Drafting New-Client Forms and Welcome Messages

A new-client form should be short. Name, how to reach them, the service they want. For many salons, that's close to everything.

Decide what you need first

Before you open a chat tool, write down why you need each piece of information. If you can't say why, leave it off.

A simple test: when would you actually use this answer? A phone number, yes. You'll send reminders. A birthday, only if you really use it. Past hair history can be useful for a colour appointment, but you can often ask that in person.

Give the tool that short list. Here's a request:

"Draft a new-client form for a hair salon. Ask only for: first name, last name, mobile number, email, service wanted, and how they heard about us. Add a tick box for message consent. Plain language, short."

What to keep out

Be careful with anything about health. Some salons ask about allergies or skin conditions, and those answers can be sensitive information. The OAIC says it is "generally afforded a higher level of privacy protection."¹

Its examples include photographs or videos from which race or health information can be inferred.¹ So think twice before collecting client photos, too.

Health and allergy details are sensitive information. What counts as sensitive, and what you may collect, differs by country, so check your national privacy regulator. Don't ask the chat tool to rule on it.

Consent for messages

If you plan to text or email promotions, you'll want a clear yes from the client. In Australia, the regulator lists "filling in a form" as one way people can give express consent.² It also says to keep a record of who agreed, and when.²

So a separate tick box that the client ticks themselves makes sense on the form. Other countries have different rules. Check the official consent page for yours.

The welcome message

A welcome message is the first thing a new client reads from you. Keep it warm and practical: thanks for booking, where to park, what to bring, how to reach you.

Ask the tool for two versions:

"Write a welcome text for a new salon client. Include [name], [day] and [time]. Mention that the form is at [link]. Friendly, under fifty words."

Then trim it. A welcome text with six paragraphs gets skimmed.

Don't paste real answers back in

When the form comes back filled in, don't paste a client's answers into a chat tool to "summarise" them. The same regulator advises against putting personal information into public AI tools.¹ The reasons are on the privacy page.

Check the form once printed

Look at it on a phone and on paper. Check that every question has a reason, that the consent box is separate, and that it points to your privacy notice if your country needs one. A form you can fill in with your thumb in a minute is more likely to be completed.