The last few months of the year tend to get a touch chaotic for beauty pros. With the holidays on the horizon, your personal and professional lives are undoubtedly pulling you in all directions, and when clients want to book last-minute appointments, it only adds to the hectic schedule.

Holiday bookings are common in the beauty industry, and so is charging a premium for them. This holiday season, don’t hesitate to institute special pricing for last-minute appointments–it’s a must for protecting your time and making the most of the end of the year.

Why You Should Charge More for Holiday Bookings

Increasing your prices for any reason can feel a touch awkward, especially if you are a beauty pro who truly connects with your clients and knows them on a deeper personal level. However, there are several legitimate reasons to raise prices, especially around the holidays, so you can feel confident in your decision to value your time appropriately.

Last-Minute Bookings are Inevitable

Like family drama or eating too much, last-minute beauty appointments are an inevitable part of the holiday season. This doesn’t mean they’re a bad thing–you enjoy a little family gossip and a lot of turkey, don’t you?--it simply means that you should be prepared for it.

As the holidays are in full swing and events, parties, and get-togethers become more frequent, your clients are going to want your services. Sometimes, the notice will be short, and you need to charge appropriately.

Special holiday booking pricing is designed to protect your time and account for the effort it takes to accommodate your client’s needs on a tight timeline. Because these instances are bound to happen, it’s best to prepare for them ahead of time.

Keeping Relationships Professional

Establishing healthy boundaries as a beauty pro is essential to maintaining work-life balance, keeping clients happy, and thriving as both a professional and individual. This starts with setting expectations in terms of holiday bookings and pricing.

While many of your clients may also be your friends, clear lines regarding your availability during the holiday season, the service you’re offering, and the surcharges associated with last-minute appointments are a must.

Setting these precedents prevents clients from having incorrect expectations and being disappointed while also protecting your time and ensuring holiday bookings occur on your terms.

Holiday Beauty Needs Can Be Significant

The time, level of care, and services required to achieve special event looks can be more significant than normal, everyday appointments. If you are doing hair and makeup for a wedding, you’re likely going to charge more than your normal rate because there’s more work involved, right?

Holiday bookings often carry similar expectations. People want to look their best for all of their holiday events, gatherings, and photos, which means that their beauty needs and expectations are most likely inflated. The higher the demand for excellence, the more time and effort is required from you.

Your pricing should reflect your investment in helping your clients look fabulous for their holiday festivities.

Your Time Is Valuable (and Limited)

Beauty pros charge for their time, and their time is valuable. Your investment in your education, skillset, expertise, business, and so on is reflected in your pricing, and your clients understand the value you bring to the table year-round.

During the holidays, your time is even more limited than usual. Your work schedule is packed with clients who schedule appointments ahead of time, your personal life is sure to be full of parties and family functions, and you will undoubtedly be craving a little downtime as the holidays approach.

Making time for last-minute holiday bookings puts additional stress on your precious time, and that justifies higher prices. For every unplanned appointment you take, you are sacrificing time with your family, an opportunity to enjoy a holiday vacation, and so on. Increasing holiday booking prices simply accounts for these sacrifices

Pricing your beauty pro services can be a bit tricky, but with clear communication and a touch of experimentation, you can find a balance between providing for your clients and protecting your time.