with images. You may want to play it safe and include a simple link that will always go through.

3. Reward customers who book online

If you want to schedule more appointments online, consider rewarding customers who book your services via Bookedin or a similar piece of software.

For example, a massage therapist could give a 5% discount to online bookers. A hair stylist could offer a free shampoo session to go along with all cuts scheduled via the web. And a physical trainer could send a free meal plan to clients who make online appointments.

These small rewards will help boost your online bookings. They’ll also help save you money and stress because your resources won’t be as strapped.

4. Use social media to book appointments

We’ve mentioned social media multiple times in this guide to online appointment scheduling. Know why? Because these free sites are an amazing resource for independent service providers — especially Instagram. Here’s how to tap into it via Bookedin:

Because of it’s highly visual nature, Instagram is the preferred social channel for many hair stylists, tattoo and makeup artists, personal trainers, and other service professionals. It doesn’t hurt that the network has one billion monthly active users, too.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at how to add a Bookedin scheduling link to your Insta.

• Fire up the Instagram app, visit your profile, and click “Edit Profile”.
• Type your Bookedin URL into the “Website” field.
• Write some amazing call-to-action copy in your bio section to let folks know about the booking link. Hot tip: use emojis, upper and lowercase words, and punctuation (#, !, *).
• Hype your booking link whenever you make a post on Instagram. That way people know how to schedule an appointment if they dig your work.

You’ll notice that Instagram doesn’t give you a slick “Book Now” button like you can post on your website. Instead, you’ll need to utilize the website link they provide. No biggie, this link works well for directing clients to your online scheduling page.

5. Take advantage of Google My Business

First things first, what the heck is Google My Business? Fair question…

Think back to the last time you searched for a business on Google. Maybe you were looking up a new restaurant in town or trying to find the nearest hardware store. Whatever the case, you probably saw a business profile in the top right corner of the search results page.

This is Google My Business and it allows business owners and/or managers to create a free Google profile, complete with service information, physical address (including Google maps details), hours of operation, phone number, and even Google reviews.

This listing can be incredibly beneficial to shop owners such as yourself because it will help you build your online presence and interact with potential customers.

For folks who use an online appointment scheduling app like Bookedin, Google My Business is even more awesome because you can add your booking details to your Google Listing. The result? Your clients can schedule appointments with you directly from Google search!

Here’s how to set up the connection:

• Create your Google My Business listing. By visiting this link. Be sure to add all relevant information such as your shop’s name and contact details.
• Once inside your Google My Business account, click the “Info” tab on the left-hand side of your screen. Then scroll down to “Appointment URL” and click the pencil icon.
• Paste your Bookedin link into the “Appointment URL” section. Then click “Apply” and wait for Google to confirm the information you’ve entered.

Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of your ideal client. They’re in the market for a haircut, new tattoo, full-body massage, etc. So what do they do?

They ask Google for top-rated professionals in the area. As they’re sifting through the search results, your business pops up. They click on it, read a few reviews, notice your booking link, and make an appointment on the spot. BOOM! New client, no big marketing effort needed.

Common online appointment scheduling myths

There’s no doubt about it, online appointment scheduling is pretty great, as this guide to online appointment scheduling has beautifully laid out (wink). But you might still be on the fence about a tool like Bookedin.

We understand. There are definitely a few myths out there that keep service professionals from investing in an online booking tool. With that in mind, let’s go myth-busting.

Myth #1: It will cost me too much money

If you own or run a service-based business, money is always a factor. In fact, you probably spend a lot of your time brainstorming ways to make more of it and spend less. ‘Tis the constant plight of the entrepreneur. So we totally understand if your first reaction to online appointment scheduling software is, “No thanks, too rich for my blood.”

Just answer this one question: how much cash does your shop lose every month because of no-shows? $500, $1,000, even more? An online booking app will help you cut these losses without forcing you to spend an arm and a leg.

The truth is, *not* having an online scheduling system is costing your business too much money.

Myth #2: It will kill my productivity

“Interesting,” you say, “online appointment scheduling won’t hurt my bank account. But it will definitely kill my productivity, right?” We understand your concern.

As a shop owner and/or manager, you play a lot of roles: marketing lead, web designer, chief copywriter, social media manager… Oh, yeah, and you also have to actually, you know, perform the services your clients hire your for. In other words, your time is a precious commodity. The thought of wasting it probably gives you night sweats.

Online booking software will make you *more* productive than ever before.

Tools like Bookedin will allow your clients to book appointments without calling, emailing, texting, DMing or contacting you in any way. Then this kind of tool will take care of follow-up messages, appointment reminders, and post-appointment thank you notes automatically.

Once you’re set up with an online scheduling app, you’ll have more time in the day, less stress to deal with, and happier clients who remain loyal.

Myth #3: It will be too complicated to use

You know what’s complicated? Fielding client calls, manually logging appointment details into a moleskine notebook, losing said notebook, and having to wrack your brain to determine which of your clients is coming in that day and for what service.

Online booking, on the other hand, is simple. For example, look how easy it is to start making appointments with Bookedin:

1. Download Bookedin from Apple App or Google Play store.
2. Create Your shop profile, including business name, type, and location.
3. Add the services you offer by clicking “Settings” at the bottom right corner of your screen, and then selecting the “Services” tab.
4. Add information about your services such as duration, price, and payment options.
5. Launch your Bookedin online booking page, add it to your website and social channels, and market it to your client base.

Simple stuff — even for the most technology-challenged folks. We think it’s time to kick the it-will-be-too-complicated-to-use myth to the curb.

Wrapping up

We hoped you enjoyed this guide to online appointment scheduling!

By taking the client booking process online, you’ll be able to save time, avoid stress, and better serve your customers. And as we just saw, these benefits can be achieved *without* much headache. You just need to commit to the change, market your new online appointment scheduling capabilities to your clientele, and enjoy the extra freedom.

Ready to make the switch? Give Bookedin a try right now for free. We’re confident you’ll love our platform’s intuitive interface and powerful features. See you on the inside!

There’s a short and sweet NYT article titled “Three Ways to Think About ‘Is It Worth It?‘” In it, Carl Richards breaks down the three fundamental features that make something “worth it” or not – utility, enjoyment, and cost.

Now, you could argue about whether or not enjoyment is a subcategory of utility, but you could also argue about whether or not cost is a subcategory of utility. In the interest of not having this spin into an article about the meaning of value, let’s pretend I never even brought this up.

Instead, let me give you a concrete example. I’m looking into buying a fight stick – a type of video game controller made specifically for playing fighting games. The one I’m looking at is called Hit Box. I want it so I can do stuff like this:

Now for most of you, the Hit Box isn’t worth it – if you don’t play fighting games, there’s no utility or enjoyment there. For me, on the other hand, the Hit Box is a pretty attractive buy. I will, however, try to find a deal – cost matters.

This weird fighting game peripheral analogy has a point – no item is worth exactly the same amount to two different people. “Is it worth it?” is a totally subjective question.

In light of that, we’re going to present a number of questions – questions you can ask yourself to figure out whether online scheduling software is worth the cost to you. We’re going to do that, whenever possible, by comparing apples to apples – a price range for online scheduling, and a price range for the things that can happen when you aren’t using online scheduling.

How much is your time worth?

To figure out whether or not online scheduling is worth the cost, you first have to figure out how much your time is worth, and how much of your time you spend managing schedules.

Appointment scheduling software can eliminate most – if not all – of the scheduling work you have to do yourself. The price of booking software can vary considerably depending on what features you want (we’ll talk about those later). Some cost less than $20 a month, while others can cost well over $100 a month.

How much of your time do you spend on scheduling?

Let’s say you make $30 an hour. If you spend an hour a month handling schedules – be that booking appointments or resolving scheduling conflicts – you’re already saving money if you can get a booking software for under $30 a month.

Obviously, if you make more than $30 an hour, or you spend more than an hour a month on scheduling, booking software becomes that much more worthwhile.

More team members whose schedules you need to coordinate typically means more time spent scheduling, so online scheduling software tends to be priced based on how many schedules you need to coordinate.

How much do double bookings cost?

In the most magical timeline, a double booking leads to a chance encounter between two of your clients burgeoning into a long, happy, and fruitful relationship.

But that’s in the movies. And even if it happens in real life, do you want people falling in love over their shared disdain for your business double booking them?

Double bookings have an obvious cost – you’ll need to rebook the client who you double booked. In order to smooth things over, you may need to give them their next appointment for free, or at a discounted rate. They may opt not to book with you again – you might lose their business outright. At a minimum, this will cost you what they would have paid you – though it could cost you much more.

How much does it cost you when clients show up late?

The cost of clients who show up late is a bit harder to calculate, but if you want to get a rough approximation, figure out how much you would charge that client for an hour, divide that amount by how late they are, and you’ve figured out how much money you’re losing.

For example, if you charge your clients $50 an hour, and they’re 15 minutes late, they’ve cost you $12.50 – a quarter of an hour. That’s 15 minutes you could have spent doing more productive things. 15 minutes that you’re, instead, spending staring at the door, sighing, waiting for your client to show up.

Appointment booking software drastically reduces the number of clients who show up late – they’re reminded of their appointment the day of, so they know exactly when to show up. A lot of people who show up late simply forgot their appointment – booking software fixes that.

How much do no-shows cost?

