Booking Sessions Without a Card on File: A Risky Move or Pure Brilliance?

If you've been following our blog series, How We Added 122 Members in 90 Days, you know we've been sharing the secrets behind our success, and today I'm excited to dive into another crucial chapter of our story.

The Journey So Far

In our previous blogs, we've covered the ins and outs of generating leads, following up, and setting appointments. We've received tons of feedback from you, and it's been heartwarming to see how our experiences are helping you reshape your strategies.

The Booking Link Dilemma

One of the key insights from our last blog, "The Art of Setting Appointments: How We Booked 56% of Our Leads in 90 Days," was the realization that simply sending a booking link is not enough. Especially if you're asking a prospect to pay for their first session upfront. The hard truth? Only 1-2% of people book this way. It's like expecting a seed to grow without water.

The Payment Puzzle

So, when is the right time to ask for payment? Here's our surprising approach at Salt Remedy: We don't ask for payment before the first visit. Yes, you read that right.

I can almost hear your concerns, "But what about no-shows? What about commitment?" These are valid worries. We all want clients who value our services and time.

Our Experiment with Prepayment

When we took over Salt Remedy, we maintained the prepayment system for initial visits. The result? A perfect show-up rate, but a meager average of 7.5 appointments per week. The process of asking for credit card details over the phone was too time consuming, it often made the prospect feel uncomfortable, and sending a link post-call often ended in the prospect forgetting all about it.

In a test with a client of ours who runs a stretch therapy clinic, out of 45 scheduled appointments, 31 were canceled when the business called and requested card details later to secure the appointment.

The No-Prepay Strategy

We decided to run an experiment and require prepayment or payment information during the booking process. The result? Our show-up rates held solid - 95-99%, and our weekly bookings increased to 14-20/week. The same success was replicated with our stretch therapy client.

When to Implement Prepayment

This isn’t to say that prepayment and collecting payment information before an appointment shouldn’t be done. If your business is almost at full capacity and highly sought after, creating a barrier to booking can be beneficial.

Also, you have to watch your numbers - if you're getting a lot of no-shows to your appointments, but you still need the foot traffic, try to increase the show rate by calling them prior to the appointment to build a relationship or sending them a picture of you and the business the day before. That way showing up feels more personal.

Lowering the Barrier to Entry

We decided to run an experiment and require prepayment or payment information during the booking process. The result? Our show-up rates held solid - 95-99%, and our weekly bookings increased to 14-20/week. The same success was replicated with our stretch therapy client.

What's Next?

As we wrap up this series, stay tuned for our final installment: "Conversion - Making Them an Offer They Can't Refuse." We'll delve into how to turn these strategies into tangible results for your business.

In Conclusion

Doubling your first-time appointments isn't just about having a great service. It's about understanding the customer's journey and making it as seamless as possible. Our journey at Salt Remedy is a testament to being bold enough to try something new.

Remember, growth is a continuous process. It's about learning, adapting, and sometimes, going against the grain. Here's to doubling your appointments and achieving the success you've been striving for!