[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":279},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-\u002Fblog\u002Fwhat-to-do-with-color-processing-time":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":265,"extension":266,"howToSteps":267,"itemList":267,"meta":268,"navigation":269,"path":270,"publishedAt":271,"readMinutes":272,"seo":273,"stem":274,"tags":275,"updatedAt":267,"__hash__":278},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fwhat-to-do-with-color-processing-time.md","What to do with color processing time (until you have software for it)",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":253},"minimark",[9,18,21,26,37,66,69,73,79,85,92,95,101,105,108,111,115,121,127,133,139,143,146,152,158,170,173,177,180,188,191,195,219,223],[10,11,12,13,17],"p",{},"You've read the math. The illustrative version says your color processing windows ",[14,15,16],"em",{},"may"," be worth on the order of $260 a week if you can fill them (your real number depends on your real volume and ticket). Now: how do you actually run this if your booking software doesn't model Process Time as a first-class feature?",[10,19,20],{},"This is the manual version. In my view, lower throughput than the software version but better than doing nothing.",[22,23,25],"h2",{"id":24},"why-texting-specifically-is-the-right-channel","Why texting (specifically) is the right channel",[10,27,28,29,36],{},"Before the workflow, a quick note on why text and not Instagram DM, email, or a story. Per ",[30,31,35],"a",{"href":32,"rel":33},"https:\u002F\u002Fsakari.io\u002Fblog\u002Fsms-marketing-benchmarks-2025-performance-metrics-and-industry-insights",[34],"nofollow","Sakari's 2025 SMS benchmarks",":",[38,39,40,48,54,60],"ul",{},[41,42,43,47],"li",{},[44,45,46],"strong",{},"SMS open rates run around 98%"," — meaningfully higher than email's ~20-30%.",[41,49,50,53],{},[44,51,52],{},"90% of texts are read within 3 minutes"," of arrival.",[41,55,56,59],{},[44,57,58],{},"Average response rate on SMS is 45%",", vs. ~6% for email.",[41,61,62,65],{},[44,63,64],{},"Average response time on SMS is ~3 minutes",", vs. ~90 minutes for email.",[10,67,68],{},"For a 25-minute processing window where the offer expires the moment your hands need to go back to the color, every minute of channel-latency matters. SMS is the only channel where the read-and-reply window plausibly fits inside your processing window.",[22,70,72],{"id":71},"the-manual-workflow-in-three-moves","The manual workflow, in three moves",[10,74,75,78],{},[44,76,77],{},"1. Keep a \"process-time regulars\" list."," Four to six clients you'd happily text on short notice for a 25-minute cut. The list lives in your phone notes. These should be regulars who know your work, don't need a consult, are flexible on timing, and respond to texts quickly. Friends who get cuts from you are perfect. Booth-mates who get their own hair cut by you, also perfect.",[10,80,81,84],{},[44,82,83],{},"2. Text one of them at the start of every color appointment."," While the color is processing and you're at the bowl, send one text:",[86,87,89],"text-template",{"to":88},"Riley",[10,90,91],{},"Hey — Sarah's color processes at 10:45. You free for a 25-min cut then? $60. Pop in if you want.",[10,93,94],{},"That's it. Specific time, specific service, specific price. Send it to two people on the list if you want better odds — first to say yes wins. The 45% average SMS response rate from the Sakari data assumes a well-targeted ask; a vague mass-text gets worse.",[10,96,97,100],{},[44,98,99],{},"3. Have a buffer."," Set the parallel cut at 25 minutes inside a 30-minute processing window. The 5-minute buffer is what keeps the day from running late when the cut takes an extra two minutes. Without the buffer, you spiral the first time anything runs over.",[22,102,104],{"id":103},"what-the-day-looks-like-with-the-manual-version","What the day looks like with the manual version",[10,106,107],{},"Imagine three color appointments on a Saturday. You text one regular at the start of each. If the SMS-channel-typical 45% response rate translates roughly to your priority-text list (it may run higher because your regulars are warm, not cold contacts), you're looking at one or two parallel slots filled at $60 each on the day.",[10,109,110],{},"This is meaningfully less reliable than software that handles it automatically — you have to remember to text, the same handful of regulars get the offer over and over, and you have to track which ones haven't been asked recently. But until you have the tool, the manual version is dramatically better than not doing it at all.",[22,112,114],{"id":113},"what-goes-wrong-in-the-manual-version-and-how-to-fix-it","What goes wrong in the manual version (and how to fix it)",[10,116,117,120],{},[44,118,119],{},"You forget to text."," The biggest failure mode. You're applying color and you don't pull out your phone. Fix: put a sticky note on the bowl that says \"text Riley.