In a salon, the client follows the stylist
Ask a salon owner where new clients come from and the honest answer is often “from my stylists.” Clients pick a person: they saw her color work on Instagram, a friend sent her handle, a review named him. That changes how a salon should market. The business needs one booking system and one profile, but the proof should be organized around each stylist, esthetician or nail tech.
A med spa works a little differently. The client still wants to see the work, but before booking an injectable or a laser treatment they want to know who does it, what training they have, and what the consultation includes.
This is the salon and med spa chapter of our guide on how to get more clients. It covers how clients choose, the rebooking habit that matters more than any ad, review and advertising rules, and a 30-day plan.
What a new client checks before booking
- The work. Recent photos and short videos of real clients (with written permission), on Instagram and on your site. Balayage, fades, lash sets and nail art are visual purchases.
- The person. Reviews that name the stylist or provider. Ask clients to mention who they saw when they leave a review.
- Price. A “from” price or range for each service. A menu that says “call for pricing” sends price-checkers elsewhere.
- Open times. A booking link that shows real availability this week. A contact form that asks them to wait for a reply loses to the salon down the street that lets them pick 6:30 Thursday.
- For med spas: the provider’s credentials, who supervises treatments, and what happens at the consultation.
One booking link, everywhere
Clients arrive from Google Maps, Instagram, a friend’s text and your website. Each of those should land on the same booking page with the same services and prices. Put it in your Google Business Profile, your Instagram bio, your Facebook page and the top of every page on your site. Then book something on it yourself, on a phone, start to finish. Fix any broken link, wrong price or service missing from the online menu before you spend on anything else.
Use the booking tool you already have, such as Square Appointments, Vagaro, Fresha, GlossGenius, Boulevard or Mindbody, or we help you choose one. The software is billed by its vendor.
Rebooking at checkout: the second visit is the easy one
The first visit is the expensive one. The second, third and tenth come from a habit at checkout: “Do you want to book your next cut for six weeks out? I have the same time on the 14th.” Make that question the standard last step for every provider, track rebook rate by provider each week, and send a reminder text before each visit to clients who agreed to texts. For clients who did not rebook, a single message when they are due (“It has been eight weeks since your color, want to book?”) gives them an easy way back without a discount.
Reviews: ask everyone, reward no one
Google’s review policy bars businesses from offering discounts, free products or services for reviews, and from selectively asking only happy customers. The FTC’s rule on consumer reviews separately bans incentives tied to a positive or negative review. So: no “10% off for a five-star review,” and no review link only for the clients who smiled. Send the same request to every client after the visit, ask them to name their stylist, and reply to each review in your own words.
Med spa rules: results, photos and privacy
Results. Do not promise or imply a result such as “erase ten years” or “no more wrinkles.” Describe the treatment, what the consultation covers, that a licensed provider decides what is suitable, and that results vary. Your state’s rules on medical advertising and on who may perform each treatment apply. This is not legal advice.
Before and after photos. Get written permission. Caption with the treatment and the number of sessions, not a promise. Use photos of your own clients only.
Privacy. A health care provider that sends health information electronically in connection with standard transactions, such as health plan claims, is a HIPAA covered entity under 45 CFR 160.103. If your med spa is one, a client’s name tied to an appointment request is protected health information, and booking and texting must go through tools whose vendor signs a business associate agreement. Many cash-pay med spas are not covered entities, but treatment details are still private: keep treatment names out of reminders, review requests and review replies.
Seasons and slow weeks
Salons often get busier before holidays, weddings, proms and graduations, and back-to-school weeks. Med spas often see interest before summer events and after the new year. Your own bookings for the last 12 months are the real calendar. Use slow weeks to fill the gaps: a message to lapsed clients, new portfolio photos, and a check of every service and price on your profile.
Referral partners
- Clients. A referral card or a booking link they can forward. Thank them personally; keep the thanks separate from any review request.
- Wedding businesses. Bridal shops, photographers and venues get asked for hair, makeup and skin names.
- Gyms and studios that serve the same people.
If a stylist leaves, agree in advance what clients are told, and do not contact clients to move them without the client’s consent.
Your 30-day plan
Week 1: Menu and link. Make the services, prices and durations identical on your booking tool, Google profile and website. Put the one booking link in every bio. Book a test appointment on a phone.
Week 2: The people. Add a short profile for each provider with their specialties and recent work. For a med spa, add credentials and who supervises treatments.
Week 3: The rebook habit. Agree on the checkout question with every provider. Track rebook rate per provider for the week. Set up one reminder and one “you are due” message for clients who agreed to texts.
Week 4: Reviews and sources. Send the same review request to every client from the month. Add “How did you hear about us?” to the booking form, and count new clients by source.
What it costs with us
- Booking setup: from $600
- Reminders, rebooking and review requests by text: setup from $500, then from $99/month
- A website: from $3,500 for 5-8 pages, or from $1,200 for one landing page
Domain and hosting, new photography, third-party software subscriptions (billed at cost), SMS carrier registration and message fees are not included. See salon website design or med spa website design for what a site includes, and ask for a free demo to see how clients find you today.
Published . Updated .