Calculating the cost of no-shows is easy – you lose all the money you would have made if they had shown up. If booking software can reduce the number of no-shows by even one per month, most businesses could benefit from using them.

Realistically, booking software will reduce no-shows by more than one per month. We’ve heard from our customers that Bookedin has eliminated their no-shows altogether – and many of these clients were getting 1-2 no shows per week!

If you’re still worried about no-shows, you can charge clients before their appointment – they pay through the software. That means you can charge no-show or late fees at your convenience.

Some costs (and benefits) aren’t so easy to calculate

*Think of this scary backseat clown as all the scheduling conflict costs you hadn’t considered.

There are some costs that are harder to evaluate than the ones we’ve presented here. Double bookings, for example, can lead to 1-star reviews and hard-to-resolve customer complaints. Late appointments can lead to fewer satisfied customers, as you rush around to recover the time you’ve lost.

Booking software helps alleviate all of those hard-to-calculate costs. It also adds some hard-to-calculate benefits – benefits like customer satisfaction. In our experience, customers like being reminded of their appointments – they don’t want to be late or forget about their appointment any more than you do.

Is online scheduling worth the cost? In our (admittedly biased) estimation, it is, for the vast majority of businesses. There’s a lot of utility there, and when directly comparing costs, having online scheduling software usually saves you money.

On the fun front, our software is easy to use. Would we call it fun? Maybe not in the same way as a fighting video game. We still think you’ll like it quite a bit, though. Want to give it a try? Check out our free trial!

There was a recurring bit in Animaniacs (the ‘90s version, not the 2020 reboot) that almost never failed to make me laugh. It was called Good Idea, Bad Idea. Examples include “Good idea: getting breakfast served to you in bed. Bad idea: getting tennis balls served to you in bed”.

I think about that bit a lot when I think about automation. Good idea: automated appointment reminders from your barber. Bad idea: automated barbers.

Automation is good when you’re getting computers to do rote, error-prone tasks that humans find dull.

A lot of businesses don’t even send appointment reminders – that’s a big miss, and it can lead to a lot of cancellations and no-shows. You’d be better off training carrier pigeons to send your reminders than to not send any at all.

Fortunately, there are easier ways.

In this article, we’re going to show you how you can send semi-automated text reminders and email reminders absolutely free – and in most cases, without even needing to download any software you don’t already have.

After that, we’re going to show you how Bookedin makes the process even more simple and effective – complete automation and lots of other features.

Sounds good? Let’s begin.

How to streamline email reminders (for free!)

Emails are a useful way to remind your clients about appointments they’ve booked with you. They’re probably not as useful as text messages – emails might fall into a junk folder, and they tend to be more readily ignored. There are, however, some advantages to email reminders. It can be easier to incorporate branding, graphics, and important attachments in your message.

What we’re proposing here isn’t complete automation, but a streamlining of processes that should drastically improve your client service and cut down the time you need to spend.

Step 1: Create a script. This can be something as simple as:

Hi [First Name], This is an appointment reminder from [Business Name]. Your appointment is scheduled on [Day] at [Time]. We look forward to seeing you then!

Step 2: Create an email template for your appointment reminder – the subject line can be as simple as “Appointment Reminder”, or you can brand it as you like. The body will contain your script. You can create templates in Gmail and in Outlook (the links explain how).

Step 3: When a client books an appointment with you, open your preferred email client list. Use the template, filling in the relevant details (their first name, etc.).

Step 4: Instead of sending the message immediately, schedule the message to be sent at a later date. You can do this in Gmail and in Outlook (again, the links will give you a complete guide).

Once your template is created, this method will save you a lot of time – you’ll only have to complete steps 3 and 4.

While a 2-step process isn’t complete automation, it will still save you a lot of effort compared to doing everything manually.

How to (mostly) automate text reminders

AKA: how I learned to stop worrying and love free third-party apps.

Automating text reminders might be more useful than automating emails. Unfortunately, it’s also trickier, since most SMS apps don’t have a template function.

Things get trickier still. While most of the Western world uses Gmail and Outlook for email, there is a lot more diversity in the SMS app field. That means that some of you will have options to schedule messages already built in, while others won’t.

That means we’re going to have to look to free apps if we want to keep our automation costs at a minimum. For our purposes, we’ll use an app that can automatically schedule text messages. There are fewer good template options, so we’ll simply use Apple/Samsung Notes, Google Keeps, or your preferred note-taking app.

Step 1: Create a script in your note-taking app. It can be as simple as:

Hi [First Name], This is an appointment reminder from [Business Name]. Your appointment is scheduled on [Day] at [Time]. We look forward to seeing you then!

Step 2: Save your script.

Step 3: Find an SMS app that can send scheduled messages for you. For Samsung users, the default SMS app should work. For non-Samsung Android users, you can get an app like Do It Later or Pulse SMS. For iOS, try AutoSender. These apps are all free to use, though there are additional features you can purchase in each of them.

Step 4: When your client books a new appointment, paste your script from the note-taking app to the message, replacing all relevant fields with the appropriate information (their first name, etc.)

Step 5: Schedule the message to send for the date and time you want it to be received.

How to FULLY automate text & email reminders with Bookedin

Bookedin is an all-in-one appointment app: we’ve automated both appointment booking and appointment reminders. We send both text and email reminders to your clients automatically. It takes much less effort than the two options we just went over above.

How much less effort? Well let’s go over the steps and see:

Step 1: Get Bookedin (you can start with our 14-day free trial).

Step 2: Customize your reminders (text & email) or just skip this step and rely on the default settings.

Step 3: Add the appointment booking link to your social media profiles and/or website.

That’s literally all you have to do. From there, when a client books an appointment with you, we’ll automatically send them an email and/or text message before their appointment – you get to choose in what time-frame those reminders are sent out.

Sending reminders a day before the appointment is common, but Bookedin can do a whole lot more. Clients are immediately sent a confirmation message when they book.

You can also decide whether a reminder text is sent out days in advance, or even hours in advance – the same goes for emails. Check out:

• Our guide to customizing text message reminders.
• Our guide to customizing email reminders.

Automatically replying to clients (for fun and profit)

This how-to has been about automating the sending of appointment reminders – we haven’t, however, addressed how to automatically reply to those reminders. Bookedin handles that for you, too – clients can reply “Yes” to confirm or “No” to reschedule.

The other options we presented don’t have that capacity.

Nonetheless, something is absolutely better than nothing when it comes to appointment reminders. They’re useful for your business and for your clients – well worth the effort.

You’ve decided you want to use appointment scheduling software to make your business more efficient and customer-friendly.

Even though you’re enthusiastic about the change, your team might not be as onboard as you are. You might have one member who hates change, preferring to follow “the old ways”.

Like our rotary phone dialling friend here, they might stick with the old ways because new technology intimidates them. They might simply be comfortable with the way they’ve scheduled clients since forever, and not be keen on changing things now. They might even be worried about how new technology could affect their jobs.

We’re going to go over a lot of good stuff in this article, from how to get buy-in from reluctant employees to how to implement your new software and train your team. We’ve geared it toward appointment scheduling software, but honestly, these tips can help you get your employees excited about all kinds of new technologies.

Tip #1: Get buy-in from your team

When it comes to any big procedural change, the first and most important step is getting employee buy-in. You could have magic money printing machines, but if your employees aren’t willing to press the button, money isn’t going to come out.

That might seem like a fantasy scenario, but it’s really not – automating appointment scheduling reduces double bookings, cancellations, no-shows and mix-ups. And it frees up time. When implemented properly, that means money.

To get your team on board, it’s important to address the reasons that they might be hesitant to start using appointment scheduling software. The three main barriers?

1. People are unwilling to change,
2. averse to technology, and
3. worried about job security.

How to handle change aversion

Change can be pretty scary. We’re hardwired to be stressed about uncertainty, and change, by definition, brings us into uncharted territory.

Your team members are pretty unlikely to walk up and yell “I’m afraid of change!”, however, so it’s important to listen for subtle cues that show that change aversion is what’s at play.

You might hear statements like “I’ve never had a problem with our old way of scheduling” (unlikely), “What’s wrong with the old way of doing things?” (a lot), or “I’m comfortable with things as they are” (fair enough).

Tackling this type of aversion is actually pretty straightforward. First, explain (in great detail) exactly why you’re implementing appointment scheduling software, and how it’s going to improve their lives (and their bottom line). Then, make sure you have ample time to train your team to use the equipment properly.

With Bookedin, links to book appointments online can be used across team members’ social media pages, allowing them to convert their online presence into cold hard cash. Money is a great incentive to embrace change, and the promise of more clients can really help move the needle.

How to handle tech aversion

There are people who think that trying to find what appointments have been scheduled for the day looks like this:

…and is easier than doing it like this:

Fair enough! Not everyone is super tech literate, and some people feel uncomfortable – even embarrassed – when learning new technology.

As the implementer of this new technology, you have two main goals. The first is to ensure your appointment booking software is really easy to use – no filling in complex forms, no accessing multiple files, just a few button presses.

Your second goal is to understand the technology inside and out, yourself, before trying to get your team onboard. It’s so much easier to get buy-in when you understand all of the ups and downs of implementing a particular change – and by testing the software yourself first, you’ll know exactly how user-friendly it is.

Talk about job security

This third challenge is less common when integrating automated appointment booking, but it does come up: whoever is currently in charge of booking starts worrying about how it might affect their career.

