May in San Antonio is graduation everything. High school seniors, college grads, nursing school ceremonies at UTSA and UIW. And before every ceremony, someone is sitting in a salon chair getting their hair done.
Your books are full right now. That’s great. But what happens in June when the caps and gowns are put away?
The clients who come in for graduation can become year-round regulars…if you have a plan to keep them.
Capture Their Information (Don’t Let Them Walk Out Anonymous)
Every new client who walks through your door during May should leave with you having their:
- Name
- Phone number
- Email address
This sounds obvious, but during a rush, it’s easy to process walk-ins without entering them into your system. Take 30 extra seconds. Enter them into your booking software or CRM.
You can’t follow up with people you can’t reach.
Book the Next Appointment Before They Leave
This is the simplest retention tactic and the most effective. Before a client pays, say: “Your hair looks amazing…want me to get you on the books for a trim in 6 weeks?”
The rebook rate from an in-person ask is dramatically higher than from a follow-up text or email. Strike while they’re happy and still in the chair.
Offer a small incentive if it helps: “If you book your next appointment today, I’ll take $5 off.”
Send a Follow-Up Text or Email
Two days after their appointment, send a brief personal message:
“Hey Adriana! Hope graduation was beautiful. Your curls looked incredible. We’d love to see you again…here’s a link to rebook anytime.”
Personal beats promotional. One sentence that shows you remember them is worth more than a polished marketing email.
If you use a platform like Vagaro, Booksy, or GlossGenius, you can automate these follow-ups. Set it once, and every new client gets a personal-feeling message without you thinking about it.
Create a Loyalty Program (Keep It Simple)
Complicated loyalty programs don’t work for salons. People forget about points and tiers.
Keep it straightforward:
- Every 5th visit: Free deep conditioning treatment
- Refer a friend: Both get $10 off their next appointment
- Birthday perk: A complimentary add-on service during their birthday month
Announce the program on a card you hand to every client and on your social media. The referral perk especially turns one graduation client into two, then four. For more on leveraging social media with seasonal tie-ins, our guide to Dia de los Muertos marketing for salons shows how cultural moments can drive engagement. And keeping your website optimized for bookings ensures those referral clicks convert into appointments.
Graduation season is a gift…hundreds of new faces in your salon. Don’t waste it. Capture, follow up, and convert. Need help setting up automated retention systems? Browse our digital marketing products.