So many heads, so little time... pre-book for success.

Today's reality check:   "MY MOTHER was telling her hairdresser about her bad luck with men, after having just broken off with her boyfriend of five years. "You think that's bad," the hairdresser responded, "I had a customer who just found out her boyfriend was married." "You're kidding!" my mother exclaimed. "How long did it take her to find out?" The hairdresser thought for a minute and began counting on her fingers. "About eight haircuts."

Keeping each customer on your regular schedule for "about eight weeks" is an art.  Plan for the success of having full books by offering the valuable pre-book option to each customer every time they have finished another visit with you.  When I always offer, my customers will see it as a standard of operation and rarely leave without a new appointment. 

SCHEDULEem.com Online Appointment Books

What percentage of your customers reschedule?
What percentage of your pre-scheduled customers stand you up?
How often do you have your customers come in?

 

Set a goal to offer pre-booking to all of your

departing customers starting now.

Booth Renter or Small Business? Explore your own potential.

When I first opened up my little salon  I knew I wanted to own a business that 1) made money!!! 2)  would provide jobs for other people at a salon people actually wanted to work at.

Well, knowing what I wanted and knowing how to make all that happen were two different things. I had lots of experience working in salons that I didn't want to be like, but very little real working experience for what it takes to have an ideal workplace that is still profitable and a great place to work. 

As a small salon owner time flew by.   The highs were so fulfilling and the lows still make my stomach turn.  I was lucky enough to have strong support that pulled me through the tough times and a staff that made me proud all through the whole adventure.  At some point I realized I was absolutely consumed by the business.  My fear of not being able to direct my staff to success was compounded by the fact that I felt I had to do every important thing myself, including make sure the bathroom was actually clean.  It was driving me to the point of exhaustion.

.

SCHEDULEem.com Online appointment Books

One day it hit me...  I am that salon owner I don't want to work for.  Yikes.  My next reality check: What has brought me to this place and how do I escape it?

 

It was time to sell and simplify. I had to look at what I had invested.  Do I own a JOB or do I own a Salon?  Does this place have any value if I am not at work? 

 

Some hard things changed. I took a really good look at what work I was doing for my clients, and what work I was still able to give may salon.  Through a business coach I learned what saved the day then and will still get me through the days ahead here in my private studio. 

 

What I learned there and practice "Smarter Not Harder" in my business today are some of the themes you see me write about .  Here are some tips for you s you grow your business into something valuable for someone else to buy from you some day:

 

Read the E-Myth Revisited.  NOW.  I listened to this book as I exercised AFTER I had sold my salon.  Big mistake.  What I learned literally brought me off my treadmill and to my knees.  I wonder: if I had simply read/heard this book during the Salon Owner days, would I still have my salon????

The ultimate goal of working ON your salon or spa should be to have it function as well as possible without you standing behind the chair and full time managing.  If you will do this, you will own something that is valuable to someone else. If your salon depends on you to function, don’t expect people to line up at your door to buy it, and well, good luck with that "vacation time".

Your new objectives should be:
1) To get your salon or spa to the point where it is NOT dependent on you!
2) Develop your employees to do things without your involvement.
3) Figure out how to give customers what they want, without having to go through you.
4) Have your employees take care of the day-to-day tasks, freeing you to focus on the more strategic issues.
5) Build a model for your business that ensures things get done right at the first point of contact.  

source: 2012 Milady

 

Getting your salon or spa to this point takes a new path of conscious, sustained effort and a lot of time. But, I am here to tell you I did it.  I worked hard, re-trained some of my staff, hired smarter, and and I was ULTIMATELY able to sell it for a nice profit.

Little Stuff & Our Loyal Fans.

On my first day of orientation in beauty school I was one of about 30 people that started. As we circled the room each person introduced themselves and projected what they saw themselves doing with their Cosmetology License once they graduated. The room was full of a wide variety of answers. Everything from powerful aspirations like I Will Change The World One Head At A Time to that one stereotypically "blonde gum chewer" that had been shoved into beauty school because she showed little intelligence or talent for accomplishing anything significant.