You’ve got to nip this fear in the bud as soon as possible, so make it abundantly clear that this change won’t affect anyone’s job. After all, whoever is in charge of appointment booking is probably handling a lot more than just the schedule – reception and secretarial work is multi-faceted.

Let team members who are worried know that this is a tool to help them, not to replace them. Offer them training and, if applicable, help them develop new skills to suit their new work environment. They might use the appointment scheduling tool to collect and analyze data about your clients. They might use their free time to improve client outreach. There’s still plenty for every member of your team to do.

Be enthusiastic!

It’s really hard to get buy-in for something you don’t believe in yourself. That’s why you should show your exuberance for change. After all, appointment software is great! You’ll free up time, you’ll create a better client experience, and you’ll make coordinating between team members that much easier.

Extend this enthusiasm to your team members. Let them know how important it is for them to accept fully. Get their input, hear their worries, and try to get them as hyped up about the change as you are. After all, enthusiasm is contagious.

Tip #2: Find the best ways to implement the software

Now that you’ve talked to your team members about their concerns, it’s time for the exciting part: setting up your new software.

Take advantage of free trials

The best things in life are free, and for businesses looking to automate processes, there’s nothing quite as sweet as a free trial.

*While we’re not sure Aladdin’s 4th wish would have been for efficient booking software, it’s nice to dream.

There are a few advantages to going the free trial route. No money down means that if things don’t work out, either because the software isn’t to your liking or because your team won’t get behind it, you’ve lost relatively little.

The second advantage to free trials is that they give you the opportunity to test a few different booking softwares out before you decide on which one you like best.

Finally, the free-to-paid model gives you a timeframe in which to get your whole team skilled up and all of your clients integrated into the appointment software. That brings us to our next point:

Establish a transition timeframe

Eventually, you’re going to want everyone using the same appointment booking software. It makes things a lot easier, because you can synchronize calendars, which makes scheduling anything and everything much easier.

Talk to your team and establish a date by which all appointments should be scheduled through the appointment booking software. In some circumstances, you’ll have team members who are not on board – in spaces like tattoo parlors, where artists are responsible for their own clients, this isn’t the end of the world.

During this transitional time frame, import client lists into the booking software. Team members can, if they choose, record appointments manually and through the booking software (though honestly, that’s wasted effort in most cases).

Tip #3 Focus on training your team

With proper training, appointment scheduling for your team can go from this:

…to this:

When your team has bought into your appointment scheduling vision, training becomes that much easier – people who are resistant to the change to begin with can often be much harder to train.

Find software with in-house support

One of the easiest ways to train your team is to find appointment booking software that offers in-house support. Combining this support with a software that’s easy to use means training will take very little time.

We’re really proud of how easy Bookedin is to use, and we offer in-house support to help you train your team. If you’ll permit us a humblebrag – and a chance to highlight one of our awesome clients – check out this quote from Eddie Barber of Uptown Barbershop:

“…It’s been really smooth. And my team too, just to highlight that side of it, because I had to go back and train my team. There was really not much to be done, because it was so straightforward. 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.”

Check out our full interview with Eddie, and if you’re in Naples, Florida, looking for a slick cut, check out his shop!

Schedule training time

People are (for good reason) pretty mindful of how much time there is in a day. They might feel like the White Rabbit:

*This is, after all, why appointment scheduling software is so useful.

When your team is already busy doing this, that, and the other thing, they’re not going to be keen on adding training to their already full workload. To remedy this, schedule time specifically for training. In the case of Eddie, that training only took 4 minutes, but allowing for at least an hour gives you a better window in case of hiccups. Should certain team members need more time, schedule it for them!

Choose the right training method

There are several different training methods you can implement, and to go over them all here would be an exercise in futility.

We’re going to be a bit more clever than the warrior in this GIF, and just climb the proverbial wall. Your main bottleneck is going to be the number of team members you have. For many businesses, the best option is simply to have a quick meeting with all of your team members. You might also engage one-on-one with team members if the system is particularly complex, if they’re reluctant to learn, or if you want to personalize the training.

Hands-on training is usually best for appointment booking software – it’s important they know how to use the technology, and it’s easy enough to run scenarios and experiments. All you have to do is create a fake client who books through the software, and your team members will easily see how the booking software works, and how to navigate through it.

Incentivize training

Training employees on new software is useful. It can increase productivity! It can help your bottom line!

But is it fun?

It can be. You can make it fun – you have the power! You might do a training session followed by a lunch for your team. You can give out gift cards to team members who complete the training. Heck, you could throw a party when everyone is done! Whatever you can do to make what can feel a bit dry into something to look forward to is a very useful approach. The more excited your team is about the training, the better it’s liable to go.

By following all of the above tips, you’ll be much more likely to find success when training your team to use this software. One last tip – if ever you’re struggling with training, focus on the end goal. Once everything is said and done, life will be much easier – both for your team and your customers.

You may have heard the Henry Thoreau quote “Simplify, simplify”. While most of us aren’t spending our time in log cabins on the lake trying to “go back to nature”, we can all use a little simplification now and then. 

Some people have an appointment booking strategy that looks something like this: 

Don’t be like Charlie. He’s obviously very stressed. There are better ways of booking appointments.

We can do better. We can go entirely digital. We ditch pen and paper, save trees, reduce plastic waste, and create more efficient scheduling. Let’s get started! 

Go digital

Whether you’re sticking Post-it notes all over the wall with lines of string running between them, or you’re taking all of your appointments down in a book, you can improve your booking strategy by going digital.

The simplest way of going about this is to put all of your appointments into a Google Calendar. While there are a number of online calendars available, Google Calendar is the one I recommend for anyone who is using Gmail, Android, or other Google-based services.

The advantages of Google Calendar

One of the main advantages of using Google Calendar is that it can automatically schedule appointments that you’ve made via Gmail into your calendar. This feature works best for appointments you’ve booked with other people, so while it doesn’t handle your booking for you, it does help you make sure you don’t book someone when you’re supposed to be off running errands.

A second advantage of Calendar is that you can manage multiple calendars together. This is really useful for businesses who have more than one person clients can book with – salons, tattoo parlors, clinics, and many other businesses have multiple practitioners in the same space. It’s nice for everyone to know who is booked up when, so your business doesn’t end up looking like this:

“But Paul”, I hear you say, “Are there any other advantages to Google Calendar for appointment booking?” Why yes, my hypothetical over-eager friend, there are! You can use Google’s world clock mode to handle people in different time zones, great if you’re dealing with appointments hundreds of miles away via video conferencing!

If you think I’ve shilled for Google Calendar enough – you’re wrong. A small business with staff members who are all taking appointments can find it hard to coordinate meeting times. With Google Calendar, you can use the “find a time” feature, plug in all of the participants, and Google will find times that work for everyone. No more “Does 5 o’clock Thursday work for you?” “No, does 7 o’clock Friday work for you?” “No”.

That’s everyone’s least favorite game.

Here’s the TL;DR:

• Google keeps your appointments all in one place
• You can share your calendar with others in your business
• Your calendar automatically updates with information from Gmail
• It makes scheduling appointments easier
• It can handle different time zones

It also sends you reminders directly to your phone and/or your computer. Oh, and it’s totally free. That’s a good deal.

Get appointment booking software

If you thought the shilling for *Google* was bad, you’re in for a treat.

I kid, I kid.

Here’s the thing. Google Calendar is a wonderful start if you’ve been doing all of your appointment scheduling by pen and paper. It does, however, leave a lot to be desired when it comes to actually booking appointments. And reminding clients about their appointments. And confirming appointments. (Like I said, a lot to be desired).

The disadvantages of Google Calendar

You still have to answer the phone (and I’m sure you like playing phone tag about as much as I do). You still have to check your Instagram DMs, and your email inbox, and your Facebook messages, and your website’s chat support log, and your answering machine, and your LinkedIn messages, and…

That’s exhausting to read, and even more exhausting to experience. Online appointment scheduling software handles all of that for you. Any appointment booking platform worth its salt will automatically sync with your Google Calendar (and other scheduling programs), so clients will automatically know when you’re available.

Save time and money

The best feature of appointment software is that you can use one link for all of your appointment booking. No more looking through DMs from every single social media platform you use. You can just stick the link to your booking page in your profile with a big “BOOK HERE” call-to-action.

You want your clients to be able to book at 3 AM on New Year’s Eve. You don’t want your clients to call you at 3 AM on New Year’s Eve. Booking software manages all of that for you. Clients can book whenever they want, and it won’t interrupt the special dinner you just cooked. Online booking reduces stress!

Okay, so your clients can book appointments anytime, and your booking software will automatically schedule appointments into your calendar. Obviously that’s reaaaaaally handy. You can also find software that texts your clients appointment reminders (depending on which booking system you get). That cuts way down on no-call no-show cancellations, which are the bane of any business:

Another TL;DR

• Online scheduling software makes booking and scheduling easy
• Text reminders drastically reduce cancelled appointments and no-shows
• Your calendars are automatically synced with the software (which prevents double-booking)
• Clients can book appointments any time of day or night
• You can easily link to your booking page from all of your social media (and your website)
• You can get your clients to pay when they book, so no-shows don’t mean no money

Now I know new tech can seem like a bit of pain to get installed, but trust me – any hiccups you might experience are far outweighed by the efficiencies you’ll find.

