5 Hacks for Filling Your Appointment Book

Are you struggling to fill up your appointment book?

Are you experiencing an unusual lull?

At this point, you’re likely implementing some of the more classic strategies, like a cancellation policy and a referral and/or loyalty marketing program.

But you may still be struggling. You might even be tempted to offer a quick promotion in order to fill up your appointment book.

Here’s a quick tip: you don’t want to do this. This blog post will show you five ways you can fill your appointment book quickly and without having to discount your services. In fact, many of the tips on this list will show you how to fill up your appointment book without having to spend any money at all.  

1. Cancellation Lists

A cancellation list is an absolute must-have for any service-based business. 

Although it’s one of the easiest ways to fill up your appointment book, many businesses don’t take advantage of it (or at least not as often as they should).

The idea is simple. Start making a list of all your clients who have cancelled their appointment (you can also make a list of people who have tried to book an appointment but have been unable to get in). 

When you have an opening, reach out with a call from the front desk. 

Marion Shaw (a salon business consultant and author of two books) also recommends posting about your available time slots on social media along with a compelling call to action such as “Call now – these openings won’t last!”

2. Send Weekly Emails

Our second tip is an underrated but effective (and simple) one. 

Send out weekly emails to the clients that don’t have an upcoming appointment where you inform them of available time slots.

Romana Rice of DeStress Express Massage Therapy (and a writer for Spapreneur) did this and decreased open appointments by 30%.

The secret here, however, is to implement this type of system on a weekly basis so that it becomes standard practice.

3. Schedule Follow-Up Appointments Upon Visiting

This tip is similar to the idea above. It’s about getting your clients into your place of business more often than they likely otherwise would. Many businesses are afraid of asking clients to book right away for fear that they might feel pressured. 

However, asking clients to book your services at the end of their appointment is a must for all appointment-based businesses. The reality is that it’s in the clients’ best interest as well (not just yours). The more often a client visits, the more he/she will see the benefits of your service. 

Keep in mind that when scheduling a follow-up appointment, it’s a good idea to explain why they should return as well.

4. Contact Inactive Clients

When it comes to filling up your appointment book, client retention is one of the most important numbers you need to pay attention to. Yes, it’s important to bring in new clients but loyal customers are much more profitable to your business.

With this in mind, another tip for filling up your appointment book is to consult your database for inactive clients (particularly the ones who have become inactive more recently) and follow-up with them via a personal call. 

Similarly, there’s also the option of Facebook retargeting. When Waterside Skincare implemented this technique, they filled their appointment book in 30 days. 

It works like this: You simply upload your inactive customers’ emails to Facebook so that you can send targeted emails to them. 

This is an effective strategy because it’s such a targeted list. In fact, nearly 3 out of 5 people notice retargeted ads.

Keep in mind that while you want to make a compelling offer to your clients in your ad, avoid discounting your services. 

For instance, you can offer a complementary treatment upon booking instead.

5. Reserve with Google

Reserve with Google is one of the latest and greatest ways to fill your appointment book. It’s also one that not every business can take advantage of because you have to be partnered with a scheduling software that has also partnered with Google. 

The result? You gain a competitive edge.

We’ve talked about Reserve with Google many times before, but in a nutshell, it allows people to book (and pay) for their appointment directly from Google. 

Why is this so effective?

It’s all about convenience. 

Just think about it:

If you were booking a hair appointment online, wouldn’t you be much more likely to choose the hair stylist that allowed you to choose the best time for you and then book it right then and there instead of having to call?

We’ve covered Reserve with Google a lot, including:

• Having Trouble Gaining New Clients? Look No Further Than Reserve with Google
• Grow Your Business with A Google Book Button

Wrapping It Up

If you’re struggling with filling up your appointment book, it’s important to also understand missed opportunities as it could point to a bigger underlying problem such as a failure to understand your business’s flow or a lack of available providers.

In the meantime, though, these 5 hacks will definitely help you fill up your appointment book.

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