5 Steps to Set Up Email Marketing for Your Salon
Create Your Mailchimp Account
Go to mailchimp.com and sign up for free. Mailchimp is an email marketing tool, think of it as a professional way to send beautiful emails to all your clients at once. Unlike personal email, it tracks who opens your emails and who clicks your booking link.
Once you're in, click "Create Audience" and fill in:
- Audience name: "[Your Salon Name] Clients"
- Default From name: Your first name + salon name (e.g., "Sarah at Glow Salon")
- Default From email: Your business email
Screenshot: Mailchimp "Create Audience" screen Audience name field showing "[Salon Name
Build Your Client Email List (3 Easy Methods)
Your list is your most valuable business asset. Here are three ways to collect emails for your salon:
Method 1, Booking Form: Add an email field (and newsletter checkbox) to your online booking form. If you use Acuity or Calendly, both connect directly to Mailchimp, every client who books automatically joins your list.
Method 2, In-Salon Signup: Keep a paper or tablet sign-up at reception. Offer a small perk: "Sign up for our email list and get 10% off your next color service." Most clients happily sign up when there's a benefit.
Method 3, Website Form: Mailchimp gives you an embeddable signup form. Add it to your website's footer with a simple headline: "Get monthly styling tips + exclusive offers."
Screenshot: Mailchimp "Embedded Form" builder simple twofield form (Name + Email) with custom button text showing "Join the VIP List"
Set Up Your Welcome Email
Your welcome email goes out automatically the moment someone joins your list. This is your best chance to make a great impression. In Mailchimp, go to Automations → Welcome new subscribers.
Here's a welcome email template that works beautifully for salons:
As a welcome gift, here's 15% off your next appointment: [BOOKING LINK]
Each month I'll send you styling tips, behind-the-scenes looks at new treatments we're testing, and exclusive offers for our email subscribers only. Never spam, I promise.
See you soon!
Sarah & the team at [Salon Name]"
Create Your Rebooking Automation
This is the automation that fills your calendar automatically. It sends a friendly email to each client 6 weeks after their appointment, reminding them it's time to rebook.
In Mailchimp, go to Automations → Build it yourself → Create an email. Set the trigger to "6 weeks after contact joined audience" (or use a specific tag date if you tag clients by appointment date in Acuity).
We're booking out fast for [Month], so grab your spot before it's gone:
[BOOK NOW BUTTON]
Can't wait to see you!
Sarah 💇♀️"
Screenshot: Mailchimp Automation builder 6week delay set, rebooking email template loaded with "Book Now" button visible
Send a Monthly Newsletter (15 Minutes Per Month)
In Mailchimp, click "Create Campaign" and pick a simple template. Salon newsletters perform best when they're personal, visual, and short, three sections max.
Here are the email types that perform best for salons:
📅 Fill a Slow Week
"We have a few openings this Tuesday and Wednesday, first come, first served for 20% off any service!"
✨ New Treatment Launch
"We're now offering [Treatment]. Introducing it at a special price for our email subscribers this month only."
💡 Styling Tip
"This month's styling tip: how to keep your color vibrant for 6+ weeks between appointments. (What we tell all our color clients.)"
🎁 Birthday Offer
Mailchimp can automatically send birthday emails with a special offer when you collect birth month during signup.
Use ChatGPT to write the body text, paste in "Write a friendly email for a hair salon offering 20% off to fill slow appointments this week" and you'll have a draft in 30 seconds.
Real results for salons using email marketing
Is email marketing worth it for a small salon?
Yes, email marketing returns $42 for every $1 spent on average. For salons, an automated rebooking email that fills just 2 extra appointments per week pays for the entire system many times over. Most salons we work with see positive ROI within the first month.
What email tool is best for salons?
Mailchimp is the best starting point, it's free up to 500 contacts, easy to use, and connects to most booking tools. ActiveCampaign is the upgrade if you want more sophisticated automation, like targeted campaigns based on the services clients booked.
How do I get clients to give me their email address?
The easiest way: ask during booking (add an email field to your booking form). Second: have a paper or tablet signup at the reception desk offering a small perk like 10% off their next visit. Third: include an email capture form on your website. Combining all three, most salons build a 300+ person list within 3 months.
How often should a salon send emails?
Once a month is the sweet spot for most salons, enough to stay top of mind without annoying your clients. The exception: transactional emails (booking confirmations, reminders, rebooking nudges) can send more frequently because clients expect and welcome them.