Preparing for the Holiday Season as a Cosmetologist: Everything You Need to Know

You read the title of this blog and probably started to panic.

Listen, we know what you’re thinking: “we’re barely finished with October and you want to start talking about holidays already? Cut me some slack here, people.”

And, OK, that’s fair. The holidays seem really far off at this point—and for most industries that doesn’t necessarily have to be a worry right now. 

But as cosmetologists, we’re sure you’ve found one thing to be true over the years—the sooner you get your holiday plans nailed down, the smoother your holidays will actually be.

Waiting until the last minute (or honestly, waiting until mid-November, which might not even feel like last minute) can result in unpreparedness, and that can result in missed opportunities to make money, hectic schedules, and the unfortunate events where you accidentally have to miss your own holiday traditions.

At Beauty Insurance Plus, we definitely don’t want that to happen to you—that’s why we’re putting together this mid-October guide that’s here to help you prepare for the holidays. And because it might feel too early to get into the ho-ho-holiday spirit, we’ll keep the holiday puns to a minimum, we promise! 

How to Prepare for the Holiday Season the Right Way

Start Early 

Ok, we kind of already went over this and we promise we won’t beat this point to death—but we do think starting early takes the stress off you and your salon. You know how hectic and chaotic the cosmetology world can get come the holidays and having as much as possible figured out and scheduled before the holidays arrive can only help you.

So, yes, for the last time, get started on your holiday prep ASAP. 

Stock Up on Gift Cards

Gift cards are some of THE best bang-for-your-buck items you can offer in your salon. And while they can bring a big boost to your holiday revenue, they’ll also be steady profit-bringers for the entire year. 

They’re also phenomenal gifts around the holidays when people are looking for perfect presents for their loved ones. Having these prepared, prepped, and conveniently placed by the checkout counter can be the big profit-boosting difference you’d love to see this holiday season.

But that can’t happen if you’re not well-stocked, right? Make sure you’ve got some holiday-themed gift cards prepped and ready to be bought up as early as the beginning of November. 

Fill That Back Bar & Product Bar Early 

Repeat after us: I will order my inventory early this year. The last thing you want is to be stuck in the holiday craze totally empty on both your retail and back bar products.

That, friends, is a recipe for disaster. Remember, deliveries get a little slower and a whole lot more hectic around the holidays, so you’ll want to make sure you’re stocked and repaired before the frenzy strikes. 

Yes, this means pushing up your inventory-scanning session, but it’s worth it to be totally equipped when the craziness starts—trust us. 

Get Holiday Scheduling Locked Down Fast 

Sit your staff down and lay it all out on the line so you can know what to expect, where gaps will exist in the holiday schedule, and if you’ll need to hire on extra hands this year to help with the rush. 

Getting this out of the way early will help you with scheduling, of course, but it also helps your staff—this way no one is getting locked into a shift they can’t make or don’t want (ideally, anyway). 

But, if you find that your clients are waiting to make late appointments during the holiday season, you should consider charging more for these last-minute holiday bookings.

Set Up Automated Alerts for Appointments 

It’s no secret that the holidays are crazy for everyone, and that includes your clients. If you haven’t already, set up an automated text or email alert that reminds clients of their appointments and enables them to confirm or deny the appointments they set up.

How does this help with the holidays? Getting your outreach system and marketing strategy set up early can ensure your clients understand how it works and it will help reduce the risk of getting stood up by your clients during what’s definitely the busiest season of the year. 

Create & Schedule Holiday Promos 

Holidays are already the busiest time of the year—but you capitalize on that boom even more when you plan and execute holiday promos that your customers are bound to flip for. The thing about holiday promos? 

They take time to schedule, plan, and put into action, so you’ll want to start this process early. Need some holiday inspo to get these promos going? Check out our post here with all kinds of wintery promos and marketing ideas for your salon, shop, or spa! 

Lock Down Your Décor 

No, you don’t have to start decorating for the winter holidays right this second (the camps on whether that’s cool or not are pretty split, to be honest, so we’re not sure how that would work out for you), but you should start planning out what you’ll be doing for decorations, buying the, and pre-planning when and how you’ll decorate. 

This way, holiday décor doesn’t need to be stressful or leave you pinning tinsel around the salon at 3 a.m. the night before the Christmas craze kicks in.