I probably wouldn't have stated anything that day that gave you any confidence in in me either. But by the time I completed the required 2000 hours I was one of 7 of that group that was still enrolled. One year later, I was the only one still showing up to work a salon. (And 10 years later as I stood in a full service salon of my own, the orientation teacher from school came into the salon and boy! did her jaw hit the floor. It still gives me a certain feeling of satisfaction!)

In fact, its very likely that if you had been able to tell me that day I wore my paper graduation hat into the administrators office for one last "Thank You for a great education" visit ,what the road to where I am now would be like I would have run the opposite way screaming!


SCHEDULEem.com Simple Online Appointment Books

I'm sharing this with you today not to brag about my loyal husband that slapped hundreds of band aids on my self-inflicted scissor wounds, kissed my emotional hurts all better WAY to often, and encouraged me to jump back on the horse on a day I had destroyed someones hair... Or to convince you that even the mediocre and uncreative can find something more inspiring to embrace than just another job at another salon...

What I want you to hear today is "You can do it!"

Surround yourself with people that tell you the truth when you need to dig deeper and do better.

Keep close at hand the friends that sincerely praise your talent and encourage you to grow.

And keep making those clients that travel miles past many other capable salons to see YOU glad they came all that inconvenient way.

Your little stuff is going to be big stuff someday. I just know it.

Giddy-up!

It’s high time every salon (and I mean YOU!!!) use a computer with a salon software program.  It's time to quit messing around and MAKE MONEY!!!

Have you ever spent hours figuring our your numbers?  Spill something all over your appointment book?  Drag it around with you and <GASP!> leave it behind where you had lunch with friends and freak out until it is back in your hand... Maybe the dog ate it!

SCHEDULEem.com Online Appointment Book Software

I have heard it said at business seminars I have attended that you MAKE or LOSE money every minute!!!

We work hard enough as it is, and taking time away from behind the chair to effectively run through the routine business needs, must always, always, always be where we MAKE money.  There are so many things that software like Schedule'em will do for you even while you are NOT standing at your computer that it blows my mind how much more I can now accomplish just using it!

Using ANY software means appointments are always safe. With Schedule'em you can look it up from any computer or smartphone. That is awesome!

Are you one of those Stylists that don’t have a computer or have a great big fear of one?

Or are you "too busy" to make the most of what is being offered?

I used to be one of you. I ran my business for years without one. Now that Schedule'em is up and running it is clear to me that NOT being computerized cost me unquestionably too much time and money!

If you can't tell already, I am not a "computer person". Often you will find me staring at the screen muttering "Now where did that go?" Yet, I helped design Schedule'em. Don't turn me off here... that is reason I can confidently say "Its so simple, even a hairstylist can do it!" I don't mean to offend anyone with this tongue in cheek jab at people in my industry. (Although there are some of us that really GET why that is funny!)  Whether you are a computer idiot like me or you are working too hard to take time to explore.. Know this: we are the simplest option out there!!!

DON'T DENY YOURSELF. Get something. Commit to at least a free trial version and really explore it seriously. Use it as a second appointment book thoroughly for at least a week and see what it will do for you.

Some Schedule'em benefits include:
1. Appointment Confirmation.  Every appointment you make will automatically send an email to that client with the details of their scheduled appointment.  Our software is accurate!
2. Appointment reminders.  Every client will get an email reminding them of the appointment they have made.  My clients always appreciate the additional care.  No need to write out and appointment card.  No need to text them anymore.  No need to take more valuable time to confirm in person.  This has been so LIFE CHANGING for me to not have to worry about!  We all know that clients that have been confirmed actually show up.  My "no show" clients are no longer a problem,and I didn't lift a finger.
3. Scheduling. I can make and appointment and get back to work in less than 30 seconds!
4. You can create files for every customer to track their habits, preferences, formulas, and history.
5. Grow your business without lifting a thumb.  Every email sent to your customer includes a note asking them to send customers to YOU.  This really works!  I see new people all the time!

