The problem
Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are slow, and the chairs sit empty while Saturday is booked solid. If 3 slots a week stay empty at £20 a cut, that's £60 a week, about £258 a month (x 4.3).
What the AI does
Brevo is an email marketing platform with a drag-and-drop editor, sign-up forms and an AI tool that drafts email copy. Ask clients to opt in at the till or when booking, with an unticked box. Each week, email those clients one short offer, such as £2 off a cut before noon on Tuesday or Wednesday, with a link to book. Use the same offer for everyone who is on the list. PECR and UK GDPR require consent, a clear sender and a working unsubscribe in every email. Keep under-16s off the list unless a parent or guardian has agreed, and never add anyone who hasn't opted in.
A worked example
A barbershop in Stockport with 250 clients who ticked a box at the till sends one email each Monday offering £2 off a cut on Tuesday or Wednesday morning.
Before
3 empty slots a week on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at £20: £60 a week
After
If the email fills all 3 at £18 after the £2 discount: 3 x £18 = £54 a week, 54 x 4.3 = £232 a month
What it's worth
About £232 a month in takings, if the email fills the 3 empty slots a week at £18 (a £2 discount): 3 x £18 x 4.3. The 3 slots is an assumption, not a promise. About 1,075 emails a month (250 x 4.3) is well within Brevo's limits. Brevo's Free plan sends up to 300 emails a day, so a 250-client list fits; Free emails carry the Brevo logo. Starter is £6 a month; removing the logo is an £8 add-on on Starter, or included on Standard at £13.
How to set it up
- Add an opt-in at the till and in your booking process: an unticked box and a line saying you'll email offers, and clients can unsubscribe at any time.
- Create a Brevo account and import only the clients who opted in.
- Build one simple template with your shop name, one offer and a booking button.
- Each Monday, ask the AI tool for a short subject line and message, check the offer details, and send.
- Remove unsubscribes at once and keep your sign-up records.
What goes wrong
- Customers who've had a cut haven't automatically agreed to marketing. Don't import your booking list.
- Many barbers cut children's hair. Don't add under-16s to the list without a parent or guardian's agreement.
- The offer must be one you honour for everyone on the list; check the AI copy for wrong prices or days.
- Discounting regulars who'd have come anyway costs you £2 a cut; watch whether new slots are filled, not just old customers moved around.