Remember Charlie at the top? You don’t need to lose your mind like him. Go digital with your appointment booking. It’s definitely worth it. Click here to start for free.

“Your customer is your business” – I’m certain you’ve heard that phrase before, and for good reason. I won’t bore you with the details of why your customer is your business. You know, and I know, that without customers there’s no money coming in, and without money there’s no business.

Plus, we love people, and helping others while doing something we’re passionate about is what business is all about, right?

What I will talk to you about (and hopefully not bore you with) is how you can take that concept to the next level. I’m talking about saving your client information into a customer list, and then taking full advantage of that customer list.

Your client list is like a Golden Ticket, giving you access to repeat business, better marketing, and a more holistic view of your business.

*Grandpa Joe is dancing over a literal Golden Ticket here, but we’re sure he likes customer lists, too.

How To Save Client Information

Let’s start with the basics. You could save your client information by getting a book, then writing in each and every customer you see. You could check off repeat customers each time they come in. You could try to sort alphabetically.

You could also chisel this information into a stone tablet.

Obviously, those aren’t the most effective ways of going about things. The advent of computing has made data management incredibly simple. At the very least, you should be saving your client information into some kind of spreadsheet.

Create a table with values like name, phone number, email, age, gender, zip/postal code, number of appointments booked, total amount paid, and specific notes about the client. That way, you can easily sort through values.

That’s a huge step up from writing everything down in a book, but we can still do better. You can automate data entry, which can save you a lot of time.

We’re going to toot our own horn a little bit here – our appointment booking software does exactly that! Every time a client books an appointment online with you, a profile for them gets created in your Bookedin client list. When they book multiple appointments, new data will be added to their existing profile.

We’ve included all the hits, from demographic data to a running tally of how much your clients have paid. You can also call, email, or invoice customers directly from the client list. Simple, right?

What To Do With Client Information

The possibilities are endless, and the only real limit is your imagination.

*Well, that and local, state/provincial, and federal privacy laws.

You can use that information to create customer personas based on the clients who bring the most value to your business! You might even create a referral program so you can get data about which customers refer the most people to your business.

Gather data about how your customers found you. One good way of going about this is to use the custom form fields that Bookedin offers. 

The process is super simple. You create a custom form that says “How did you hear about us?”, and you click a handy button to make that question pop up only once, when the customer first books an appointment with you. Learning which customers learn about you through which platforms can help you improve your advertising and client acquisition on those platforms. 

Find out how many customers cancel between the first and second appointments, and figure out what pain points might be. Call your best clients up, and ask them to come to a party hosted by you. Find out whether or not customers with really long last names spend more than those with really short ones. Like I said, your imagination is the limit. Get creative and build those client lists! 

We start out with the best of intentions. “Today is going to be a glorious day!”

Muahahaha. Famous last words.

Less than thirty-three minutes before your first client is set to walk through the front door, your phone buzzes:

“I’m not coming in — sorry.”

You cannot be serious.

As you slowly breathe in and out, trying to recall why you started this business in the first place, it hits you like a bolt of lightning — there has to be a better way.

Last-minute cancellations are the bane of a shop owner’s existence. Unpredictable, soul-sucking, and resentment-inducing. Yet—*not-a-necessary-part-of-doing-business.*

And preventing appointment cancellations isn’t the labor-intensive nightmare you’re picturing. Put appointment cancellations to bed with these 6 tips:

1. How to prevent appointment cancellations with a clear policy
2. Send appointment reminders for each booking
3. Make it simple for clients to reschedule online appointments
4. Require up-front deposits
5. Show gratitude
6. Keep an eye out for warning signs

1. How to prevent appointment cancellations with a clear policy

Your cancellation policy will be personal to your shop so it needs to state clearly in allllll the places. Make it super visible to your clients—here are a few places to get you started:

• Website
• In-shop
• Receipts/invoices
• Online booking page

Wondering what the *standard* cancellation window is for a last-minute policy? Unfortunately, there is no ONE multi-industry *norm*(sorry).

For a hair salon, it may look like: “please give us 24-hours notice if unable to make your appointment time,” whereas for a tattoo shop it could be 72 hours. There are a few different factors that go into determining this—the top consideration being:

• How long will it take to fill the spot?

Using your services, target market and business model come up with a last-minute cancellations policy that’ll work best for you. And if your clients don’t provide the agreed-upon notice, they’ll be charged for your full service at their next visit.

Related → Tired of No-Show Appointments? 5 Reasons Why Your Clients Keep Bailing

2. Send appointment reminders for each booking

Your clients have busy lives. In 2020, that’s only increased in the strangest of ways. Many are working from home for the first time, while simultaneously looking after their kids and dealing with the daily stress of a little thing called COVID. So, it’s not surprising if their physiotherapy appointment time (booked three weeks ago) isn’t front of mind.

Enter the appointment scheduling software reminder.

There are a couple of effective ways you can do this:

Email confirmations & reminders

If you use an appointment scheduling app your clients will automatically receive two kinds of emails:

• booking confirmation emails (these are sent to clients immediately after a booking is made)
• reminder emails (these are sent to your clients’ email address before their booking).

With some providers (*cough* Bookedin) you can add a custom message from your shop as a great way to enhance your customer service. Write a friendly thank you note, including parking instructions, a survey link, details about your cancellation policy, or something specific that suits your business—is the perfect way to create a connection on your first interaction!

BONUS: These custom client email messages can be set for specific services as well. 

Text messages/SMS reminders

Reality is, a lot of your clients’ inboxes are gonna be jam-packed. That’s when a friendly text message will help your clients stay organized and decimate last-minute cancellations & no-shows.

Automated text messages to your clients will keep them on track, here’s an example of what they might receive:

1. Immediately when the appointment gets booked
2. X days before appointment reminder
3. If the appointment gets rescheduled
4. If the appointment gets canceled
5. A few hours before appointment reminder

For all the details around Bookedin’s text messaging flow, click here.

3. Make it simple for clients to reschedule online appointments

If it takes over three and a half minutes for your client to figure out how to contact you… they’re likely gonna ghost if things go sideways in their day. Between teaching their kids algebra through gritted teeth, having to double back cause they forgot their mask (again) and having to wait in a *new-ride-at-Disneyland-length* line to buy groceries—they don’t have the time or the patience to search out your contact info to rebook an appointment.

MAKE. IT. EASY. Last-minute cancellations are brutal… but you know what’s even worse? No shows.

With online appointment scheduling, you’ll have a booking link you can add to your Instagram & Facebook. A calendar you can embed or link to on your website and multiple reminders that include handy links for canceling or rescheduling at your clients’ convenience. Ahhhh. A simplified scheduling process.

Related → How to Book Appointments Through Instagram

4. Require up-front deposits (or it’s a *no* on booking)

There’s no better feeling than looking at your calendar Monday morning and seeing every slot fully booked. So it’s devastating when you see team members sitting around (who should be happily serving clients) because their clients have canceled at the last minute. Not only are they disheartened with their loss of income, but everyone is frustrated knowing they could have filled those spots with *eager-to-show-up* clients.

Well, have no fear, up-front deposits are here.

The most effective strategy for addressing clients who cancel appointments last-minute is requiring up-front deposits for your services. Whether it’s a partial or full amount, with online appointment booking you can require your clients to pay with a credit card before they book. If they show up for their appointment or cancel within a time frame designated by you, they don’t lose out on their deposit. But, if they *no show* or cancel at the last minute, the up-front deposit acts as a *cancellation fee.*

This makes sure you’re not out hundreds of dollars come appointment day… without another client to fill the open spot.

5. Show gratitude

Sure it might sound a little *woo* but it works. If you’re not treating your clients with the utmost respect and appreciation… why would they go out of their way to show it to you? It might sound harsh, but we’re living in outrageous times, with a bajillion things pulling our attention and focus in different directions. To harness even a tiny piece of that you need to show you’re attempting to build a genuine connection with your clients.

Not sure how? Here are a few quick ideas that’ll make you stand out like the superstar you are:

• Send out a small birthday gift to your VIP clients (ex. a gift card to Starbucks)
• Write a blog post expressing gratitude to your client base
• Offer a discounted service for every “100th” client booked
• Donate to a charity in one of your loyal clients *honor*
• Make sure you reply to all of your client’s questions with a genuine response (i.e., social media, email, blog comments)
• Use your client notes (it’s more than just contact information) to keep track of the details in your client’s life that is important (What do they like to do in their spare time? Do they have any important dates coming up (birthday)? Are they obsessed with cats?)

This list could go on forever, but you get the picture. The more you try to connect on a human level (and succeed), the more difficult it will be for your clients to cancel last-minute knowing how it’ll negatively impact you and your business.

Related Post: The Ultimate Guide to Online Appointment Scheduling

6. Keep an eye out for warning signs

Humans are forgetful

This isn’t so much a warning sign as it is human nature. We’re forgetful and occasionally plan other events or *gasp* appointments into the same time slot… and don’t remember until the last minute. That can be a call for grace if it’s a long-term client who is overwhelmed and is genuinely remorseful or time to cut the cord if this is a regular occurrence. Only you can tell. The best you can do is put the systems in place (text/email reminders, up-front deposits) and roll with it.

(You might be *eek) Low priority

A *just-scheduled* Zoom meeting with the boss pops up or the kids forgot they had a project that needs to be finished for tomorrow at 8 am… suddenly those highlights don’t seem so important… no matter how long your beloved client has been in quarantine.