\" Or set a phone reminder for 9:05 every Saturday. Or stack the workflow so the text happens at the same moment every time — say, right after you've put the cap on.",[10,122,123,126],{},[44,124,125],{},"You text the same person every time."," They get burnt out on the texts. Fix: rotate your list. Six people, one text per appointment. Each person gets the offer maybe once every two weeks, not three times in a Saturday.",[10,128,129,132],{},[44,130,131],{},"You text people who aren't right for it."," New clients, complicated clients, people who need consults — keep them off the list. The parallel slot only works for predictable, in-and-out clients.",[10,134,135,138],{},[44,136,137],{},"The parallel cut runs long."," Build the 5-minute buffer. If the cut takes 27 minutes inside a 30-minute window, the color's been sitting for 2 extra minutes. Mostly fine for single-process color, not great for balayage where the lift is more variable.",[22,140,142],{"id":141},"why-this-channel-and-not-instagram-dm-or-email","Why this channel and not Instagram DM or email",[10,144,145],{},"A few other channels people consider for the same task, with the relevant data:",[10,147,148,151],{},[44,149,150],{},"Instagram DM."," No published industry data I can cite on DM response rate for stylist-client business communication. Anecdotally feels slower than SMS — DMs land in a less-prioritized notification stream. If your client reaches you primarily via Instagram, it can work; for short-notice slots I think SMS is structurally better.",[10,153,154,157],{},[44,155,156],{},"Email."," Per the Sakari data above, average email response rate is ~6% with ~90-minute response time. That's outside the practical window for filling a 25-minute processing slot.",[10,159,160,163,164,169],{},[44,161,162],{},"Group blast \u002F Instagram story."," Lower targeting quality (you can't pick your top regulars to see it first) and, in the case of stories, ",[30,165,168],{"href":166,"rel":167},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.socialinsider.io\u002Fsocial-media-benchmarks\u002Finstagram-stories-benchmarks",[34],"reach of 2-9% per Socialinsider's benchmarks",". Wrong tool for the job.",[10,171,172],{},"The personal one-on-one SMS is the right channel — the SMS engagement data above is a structural property, not just a preference.",[22,174,176],{"id":175},"when-to-graduate-to-software","When to graduate to software",[10,178,179],{},"The manual version works fine if you're filling one or two Process Time slots per week. Once you're filling four or five — or you're trying to manage a roster of 30+ clients who all have different short-notice preferences — the manual version starts to break down. The texts pile up, you forget who you texted recently, and the conversion rate drops because the same six people keep getting the same offer.",[10,181,182,183,187],{},"That's when a booking tool that models Process Time pays for itself. ",[30,184,186],{"href":185},"\u002Ffeatures\u002Fprocess-time","ChairCal's Process Time"," lets clients book themselves into the processing windows; you don't have to remember anything. The throughput goes up; the mental load goes down.",[10,189,190],{},"Until then, the sticky note on the bowl is fine. The math still works, and the SMS engagement benchmarks suggest the channel is right.",[22,192,194],{"id":193},"references","References",[196,197,198,209],"ol",{},[41,199,200,201,204,205],{},"Sakari. ",[14,202,203],{},"SMS Marketing Benchmarks 2025: Performance Metrics and Industry Insights."," ",[30,206,208],{"href":32,"rel":207},[34],"sakari.io\u002Fblog\u002Fsms-marketing-benchmarks-2025",[41,210,211,212,204,215],{},"Socialinsider. ",[14,213,214],{},"2025 Instagram Stories Benchmarks.",[30,216,218],{"href":166,"rel":217},[34],"socialinsider.io\u002Fsocial-media-benchmarks\u002Finstagram-stories-benchmarks",[22,220,222],{"id":221},"related-reading","Related reading",[38,224,225,232,239,246],{},[41,226,227,231],{},[30,228,230],{"href":229},"\u002Fblog\u002Fyour-color-processing-time-is-worth-260-a-week","Your color processing time may be worth $260 a week"," — the foundational math on why these windows are worth filling.",[41,233,234,238],{},[30,235,237],{"href":236},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-double-book-color-clients","How to double-book color clients (without anyone feeling rushed)"," — the planned-booking workflow once you have software for it.",[41,240,241,245],{},[30,242,244],{"href":243},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbalayage-scheduling-stop-wasting-the-lift","Balayage scheduling: stop wasting the lift"," — the longer-window version on balayages.",[41,247,248,252],{},[30,249,251],{"href":250},"\u002Fblog\u002Fsms-vs-email-vs-instagram-dm-for-stylists","SMS vs. email vs. Instagram DM"," — the channel benchmarks that explain why the texting workflow works.",{"title":254,"searchDepth":255,"depth":255,"links":256},"",2,[257,258,259,260,261,262,263,264],{"id":24,"depth":255,"text":25},{"id":71,"depth":255,"text":72},{"id":103,"depth":255,"text":104},{"id":113,"depth":255,"text":114},{"id":141,"depth":255,"text":142},{"id":175,"depth":255,"text":176},{"id":193,"depth":255,"text":194},{"id":221,"depth":255,"text":222},"If your booking tool can't fit a second client inside a color, here's the manual version. SMS marketing benchmarks back up the texting workflow.","md",null,{},true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fwhat-to-do-with-color-processing-time","2026-05-01",6,{"title":5,"description":265},"blog\u002Fwhat-to-do-with-color-processing-time",[276,277],"process-time","workflow","O7faqr8B02RYzTllmzBlaPC_GabW46mfStogr40Q3tg",1780931718148]