5 Holiday Campaigns to Boost Your Appointment Bookings
Christmas in October?
It might have been over a month ago when department stores started displaying their Christmas wares, but if you haven’t started prepping your business for the holidays, don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Many appointment-based businesses see a slump during the final months of the year, which can lead to a stressful January attempting to recoup that revenue. Fear not. We have five holiday campaigns you can quickly send to existing contacts to increase appointment bookings.
3 Steps to a Successful Appointment Booking Campaign
- Focus
Marketing is tough. Should you pay attention to ‘likes’, ‘ shares’, ‘opens’, or ‘clicks’? Your business is run on actual appointments, which represent the majority of your revenue. Marketing exists to drive revenue, so focus on an increase in appointment bookings. - Tracking
With online scheduling, it’s simple to associate a booking page with a promotion and directly track the ROI from your marketing campaigns. You can include a link to a unique booking page in an email or text message that will allow your clients to schedule time with you through a single click. Another option is to use promo codes. Unfortunately, with promo codes, you are relying on human entry for your metrics. You run the risk of someone who intended to call you and make an appointment becoming distracted and forgetting. Those puppy videos are quite distracting. Happens to the best of us. - Cut through the noise
People are busy. You know that. But did you know that the average US adult checks their phone 52 times a day? That is the perfect real estate to have your message seen. Business-to-client texting is on the rise. In fact, most industries are using it, with an overwhelming majority of those texts revolving around scheduling and appointments. By sending appointment booking campaigns via text, you are sure to get your message and promotion to the right participants.
5 Holiday Campaign Theme Ideas
Customer Appreciation Specials
Thanksgiving is a perfect time to show your clients how thankful you are for them! Consider sending a special offer or discount if they book time and complete the service prior to November 30th. That way, you are introducing immediacy and faster revenue while still being able to send a quick ‘thank you’ to your clients. It’s a win-win!
Customer Appreciation Campaign Template
Hi {{First Name}}, November is a time for giving thanks and we are thankful for YOU! To show you our appreciation, schedule your next appointment with us in the month of November and receive 20% off your service. Schedule time with us here: {{Online Scheduling Link}}
Black Friday (or Cyber Monday) Discounts
Black Friday in 2018 pulled in $6.22 billion, with $2 billion coming from smartphones.* You may not be an e-commerce business by definition, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of the upward trend of making buying decisions via mobile phone. To increase your revenue with Black Friday, try a multi-touch campaign that teases out your discounted services prior to the big day. You can even give your clients “early bird access.” If you’re using Apptoto Campaigns, once your client is added to your appointment calendar, they will be automatically removed from future messages in the campaign
Black Friday Appointment Campaign Template
Day 1: Black Friday is just around the corner! Take advantage of our deals today. Book a {{Service Type}} with us today and get 20% off! Schedule now: {{Online Scheduling Link}}
Day 4: Less than a week until Black Friday! We have an early bird discount for you. Book your next {{Service Type}} appointment before the year ends and receive a complimentary {{Service Type}}. Find a time that works for you: {{Online Scheduling Link}}
Day 9: Happy Black Friday! Take advantage of our one-day-only deep discount. Book today for 40% off your scheduled service. Service must be completed by the end of the year. Spots are filling up fast! Schedule time now: {{Online Scheduling Link}}
New Year, New You!
New Year “wellness” programs don’t just have to be about weight loss. Help your clients start their year off right with a check-up! Whether it’s a healthcare screening, a review of their finances, an update on life insurance options, a deep cleaning of their home, or even a reminder to schedule their annual furnace inspection, starting out the new year right never hurts anyone!
Note: Not all campaigns need to include discounts. Many times a friendly reminder (read: poke and prod) is all you need to prompt your clients take time to schedule an appointment. Your services are valuable! Use discounts judiciously to increase appointment bookings. Focus on showing the value of your business in your messaging when promotions are not used.
Annual Check-Up Campaign Template
New Year. New Decade. {{Company Name}} wants to help you get started on the right foot. Let’s schedule a {{Service Type}} to make sure we stay on track to meet your [financial, health, fitness, personal] goals in 2020. {{Online Scheduling Link}}
Wishing You a Happy Holiday
Though a lot of businesses send physical holiday cards or a simple email to their clients to wish them a happy holiday season, consider sending a text message instead. Two reasons: 1) Deliverability: Cell phone numbers rarely change, so if you have a list of clients you haven’t seen in a while that you’d like to re-engage with, you are better off sticking with a phone number rather than a physical address. 2) Open Rate: 90% of text messages get opened within 3 seconds of delivery. You will never get that level of engagement via email.
Happy Holiday Appointment Campaign Template
Wishing you a happy holiday season from the team at {{Company Name}}. As a special gift to you for being a client, enjoy 10% off any services completed in 2019. Schedule your appointment now: {{Online Booking Link}}
Winterization Reminder
Though this doesn’t apply to all of our industries, many of our clients have season-specific services that they provide to their customers. For the home improvement space, think: sprinkler blow-outs, winter tree and shrub pruning, furnace inspection, or holiday decor install. If you are in the salon and spa space, many of your clients have a slew of holiday parties to attend and are in need of a “glow-up.” The auto industry is also a great use case for winterization campaigns. When applicable to your client base, reminding them to schedule services that will ultimately help them maintain their possessions sets you up as a valued partner.
Winterization Appointment Campaign Template
Winter is coming. Don’t forget to schedule your {{Service Type}} with {{Company Name}}. Use this link to find a time that fits your schedule: {{Online Scheduling Link}}
Using Campaigns to Increase Appointment Bookings
These are just a few ideas for how to use Apptoto Campaigns to increase your Q4 appointments. Schedule time with your support rep if you need more ideas or want help to learn how to increase appointment bookings.
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