Salon client intake form: A form for gathering information from new clients so you can tailor your services according to their preferences and needs.
Clients come to your salon to look their best. But if their expectations or allergy details aren’t properly communicated, they could end up leaving the chair unhappy. Enter the client intake form — a simple way to get everyone on the same page.
Get your free salon intake form template below!
Disclaimer: If your form includes a release of liability or consent section, it’s recommended that you have the document reviewed by a licensed legal professional before using it with clients.
Pro Tip: Intake forms help prevent mishaps, but they don’t replace essential risk protection. Don’t have coverage yet? Look into salon insurance to keep your business protected.
Why Salon Client Intake Forms Matter
1. Organize Your Salon Operations
Without a salon intake form, your stylists scramble to remember client details — like when their last bleach was or who their preferred provider is — which can lead to mistakes.
Implementing an intake form immediately establishes your salon as an orderly business. Your entire team is synced because they have access to the same client information. No guesswork, no run-around.
2. Reduce Safety Risks
Product allergies, sensitivities, and contraindications? Your salon needs to know all these crucial items beforehand so they don’t get overlooked. A salon intake form allows your client to share all the necessary info upfront to reduce safety concerns.
3. Enhance the Client Experience
“I already answered this question.” – Your client without an intake form, probably.
When clients have to repeat themselves at every visit, they can feel like just another number. Intake forms enhance the client experience by helping them feel cared for, especially because your stylists remember details like their favorite nail shape or shampoo scent.
4. Avoid Lost Revenue Opportunities
A salon intake form lays out a client’s preferences and goals (for example, taking their virgin dark brown hair to an icy platinum blonde). These notes provide an excellent opportunity to upsell products and services — with your client’s needs in mind.
Utilize each intake form as a roadmap for keeping your clients in the sales funnel. It’s a win-win for both of you!
5. Set Clear Expectations
Salon client intake forms help set clear expectations on what your services entail and how clients will look afterward. There’s nothing worse than a reveal causing a client to say, “This is not what I wanted at all.”
Sometimes, after hearing what a client envisions, you need to gently lower their expectations (“We can get your hair lighter, but it won’t look exactly like the picture”), and that’s OK! Having this consultation based on the intake form protects your salon and your clients from surprises later on.
Story Time: The Missed Allergy
At Lina’s salon, a walk-in client mentioned she had sensitive skin, but didn’t complete her intake form. Ten minutes into a color service, the client’s scalp started to tingle.
Lina rinsed the color out immediately, applied a soothing treatment, and flagged “PPD sensitivity, patch test required” in the client’s profile.
Though the situation didn’t escalate into a severe reaction, it shouldn’t have happened in the first place! No matter how experienced you are, a salon intake form is a non-negotiable step, and patch tests should always be performed for sensitivities.
What a Client Information Form for Salons Should Include
Contact Information
Ask for basic information like:
- Name
- Pronouns
- Birthday
- Phone number
- Email address
- Emergency contact information
Why you need it: To simplify future communication. This makes it easy to send text or email reminders. Plus, you never know when an emergency might pop up, so it’s crucial to have their emergency contact info at the ready.
Health Information
Include a section for relevant medical information, including:
- Known allergies
- Current medications
- Physical conditions (like hair loss or skin sensitivities)
Why you need it: Safety first. If a client is allergic to a product or has a contraindication that can affect service, you must know about it to make the appropriate adjustments.
Service History and Preferences
Let them spill the tea on their preferences and history, with prompts like:
- What beauty services are you interested in?
- What beauty services have you received in the past six months?
- What did you like about the services or providers?
- What did you not like about the services or providers?
- What else do we need to know about your beauty history?
Why you need it: This section is most relevant to avoid mishaps like botched hair color, but it’s also crucial for tailoring service to their preferences.
