Ready-to-use scripts
Christmas & New Year Closure
Thank you for calling [Salon Name]. We're closed for the holidays from [start date] through [end date] and will reopen on [return date] at [time]. To book an appointment for after the holidays, please leave your name, phone number, preferred date and time, and the service you're looking for. You can also book online at [website]. Gift cards are available on our website if you're looking for a last-minute holiday gift.
Thanksgiving Break
Hi, you've reached [Salon Name]. We're closed for Thanksgiving from [start date] through [end date] and will be back on [return date] at [time]. If you'd like to schedule an appointment, leave your name, phone number, preferred date, and the service you need. For online booking, visit [website]. We'll return all messages on [return date].
Summer Break / Annual Closure
Thanks for calling [Salon Name]. We're on our annual summer break from [start date] through [end date]. We'll be back refreshed and ready on [return date] at [time]. Leave your name, phone number, and what you'd like to book, and we'll reach out when we return. Online booking for dates after [return date] is available at [website].
Easter / Spring Closure
You've reached [Salon Name]. We're closed for the Easter holiday from [start date] through [end date] and will reopen on [return date] at [time]. To schedule your next appointment, leave your name, number, preferred date, and the treatment you're interested in. You can also book directly at [website]. We look forward to seeing you.
Emergency Closure
Thank you for calling [Salon Name]. We're sorry, but we're closed today due to [reason]. We expect to reopen on [return date] at [time]. If you had an appointment today, please leave your name and number and we'll call you to reschedule as soon as possible. For future bookings, visit [website]. We apologize for the short notice.
Customization tips
Beauty salons should always direct callers to online booking during closures. Clients calling about holiday appointments have a specific date in mind and don't want to wait for a callback. If you sell gift cards, mention them in the Christmas message since holiday gift card sales can add meaningful revenue. For emergency closures, prioritize clients who had appointments that day by calling them back first.
Holiday Closures Cost Salons More Than You’d Expect
A beauty salon’s phone doesn’t stop ringing just because the doors are locked. During the holiday season in particular, callers are trying to book pre-holiday appointments, ask about gift cards, or schedule something for the new year. Every unanswered call during a closure is a potential booking that goes elsewhere.
The good news: a well-crafted holiday message can capture most of that demand. Callers who hear clear dates, online booking options, and gift card availability can take action immediately instead of hanging up and calling the next salon.
When to Use Each Script
Christmas & New Year Closure covers the biggest annual break. Most salons close for a few days to a week around the holidays. Timing matters here: the week before Christmas is one of the busiest periods in the beauty industry (blowouts, updos, last-minute treatments before holiday parties), while the week after tends to be quiet. Your message should list exact closure dates, promote online booking for January appointments, and mention gift cards.
Thanksgiving Break is usually two to four days. The message is simpler: closure dates, return date, and booking instructions. If you’re running a Black Friday or holiday season promotion, a brief mention is fine.
Summer Break / Annual Closure is common among smaller salons and independent beauticians. A week or two off in July or August keeps staff energized and prevents burnout. Your message should explain the break (so callers don’t think you’ve closed permanently), give the exact return date, and direct them to online booking for appointments after the break.
Easter / Spring Closure is typically a long weekend. Spring is also when many clients start booking more frequently (skin care for warmer weather, new color for the season), so capture those appointment requests in your message.
Emergency Closure covers unplanned situations: water main breaks, power outages, or sudden staff illness. The priority here is clients who had appointments that day. Acknowledge the disruption, apologize briefly, and promise to reschedule. Don’t over-explain the reason. Clients just need to know when you’ll be back.
The Pre-Holiday Rush Creates a Post-Holiday Opportunity
The week before Christmas is typically the busiest of the year for salons. Clients want blowouts for holiday parties, fresh color before family photos, facials before New Year’s Eve. That rush means your team is exhausted going into the closure.
But the holiday closure also creates an opportunity. Clients who couldn’t get an appointment before the holidays will be eager to book in early January. Your holiday message should make it easy for them to get on the calendar before you even return:
- Direct them to online booking
- Ask them to leave their preferred date, time, and service
- Mention any January specials if you’re running them
When you reopen, you want a full book for the first two weeks, not a scramble to rebuild momentum.
Gift Cards Are Quiet Revenue
Holiday phone messages are one of the few places where a brief promotional mention works naturally. Gift cards for salon services are a popular holiday present, and many buyers purchase them at the last minute. If your message says “Gift cards are available on our website,” you’re putting a product in front of someone who may be looking for exactly that.
This works best with online gift card sales. A caller who hears about gift cards at 9 PM on December 23 can buy one on your website in two minutes. If you only sell gift cards in person, it’s less useful during a closure, but you can still mention it for the “on our last day before the break” message.
Rescheduling After an Emergency Closure
Emergency closures are stressful for salon owners because of the immediate impact on revenue and client relationships. A full day of appointments canceled without notice means unhappy clients and lost income.
Your recovery plan should be:
- Record a clear emergency message immediately with the expected return date
- Sort through voicemails and missed calls when you reopen
- Prioritize rescheduling clients who had appointments on the closure day
- Offer a small gesture (complimentary add-on, priority scheduling) to acknowledge the inconvenience
Most clients are understanding about genuine emergencies. The ones who leave are usually the ones who felt ignored, not the ones who were inconvenienced.
Keep Bookings Coming While You’re Away
A recorded message captures appointment requests, but it can’t confirm availability, suggest alternative times, or answer questions about services. Safina answers holiday calls, asks what the client wants to book, and sends you organized appointment requests. When you return, you have a list of bookings to confirm instead of a pile of voicemails to decode.
At $11.99/month for the Basic plan, it covers the handful of calls that trickle in during a closure. For salons that want year-round overflow coverage, the Pro plan at $29.99/month handles 100 minutes.
Browse our beauty salon greeting scripts for daily call handling and after-hours templates for evening coverage. Hair salons face identical challenges, so see our hair salon holiday scripts too. The full script library has templates for every industry and scenario.
