Tips on Staying Prepared for a Second Shutdown

Health experts and politicians across the country have different opinions on whether or not there will be another shutdown to control the spread of the coronavirus. While that issue is still being debated, the best strategy is for everyone to stay prepared. 

Preparing for a second shutdown is particularly important for beauty and wellness professionals. And that’s because industry experts still need to meet most of their clients face to face, which means that barbershops, salons, and wellness centers would be heavily impacted by another shutdown. 

To make sure our business owners have everything they need to succeed, we’ve created this short guide. All of our tips are easy to access and simple to follow. Read closely to learn a few things that Booksy professionals can do to stay prepared for a second shutdown.

Sell Gift Cards 

A great way to start preparing for a second shutdown is to sell Gift Cards, which are designed to bring in upfront income and encourage customers to keep returning to your chair. And remember that the close of the calendar year is a great time to sell Gift Cards, since Christmas is around the corner.  

Keep in mind that during the holidays, people are more excited than ever to support small businesses and make sure local shops thrive. Give your loyal clients the chance to show how much they value your work, while letting new customers become familiar with your services. 

Another benefit to selling Gift Cards is that they’re contact-free transactions, which totally eliminates the need for exchanging paper money. This is especially important since people are still being asked to avoid using paper money, which can spread the germs that cause COVID-19.  

It’s up to you to choose the name, price, and value of the Gift Card. Decide if you want to accept payments with PayPal, Venmo, or have clients send funds directly to your bank account. Also know that whenever a customer purchases a Gift Card, you’ll receive a notification via email.   

Master Using COVID-19 Tools

If you’re not already aware, there’s a number of COVID-19 tools within the Booksy app that could be useful to industry experts and their clients, especially if government officials impose additional limitations on beauty and wellness professionals.  

In particular, the Health & Safety Rules feature is a fully customizable checklist that can be added to any Booksy profile to let clients know the specific cleaning and disinfecting procedures being followed inside a shop or salon.  

Another helpful tool is the I’m Ready Button, which makes it easy to tell clients when they may enter your salon or shop for their appointment. If you haven’t become acclimated with this tool, start using it today to minimize the amount of people in your business at one time.   

And while preparing for stricter limitations, definitely take advantage of our COVID-19 Disclaimer Forms. Clients can complete these forms, while booking an appointment. These forms may be used to ask clients if they have COVID-19 symptoms, before entering the shop.

Consider Selling Products 

According to Kim Kimble, one of our top Booksy Ambassadors, selling products is a great way to bring in additional income. If you're an industry professional with an online store, simply add the URL from your website to your Booksy profile. And sell products even when you're unable to see customers in person.  

Whether you already run an online store or you’re playing with the idea of starting one, selling products online can definitely help your business to increase its profits. Spread the word about your products by letting clients know to visit your Booksy page, where they’ll find your online store.  

Take Advantage of Online Services 

Beauty and wellness professionals will always need to work directly with clients to provide the majority of their services. But take some time to think about offering online services, because Booksy is fully integrated with Zoom. 

Fitness classes, yoga courses, online bootcamps, and strength training sessions are some of the more popular online workouts that Booksy professionals host entirely online. But skincare experts are also taking advantage of our virtual resources. Some of them are hosting entire skin care classes online. During these online sessions, skincare experts walk their clients through professional facials or share nighttime skincare routines. 

If you’re still not convinced that online services are right for your business, think again. Consider offering consultations for services or business matters. Clients can easily book appointments for consultations via Booksy, just like they're scheduling an appointment for a service. Start using this tool today to reach more at-home clients.

Start Offering Mobile Services 

Around the time when the shutdown ended and most shops across the country reopened their doors, we started offering the Mobile Services feature. It lets Booksy professionals better service those clients who want to look and feel great without leaving their homes or offices. 

Any business owner who starts using Mobile Services can generate additional income outside of the times and dates when they need to be inside the shop or salon. And it also helps professionals work extended hours without paying additional fees in rent and utilities at a specific location.  

Offering Mobile Services is a particularly useful way to prepare for a second lockdown. Mobile professionals can charge a higher rate, since they provide services on site. And keep in mind that tips for Mobile Services tend to be more generous, as a show of appreciation.  

Making the decision to offer Mobile Services could take some planning. But it could also help you book clients who still want beauty and wellness services, but prefer to remain inside. Use this feature to begin offering sessions inside homes, professional offices, or outdoors at special events.

Keep Clients Well-Informed 

One of the more important ways to stay prepared for a second lockdown is keep the doors of communication open. To make sure that’s the case, use the Message Blasts feature to keep clients informed. Let them know about any major changes that will impact your business. 

Send mass emails or texts to all of your loyal customers at once to communicate important information. Stay transparent when it comes to changes in business hours or increases in prices. And always make sure people know if they must follow different procedures in the shop.   

Another powerful communication tool is the Social Post Creator, which lets business owners create customizable digital flyers that can be published onto a social media account. Publishing quality images and writing catchy texts are valuable tools that can help convey information. And that’s important if you want to stay prepared for any situation, especially a second shutdown.

Tip Now, Book Now, Visit Later

Becoming familiar with the Tip Now, Book Now, Visit Later feature is our final piece of advice to all of the entrepreneurs who want to stay prepared. And this feature is one of the most important tools in terms of being ready for a second shutdown.  

The Tip Now, Book Now, Visit Later feature lets loyal clients and returning customers donate a defined amount. Customers can donate in the amount of $10, $20, or $40. That money gets forward directly to you, and people can donate as many times as they want. 

We simply help by prompting each person who donates to book a future appointment in your chair. So, using the Tip Now, Book Now, Visit Later feature means your calendar stays full, money keeps flowing, and you stay in business.