10 Essential FAQs to Add to Your Spa or Salon Website

People are curious by nature. When they’re looking for professional services, it’s only natural that they will have questions about the services that are available, among other things. Today’s audience enjoys self-service, too, which is something that you need to include in your digital marketing efforts in as many ways as possible. 

One of the best self-service tools that you can put to use is an FAQ page. This is a page that will allow you to share a lot of valuable information with your audience and increase your search rankings by phrasing questions the way that people would ask them. It also gives you a chance to showcase your expertise and the services that you offer, among other things. 

Today’s audience demands self-service solutions, and they want them in increasingly more ways with each passing day. 82% of customers expect businesses to offer some type of self-service option. More than 91% say they’d use an online knowledge base (like an FAQ page) if it was available to them. Not only that but consider that knowledge bases like FAQ pages are the most used self-service tools available.

People want quick answers. They want immediate results, and they want access to all the information in a way that works for them. That’s why part of the success in setting up your FAQ page comes from the questions that you answer and the other part of it comes from the way that you structure the page in the first place. 

Fortunately, we’re here to help by covering both of these topics. First, we’ll talk a little about the elements that make a good page and how to get yours properly set up, and then we’ll go over the top 10 FAQs that your salon or spa website needs to keep customers engaged and informed. Granted, you’ll likely use a lot more than 10, but this will at least get you started. 

How to set up your FAQ page

There is something to be said for the FAQ strategy. You can’t just toss some questions on the page randomly and leave it at that. It’s important to choose a structure that works for your business, including deciding whether you’re going to categorize questions on the same page or create an FAQ database that includes multiple pages. There is no right or wrong way to go here—it’s about doing what’s best for your business. 

Take the time to see what others are doing. Explore your own FAQ list and see just how many you have that you want to cover. Then, divide them into categories. Do you have enough to create separate pages or is it going to be enough to divide them on a single page? If you choose the latter, consider adding a Table of Contents that links to the questions so that people don’t have to spend too much time searching for the answers that they need. 

As a salon or spa business, you’ll have a lot of different categories to cover, including:

• Your business and background
• Services and products
• Policies and procedures
• Pricing, rates, and memberships or other plans
• And so forth

By taking the time to organize your FAQ, you’ll be able to provide people with a much easier way to get the answers that they want. 

Another important note here: pose questions the way that people would ask them. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience and think about how they would ask for the information that they want. Then, phrase your questions accordingly. You’ll see examples of this in our list of FAQs below. 

The 10 FAQs every salon or spa needs

1. Do you require deposits for appointments?

This question is more for spas and wellness facilities that book reservations for various high-end spa services. There is a case for deposits, in some situations, but you’ll have to decide whether that’s important for your business or not. If you do require deposits, explain how the process works. Even if you just hold a credit card on file to reserve the time or the booking, that’s something you need to explain to people here. 

Mind you, unless you’re a high-end salon that has a lot of cancelation issues, you might not want to charge deposits because it can discourage people from booking a service. It’s not always the case, but it may be something that affects your bookings. 

2. How long do I have to cancel or reschedule my appointment?

Life happens and sometimes people will need to reschedule or cancel their appointments. You shouldn’t have a firm policy in place that discourages this; instead, you’ll want to be open to discussing the options and providing people with convenient choices. You can choose to charge a cancelation fee for last-minute cancelations or prevent people from making future appointments if they cancel too much, but make sure that you allow people plenty of time to reschedule or cancel. 

Have an emergency policy in place, too, because sometimes there are things out of people’s control and that shouldn’t be held against them. 

3. Do I need to wear or do anything special for my visit?

This is a good question for several reasons. People want to know, most often for spas, what they should wear to ensure they are prepared and comfortable for the service that they are about to receive. Some people may ask this question of salons in the case of needing a button-down shirt instead of something that pulls over the head, but generally, most spas and salons will say “come as you are”. Still, you’ll want to let people know either way. 

4. What is included in your services?

You don’t have to include a full list of services here, but you should cover how inclusive your salon or spa is by covering the basics and major features. You can also use this space to link to your service pages and allow people to dig deeper and learn more about what you have to offer. It helps increase lead generation and allows you to make it easy for people to find answers. Sure, they could just go to your services page, but why would they do that when the answers are (or should be) right here?