Money, money, money, money… MONEY! 

Not everyone’s cup runneth over. The A/C goes caput in 107-degree heat, or the brakes go on the car and your client is now out of the black and into the red—right before your scheduled appointment.

Embarrassment/Hesitation

This is massive in the fitness, personal training & psychology sphere. And not just for * first-time clients.* Sure, it’s difficult to show up for that first class, or the first session out of *fear of the unknown,* but your clients might be afraid they haven’t lived up to their end of the bargain in future sessions (didn’t get their work-outs in, weren’t able to fill out their journal exercises)… often that’s more than enough to cause last-minute cancellations.

Unreliable transportation

#relatable. Whether it’s a bus, car, Uber, or subway—the unpredictable can happen. Maybe your bus doesn’t show up, it’s full or you miss it by a millisecond, but that means you’ll now be half an hour late… and now what do you do? Cancel. Last. Minute.

Do you feel ready to prevent last-minute appointment cancellations?

It may not be realistic to cross your toes and pray for a utopia where 100% of your clientele show up for their appointments 365 days of the year.

After all… life happens. {2020 has been a swift kick in the *you-know-what* to remind us of that.}

What would it mean to your business if you were booking more makeup clients?

Whether it’s graduating from side hustle to full-time or adding another artist to your shop. A quick look around the industry reveals the opportunities are there.

We’re not saying it’s easy. If it was, part of the job wouldn’t be whipping out a #217 at the crack of dawn making yet another bridezilla’s dream day a reality.

But, small changes can lead to powerful outcomes. Let’s take a look at 17 ways you can begin booking more makeup clients today.

1. Bring your makeup brand into alignment
2. Stake claim in your confidence
3. You’re only as talented as your latest update
4. Build a consistent online presence
5. Let’s talk about Instagram
6. It’s time to take a chance on YouTube…
7. Book more makeup clients with a beauty salon appointment app
8. Create a showstopping website
9. Find a cause you love and donate your time
10. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals
11. Form local partnerships to book more makeup clients
12. Build Industry Referrals
13. The secret to booking more makeup clients? Talk to everyone. (seriously. EVERYONE)
14. Networking in the time of Corona
15. Start collecting email addresses ASAP
16. Automate your follow-ups
17. Go above & beyond without hesitation
18. Bonus—Makeup in the time of COVID (pre & post-shutdown)

1. Bring your makeup brand into alignment

In 2020, the likelihood of you already having a presence on social media is pretty high. So, if you want to start booking more makeup clients, a makeover of your *digital brand* is the perfect place to start. If it’s been a hot minute since you’ve audited your online self… there’s no time like the present. Dig into how you come across on Instagram, Facebook… and Twitter {← dare I ask}.

Ask yourself:

• Is this a good representation of my brand?
• What do I want my clients to see?
• Are my brand values coming through?
• What message am I sending?

One of the greatest things about being a makeup artist is—you’re an artist. Your style is always evolving. You have the opportunity to experiment daily, play with new looks, and push boundaries. This is one of a few industries where you’re embraced for being a little *weird* or *eccentric* by societal norms. Embrace the real you.

The quickest way to build a following (that could turn into booking more makeup clients) is by letting your freak flag fly. Authenticity builds real connections… and stands out on feeds fraught with fakeness. As long as your brand is sending the message, vibe & representation you’re proud of to potential clients… go with it.

Play. Experiment. Be you.

Related → The 10 Commandments of Creating a Business You Love

2. Stake claim in your confidence

There’s nothing more magnetic than an artist who’s confident. It’s terrifying to sit in the chair of a MUA with shaking hands as they attempt a cat-eye with fluidline.*

Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses —then work daily to improve them. Spend time reflecting on what makes you special. Where do your talents lie? Can you put lashes on in your sleep? Are you the king of a matte red lip? Use these standout abilities to build a solid base of self-confidence. Trust me—you’re gonna need it. Effective self-promotion starts with a gold star perception of yourself. Start making deposits into your *brag jar* now.

*full disclosure, this was totally me. Cat-eye and fluid line with a #210 was my nemesis.

3. You’re only as talented as your latest update

Let’s suppose you’ve been a makeup artist for ten years. A lot has changed over the last decade. When was the last time you updated your online portfolio? Makeup is very visual, and whether you’re applying for a spot in a beauty salon or updating your site, you’ll need high-quality—*of-this-decade* photos.

If you’re panicking at the thought of putting together a portfolio {hi newbie!}, there are many ways to figure it out. Your first step is finding a team of collaborators you can work alongside to create art:

1. Ask other makeup artists, teachers, or creators (photographers, stylists, hair stylists) in your area if they can recommend you or if they have any recommendations.
2. Get online. There are many sites where you can register as a makeup artist to connect with other creatives and models for shoots. {One of the most well-known platforms to register your work on is ‘Model Mayhem’}
3. Social media is also an incredible way to find creative collaborators—seriously, it’s NEVER been easier to connect and build your portfolio.

Your online work is going to be your first impression, whether you’re brand new, or an industry veteran { ← well, unless you’re Pat McGrath or Sir John… then you get a pass}. Show off your skills with a portfolio that accurately reflects your brand. Get ready to start booking more makeup clients.

4. Build a consistent online presence

There’s never been an easier, more affordable time to promote yourself to a mass audience than 2020. The catch? You’ve gotta be consistent. It’s not a *set it & forget it* kinda vibe. Step one in booking more makeup clients on social media is engagement.

You’d be shocked at the amount of MUA’s that skip this step. Yet with the overcrowding in the market, you must set yourself apart from your competition. Sticking to a schedule of posting once a day is ideal—but if that’s too much, aim to post every other day.

Why the schedule?

1. Visibility: You stay front of mind. When your followers need their makeup done for their next event or if they have a friend in need—you’re who they turn to.
2. Growth: Algorithm baby. This is how you get new followers! {and eventually, start booking more makeup clients}

The beauty of social media is you’re able to connect with potential clients in a non-salesy format. When you’re posting three to four times a week, it’s easy to drop a “book your online makeup appointment now” post in… without feeling icky. You have the power to steer your brand in whatever direction feels good to you.

Now that you have a clear picture of what an ideal social plan looks like, how does your current account measure up? Ask yourself these three questions from your clients’ point of view while you review your social platforms/website:

1. What does she do?
2. How can she help me?
3. And why should I care?

If the answers to these questions are clear, and you have images (or videos) that back up the theme of your page— there’s a good chance your potential client will “follow” you, stick around, and hear what you have to say. If not, POOF! — you’ve missed an opportunity for a future makeup booking.

5. Let’s talk about Instagram

Your potential clients are spending the majority of their free time on their phones, doom-scrolling through Insta. When you have posts showing off your makeup skills & client transformations, they’ll wanna see what you’re putting out next. If by chance that prospective client is on the hunt for a makeup artist pronto, those videos and images might land you a message asking for more details about your work and rates.

When using Instagram as a way to book more makeup clients don’t forget to:

• Have a link in your bio sending them to you online booking page
• Use personality-driven language in each post to engage
• Have a mix of clear images & entertaining videos
• Include local tags to increase the odds of local clients finding you
• Optimize your IG bio to attract your target client (150 characters max)
• Point potential clients to your booking link in every post!

Related → How to Book Appointments Through Instagram

Instagram is the perfect place to play up the personality of your brand

The key to winning the internet? Be human. Sounds simple, but many *brands* switch off their humanity when they get online. Instagram is the perfect place for makeup artists to show off their creative skills and their personality.

If you want to book more makeup clients you need to build up that know, like and trust factor first—Instagram lets you speed up that process in many ways:

1. Instagram Stories → the ideal spot to show off your personality, speak to your target audience and engage on a deeper level. With the different tools IG offers you can ask questions, take polls, go live, offer a quiz… you’re only bound by your creativity.
2. IGTV → Use this medium for longer video content like tutorials, lessons, behind-the-scenes, even a demonstration of your consultations. Treat IGTV as your own public broadcast channel!

For example, video content of you working, lets potential clients envision themselves in your makeup chair. Plus, they get to see you in action. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the products you love, how you apply makeup, and your personality when interacting with clients. It takes some of the uncertainty out of hiring you for a makeup job if they’ve never met you before.

Beauty clients can book online appointments via your Instagram profile

^^^ Instagram: @georgiam.makeup                                   ^^^ Instagram: @the_lash_line

As an artist whose main goal is to book more makeup clients, the last thing you want is for a potential client to hit your Insta page, fall madly in love, and not know how to book with you. #epic fail.

The moment you decide Instagram is going to be a lead generating machine it’s time to clean up your bio — here’s how:

• Sprinkle in a couple of emojis
• Use upper and lower case words
• Add punctuation (this could include *, !, #, parenthesis)
• Explain what your business is all about, what you do and who you serve. Your main goal is to convert your ideal client to booked (150 characters max)
• Add your online booking link into your bio {or as the top option in your linktr.ee}

A major bonus to overhauling your Instagram page is that unlike a website, everyone on Instagram already knows how to navigate the app. They won’t get tripped up on where to go to find your link, or how to get in touch.

Bonus: Get in on Instagram ads

Advertising on Instagram is easy, effective, and budget-friendly. You have the choice of driving traffic to your online booking page, your DM’s, or your profile. Once you’ve decided where you want to direct your potential clients, it’s all about knowing your target market.

