Welcome back to our “Practice Now, Shine Later” series. This series will be about several things to get us ready for the holidays. It will include some business practices as well as techniques to wow your clients with holiday nails.

Last week, we talked about telling our clients “why” they need to pre-book. We gave them options for appointment times and told them what could possibly go wrong if they don’t come back in the recommended time frame. I also gave you a hint about pre-booking: It really helps to know the date one week, two weeks, and one month from your client’s appointment. Here’s the why. Because, some people aren’t connected to their calendar and if we can give them a date, they can mentally figure it out.

Also, if you look at your schedule before your client comes, you know the date. You can look at that day and give them some options right away. You will be giving your clients an option or choice instead of asking an open-ended question like “Do you want to make your next appointment?”

Here is what that conversation would look like: “Kim, today you mentioned that you hated how long your toenails were and how they hurt when you run. In order to avoid that pain again, I will need to see you in four weeks. Four weeks from today is November 12th, I have two appointments available that day. I know you prefer an afternoon appointment. I have one or two o’clock available. Which time works best for you?”

See how that’s not an open-ended question? It’s a choice between two appointment times. By giving her a choice instead of an open-ended question my chances of Kim pre-booking went up by 50%. I also told Kim why she needed to come back. I paraphrased what she told me about her toenails hurting while running and I reminded her that she didn’t like that feeling. Just by mentioning it to Kim, she cringed when she remembered that feeling she hates.

Use my verbiage or re-write it so it works for you. Just make sure you have something to say. Remember if you keep doing the same thing, you will always get the same result. So, step out of your comfort zone; try something new and get better at pre-booking.

Pre-booking not only guarantees us a full book and a busy day, but it also guarantees our paycheck. Think about it: Full books, more appointments, and less fluctuation in our paycheck. How many of us are tired of that?  One pay period we have extra money, so we decide to buy that new shirt, get the new phone, and go to happy hour with our friends. Then, next pay period, we’re hoping we get enough tips this week just to make our rent. Start talking about pre-booking and get serious about it — it could change your life, literally

What do you say to get your clients to pre-book? Please post your words, thoughts, and ideas. We’d love to hear from you! Practice pre-booking now, so you can master it and shine later. One more way to help you stand out above the rest and become the BEST!

— Jill