You can go further to break this question down into different services, such as what’s included with a spa day, or what’s included with a shampoo and color treatment. 

5. Do you have a cell phone policy?

Spas and salons are supposed to be relaxing places. Not to mention that if you’re having any kind of hair or body treatment, being on the phone is going to hinder the process. You might think that banning cell phones is an inconvenience to your clients, but it’s a way to increase the relaxation and stress-free nature of your business. You don’t have to ban cell phones or advise people to leave them off, but if you do, make sure that you explain it here and list the rules for using phones in your business. 

There’s nothing more bothersome than trying to enjoy waiting for a perm to set or getting a nice massage only to hear phones ringing and message notifications buzzing left and right—it’s not creating the calm most salons and spas ultimately seek. It’s less about yes or no, though, and more about having a policy that’s clear and readily available to your audience. 

6. Do you offer gift certificates or specials of any kind?

People like deals and specials. They also like getting gift certificates for the people that they love. Salon and spa services are great gifts but they’re not always “affordable” for everyone. That’s why it can also help to offer specials and give people different incentive options. You can link to your specials page or to the section where they can buy gift cards or gift certificates, too. Mostly, though, you’ll want to explain all of the aspects of gifting and discounts that your business offers, including VIP programs and memberships that could come with special perks and savings. 

7. Are packages available for services?

Again, people want quick and easy information. They could go to your services page and check out the packages available (if you offer them). However, they could also just ask, and you should answer. This is another place you can promote your services, after all, and it’s going to be important for you to take advantage of that at every opportunity that you have. Explain what packages and specials you offer, how people can bundle services, and more. Then, invite people to contact you to discuss booking their perfect package, no matter what they have in mind. Don’t forget to link to the page that explains all of your rates and packages, too. 

8. Can I bring my children?

This is a common question of a lot of salons and spas. Some are more flexible or casual and may be fine with children coming to appointments. Others may ask people to come alone. In the world we live in today, more spas and salons are likely to suggest coming on your own so that there aren’t people there who don’t need to be there. Not only that, but people will enjoy their experience a lot more if they get to do it without their children tagging along. Whether you completely disallow children or you have limits on who can come to appointments, use this space to explain that and the reasoning behind it. 

9. How can I make a reservation online?

If you don’t already offer online reservations, you need to. This is also a place to link to your calendar or booking website and to advise people as to how to schedule their own appointments. There are several different platforms out there that you can use to set up online booking. Today’s customers are busy, and they want the convenience of being able to schedule appointments without having to call someone to book the time slot. Plus, the convenience of online access allows people to choose their dates and make sure they pick the time that works best for them. 

If the answer is, “We don’t offer online reservations,” that’s incorrect. Find a way to offer them and provide the answer and link on your FAQ page. 

10. How early should I arrive for my appointment?

Some salons and spas want people to arrive a little early to check in and make sure they have time to get situated. Others, likely due to COVID, may not want people to arrive until their exact appointment time. Some smaller businesses are still asking people to wait outside and calling them to come in at the appropriate time. In any case, you need to make people aware of your preferences for arrival so that they can show up accordingly. 

This also gives you a platform to help people see what to expect when they visit your salon or spa, which helps ease their anxiety and reassure them that they will have a relaxing, enjoyable experience. 

Focus on delivering a better experience while Smith.ai fields your calls, chats, and more 

When you’re in the business of running a salon or spa, you’re likely an SMB with limited resources and funds to do what you need. Fortunately, thanks to the solutions available today, you don’t have to do it all on your own. You can hire virtual receptionists at Smith.ai to handle answering calls, website chats, and even SMS, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That way, you can focus on handling your clients while we take care of the details. 

We’ll even help you craft the perfect strategy to manage your communications and other tasks, including things like lead intake, scheduling, and even payment collection for those who need it. It’s all about giving you the chance to grow your business without having to compromise anything. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation to discuss how the 24/7 virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can deliver results for your salon and spa so that you can focus on taking care of clients. You can also reach us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.