How to Use QR Codes to Boost Salon Bookings

The popularity of QR codes has been on a well-deserved rise since the pandemic. That’s thanks to QR codes’ convenience, ease of use, and versatility. These codes have made their way in many sectors including beauty and wellness. 

QR codes are beneficial in salon booking. A salon booking QR code allows for a simple and convenient booking process. Other types of QR codes allow you to gather information you can then use to personalize consumer experiences. The result is the same: you grow your customer base.

Learn how you can boost your bookings using QR codes:

What are QR codes?

QR codes, or quick response codes, are two-dimensional codes generated into images. They are encoded with text-based information like contact details, files, and booking page URLs. We call them quick codes because users can easily scan the code with a near-field communication-enabled smartphone or QR code reader. Then they get instant access to the encoded information.

When decoded, the QR code triggers an action that’s determined by your objective. For instance, if your QR code’s goal is to help you gain more followers on Instagram, the action will be to open the Instagram app or webpage. A salon booking QR code will most likely trigger the opening of your online booking page. 

There are two types of QR codes: Static and dynamic.

The static code is uneditable. That means the data stored in it cannot be altered once generated. This QR code is better when providing information that doesn’t change.

Dynamic QR codes, on the other hand, are editable. Your information is not saved in the QR code but on the website's URL. This way, you can modify the information in the URL without having to create a new code.

To create a QR code, you need a QR code generator. When making QR codes for appointment booking, a tool like TIMIFY’s Booking Link App allows you to create as many different QR codes as you want for different services.

5 ways you can use QR codes to boost salon bookings

How you use your QR codes will determine just how successful you will be in growing your customer base. Here are five ways you can use QR codes to increase your salon bookings:

1. Incorporate salon booking QR codes into POS displays

One way to maximize your salon booking QR code’s potential is by incorporating them in point-of-sale (POS) displays. A point-of-sale generally means a place near the area where transactions are completed in a business (typically checkout areas). In a salon’s case, this is often the front desk where you confirm your bookings and payments.

POS displays are premium advertising areas since everyone has to approach them. Hence, incorporating your salon booking QR codes in these spaces will help you get your customers’ attention.

There are various marketing materials you can use to incorporate your QR code around your POS space. 

For instance, you can include your salon booking QR code on a roller banner, tent card, or brochure promoting the services you offer. These will get the attention, especially of people visiting your salon for the first time or making inquiries. By placing your QR code amid important service information, you increase the chances of customers booking appointments immediately.

Another great option is to include it in a simple countertop QR code sign:

You can also print a QR code on well-designed physical business cards on the POS countertop. 

By using such marketing materials to display your salon booking QR code, you can capture your potential customers’ attention and convert them into loyal clients.

2. Include them in customized landing pages

Landing pages are designed to encourage a specific action, not multiple actions. So, if you want to increase your bookings, a landing page is the way to go. 

But, of course, you need to design a perfect landing page for your QR code. A landing page for your salon’s appointment booking  needs to be visually appealing. The landing page design should be clean, uncluttered, and easy to navigate. So, only include content that highlights your key message to avoid overwhelming users.

Content might include details of your salon’s services or customer reviews and testimonials. You can also add  high quality visuals of your services and staff in action, making sure to remain consistent with your brand look and feel. Such content will give potential customers a compelling reason to scan the QR code and book an appointment.

If you have the time, you can even create a customized landing page for each of your stylists and create a corresponding QR code for them. So, your loyal client can just choose their preferred stylist’s QR code. When your regular customer needs to book salon services, all they need to do is scan that preferred stylist’s QR code.

Whichever option you choose, make  the call-to-action (CTA) button bold and clear, along with the relevant accessibility to allow all users to easily interact. Your CTA can be as simple as “Book an appointment” like the one on the landing page above.

Since QR codes are mostly scanned using smartphones, your landing page must be mobile-friendly. Ensure all your landing page’s design elements are compatible with mobile phones and key browsers. From your headline to your font size, and even images.

While you can create a landing page from scratch, you can choose to make one faster with the help of a landing page builder. Most service providers will provide a wide range of templates with customization options, and an intuitive, user-friendly interface. You also have access to analytics to identify high-converting aspects of your page and those that require improvement.

3. Use them in outdoor hoardings

Outdoor hoardings are another powerful tool you can use to display your salon booking QR codes and encourage more bookings. Outdoor hoarding advertising involves displaying advertisements in high-traffic areas. Some of these areas include shopping malls, sports centers, highways, and busy streets.

Outdoor hoardings are designed to capture the attention of passersby. They’re huge and use appealing visuals, bold typography, and minimal text. This makes them an ideal form of advertising to reach a broad audience and create awareness about your salon. 

However, without a salon booking QR code, interested customers would have to go searching for your page or booking URL to learn more. This means you'll need space to spell out booking links or additional features to guide interested parties on how to make appointments, leaving your hoardings cluttered.

But if you have a salon booking QR code, all people need to do is scan the code to access your booking app or page. You also just need to include your visuals and the necessary text. The result? Clean and appealing outdoor hoardings that catch attention. 

4. Leverage QR codes to collect data for improved marketing strategies 

QR codes can also help you gather valuable data from customers that you can use to grow your bookings.

Salon booking QR codes themselves will help you collect first-party customer data, which is data you own and can use. With a dynamic QR code, you can gather key details about the customer's scan, such as the location, time of booking, device, and browser. This provides enough data to tailor your marketing efforts.

You can also create QR codes with the specific goal of building your email list, for example. This can help nurture your potential customers through email marketing and increase the potential of a booking commitment. 

Once a specific QR code for email signups has been created, you can place them in any of the aforementioned places to boost their visibility.When people scan the code, they’ll be directed to a sign-up form for your email content. 

You can also gather customer feedback with your code. You can link QR codes to an electronic business card with all your contact details. This way, customers can choose the most convenient way to leave their feedback. Check out the example of a feedback QR code above. They could also be placed on physical or digital receipts, invoices, business cards, follow-up emails or texts, or even on the paper cup of a complimentary coffee! 

The quicker and easier you can make it for customers to give feedback, the larger volume of crucial insights on your services you’re likely to get from your customer base, allowing you to further enhance and tailor your offering.

5. Employ them for special offers to incentivize bookings

Special offers are a great way to drive more business to your salon. People love it when they feel like they’re getting a bargain. You can boost the awareness and usage of your QR code system by promoting offers which can only be claimed through using the code

Here’s a great example.

When you implement this strategy, just make sure the special offers are compelling enough to make potential customers stop in their tracks and take their phone out to make the scan. 

Conclusion

Are you struggling with your current salon booking system? Then it’s time to give QR codes a try -  it can be a game-changer for your salon’s bookings.

QR codes help you boost salon bookings in many ways. They make it easy for potential clients to engage with your brand and access your services. They also help you improve other aspects of your salon business. By collecting client feedback and other relevant data, for instance, you can improve your product and service offerings, and marketing strategies.

You can be as creative as you want in building awareness of your QR codes and getting people to use them. You can train your staff on how to promote the codes on social media, for example. Make sure you teach them how to use the QR codes themselves and the data collected by these, too. This way, you maximize the benefits QR codes can bring. 

If you want your salon to succeed, you need to stand out and stay relevant. The good news is there are many technologies like QR codes at your disposal. Leverage QR codes so you can improve different aspects of your business and make your customers feel valued by increasing their convenience and personalization.

Now that you understand how to fully embrace the power of QR codes, start following our tips today and watch those salon bookings coming in.