3 Reasons Why Clients Aren’t Booking with Your Business and How To Fix It
There’s nothing like seeing a full calendar of client bookings. Busy periods of your schedule mean you’re at the top of your game, your employees are giving their all, clients are happy, and revenue is rolling in.
But what do you do during the slow periods when you open your schedule and see a whole lot of nothing? To help, we’ve got three reasons why clients aren’t booking with your business and the steps you can take to fix them.
1. Ineffective Online Presence
Never underestimate the impact that your website and online listings can have on your small business. Your website serves as a vital platform for engaging with potential clients and providing them with the precise information they seek. From showcasing your services and pricing to offering a seamless appointment booking process, it all boils down to ensuring a seamless user experience that leaves clients satisfied and eager to choose your business.
Having a user-friendly and mobile-responsive website is key to increasing appointments booked. In fact, 82% of clients use mobile devices to book appointments. If they can’t easily make an appointment on their phone, they’re going look for a business that does. Once they find your website or online listing, is the information listed there correct and current? Incomplete and out-of-date information is another roadblock to client bookings. Trying to book a service that is no longer available or seeking days and times that have since changed will cause clients to go elsewhere.
Your online reputation matters as well, reviews can be one of the biggest setbacks – or a great leg up – for many businesses It’s common for reviews and ratings to appear in an online search, and they are pulled from social media and business listings sites. If you’re not using reputation management tools to leverage reviews, clients may look elsewhere when they can’t find recommendations.
2. Inadequate Marketing and Promotion
Marketing goes hand-in-hand with your online presence and its ability to drive client bookings.
Are you using your online and community presence to promote awareness and visibility? Coming up with marketing promotional strategies is helpful, but not having the right tools for execution and follow-up will make these efforts more challenging. Social media is key for business growth. If you’re not posting photos and videos of the work you do, the trends you’re following, and the knowledge you possess, you won’t be noticed by clients in your community. Scroll down for marketing solutions and recommendations.
3. Subpar Customer Experience
The customer experience is a key factor in whether or not they’ll come back. Small business owners have the unique challenge of finding unique ways to create positive experiences for everyone who walks in the door. Customers want a personalized, customized experience when they book an appointment. They want staff to acknowledge their individual preferences and expectations, resulting in a service that’s tailored just to them. Lack of soft skills and the ability to build relationships add to the experience, making it unpleasant or unprofessional.
How to Fix It: Solutions and Recommendations for Increasing Appointments Booked
Here’s the good news: these problems are easily solvable. Let’s take a look at some steps you can implement.
1. Put Time and Effort Into Marketing
The work you put into your marketing will pay off in a full calendar and your business revenue targets. Having marketing plans in place will make it easier to put them into motion when you decide to run campaigns to promote your business. Decide what messaging and platforms you want to use when running a typical campaign. Then target your efforts based on what you’re promoting, who you want to reach, and what you want to accomplish.
Text and email marketing are particularly helpful in reaching your customers and prospects. You can use both platforms to share special deals, announce new services, and promote your business during busy seasons, such as the holidays. Your clients check their texts and emails multiple times a day, so having a presence in their texts and inbox will make them more aware of what you offer.
Make social media a regular part of your day to highlight the great work you and your staff perform on a daily basis and make your community aware of the services you provide using these tips:
- Leverage social media platforms in your marketing campaigns and general awareness.
- Research competitors and industry experts to get inspiration for your own posts.
- Use hashtags and tag clients, employees, and relevant local businesses and organizations to generate more exposure and engagement.
2. Prioritize the Customer Experience
Focusing on excellent customer service and personalization will keep it top of mind for staff. If customers are happy, they’ll book return visits and make referrals. A business management platform lets you keep detailed notes on client preferences and personalize your services. It can also provide a seamless booking and communication experience for your clients and staff.
You might offer the best services in the neighborhood, but if they’re delivered by staff with a negative attitude, that’s all the client will remember. Train your staff to provide professional and friendly interactions and leave the right impression on every client in their chair. Having the right ambiance and a clean space will go a long way toward a positive experience. Make sure your decor, music, and cleaning procedures work together to create an environment for customers to relax and enjoy their visit.
3. Use the Right Software and Information for Your Online Presence
Choosing the best tools is the first step to improving your online presence. Make it easy for clients to learn more about your business and take action. This starts with your website — invest in a solution that provides a mobile-friendly and user-friendly website experience. Your clients need to seamlessly navigate your site no matter what device they’re using.
Update and optimize your online booking platforms with accurate information. When you’re making changes to your staff, scheduling availability, and services, make sure your booking platforms and business listings reflect the new information. Create a checklist of your web pages and online listings for when these changes are made so you don’t forget where you need to make updates.
Ask them to shout their love from the (digital) rooftops. Make it easy for customers to write a review so you can publish them to your website, social media, and listing sites to bring in new customers.
Fill Your Calendar and Your Revenue Stream
Having an ineffective online presence, inadequate marketing, and subpar customer service can create barriers to booking. These problems are getting in the way of new and repeat customers who want to do business with you but can’t get past these roadblocks. Solving these issues is vital to running a successful business, generating revenue, and keeping customers happy and eager to return.
If you’re overwhelmed, tackle one problem at a time. The improvements you see will be motivation enough to keep going and breaking down these barriers to success.
A Successful Business Starts with the Right Management Platform
DaySmart is the software solution that’s helping businesses simplify the way they schedule, take payments, communicate, and manage tasks. Find the solution that’s right for your business and request a demonstration today!