How to use Insta Quick Replies for NEW client requests

Hi there! Let me introduce myself in case you are new around here. My name is Kristina Russell. I am a Master Haircolourist + Educator that has ten’s of thousands of followers on my socials plus 20 years of teaching classes of my own design around Australia across the globe from large scale hair shows, to small intimate salon trainings, and naturally diving into podcasting was my next step to reach more people with free to access inspirational education to give back to the industry that I love so much. 

Here’s something I know for sure…. I have never understood why Hairdressers write NO NEW CLIENTS in their social media bio's. In my 20+ years of being a Hairdresser I have viewed new client inquiries as the potential to meet a new long-term (regular client) investor in my biz. Think about it. One client that sees you every 6 weeks or every 3-6 months for 5 years in an investor in your biz & contributes to your financial success. Which means turning away new clients or potential new relationships might be actually hurting your salon biz.

Show Notes

This episode is a game-changer!

Perhaps you don't take new clients because it feels like too much work to answer the multiple emails or back-and-forth messages before they even requests a booking.

New clients slide into my DM's with hopeful messages to book an appointment or they use the contact options I share on my socials, such as email or Facebook messenger. My existing clients use a combination of calling or txting or emailing ot DM's…. and I must admit this can get pretty confusing sometimes.

I am a Sydney based hair colourist that has a diverse clientele. Some of my clients have followed me for years and visited every salon I have ever worked with. They are my long term clients. And because I specialise in Colour, including Colour Corrections and the niche offerings for Redheads and Fussy Blondes I tend to attract a lot of attention on social media from people searching for a Hairdresser that can do these niche services when which leads to lots of inquiries.

I am going to share the exact steps I use to take an inquiry and turn it into a new client booking.

3 key points to consider when booking new clients

• New clients need a lot more information at first. The key with booking a  NEW CLIENT is you need as  much information as possible to allocate the right amount of time & resources without sending each other multiple emails or wasting each others time without clear communication
• INSTAGRAM QUICK REPLIES – set these up as soon as possible! Then replicate for Facebook DM's and emails from new clients, so yo ucan just copy and paste for (literally) quick replies.
• Consultations can be very helpful prior to the day of their hair appointment but no always possible. Have you considered virtal consultations using a video call and do you charge for your time taken to do so? We chat in greater detail about this in this podcast episode.

learn how-to setup instagram quick replies

How it works – Go to Your Instagram Profile Page. Tap on the menu icon in the top right corner (3 horizontal lines) and tap on the gear icons or go to settings. Then scroll down and tap on ‘Quick Replies’ Then tap on the + sign to create a quick reply. Final step is to write your Quick Reply within the limit of 15 characters in length. When you have written a Quick Reply , make sure you tap the checkmark to complete and save it. You can create several of these & I suggest you do. Such a time-saver!

steal some of my (written for you) insta quick replies

I have done the hard work for you and pre-determined a few frequently asked Questions (from clients) + Answers (I regularly send) and shared them below. Take some time to think about your FAQ's from prospective clients and take the time to write some customised replies of your own.

Here are some of mine that I use pasted below directly from my Instagram @ColourKristina. Just hover your mouse over them and copy and paste them if you like them. Free for you to use as you choose.

Example 1: newclientquery

Hi there!

Thank you for your enquiry about making your first visit haircolour appointment with me. Can you please send me an email with the subject line – NEW CLIENT REQUEST. My email is in my instagram bio.

Please include in email:

1. Name

2. Mobile

3. Email

4. Current hair photos (front/side/back)

5. Dream hair photos

6. Hair colour written description

I will reply to all emails within business hours. I love to create customised colour for my clients. Thanks again for connecting here.

Example 2 : Blondes

Hi there! Thanks for your message about our Blonde packages. At (insert salon name here) we are renowned for creating customised blondes to suit your complexion and help you feel fabulous. We like to suggest you pop in for a consult if feeling a little nervous about seeing a new salon/hairdresser so we can meet you and advice what services you might need. And yes we offer quotes at every visit!  Please call to book (insert salon number). Chat soon 🙂