The ads are posts you’ve already created, so it’s as simple as hitting “boost post,” and you’re all set. The more eyes you can get on your boudoir photoshoot or latest fashion spread the better! You want to get your name out there to start booking more makeup clients.

6. It’s time to take a chance on YouTube…

Credit: Alissa Ashley

Don’t be intimidated by YouTube because it seems like a Gen Z wasteland, or the place your weird Uncle goes to confirm his conspiracy theories. Makeup artists can build a devoted following on YouTube, and it’s a fantastic platform for potential clients to check out your work.

Make a plan to post videos of the niche you specialize in (translation: the types of jobs you hope to land in the future), and focus on uploading tutorials to highlight those skills.

The more you can help the *every day* person master sought after looks—the more popular your videos will become. Show prospective clients you not only have the skills as an artist but that you genuinely enjoy helping people look & feel their best. { ← it’s that know, like, trust factor again}

7. Book more makeup clients with a beauty salon appointment app

“Love it!!!! I’ve had Bookedin for over a year now and I have to say I absolutely love it. Before Bookedin I was losing clients because I couldn’t always answer the phone in my spa. Now my clients can book anytime they want online and they get confirmations and reminders. I love it and my clients love it. Highly recommend it for any business.” – Ramona Oltean, Owner, Lemoni Beauty Clinic

Has the barrage of Instagram DMs, emails, text messages & Facebook messages you’ve got coming at you from all angles vying for makeup appointment times got you feeling overwhelmed?

The quickest way to booking sanity — a beauty scheduling app. Give your makeup clients the option to book securely through Instagram, Facebook, your website, and a dedicated online booking page.

You can stop stressing about missing opportunities, unintentional double bookings { ← no one likes an angry bride}, and the constant back and forth collecting pertinent details.

Your makeup clients will have the freedom to book appointments online when it’s convenient for them—and you won’t be tied to your phone 24/7.

8. Create a showstopping website

^^^ Visit Kiss and Makeup Memphis

Long gone are the days when you could bank on making your first impression in person. In our digital world, your website is the smiling face that represents your work—and personality. Think of it as the beating heart of your online presence. All roads (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Online Appointment Booking) lead back to it.

Look at creating a blog so you can write on different topics, such as new makeup trends, events & product reviews. It’s a *kill-two-birds-with-one-stone* way to drive traffic to your site with SEO & show off your knowledge. Potential clients love authority.

Here’s a breakdown of what you should be aiming for on a website:

• An updated portfolio page with clear, well-lit images
• A contact form so potential clients can reach you if they have more questions
• A link to online scheduling OR an embedded online booking page
• Testimonials from past clients (with photos) to build your credibility
• A services page that details what you offer and how you work
• A URL that doesn’t look like this: www.makeupartistname.squarespace.com (buy the branded URL)

HOT TIP: Using a site builder like Squarespace gives you access to beautiful pre-designed templates that you can customize to fit your brand – and it’s perfect for those of you who are a little technophobic.

9. Find a cause you love and donate your time

Giving back to your community (when you can) has never felt more important than at this moment. There are plenty of causes in need of support, so look for one you connect with.

As a makeup artist, you have the opportunity to inspire change with your skills and to create the type of interactions and discussions you want to have in your community. Donating your time is a great opportunity to share your gift with others on an inspirational level.

Whether it’s:

• Working a charity fashion show
• Providing makeovers for domestic abuse survivors
• Heading to *Dress for Success* to help with interview looks

The people you connect with will always remember your generosity. If that leads to recommending your work to their network (ex. booking more makeup clients) and establishing your brand image in a positive light… amazing. But do it for your community and the goodness of humanity—not for more money.

10. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals

A lot of us were raised not to toot our own horns. It feels weird asking people to recommend us for a job—well that stops now. You’re running a business, and everyone needs to know how great you are and how you can serve them.

The next time you’re at the coffee shop, and you overhear the person behind you in line needs a boudoir MUA, get out your card, make your introduction, and ask for that referral. All it takes is one step to get the ball rolling.

For those of you who work within the beauty salon setting, or have a shop with artists that span several industries (ex. hairstylist, nail tech, lash specialist, brows); you understand referrals are the lifeblood of business.

And a little incentive never hurts.

There are numerous ways to incentivize your clients, it’s finding what works for your shop that’s key. As an example, if you serve bridal parties regularly, offer the bride 30% off their next salon visit when they refer a friend who books. Or how about a free manicure to the bride if the party is over 5 people? Whatever works best for your business combined with your target market will equal more booked makeup clients.

11. Form local partnerships to book more makeup clients

Forming partnerships with local businesses is an excellent cross-promotion. Take a bit of time and search out companies relevant to your niche (the most straightforward example would be: Bridal MUA – bridal shops, bakeries, wedding photographer, wedding planner). Once you have a list, visit each of them to see if they can pass out your business cards to brides that haven’t booked a makeup artist yet.

In exchange, you can offer a few different things:

1. Commission for each bride who books an appointment
2. Promotion to your brides for each of their businesses
3. Determine an equal cross-promotion

I know this might feel a little awkward in the beginning (whether you’ve been a makeup artist for years, or you’re fresh outta school)… but making connections within your community is not something everyone does. And you know how much competition is out there.

12. Build Industry Referrals

^^^ You’ve all been asked to re-create *THE KIM*

It’s all about who you know. If you’re not down to meet people and build relationships—this might not be the industry for you. Whether it’s a paying client or the hairstylist you meet on location—you need to nurture those connections so they grow into relationships.

Other makeup artists not only offer you unparalleled support {who else will understand what it’s like to explain to someone that makeup cannot turn them into Kim K… not even Kim looks like that } but as they get to know your personality, work ethic, and skill-level may also become your best lead generation.

Don’t take the myriad of people you meet *out in the world* for granted. Gather emails, phone numbers, IG handles, and stay in touch. Follow-up a meeting with a personal thank you for their connection, hold a virtual event where you invite those who’ve helped you along the way {include past clients}, and offer free mini-training as a thank you.

Use that creative brain of yours to think up ways to show appreciation while also demonstrating your skills!

13. The secret to booking more makeup clients? Talk to everyone. (seriously. EVERYONE)

Simple advice? Sure… but it works. Talk to everyone and anyone you can about what you’re doing to grow your makeup business. It’s shocking how common it is to run into someone who knows someone looking to hire a makeup artist.

There’s also a big ol’ world of events out there filled with photographers, hairstylists, salon owners, estheticians, brow specialists, other MUA’s, creative directors…the list is endless.

The catch? You need to put yourself out there if you want to meet them.

You see, the more people you meet and have meaningful conversations with—the more likely it is your name comes up as a referral.

So get out there. Sign yourself up for a spot at the next wedding expo or special event happening in your city {related to your ideal makeup client.} Take advantage of your chance to sparkle, network, and show off your talents. Expos can be a great spot to book more makeup clients as most guests attending are ready to commit. Seeing you in action can be enough to seal the deal. But, even if go as a guest, you can get a good feel for how other makeup artists in your area are using the exposure to their advantage.

Your network is like your new cheer squad. They help you develop word-of-mouth marketing for your business. And as you all know, word-of-mouth marketing is the best *bring-me-more-makeup-clients* tool you have.

SIDE NOTE: In the time of COVID-19 most expos and conventions are on hold, so this ^^^ is gonna be off the table for now. However, there are so many events that have gone virtual. You need to do a little digging to find them, but don’t give up. Your potential clients are out there, and they’re looking for you.

Related → COVID-19: How Bookedin Can Help Manage Your Business

14. Networking in the time of Corona

Since March we’ve been living in a state of uncertainty. When are things going back to *normal?* Is it safe to go back to work?

For makeup artists, the past few months have dealt a massive blow. You have to get all up in your clients’ faces to make them look gorgeous and when ‘Rona swept in, that became impossible. On top of that, most events and weddings were put on hold or canceled.

As society tentatively re-opens, it looks like some artists are once again back out there, albeit in a completely different world. With PPE, hyper-sanitation, and generalized anxiety—a clinical air hangs over most bookings.

And what about networking?

If you’re an established artist with a client base who consistently refers new business to you—not a huge deal. However, as a newbie or even a seasoned artist in a new location—what’s the approach to networking during Corona?

Well, it looks like you’re about to get more practice with your social distancing. It’s time to start networking… social media style.

Whether you start with LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook—it’s all about getting to know new people, local businesses, other professionals—and building a better network.

Here are three things to consider when you get started:

1. Social media is about being *social*—that goes beyond simply *liking* a post. Start making pals on each platform by consistently leaving thoughtful comments. No more: “nice post!” or “great look!” Put a little thought into what you’re going to say. It’s about building legitimate connections.
2. Shout out your peers, people you admire & clients. If you’ve begun to make solid relationships with other MUA’s in your area, start there. Be genuine and share what you love about their work.
3. Don’t send random connection requests (Linkedin), DM’s (Instagram/Twitter), or messages (FB). Sliding into someone’s space without first creating a relationship can backfire. We’re all busy with lots on our plate—don’t add extra work—add value.

15. Start collecting email addresses ASAP

If you’re not collecting email addresses on your website… What’s holding you back? Building an email list makes it easier for you to stay in touch with past clients and increases the likelihood they’ll reach out to you with more work. It’s also a communication channel that can’t be snatched away from you.

