I think it really helps if you are very clear in your mind about why you need to charge more. You might want to consider doing a zoom consultation to look at your clients hair before you book, and then you can quote, based on that client’s requirements. You can also offer tiered pricing 1st appointment X followed by 2 appointments at a little less, and then reducing to Y as long as you return within 8 weeks. You could do your zoom consultations whilst you’ve got a colour developing.
I’ve been doing something called dynamic availability long before Covid. Dynamic availability is where not everything is available all of the time. I worked out that short and long appointments at peak time (lunch hour and after work) often left me with unfilled gaps - so effectively “cost” me unbooked peak time. I started to think about what treatments I had most demand for at certain times of the day and I prioritised the bookings that worked best for me.
Leaving gaps between treatments means the more people I see, the more unbooked gaps I have. The shorter the treatment the more expensive for me. Basically a 15 minute treatment now needs 30 minutes so becomes 100% longer, a 30 minute treatment becomes 45 minutes so is 50% longer and a 60 minute treatment is now 75 minutes so is 25% longer. If I increase my charges by 10% and limit my appointments to 60 minute bookings only then I’ve basically absorbed 15% of the additional cost to me and passed on 10% of the cost of the client. This feels fair.
I set my minimum charge to be greater than the cost of a 30 minute treatment, to discourage all the 20-25 minute treatments unless as part of a longer appointment. I also put my charges up for my 30 minute appointments.
if you’re mobile, instead of a minimum booking value, you might want to book a minimum time slot -or at least think in those terms. I split my minimum between family members that come in back to back.
I’m simply explaining to clients, calmly, that I am only accepting a much smaller number of bookings at presen for safety reasons and that the best way to handle this is to set a minimum booking value of X. (£40 in my case). I state the cost of the requested treatment and then name a couple of additional treatments that make up the value or complement the booking . Its a relaxed conversation, I ask what they want to book in for before I get into the when they want to come, so I’m not poised over my appointment book, looking at gaps. There’s no “you can have the 4pm on Wednesday space only if you add another treatment”. The enquiry understands what I’m offering before I look at availability.
hope this is helpful