The Booth Renter's Mindset

Schedule'em is perfect for your small business. Because it was designed by a hairstylist for hairstylists you will find it easy and fast to use. Unlike many other choices you have available to you for Salon Software, our focus is on the schedule. Starting with an organized, simple daily appointment book is the root of each day. We thought of everything you need to get started simply and keep your client records SAFE and easy to understand.

According to Milady©, a part of Cengage Learning 2012:

"In our industry today the typical booth renter will work 4 days a week and an average of 6 hours a day. 98% of booth renters today do not make a profit due to a lack of systems...
The issue that sets up mediocrity for most people who take this on is not having a game plan, systems, structure or accountability."

As Booth Renters and small business owners, there are many things to be responsible for. The biggest and sometimes hardest is your mindset. How you think about organize and approach running your business will determine the outcome of your success, good or bad.



Why www.scheduleem will work for YOU.

This is YOU.  It is or it isn't.  You have ultimate responsibility.  Its not a burden, it is the freedom you value that had you take on being your own boss.  Now step up and be the BOSS you want to work for.

You do make a difference! Think of how much more of an impact you can have on the lives of your clients when you are having an impact on how you set up your own business to be profitable.

It is time to start running your business as a business!!
Lets make some money.

 

Are you a success story?

While out and about yesterday I drove by a salon I used to work. Not much to look at these days.  Tired, dirty and old looking, much like the management was.  :)

I was full of hope as I chose this salon close to my home, but not long after I started there the person that hired me moved away and the whole place felt her loss.  Its tough to think of my days there.  I didn't last long, and I definitely heard relief from my "groupie clients" when I moved on. 

Why do people in this industry continue to work in a passionless environment?

Are you one of those stylists that has one year of experience repeated for 10 years, or do you have 10 years of really, growing experience? 
 

Are you one of those exceptions to the rules or a rule breaker when it comes to going to work today?
 

Will your co-workers, staff or client feel your desire to succeed, no matter the odds and in spite of everything tying to hold you back?





www.scheduleem.com Online appointment books

What other kinds of businesses can use Schedule'em?

As I helped design Schedule'em  I tried to keep all small business in mind.  Many of my clients have small business challenges  that are the same as mine.  I needed something Affordable, (a kind way of saying "cheap!")  Simple to use ( I'm busy making money here, it doesn't need to take all day to manage it!)  and Safe (All my client info and notes stored privately in a safe place).

Schedule'em grows your business.  Make more money!

I'm proud to see Schedule'em used by so many kinds of business.  It was easy to write for the salon industry.  I know that business for sure.  But here are some examples of how other guys are using Schedule'em to grow their business:

Lisa sells Jewelry at parties.  Here is how she uses our program to run her business.  She has each piece in her inventory listed separately in the "services".  When she meets  buyer, she includes their name and email on her client list.  Now, when she sells the piece of jewelry,that buyer has a receipt email thanking her for her business and Lisa has a contact in her client list for her next party.   At the end of each party, she runs a report of what has sold and has a total.  Her clients comment all the time on her professional set up and are delighted to get an email receipt before they even turn around.

Mike washes windows. He inserts each customer in the client files. The location, time needed to do the job, and how much he charges are all on his schedule.  His regular clients he pre schedules for regular times coming in to do the windows.  Schedule'em confirms with his customers that they have been added to the schedule and will remind them in advance when he is coming.  Keeping his customers on a repeated, re booked schedule serves them better because they are counting on regular maintenance.  Meanwhile, Mike doesn't have to keep setting up appointments and looking for the work.  It has already been set up for the next few months with each customer.  He doesn't even advertise anymore.  His schedule is neat, full and the paperwork/customer receipt is done for him. Because he is always on the go he does this entirely from his phone.

Debbie sells Health Products.  Her clients are neatly organized and each has the email on their information page.  She has them on her schedule for appointments, and follow up check in appointments.  Schedule'em confirms each appointment and sends receipts for their time and purchase.  She keeps special notes for each client and their preferences in the Client notes section. 

How many different ways can you use Schedule'em to make more money and keep your clients?

Who do you know that could use this too?.  Do them a favor and tell them about this!!!

Lets make some money!!!