Next to money, time is the one thing we all wish we could have more of. And even though we can’t magically grant you more than 24 hours in a day, we can give you several tools to successfully maximize your schedule (and make more money while you’re at it).

It all starts with setting your priorities. Are you trying to tip the scales in your favor to achieve work-life balance or are you aiming to add some more heft to your bank account? Either way, read ahead for some of the time management tips, tricks, and our favorite GlossGenius features that lead to a less chaotic calendar and juicier profits.

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If You Want a Better Work-Life Balance...

Start creating your work boundaries by setting your hours. In order to do this in a profitable way, you may want to calculate the salary you need at this phase of life and divide that by the hours you’re able or willing to work – now you’ll know how you need to set your prices in order to maintain a lucrative number of operating hours. Make sure your hours are reflected on your salon booking site so clients will have an idea of your availability upfront.

When you’re reviewing your schedule for the week ahead, don’t forget to pencil in time for yourself. Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to go for hours without a break, forget to eat, or end up running late for your kid’s after-school activity. Blocking off time for lunch, quick sanity breaks, personal errands, or family time will hold you accountable for maintaining the work-life balance you’re aiming for.

When booking clients and setting up service times, don’t forget to include processing time. Building in the appropriate amount of padding between clients will make your day feel less chaotic and it’ll create a more calming environment for your clients when they don’t feel your rushed energy.

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As you’re doing all of this, keep in mind that as an independent beauty professional, you have the power to create the workweek you want. Take a cue from Kendall Whitley, who shared how she built the business she imagined in our Success Stories series – she’s been able to schedule the perfect three-day workweek with GlossGenius by scaling way back on the administrative duties that were adding hours to her days.‍

If You Want a Higher Income...

Start reviewing your schedule regularly. Not only will you be able to start identifying patterns of slow periods (which means you can start creating promos to fill those spots!), but you’ll also have a head-start on reaching out to clients you might be able to get on the books. Either way, you’ll want the option to communicate with your database en masse for the best chances of filling those slots. With GlossGenius, you can set up free email or text campaigns with your clients so you can spread the word quickly and cost-effectively.

On-the-spot rebooking is another secret weapon for scheduling success. You should never let a client leave your chair without giving them the opportunity to get on your schedule again, but it’s hard to remember that every single time. Even if your memory fails you, our booking app won’t – with GlossGenius, an automatic rebooking prompt will pop up during the checkout process for a fail-proof way to fill up that book.

If you really want to maximize your money-making hours, start timing each service so you know exactly how long it really takes (and where you might be able to shave a few minutes off the experience without compromising quality). When Linda Jordin of Bare Necessities Skin and Wax realized she was able to execute the perfect Brazilian waxing in just seven minutes, she was able to tighten up her booking windows, see more clients every day, and ultimately double her revenue! 

Linda is also a great example of how to streamline the payment process for a speedy checkout. She’s saved time by keeping clients’ cards on file, made more in tips by setting up a default gratuity in her GlossGenius POS, and has earned herself a 80 percent-plus rebooking rate by automatically prompting the next appointment time for each client – all major beauty boss moves made simple with GlossGenius.

‍‍If You Want to Have It All!

The best part about going independent is that you no longer have to choose whether you want to have free time or make more money – you can build your business in a way that delivers both, either all the time or as needed whenever your business goals change.

Try GlossGenius free for 14 days!

Online booking through your custom site gives you the flexibility to be more hands-off so you can either spend more time with your family or more time in the salon. You can have appointments approved automatically to really fill up your time or go in the app at your convenience to manually approve the bookings that work best for you.

If you’re working with a team, an effective schedule strategy is key, whether you’re managing your staff's time off or pushing toward group sales goals. GlossGenius’ Teams features are highly customizable and get everyone on the same page for more organized scheduling. With your team on the platform, you can have more calendar visibility, track individual performance, manage services, and more. Best of all, you won’t be charged extra for additional crew – GlossGenius charges $24/month whether it’s just you or your whole team, so you can get everyone on board.

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