Each time a new email address is added to your list, you’re able to hold onto that indefinitely (unless they unsubscribe). Whereas, social media platforms are controlled by the internet overlords {mostly Zucks} with the *right* to cancel your account, ban you for life, or change the algorithm—all without warning.

There’s no time like the present to create a simple email opt-in that gives your potential clients a quick win (i.e., 10 Things You Need to Have in Your Makeup Bag After 35, A 5-min Smoky-Eye Tutorial). You can follow that up with a series of 3-5 emails introducing your business, your background, and how to book a makeup appointment with you.

Make sure the emails are written the same way you speak—this helps your prospective clients connect with your personality and hook them deeper into your business. These first touchpoints will set the stage for your business going forward.

Looking to have clients hire your makeup services for round two?

Start sending out emails that link to your online booking page for upcoming sessions (ex. Holiday-themed events) or explore client loyalty programs (ex. refer-a-friend, discounts). These emails work especially well during the holiday season. Past clients are more likely to need makeup for special events or photoshoots.

16. Automate your follow-ups

“Been using Bookedin for about 3 years or so and my clients love the texts messages letting them know their appt is confirmed or if I’m on my way. I love the app because it makes my life so much easier and professional any time of the day!”- Crystal Benaim, Mobile Makeup Artist

There’s no worse feeling than getting an email ten minutes before you’re about to head out the door to a Saturday morning makeup appointment. “I’m so sorry, I forgot… I need to cancel.”

Or sitting in an empty shop waiting for the bachelorette party that never shows.

No-shows are an issue for almost every service-based business, makeup artists are no exception. Your clients may forget, find an artist they’d prefer to work with or realize they don’t have the money to get glammed up for a Saturday night out.

As a business owner, you’ve got bills to pay and a calendar to keep full — so follow-up is key. You need to keep your clients informed of your policies (late, no-show) and give them the option of rescheduling if needed.

It’s time to automate your email & text reminders.

When you transition to beauty salon appointment software you give yourself the gift of automatic email/text reminders for your clients. Your clients can reschedule (with parameters set by you) and confirm automatically.

Stop chasing your clients and start focusing on how to get more makeup clients into your chair.

17. Go above & beyond without hesitation

It’s time to sweat all the small stuff. If you want your reputation to precede you {in the best of ways}, every client needs to get the personal treatment. We all want to feel special. When you’re trying to book more makeup clients, going above and beyond isn’t optional—it’s a requirement. If you can create an unmatched client experience you have a shot at building repeat business as well as a reputation that’s built on word-of-mouth.

Here are a few ideas to start with:

• Create a face chart for your client so they can recreate the look afterward
• Follow up to see if they liked their makeup and how things lasted
• Record what colors look best on your clients & their preferences in your client notes
• Offer a glass of champagne during consultations.
• Send a handwritten thank-you note, birthday card, wedding congratulations

Related → How to Wow Your Clients: 25 Ways to Stand out from Your Competition

Bonus—Makeup in the time of COVID (pre & post-shutdown)

We can’t pretend there’s not a pandemic happening right now. But… and this is a big but… it’s not going to last forever. So, rather than a guide focused on how to book more makeup clients during the shutdown, we wanted to focus on the long-term.

Now. Back to COVID-19.

The reality of someone touching your face for an extended period of time, even someone you trust {mask or no mask} can be intimidating at best & unthinkable at worst. So, how are makeup artists pivoting their businesses to serve clients & stay afloat? If an in-person makeup appointment isn’t an option, artists are moving their services online:

• Online classes (individual or group)
• Tutorials (zoom or IG/Facetime)
• Consultations
• Lessons
• Free virtual beauty sessions
• Decluttering makeup bags, makeup shopping

The adjustment to translating certain skills into a virtual medium comes with a new set of challenges, but MUA’s are making it work. One issue artists are running into is that makeup is a visual experience—which like it or not, often requires more guidance. So, to keep online tutorials or lessons as helpful as possible it may require a break down of each step alongside your client. *Man-in-the-mirror* style.

Whether it’s how to get a daytime look for your client’s inaugural zoom interview or the bridal look your client never expected to be doing from their horribly lit bathroom—planning is everything.

You’ll want to offer a consultation before your virtual appointment making sure your clients have the tools & products they need. Nothing is worse than getting a flawless face, impeccable shadow, and then realizing your client doesn’t have mascara to complete the look.

If you’re booking online group classes, tutorials or lessons, try to keep the looks basic. *Punch-ups*  can be kept to the parts of the face that are difficult to mess up. Now’s not the time for a three-step smoky eye or perfectly lined red lip.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.

Use your target market and creativity to guide you. Maybe three levels of tutorials as a package would be attractive to your clients. Or classes on different looks (daytime vs. special event). Put it out there and see who bites.

COVID-19 isn’t a situation anyone wanted, but it’s what we’ve got. If you want to continue booking makeup clients, you’ll need to think outside the box and stretch your skills more than you thought possible. But you can do it… you’re a badass.

Are you ready to start booking more makeup clients?

Whether your makeup business is ready to go from side hustle to full-time. Or, you’re rocking makeup as your day job and looking to expand, implementing any of these tips could land more makeup clients in your chair.

Do you have a tip you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you. Drop your advice in the comments below .

Ahh, the age-old question. How to get more tattoo clients?

OK, maybe it’s not the exact question that’s been floated around the last hundred years, but you get the picture.

From building a brand to scheduling appointments to scoring rave reviews… the battle to stand out among a throng of tattoo shops is tough.

So, rather than continuing to throw spaghetti at the wall hoping something, anything, sticks—this ultimate guide gives you a strategy.

Get a step-by-step breakdown on how to get more tattoo clients through your shop door minus the industry jargon and over-complicated tactics. The road to getting more appointment bookings begins here .

19 Ways to Get More Tattoo Clients:

1. Create a welcoming environment
2. Build your tattoo brand
3. Focus in on your signature style {by saying no}
4. Nail your portfolio
5. Have a clear marketing strategy
6. Social Media is a *must-have*
7. Not sure how to get more tattoo clients? Start with a website.
8. Make the move to online scheduling
9. Mind your *word of mouth*
10. Ask for more referrals
11. Business cards aren’t dead
12. Attend conventions {ya know…when it’s safe again}
13. Partner up with a cause
14. Have a client communication strategy
15. Put down the paper & pen
16. Automate your reminders
17. Ask for reviews
18. Update your public profiles
19. Keep learning

1. Create a welcoming environment

Your goal should be a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere the moment clients walk into your shop. If they feel intimidated when they stroll through those front doors, you’ll miss any opportunity to share your talent.

That’s not to say you need to give up who you are to bring in more tattoo clients. You want an experience that’s authentic to both your industry and who you are as an artist while still keeping in mind the comfort level of the clients you’re targeting.

The level of detail is up to you. You can dive into what color you paint the walls, the music you’re playing, and the art that’s displayed. The sky’s the limit here.

Related → 17 Tattoo Artist Misconceptions (That Refuse to Die) 

2. Build your tattoo brand

An entire blog post could be written about how to build your brand, but we’ll stick to the basics. If you’re looking into how to get more tattoo clients it’s all about consistency. The way you present your shop is important, whether that be on social media, your website, or IRL… it’s what determines the type of client you’ll attract.

If you’re opening your first shop, think about the type of clients you want to come through the door. Even if you have artists with all types of artistic niches, don’t let your branding become wishy-washy. Make your shop name easy to remember, have a logo that encompasses the vibe & feel {not just the *look* of your brand}, and aim for brand consistency. You want every touch-point to be instantly recognizable as *your shop* so potential clients build trust with you over time.

3. Focus in on your signature style {by saying no}

Having a shop with one signature style is unlikely and when you’re trying to beat out your competition, not in your best interest. What you’re looking for are artists who’ve honed in on their signature styles. To fill up your online appointment schedule day after day you need artists on your roster who know their strengths and their weaknesses.

If they’re unaccustomed to saying no to potential clients because a tattoo is outside their wheelhouse, they aren’t the best fit for your shop. After all, being known as a shop with specialists is a good thing. Tattoos are a lifelong commitment. Clients need to know the artist putting that piece on their body has chosen to dedicate their career to learning one discipline.

The faster you understand your niche, the quicker you’ll attract clients your shop is stoked to have booking appointments. That’s not to say that the going is tough when you first open a shop. It certainly can be. But if you want to be *custom* only, does it make sense to take clients’ begging for pieces off Pinterest *as-is*? Not really.

Sure, in the beginning, it’s going to hurt. But in the end, you’ll have a client list full of people you’re stoked to have in your shop. Not to mention a group of artists excited to come to work.

Related → 5 Reasons Why “No” Is the Most Important Word You’ll Learn

4. Nail your portfolio

This is true for every artist in your shop. Online & offline you want your portfolio to be representative of your current work… not from ten years ago. On top of that, spend a little bit of time figuring out how to take a picture that reflects the houuurrrss of sweat that went into the piece. Lighting, angles & clarity make a massive difference. The greatest tattoo can look beginner if you’re unsure how to capture it. No bueno when you’re looking to book more tattoo clients.

