When I got to my barber's salon, he was cutting a schoolboy's hair. There were two other kids in line ahead of me. His is a small walk-in barbershop. Most days, you arrive, get your cut and leave without much waiting. On this particular day, I ended up waiting about an hour for my turn because of those two kids in front of me. When he got to me, while he was cutting my hair, I gave him an idea that he has now adopted to increase his revenue without necessarily increasing his client base. Some clients have more time than money. Others have more money than time. I told him I would happily pay a premium for a priority appointment if it meant I did not have to wait an hour next time. That small moment revealed something important: growth is not always about finding more clients. Sometimes it is about giving different clients better options at different prices.
Things you can do today
This article assumes you already have the basics: a visible price list, an online portfolio, a clear location, and a way to book that is easier than sending a DM and waiting for a reply.
1. Consider increasing prices
"The problem with the race to the bottom is that you might win." — Seth Godin
Increasing prices is scary if you are already living hand to mouth, but the way to manage the risk you are afraid of is to raise prices gradually — until you start seeing some resistance, but not enough resistance to hurt your overall income.
You are probably afraid of increasing prices because you are afraid of losing customers, but a quick back-of-the-envelope calculation shows that losing customers is not always a bad thing.
Let's say you charge R500 per appointment and you get 30 appointments each month:
R500 × 30 = R15,000
Now suppose you increase your prices by 20% and 5 customers (about 17%) drop off. You still make the same amount of money:
R600 × 25 = R15,000
If five lower-value appointments disappear but your income stays the same, you have not lost. You have bought back time — time you can use to rest, improve your service, create content, or market yourself to better-fit clients.
How you introduce new prices also matters. My recommendation: keep current confirmed bookings at the old price. Look at what the market is charging, consider your own positioning, then test the new price on new bookings. Watch what happens over the next 7, 14 and 30 days.
Customers who choose you only because you are the cheapest are often less loyal, more price-sensitive, and more likely to challenge value when something feels even slightly unfair — so it is not a good idea to build your business around clients who choose purely on price.
2. Have a VIP price
"Until customers tell you your prices are too high, they're probably too low." — Alex Hormozi
If a celebrity or a billionaire were to look you up, what would the premium version of your service look like?
A VIP price should be high enough that, if someone does buy it, you are happy to rearrange your day for them.
Here are some ideas:
- A barber could offer a priority cut: no waiting, a fixed appointment time, premium price.
- A nail tech could offer an after-hours appointment, a longer design consultation, refreshments, and a repair guarantee.
- A loctician could offer a private appointment with a wash, treatment, retwist, style, product advice, and the next appointment booked.
- A tattoo artist could offer an extended consultation, a custom design, a private session, an aftercare kit, and a healed-work check-in.
3. Reduce churn
"When you're in a hole, stop digging."
Churn is when people who have already tried your service do not come back.
Growth = new clients + repeat clients + referrals − churn
3.1 Don't leave the client to figure out the next step alone
Anticipate what the customer will need next, and don't assume the customer wants to do the next steps themselves at home. Instead of treating each appointment as isolated, help the client understand the journey. Here are some things you can do today:
- Message 10 clients who are due for maintenance.
- Set reminders for every client seen in the last 30 days.
- Ask today's clients to book their next appointment before they leave.
- Send aftercare instructions after the appointment.
- Create a simple note for each client: last service, next recommended date, preferences.
This makes you look more professional and helps clients see you as someone who manages the result over time.
3.2 Remind the customer of the next appointment
If you know that an existing customer is due for an appointment, don't wait for them to book when they are ready. It is your job to remind them. Here is an example message you can send today:
"Hi [Name], your nails should be due for a fill soon. I have space on Thursday and Friday if you'd like to book."
"Hi [Name], it's been about three weeks since your last cut. I have a few slots open this week if you'd like to come in."
3.3 Book the next appointment during the current appointment
The best time to get the next booking is when the client is still in your chair and happy with the result. Do not wait for them to remember you three weeks later. Before they leave, say:
"This usually needs maintenance in about three weeks. Should we book your next appointment now?"
4. Make booking effortless
A client who likes your work should not have to DM you, wait three hours, ask for a price list, ask for availability, ask where you are, and then send a deposit manually.
Good growth often comes from removing friction:
- Clear services.
- Clear prices, or starting prices.
- Clear location.
- Clear availability.
- An online booking link.
- A deposit and cancellation policy.
- Examples of your work.
- Preparation instructions.
- Aftercare instructions.
You do not need a complicated system. But you do need a clear path from "I like your work" to "I have booked an appointment." Every extra message between interest and booking is a place where the client can disappear.
Before the end of today
- Check whether your prices still make sense.
- Sketch one premium option you would be happy to sell.
- Message five past clients who are due for maintenance.
- Ask today's clients to book their next appointment before they leave.
- Update your booking link, price list, location, and availability.
- Remove one unnecessary step from your booking process.