Salon Price Increase Letter: 5 Templates to Copy (2026)

A salon price increase letter is a short, warm notice that tells clients which prices are changing, by how much, from what date, and why. The best ones go out at least a month ahead (six weeks is safer), stay under one screen, and are repeated by email, text, social media and a sign at your station. Below you'll find five copy-paste templates, guidance on how much to raise and when, scripts for handling pushback, and how to use grandfathering without trapping yourself in old prices.

Key takeaways

• Give at least one month's notice, ideally six weeks, so regulars on a 4–8 week cycle hear it in person first.
• Keep each increase moderate: salon industry guides commonly suggest staying at or under 10% at one time.
• Raise regularly, every 12–24 months, instead of waiting years and making one big jump.
• Don't apologize, explain briefly. Thank, inform, give the date and the new prices.
• Costs are rising: prices for haircuts and other personal care services rose 4.2% in the year to August 2026 (BLS), faster than overall inflation at 3.4%.

When should you raise your salon prices?

Raise prices when your costs or your demand have outgrown your price list. Common signs, many of them listed in Booksy's and Sola Salons' guides for beauty pros:

• Your calendar is booked two to three weeks ahead most of the time.
• It's been 12–24 months since your last increase. Booksy calls it the "Two-Year Rule": if you haven't updated in two years, you've fallen behind.
• Your overhead has gone up: rent, product, insurance, software.
• You've added skills or certifications, or invested in new equipment.
• You're busy but not earning more, because your cost per hour has crept up.

Inflation alone justifies a regular review. In the BLS Consumer Price Index, "haircuts and other personal care services" rose 4.2% between August 2025 and August 2026, compared with 3.4% for all items. If your prices haven't moved, you've effectively taken a pay cut.

How much should you raise prices?

Booksy's guide gives a common rule of thumb: don't exceed 10% at one time. In practice, many stylists raise by a round amount:

Example prices only. A $5 step on a low price can already exceed 10%, so on entry services a smaller step may feel fairer.

To find the right number for you, re-run your cost-per-hour calculation (fixed costs plus your pay, divided by billable hours). Our guide on how to price salon services walks through it. If the gap is larger than 10%, split it into two steps six to twelve months apart, or raise high-demand services more and entry services less.

How much notice should you give clients?

Give at least one month; that's what both Sola and Booksy recommend. Six weeks is better: Booksy notes that "most clients visit on a cycle of 4 to 8 weeks", so a six-week window means almost everyone hears it in your chair before the change, not at checkout.

A simple timeline:

1. Week 0: update your printed sign and tell clients in person.
2. Week 0–1: send the email and post on Instagram.
3. Week 4: send a short text reminder.
4. Change date: update prices on your booking site, Google profile and printed menu the same day.

What to include in a salon price increase notice

Every version, long or short, needs five things:

1. Thanks for their loyalty.
2. The date the new prices start.
3. The new prices, or a link to the full list.
4. One or two sentences on why: rising costs, new training, more time per client. No essay.
5. What stays the same: your care, your policies, the quality of your work. Add any grandfathering or early-booking offer.

5 salon price increase letter templates

Replace everything in [brackets]. Keep the tone that matches your brand.

1. Email: sample price increase letter to clients

Subject: A small update to my prices from [June 1]

Hi [First name],

Thank you for trusting me with your [hair/nails/lashes]. Being part of your routine means a lot to me.

I'm writing to let you know that from [June 1, 2026], some of my prices will change. Over the past [two years], the cost of professional products, rent and training has gone up, and I want to keep using the best products and giving every appointment the time it deserves.

Here are the new prices for the services you book most:

• [Cut and style]: [$75] → [$80]
• [Single-process color]: [$150] → [$160]
• [Gloss]: [$40] → [$45]

The full price list is here: [link].

Appointments booked before [June 1] keep today's prices, so feel free to grab your next spot now: [booking link].

Thank you for your support. I can't wait to see you at your next visit.

[Your name] [Salon name] · [phone]

2. Text message

Hi [First name], it's [Your name] from [Salon]! Quick heads-up: from [June 1], some prices will change (e.g. [cut & style $75 → $80]). Anything booked before then stays at today's price. Full list + booking: [link]. Thanks so much for your support!

