Is Your Marketing Funnel Bringing in Clients? Here’s How to Find Out.
If you’ve ever put time (and money) into a freebie, online booking system, or email campaign, and still found your calendar full of holes, this one’s for you.
Marketing funnels aren’t just for online businesses. They’re a game-changer for salons, too, when they’re done right.
Let’s discuss how to review and refine your funnel so it brings in more clients, fills your chairs, and sustainably grows your salon.
In salon speak? A funnel is simply the journey your potential client takes—from discovering your salon, to booking their first appointment, to becoming a loyal regular.
It could look like this:
They find you on Instagram.
They grab your free “Hair Color Maintenance Guide.”
They get a few follow-up emails.
They book a consultation.
They become your new favorite regular.
But if that funnel isn’t working... if people are ghosting you after the freebie... or not booking after the emails... It’s time to take a closer look.
Where are people finding you? Instagram? Google? A referral?
Now check this:
Is your link-in-bio or website guiding them clearly to your next step, like a freebie, a booking link, or a consultation form?
A strong funnel begins with a clear and irresistible offer. Think:
A downloadable “Frizz-Free Summer Hair Guide”
A quick “What’s Your Ideal Hair Color?” quiz
A “First Time Guest” promo
Make sure your entry point is simple, eye-catching, and solves a problem your ideal client actually cares about.
Once they’re in your funnel, are you staying in touch?
You don’t need a 10-email sequence with fancy automations. But you do need to build trust and stay top of mind.
Try sending a short series like:
Pro tips for healthier hair between visits
A behind-the-scenes peek at your favorite products
A success story or transformation from a recent client
Your emails (or texts) should feel personal and helpful, not salesy. When people trust you, they book with you.
You’d be shocked how many salon funnels fail at this stage. Someone’s ready to book... but the link is broken. Or it takes five clicks to find the pricing. Or they’re unsure about which service to choose.
Let’s fix that:
Make sure your booking link is front and center in every email.
Include a clear “Start Here” service or consultation for new clients.
Make your service names and descriptions crystal clear.
The easier you make it to book, the more people will.
You don’t need to be a data nerd, but a few numbers will tell you a lot:
Are people opening your emails?
Are they clicking your booking link?
What % of your new followers are actually becoming clients?
These little clues help you see where to tweak. Often, a small change (like rewriting a headline or updating your booking flow) can make a big difference in your client flow.
Here’s the Truth...
You don’t need a complicated system. You need a simple, yet smart funnel that attracts the right people, builds trust, and makes booking easy.
Set aside some time this week to look at yours. Where are clients getting stuck? What’s missing? What could be clearer?
Because when your funnel works, you don’t have to hustle as hard.
Is Your Marketing Funnel Bringing in Clients? Here’s How to Find Out.
If you’ve ever put time (and money) into a freebie, online booking system, or email campaign, and still found your calendar full of holes, this one’s for you.
Marketing funnels aren’t just for online businesses. They’re a game-changer for salons, too, when they’re done right.
Let’s discuss how to review and refine your funnel so it brings in more clients, fills your chairs, and sustainably grows your salon.
In salon speak? A funnel is simply the journey your potential client takes—from discovering your salon, to booking their first appointment, to becoming a loyal regular.
It could look like this:
They find you on Instagram.
They grab your free “Hair Color Maintenance Guide.”
They get a few follow-up emails.
They book a consultation.
They become your new favorite regular.
But if that funnel isn’t working... if people are ghosting you after the freebie... or not booking after the emails... It’s time to take a closer look.
Where are people finding you? Instagram? Google? A referral?
Now check this:
Is your link-in-bio or website guiding them clearly to your next step, like a freebie, a booking link, or a consultation form?
A strong funnel begins with a clear and irresistible offer. Think:
A downloadable “Frizz-Free Summer Hair Guide”
A quick “What’s Your Ideal Hair Color?” quiz
A “First Time Guest” promo
Make sure your entry point is simple, eye-catching, and solves a problem your ideal client actually cares about.
Once they’re in your funnel, are you staying in touch?
You don’t need a 10-email sequence with fancy automations. But you do need to build trust and stay top of mind.
Try sending a short series like:
Pro tips for healthier hair between visits
A behind-the-scenes peek at your favorite products
A success story or transformation from a recent client
Your emails (or texts) should feel personal and helpful, not salesy. When people trust you, they book with you.
You’d be shocked how many salon funnels fail at this stage. Someone’s ready to book... but the link is broken. Or it takes five clicks to find the pricing. Or they’re unsure about which service to choose.
Let’s fix that:
Make sure your booking link is front and center in every email.
Include a clear “Start Here” service or consultation for new clients.
Make your service names and descriptions crystal clear.
The easier you make it to book, the more people will.
You don’t need to be a data nerd, but a few numbers will tell you a lot:
Are people opening your emails?
Are they clicking your booking link?
What % of your new followers are actually becoming clients?
These little clues help you see where to tweak. Often, a small change (like rewriting a headline or updating your booking flow) can make a big difference in your client flow.
Here’s the Truth...
You don’t need a complicated system. You need a simple, yet smart funnel that attracts the right people, builds trust, and makes booking easy.
Set aside some time this week to look at yours. Where are clients getting stuck? What’s missing? What could be clearer?
Because when your funnel works, you don’t have to hustle as hard.
Your Monthly Roadmap to a Thriving Salon Business Starts Here
Join the Salon Success Roadmap
—the Ultimate Monthly Challenge for Beauty Pros who are ready to stop guessing and start growing.
Whether you're behind the chair or running the whole show, this is where strategy meets momentum.
Build simple, consistent systems that eliminate overwhelm
Automate like a pro—without ever sounding like a bot
Attract dream clients who respect your time and value your work
Raise your prices with total confidence
Deliver an unforgettable guest experience—with less effort
Grow your brand and income with intention
No two months are ever the same inside the
Salon Success Roadmap—and that’s on purpose.
Each month, I train on a brand-new focus area that’s relevant to what beauty pros are facing right now. From mastering price increases, automating client communication, building high-converting service menus, or even launching add-on offers that boost your income—every challenge is designed to meet you where you are and move you forward.
So whether it’s your first time or your fifth, you’ll never get a recycled training. It’s always fresh, current, and created to match the season and strategy your business needs most.
You’ll leave every session with:
A step-by-step plan you can implement immediately
The confidence and mindset to follow through
A community of like-minded beauty pros who are building their dream business too
These are the exact strategies I’ve used to help hundreds of beauty professionals go from “just getting by” to fully booked, financially thriving, and in control of their future.
Ready to finally grow with strategy, systems, and support that actually work?
I fiercely believe that you can create the life you've dreamed of, the impact you were born to make, and build generational wealth, all through your beauty business.
Karen Hardee is a powerhouse and a visionary for the Beauty Industry. With over three decades of experience, including 30 years as a salon owner & salon business coach– she's a game-changer. Karen's leadership has catapulted her salon to the Top 200 Fastest Growing Salons in North America, and she's ready to share her secrets with you. she's passionate about helping you fulfill your dreams and break through barriers. But Karen's not stopping there – her latest venture involves creating Salon Suite Buildings, a groundbreaking fusion of real estate and beauty, for unprecedented success and generational wealth.
Ready to take your business to 7+ figures?