2017 was a big year. The unicorn hair fad swept through salons. Salt Bae graced us with his presence. Prince Harry took himself off the market. It was a roller coaster of a year, really.
But one thing that shone through for us was the number of game-changing tech tools that had us shouting, “Thank you, 2017!” We’ve wrangled up the best of the best that will help your salon, spa or barber business work smarter, not harder.
Plann
Plann is an awesome tool if you’re short on time and want a gorgeous Insta feed. It features super easy drag ‘n’ drop functionality and lets you plan out your Instagram posts and Stories to make sure your new content is going to stick with your existing content. After all, you want that picture-perfect profile to help you draw in potential clients!
In 2017, Plann stepped up their game by adding some awesome analytics and performance features. It lets you know the best time to post, which color palettes work for you, your highest performing hashtags, and overall performance metrics.
Instagram Stories
Insta Stories have been #rockingourworld since 2016, but this year they really ramped up the fun factor. From face filters, to ads, to location stickers, there’s plenty Insta Stories can do for your content creation.
Our favorite new addition this year was the polling stickers. They present so much opportunity for you! Think about it, if you have a 50/50 question you want to ask your clients, set up your poll and watch the votes roll in. It’s also a great way to drive engagement in your Stories.
The Mobile Guest App
The Mobile Guest App is already packed with features that your clients love, including the ability to book appointments, meet your team, browse your latest Facebook updates, and check out your hot specials. It’s a very powerful tool that helps you stay connected with your clients.
This year, the app got even better. We launched the ability to book on behalf of another person, meaning your clients can book an appointment for their child, friend, an elderly relative, or pretty much anyone via the app. You can check out how it works in this quick video.
UberEats
Enough said.
Canva
For the amateur designer, Canva is a handy tool for whipping up social media posts, website graphics, flyers, and pretty much anything else you can dream of. It’s super easy to use, and has plenty of in-built designs to help make your creation pop in a jiffy.
Canva released its brand new animator this year, so you can make your very own GIFs and animations. Just think of all the amazing social media content you could create!
Customized Forms
Customized Forms is a new tool to Shortcuts this year, and enables clinics and spas, and those of you in hair and beauty too, to build personalized forms for clients, and collect a signed formal agreement.
All the client needs to do is complete and sign the form on a tablet. Once completed, and the terms and conditions are accepted, it will be time stamped and can be saved nice and safely in their client history. Goodbye admin work and data entry mishaps! Customized Forms are perfect for flagging any must-know details with a client, such as allergies, before their appointment.
So, what was your favorite tech tool of 2017?