Keep texts under two short sentences plus the link. Send only to clients who've agreed to receive texts from you.

3. Instagram post or story caption

A little update

From [June 1], my prices for some services will change. Over the last [two years] I've invested in [advanced color training / new products / a new studio], and costs have gone up across the board.

What doesn't change: the time, care and attention you get in my chair.

Book before [June 1] to keep current prices. New price list in my highlights and at the link in bio.

Thank you for supporting a small business.

Save it to a "Prices" highlight so new followers see the current list.

4. Front-desk or station sign

Price update

Starting [June 1, 2026], our service prices will be updated. Thank you for helping us keep using professional products and giving every client the time they deserve.

Ask us for the new price list, or scan the code to see it and book: [QR code]

Appointments booked before [June 1] keep current prices.

Put it at eye level at your station, the front desk or the mirror, where clients look while they wait.

5. Personal note for loyal clients (hair salon price increase template)

Hi [First name],

You've been coming to me for [five years], and I wanted to tell you personally before anyone else: from [June 1], my prices will go up slightly, mostly because of [product and rent costs].

Because you've been with me since the start, your price stays the same for your next [two] visits, until [August 31]. After that, your [cut and color] will be [$215] instead of [$200].

Thank you for being one of the reasons I love what I do. See you on [date]!

[Your name]

Use this for your top regulars, the clients who've referred others or come every few weeks for years. It costs you little and earns a lot of goodwill.

Grandfathering: should existing clients keep old prices?

Grandfathering means existing clients keep their old prices while new clients pay the new ones. It feels generous, but open-ended grandfathering means you carry two price lists forever and your most loyal clients end up paying the least.

Better options:

• Time-limited grandfathering: old prices until a set date or for the next one or two visits (template 5).
• Book-ahead lock-in: appointments booked before the change date keep today's price. Booksy suggests a similar "Early Bird" approach where clients book their next two appointments to lock in current rates. It also fills your calendar.
• Loyalty perks instead of discounts: keep one price list and reward frequency instead, for example a free treatment after a set number of visits. See our salon loyalty program ideas.

Whatever you choose, write the end date down and apply it the same way to everyone in that group.

How to handle pushback

Most clients accept a fair, well-announced increase. For the few who don't, stay calm and kind.

"That's a lot, why so much?"

"I understand, nobody likes price changes. My product and rent costs have gone up quite a bit, and I'd rather adjust a little now than cut corners on your [color]. I gave everyone [six weeks'] notice so it wouldn't be a surprise."

"Can you keep my old price?"

"I've kept today's price for anything you book before [June 1]. Want me to book your next two appointments now so you get that?"

"I'll have to come less often / go somewhere else."

"I completely understand, and I'd love to keep seeing you. If it helps, we could [stretch your color to every 8 weeks with a gloss in between / switch to a shorter service]. And if you do try somewhere else, my door's always open."

What not to do: don't apologize repeatedly, don't blame other clients or your landlord at length, don't offer a private discount on the spot (word travels), and don't make the price "go away" with hidden add-on fees. Clear and consistent beats clever.

After the change: update everywhere at once

On the change date, update your prices on your booking site, Google Business Profile, Instagram highlights and printed menu, so no client sees two different numbers. Add the new prices to your salon policies page if you list them there.

If your services live on BeautiDock, you change each price once on the service and your booking site shows it immediately; appointments that are already booked aren't the place to surprise anyone, so honor the price they booked at. BeautiDock is free to start, with every feature included, and you pay $0.50 per online booking after your first 30, capped at $19 per professional per month. Create your booking site free.

The bottom line

A price increase is a normal part of running a salon, not a confession. Raise moderately and regularly, give clients at least a month (ideally six weeks), send one clear message across email, text, Instagram and a printed sign, and use time-limited grandfathering or book-ahead offers to reward loyalty. Then stand by your new prices with a smile.

Sources

• U.S. BLS: CPI-U by detailed expenditure category, August 2026 (Table 2)
• Booksy: How to raise prices at your salon without losing clients
• Sola Salons: When and how to raise your salon prices