Hair/Skin/Nail Details
Depending on the type of salon you own, you also want to collect details like:
- Hair type
- Hair texture
- Hair condition
Why you need it: Beauty is not one size fits all. Getting these individual details gives you an understanding of the physical aspects of your client you’ll be working with.
Goals and Style Inspiration
Dig deeper into what beauty looks they’re aiming for.
- What do you want to achieve during your appointment?
- What beauty inspiration (celeb, friend, or social media images) do you want to share?
- Do you understand that your results may differ from the inspo pics provided?
Why you need it: Sometimes, clients don’t communicate their desired results clearly, so this gives them the chance to share exactly what they want. This section prompts you to set clear expectations on what they can realistically achieve through your services.
Agreements
You can combine the intake form to include agreements, such as:
- Consent to service (client acknowledges they understand your services and agrees to receive services at your salon)
- Liability waiver (client agrees not to sue your salon if something goes wrong as outlined by the waiver)
- No-show, cancellation, and payment policies
Why you need it: Getting your client’s signed agreement in writing protects your salon if a dispute arises later. Always have a legal professional review your intake form if you include consent and liability waiver sections.
How to Use the Free Salon Intake Form Template
Ready to create your own salon intake form? Just follow these steps.
- Access the free customizable salon intake form template.
- Add your branding (logo, colors, and salon information)
- Choose which sections to include.
- Tailor the questions to your salon.
- Have a legal professional review your form.
- Save the file as your salon’s master copy.
- Print or send as a digital copy to new clients.
- Store signed forms in client files.
- Update as needed!
Setting Your Salon Apart
Most clients don’t want to do extra paperwork — it’s not the most glam part of going to the salon. However, if you frame intake forms as a luxury experience enhancer, clients will feel like you truly care about them. Because you do!
Here are some scripts to get you started:
- “We want you to have the best experience possible. Help us help you by sharing some details about yourself + what you’re looking to get done!”
- “Thanks for booking with us! Let’s see what your dream beauty looks are — share some inspo pics so we can give the celebrity treatment.”
- “I see you’ve had scalp sensitivity. I want to make sure I understand your skin first by having you fill out this form. We’ll try gentle formulas and give your hair some extra TLC.”
New clients want to be assured you’re in it with them, so having them fill out an intake form establishes the care and commitment they can expect from booking your salon.
Check out more tips for running a successful beauty salon.
Protect Your Salon Further
A questionnaire form is a great starting point in salon protection, but sometimes accidents happen — even to the most experienced professionals. Salon insurance is a safety net that financially protects your business if clients get injured or claim your stylists made a service-related mistake.
An allergic reaction or a slip-and-fall at the shampoo station can end up costing your salon hundreds of thousands of dollars. But with the right coverage, you won’t have to cover those damages alone.
Beauty & Bodywork Insurance (BBI) offers blanket coverage for your salon and your entire team under one easy policy, starting at $31.08 a month. With a solid client intake form and salon insurance coverage, you can run your beauty business with peace of mind.
Curious about why you need insurance?
Read more → Salon Owners Claims Examples
FAQs About Salon Client Intake Forms
Can I Use a Free Template For My Salon’s Client Intake Form?
Yes, you can use a free template for your salon’s client intake form. Customize it according to your salon’s services and clients to ensure you’re collecting all the right information.
How Do I Ensure My Salon Intake Form Is Legally Compliant?
Here are some tips for ensuring your intake form is legally compliant:
- Use plain language that’s easy to understand
- Add disclaimers
- Include signature and date fields
- Update your form annually
- Consult a legal professional
The most important of these is having a lawyer review your intake form to confirm that the wording and included elements comply with your local rules and regulations.
How Can I Keep My Clients' Personal Information Safe on the Intake Form?
Keep your clients’ information safe by following these tips:
- Lock physical forms in a cabinet.
- Limit staff access to stylists and managers.
- Shred or delete old forms.
- Use software with data encryption and security certifications.
- Store forms in password-protected folders.
- Train your team on data security.