5. Have a clear marketing strategy

Let’s face it. In 2020, if you’re not online in some capacity you don’t exist. Is that fair? Absolutely not. But it’s the truth. You don’t need to be everywhere, all the time. Spreading yourself too thin will only produce a watered-down mess of your shop, your brand, and your art. So, pick a couple of platforms you enjoy, commit to a posting schedule, and hop to it. You’re shooting for progress over perfection here… but if you don’t start now, your shop & your talent will be invisible.

6. Social Media is a *must-have*

We’re all blessed {*cough* cursed} with teensy computers we carry around in our pockets day in and day out. Use this as a way to mainline your art to potential clients. Not only will you gain exposure for your work & your shop, but it’s an effective way to build relationships with current ones.

Instagram is a visual place you can use to keep things interesting by sharing engaging content. Invite your followers to like, comment, and share your posts. Mix in *behind the scenes* video so potential clients get a feel of what the in-shop atmosphere is like. But go further. Support other parts of the tattoo industry, give shout-outs to fellow artists, take your video *on the road* to events… GET SOCIAL!

Instagram is also a great place to let your current and potential clients know how they can book appointments with you. If you’ve moved past pen & paper bookings into the online scheduling world… let them know. With an ever-changing algorithm, you never know who’s seen what post. Make sure you’re reminding your followers how to book appointments through Instagram every time.

You can also add your booking link to your Instagram bio. It’s as easy as following these steps:

1. Edit Instagram Profile
2. Edit Website
3. Enter your booking link URL
4. Done

7. Not sure how to get more tattoo clients? Start with a website.

The Arts Corporation

Does your shop have a website? If you’re wondering how to get more tattoo clients, this is one of the most effective ways. Having a website adds credibility to your brand/business which builds trust and authority. When a new client is looking for a tattoo artist they’ll likely do one of three things:

1. Ask a friend for a referral
2. Google: who’s the best tattoo artist in their city
3. Google: what is the best tattoo shop in their city

If they ask a friend and your shop name comes up… awesomesauce. But the next step isn’t usually a call to book an appointment. It’s opening up the laptop (or the iPhone) to google your shop. If you don’t have a web presence or it’s an Insta page with 14 crummy pics…you’re quickly losing credibility.

Here’s what you should be aiming for on a website:

• An updated portfolio page for each artist at your shop along with a bio
• A contact form so potential clients can reach you if they have more questions
• A link to online scheduling OR an embedded online booking page
• Testimonials from past clients (with photos) to build your credibility
• Branding that matches your aesthetic
• A URL that doesn’t look like this: www.tattooshop.squarespace.com (buy the branded URL)

8. Make the move to online scheduling

Are you currently scheduling your tattoo appointments with a pen & paper? Or is it a mishmash of Instagram DMs, emails, and text messages?

If you’re wondering how to book more tattoo clients… make the move to tattoo booking software. Give your clients the option to book securely through Instagram, Facebook, your website, and a dedicated online booking page.

You can stop stressing about artist availability, double bookings, and no-shows. Clients have the freedom to can book appointments online when it’s convenient for them. Win-win.

9. Mind your *word of mouth*

Now, word of mouth is not something you can *control* per se, but you can encourage it. With current clients being literal walking billboards for your shop you need to give them something to rave about. Your team can make sure each tattoo appointment is dialed in on all accounts—from the tattoo to client service to the follow-up.

Great experience travels fast… terrible ones travel even faster.

10. Ask for more referrals

Don’t let your fear of feeling awkward AF stand in the way of asking your clients for referrals. Think it through first and then forge ahead. You don’t want to ask alllll of your clients to send you their friends… only the ones you love working on. And for them, well, they deserve a reward, right? Maybe a discount, or an incentive of some sort for sharing the love? Whatever works most authentically for your tattoo shop.

11. Business cards aren’t dead

Alright, business cards. It’s kind of like email. They’ve been declared DEAD more times than can be counted, and yet, if you get caught empty-handed at a convention or the coffee shop… oof. You won’t make that mistake twice.

If you feel too much like you’re Uncle carrying around business cards (and I beg you to think twice… you can get any style you like nowadays), then grab some stickers. When you tour around a convention, stickers range from shop logos to the artists’ work to a representation of the causes they believe in (like Jason Dunn with #fuckanxiety). Having a visual representation of yourself (and/or your shop) makes you memorable.

And remember, according to branding lure a potential client needs to see you at least 7 times before they feel confident enough to take the next step. (<– that’s booking an online appointment)

12. Attend conventions {ya know…when it’s safe again}

It’s great to spend time figuring out how to get more tattoo clients but you NEED to build relationships with other artists as well. Not only to keep yourself from going nuts {everyone needs a solid group to lean on that just *gets* them} but having a group of industry pals can also pack your shop.

The tattoo industry {like makeup & hair} runs on recommendations. If you build the right relationships, with the right people it can change your life. But to be clear, you need to be genuine and in this for the right reasons. An artist who’s looking to make *connections* can be spotted a mile away (in any industry) and that makes you immediately untrustworthy.

So, head to conventions looking to build relationships—not grow your business—when it comes to other artists. Here are a few other ways conventions are beneficial to your shop:

Guest artists → you have the opportunity to scope out other tattoo artists and see if they’d be a welcome addition at your shop as a way to entice new clients… or, maybe another shop will see you and think the same.

Writers & publishers → while most outlets go to conventions with interviews already set, you might get lucky and be approached to be featured in an upcoming publication.

Clients → thousands of tattoo lovers attend conventions. Some to get work done that day, others to peek into the lifestyle and many to scope out what’s available for the future.

13. Partner up with a cause

What changes do you want to see in your community? Start there and look into how your tattoo shop can help. Whether it’s sponsoring a local 5 km race to raise money for ALS or donating a portion of the day’s sales to a local charity you feel strongly about.

There are no downsides to becoming a good neighbor.

This one isn’t about getting mad publicity or being recognized for what you do. Being an upstanding public citizen feels good…again, there’s no disadvantage to kindness & good karma.

14. Have a client communication strategy

If you’re staring at a half-empty online appointment calendar wondering how to get more tattoo clients… it’s time to go back to the beginning. Client communication strategy. From the moment a client books a tattoo appointment until they leave a review… how are they feeling? Is the process as seamless as possible—or, are your potential clients hitting roadblocks preventing them from booking?

When you look at the journey your client takes from the very first interaction they have with your shop it’ll help you identify any possible shortcomings. Go through your entire booking process. Literally, take the steps (whether that’s physically or electronically). When you step into the shoes of your client it will give you an entirely new perspective that you can use to improve your client service.

15. Put down the paper & pen

It can be intimidating to move from a tattoo scheduling process you’ve always known. The one your artists and clients are familiar with. But, what if that booking process is beginning to show cracks… signs of wear at the seams. A double-booking here, a missed reminder there. No-shows leaving your top artists twiddling their thumbs with $0 days.

When is enough… enough.

Angel Caban, owner, Guardian Art Gallery told us this when we recently interviewed him:

“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.”

A booking app is just about the organization, up-front payments & convenience it gives you. Your clients get to book appointments online without having to create an account (when it’s convenient for them) and receive automated reminders in the places they’re checking every day anyway {hint: it’s not voicemail}.

16. Automate your reminders

No-shows are an issue for most service-based businesses, tattoo shops are no exception. Your clients might forget, get called into work, or have a bill come due and find themselves strapped for cash.

As empathetic as you are to those scenarios, you have bills to pay and spots to keep full at your shop so follow-up is key. You need a way to keep your clients informed of your policies (late, no-show) and also give them the option of rescheduling if needed.

Enter: email and text reminders.

When you take your shop from pen & paper to online scheduling you give yourself the gift of automatic email/text reminders for your clients. Your clients can reschedule (with parameters set by you) and confirm automatically.

Stop chasing your clients and start focusing on how to get more tattoo clients through the door.

17. Ask for reviews

When was the last time you checked out a new business (let’s say a restaurant) without first digging into reviews? Maybe I’m old school, but even when I’m digesting them with a big pinch of salt… I still want to hear what past clients have to say.

That’s why it’s imperative you’re asking clients to leave reviews. Whether that’s on Google, tagging you on pics they post via Instagram or giving you a testimonial for your website (don’t forget to ask for a picture). You want your clients to be shouting your tattoo shop and artists’ names from the rooftops (electronic and physical)!

But you’re gonna have to ask for it… as a species, we’re less likely to leave a review for a positive experience than a negative one. So blow your clients away and then explain to them how beneficial a little love for your shop will be.

18. Update your public profiles

We’ve covered this briefly but it’s worth mentioning again. Unless you’re *famous,* an out of date web presence is useless. How will potential tattoo clients know if you’re still working? They aren’t going to dig around to find out… it’ll be onto the next tattoo artist who is updating their public profiles.

Take some time each week to post to your Instagram page and engage with your community. Remember, it’s called *social* media for a reason.

19. Keep learning

As a tattoo shop owner and artist, you need to stay up to date on the important updates & changes within the industry. To keep drawing in fresh clientele, you’ll need to stay up to date on techniques, equipment, and (at least) be aware of new trends. Check out upcoming brands, vendors & be aware of artists on the rise. Bare minimum? Stay excited.

Did we miss anything?

When you ask, how do I get more tattoo clients? This is how we answer. But, the reality of the industry {all industries for that matter} is they’re constantly changing.

So, we’d love to hear from you.

Let us know what your best client-attracting strategies are in the comments. We’d love to hear how you’re innovating and so would our community .