Between clients, admin, and everything else on your plate, marketing is usually the first thing that slips. The good news is it doesn’t need your constant attention if it’s set up to run itself.
Email and SMS do different jobs, and used together, automated, they quietly keep your book fuller without adding a single task to your daily list.
Know which channel to use for what
Text messages get opened almost immediately, often within minutes. That makes them perfect for anything time-sensitive: appointment reminders, confirmations, and last-minute openings you need filled today.
Email is better suited to anything with more to say. Aftercare tips, seasonal offers, a newsletter update, or a detailed promotion. It’s slower to land, but it gives you far more room to explain, show photos, and build your brand over time.
Used together, SMS creates urgency and immediacy. Email builds the relationship in the background.
Automate the reminders first
If you automate nothing else, automate this. A confirmation the moment someone books, and a reminder a day or two before their appointment, catches most no-shows before they happen and takes zero ongoing effort once it’s set up.
Keep the message short, friendly, and give an easy way to reschedule if the time no longer works.
Set up a win-back sequence for lapsed clients
Rather than manually scanning your client list for people who’ve drifted, set an automatic trigger: once someone passes your usual gap between visits, they get a short, personal-sounding message inviting them back.
This is one of the highest-value automations you can set up, since a client who already knows and trusts you is far easier to bring back than a brand new one is to win over.
Send birthday and anniversary messages automatically
A small, well-timed birthday message with a modest offer feels thoughtful, and it costs you nothing in ongoing effort once it’s configured. The same goes for a client’s anniversary of their first visit. Small, personal touches like this build loyalty in a way generic promotions rarely do.
Keep promotional messages rare and relevant
It’s tempting to message often once automation makes it easy. Resist that. A couple of promotional texts a month is plenty. More than that, and clients start tuning out or opting out entirely, which undoes the value of the channel for everything else you’re using it for.
Every message should offer something real: a genuine discount, a useful tip, or timely information. Not just noise.
Keep it personal, even when it’s automated
The best automated messages don’t read as automated. Use the client’s name. Reference their last service or their usual stylist where you can. A message that says “it’s been a while since your last colour” lands very differently to a generic “we miss you” blast sent to your whole list.
Track what’s actually working
Once your automations are running, keep an eye on open rates, click-throughs, and, most importantly, whether messages are actually converting into bookings. A campaign that gets opened but never leads to a booked appointment is worth revisiting.
The takeaway
Email and SMS automation isn’t about messaging clients more. It’s about making sure the right message reaches the right client at the right moment, without you having to remember to send it. Start with reminders and win-back messages, the two with the clearest return, and build from there.
See how Kitomba’s marketing tools can help you automate reminders, win-back messages, and birthday offers in one place.