How to get your first clients for a new salon, spa or studio
An empty book is the hardest part of opening. These are the free and low-cost basics that work for most new salons, spas, studios and shops.
Free forever Not a trial. No card, no contract, unlimited staff. Card payments cost 3.9% + 30¢. Our promise →
Free means all of it
Free software
Clients, appointments, checkout and reporting, for $0 a month.
Free booking
A 24/7 booking page with text confirmations and reminders.
Free accounting
A real double-entry ledger built in, so you can drop QuickBooks.
AI receptionist, with the phone system
Part of the $79/month* phone system: answers your calls 24/7, answers questions, books appointments into real openings, takes messages, and transfers to you.
Unlimited users
Every stylist, tech, trainer and front-desk person, $0 each.
The honest part
Card payments you take cost 3.9% + 30¢, and optional bill pay from your accounting is $39 a month per office.
1. Make it easy to find you
Set up a free Google Business Profile with your real name, address, hours, phone, services and photos of your work and space. Keep the details the same on every site and social profile.
2. Put a booking link everywhere
Clients book when it’s easy, often late at night. Put a 24/7 booking link in your Instagram and TikTok bio, your Google profile and your text signature. TotalPro360 gives you one for free, with text confirmations and day-before reminders.
3. Show your work
Post real before-and-after photos (with the client’s permission), short videos of services, and your price menu. People want to know what they’ll get and what it costs.
4. Rebook before they leave
The easiest new appointment is the next one for a client who’s already in your chair. Offer to book their next visit at checkout.
5. Ask for reviews the right way
Ask happy clients for a review with a direct link. Don’t pay for reviews or reward only positive ones; that breaks Google’s rules and the FTC’s.
6. Partner with nearby businesses
A stylist’s clients ask about massage, nails and skin care all the time. On the TotalPro360 referral network, businesses refer clients to each other and can earn a share of the network fee when a referred visit is paid. (Referral earnings for massage, spa, medical-spa and chiropractic businesses are on hold while they get a compliance review.)
“I’ve got a person for you.” Get paid for it.
Your clients ask you for recommendations all the time. On the TotalPro360 network, when your stylist sends a client to a massage therapist on the network and that appointment is booked and paid, your business earns a share of the network fee. The business that receives the referral pays nothing for the lead itself, only a network fee after the job is booked and paid. How the referral network works · Our sister network for home services.
Questions people ask
Should I offer a new-client discount?
It can fill early openings, but be careful about training clients to wait for deals. A small first-visit offer with a rebooking incentive is a common middle ground.
Do I need my own website?
A booking page plus a Google profile covers the basics. TotalPro360 includes a free website with the booking page built in, plus hosting and SSL.
Set up your account in about two minutes.
No card, no contract, no sales call. Pick your business type, and you'll land in your dashboard with a starter service menu and a short setup checklist.
Get started free*Included minutes and texts cover typical use. Usage above the included amounts is billed as overage, and larger or high-volume companies may be quoted higher phone and texting rates. See our Terms.