How I Handle Slow Seasons in the Salon

 If you currently work in the beauty industry, or have ever worked in the beauty industry, you know that your schedule will not be completely full all of the time. Every day, every week, and every month can pan out differently. There are seasons that are busy, seasons that are slower, seasons where your schedule is completely full, and seasons where you are looking at your schedule wondering where all your clients are. But remember, in the slow and hard seasons you aren't alone!

Whenever you are a booth renter or small business owner, slower seasons can feel and be especially stressful due to your income being directly connected to your appointment schedule.

Over my years in this industry, I have learned that slower seasons are NOT something to panic about. It happens to all stylists, nail techs, estheticians, etc. During these seasons, I try to make good use of the extra time I have by working on things to help my business in many ways. 

Here is a list of things that I do when things are a little slower at the salon. 

I Don't Panic

This is probably one of the biggest ones on the list. 

Whenever I see a few empty slots on my schedule, sometimes my first thought that comes to mind is "why am I not booked?" But I have learned that having a week that is slower doesn't mean I have lost all of my clients. People go on vacations, kids go back to school, holidays come quickly, budgets change, and life just generally gets busy. 

There are many reasons that someone may not be coming in for their regular appointment. Not all of them have anything to do with you or your work, so please try not to assume so. 

Try looking at the bigger picture. Is it just a slow week? Does this slow season happen around this time every year? Or have I noticed a consistent change within my booking schedule? This kind of mindset helps me keep slower weeks from turning into unnecessary stress. 

I Take Advantage of the Extra Time

One benefit of a slower week is that you have time to do things that you wouldn't have normally been able to do or things you need to do but have been putting off. Whenever I am booked back-to-back, it can be difficult for me to get things done beyond taking care of my clients. A slower day or week gives me time to catch up on things that need to be done. 

For example, I might clean and/or organize my booth, restock supplies, go through my drawers, clean/sanitize my tools and equipment, or take care of the small tasks that tend to get bumped to the bottom of my list.

Sometimes having that empty slot can give you the opportunity to make your workspace better. 

I Work on My Business

Sometimes, whenever you are busy working in your business, it is easy to on your business. A slower time can give me an opportunity to look at the bigger picture for my business. 

For example, I will spend time working on this blog, creating social media content, planning for future posts, etc. It can also be a great time to look at things such as pricing, my booking process, and the overall experience my clients have.

Instead of seeing an empty schedule, I try to see it as an opportunity to invest in my business, to make it better. 

I Create Content

If you have ever tried to take pictures, film videos, answer text messages, and create social media content while you are fully book, you know how difficult that is! The slow seasons give me a chance to get ahead on my social media. 

I plan and create posts for my business, take pictures, plan and create blog content, and then save some ideas for later. 

For me this means whenever my schedule gets busy again, I don't have to constantly think, "What am I going to post today?" I can already have my content prescheduled and ready to go.

I Focus on Education

In past blog posts I have mentioned that there is always something new to learn in the beauty industry. This is still true and very important. 

Whether it is learning a new nail technique, discovering a new product, or figuring out how to run a more successful business. Education is something that I never want to stop investing in, and neither should you. 

During these seasons where I have more time, I enjoy pulling up an educational video or two. I also try to make a point to research products, take a class on something I'd like to learn or perfect, or just learn some tips from other beauty professionals.

I have talked about this before in my Why Continuing Education is Important. Check it out here if you'd like to get more information on this topic!

Just because you are experiencing a slow season does not mean you should stop growing. More than anything, it is a great time to sharpen your skills!

I Check In With My Clients

Sometimes slower seasons in the salon can be good to reconnect with your clients!

Every once in a while, people need a reminder that it is time for their next appointment. However, I don't believe or recommend bombarding people with messages, but a little bit of thoughtful communication can go a long way.

For example, you can post on social media reminding clients to book appointments before you're full, sharing your availability, or just sending a nice message to a client you have built a relationship with but haven't heard from in a while. Staying connected within your business helps it to stay at the front of your mind.

But remember - your clients are people too! Sometimes they are just busy living their lives, just like us.

I Look at My Numbers

As a booth renter, I find it important to pay attention to my business finances.

Slower seasons can be a good time to look at your numbers and see how things are actually going, instead of judging your business based on whether your schedule is empty or full. You can look at your income, business expenses, product costs, etc. 

Doing these things can help me identify areas where I need to make some adjustments and make sure that I am prepared for slower periods instead of being shocked or caught off guard by them.

I Rest

This one is very easy to overlook or brush off, but it is one of the most important. You can't pour from an empty cup. This means you MUST take care of YOU!

In the beauty industry, we spend a lot of time taking care of others, and we can forget about ourselves. When my schedule is lighter, I don't always feel the need to be productive every single minute of the day. 

Sometimes I need to rest. And that is okay.

A bit of a slower season can give me the opportunity to do other things such as spend time with my family, catch up on home projects, or simply just enjoy relaxing.

Resting is NOT being lazy!

As I said earlier, you can't pour from an empty cup, and taking care of yourself can help you to be able to show up better for you and your clients.

I Prepare for the Busy Season

Another great way to look at a slow season is to think of it as a preparation time. 

Instead of worrying about my schedule not being as busy, I can use the downtime to get ready for whenever it gets busy again.

I can ensure my supplies are all stocked, my space is clean and organized, my online content is planned, and my business is running itself basically. 

That way, whenever I get busy again, I won't be scrambling around trying to catch up. I'll be ready. 

A Slow Season Doesn't Define Your Business

If you are currently experiencing a slow season, please don't automatically take that as a sign that you or your business is failing. Owning a business will not always be perfectly consistent.

There will be busy times and slow times. There will be weeks where you are booked completely and weeks where you have more have more empty slots than you'd like. 

Which is just part of owning a business. 

Instead of letting the empty schedule discourage me, I have learned to ask myself some things. Here is one thing in particular: "What can I do with this time that will help me to grow my business?"

Maybe it is organizing my space.

Maybe it is taking a class. 

Maybe it is reaching out to my clients.

Maybe it's taking a look at my finances.

Or maybe it is simply taking a little bit of rest. 

Whatever you choose to do with this time, don't let a slow period convince you that you are not good at what you do. 

Sometimes a slow season isn't a setback; it is a setup for what is to come next.