A no-show on a two-hour set isn’t just lost money; it’s a slot you could have given to someone on your waitlist. A small deposit changes behavior more than any reminder text, because people show up for things they’ve already paid for. Here’s how to set one up without scaring off good clients.
How much to take
Most artists take either a flat amount or a share of the service price. A common approach is a flat deposit for short services and around 20–50% for long or expensive ones, like full sets, sew-ins or locs. The deposit should be enough that skipping hurts a little, but not so much that a new client hesitates to book.
The deposit should come off the final price, not be an extra fee. Say so clearly: “$30 deposit, taken off your total.”
Write a policy people actually read
Keep it to a few short lines, shown right before they pay. For example:
- A deposit holds your appointment and comes off your total.
- Cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours ahead and your deposit moves to the new time.
- Late cancellations and no-shows keep the deposit.
- Running more than 15 minutes late may mean a shorter service or rebooking.
Take the deposit when they book, not later
Booking by DM and then chasing a deposit by Cash App is where most no-shows start: the client “forgets” to send it, and you don’t want to cancel on them. Let them pick a time and pay the deposit in the same step, from your link in bio. No deposit, no booking.
Send one reminder, the day before
A single reminder the day before, with the time, address and policy, catches the honest forgetters. More than that starts to feel like nagging.
Be fair when life happens
Your policy protects your time; it doesn’t have to be cruel. Real emergencies happen. Many artists move the deposit to a new date once, as a courtesy, and keep it the second time. Whatever you decide, apply it the same way to everyone.
Work out what no-shows cost you
Count your no-shows and late cancellations over the last month and multiply by your average service price. That’s what deposits protect, before you even count the time you spend chasing clients. Seeing the real number makes it much easier to stick to your policy.