Timely Fit: Financial Fitness During Lockdowns
With Greater Sydney in a month-long lockdown and Melbourne in a snap lockdown, many salons and spas are once again finding the halt in their business heartbreaking. We’ve paired up with Tamara Reid from Beaute Industrie to get her take on the best financial strategies to help pay your expenses while you’re closed.
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REAL help is right here
Lockdowns like the ones we’ve experienced over the last 16 months have caused even the most financially strong businesses to question their future. You’re not alone if this is you right now. A fund was raised this year to help feed the beauty industry. It is completely anonymous, and it is there to help you keep you and your loved ones fed and looked after in these scary and unprecedented times. For the easy application process: See here
Your mindset really matters
You’re not an opportunist for making an income during a lockdown; in fact, you are a very good business owner for making sure you are covering as many fixed expenses (rent and wages) as you can. It’s really easy to get into a “what’s the point” mindset when it comes to trying to do business during lockdowns. However, any effort you put in is worth it.
During this time, consider yourself as still working, even though you can’t do your ‘normal work’. Try some, or all of the suggestions below to help keep money coming into the business: you’ll be surprised by how much your clients want to support you!
Sell gift vouchers online
Selling gift vouchers online is a great, easy way to keep money coming into your business. Clients want to keep supporting you, so make it easy for them to purchase vouchers online as gifts for their loved ones, or for themselves to use in the near future!
Getting your gift vouchers set up is super easy; simply head to the setup area and tick the ‘Custom amount vouchers can be purchased online‘ option. Here, you can also make your own gift vouchers for specific services like a Hot Stone Massage, or Olaplex Treatment. With these vouchers, we recommend hiding the price so that if it’s purchased as a gift, the recipient will only see the treatment name.
Tamara tip: A great way to promote your gift vouchers is to create some eye-catching posts for your instagram and Facebook pages using apps like Canva!
Set it up in Timely: Set up Gift Vouchers & Set up Online Payments
Help guides: Sell Gift Vouchers Online & How to set up online payments
Sell products and packages
Products
Your clients will still want (and most likely need) products to use at home; whether it’s what they’re already using, new products they want to try, or products to replicate in salon treatments while you’re closed!
Whilst businesses cannot open, if you took your retail home, you can still maximise product sales through the use of an at home printer where you can print Australia post or Sendle stickers. All you need to do then is pop in the post, or in some locations you can opt in to get the parcels picked up so theres no need to leave the house to make a sale!
Also, many suppliers now offer a direct-to-client service where, once you’ve taken payment from your client and placed your order, they’ll send the products directly to your clients. If this option is available to you, it saves you the hassle of arranging postage! Be sure to reach out to your suppliers to find out if they offer that service.
Set it up in Timely: Set up Products Page
Help Guide: Adding products to Timely 
Packages
Package offers are also a good money maker while you’re closed (to be used when you reopen, of course). You could offer a set amount of services at a discounted price or even offer a combination of products and services.
Set it up in Timely: Set up Packages
Help Guides: Creating Packages & Selling Products Online During Lockdown
Online video consultations
Offering online consultations or video calls is the best thing you can do to make sure that your clients are getting the best from their products, and book the right services when you reopen! Using Timely Consult means you can make and send pre-appointment consultation forms to gather information about your client prior to their call, so you can be better prepared, and spend more time talking about their specific needs.
Tamara tip: Clients love it when the cost of the consultation is redeemable against the cost of the products or services they purchase during the consultation – but remember to charge for your time if they don’t purchase anything!
Help Guide: Using Timely Consult
Set it up in Timely: Set up Timely Consult
With Timely’s video call service you can add a direct link to your video call provider such as Zoom or Google Meet straight to the booking, so that the client can click the link straight from their booking email or SMS message.
Set it up in Timely: Set up Services
Help Guide: Video Call Services
Staying in touch with your clients
All of these fantastic money making tips rely on you staying in touch with your clients. If you have the time, give them a call when their appointment would have been, see how they’re getting on during lockdown, and if they need any self care products! If you are short of time, an easy way to do this is to contact them all at once via an SMS or email campaign, or through a private client only Facebook group.
This means that you can get the same message out to everyone; whether it’s letting them know you have gift vouchers available or that you’re offering online product purchases or video consultations. Checking in on your clients can make a world of difference, and they won’t forget it!
Tamara tip: You can even go live on your facebook page or in in your private group to show your clients how to make a wellness yogurt bowl!
Set it up in Timely: SMS Campaigns Set up & Email Marketing
Help Guides: MailChimp & SMS Campaigns & Facebook Groups
Finally, make sure you look after yourself and your staff! It’s always an important thing to do, but at difficult times like this your staff may need extra help to look after their mental and physical health.
