Are you a "victim" of cancellations in your business?  Do you ever find yourself saying, "She canceled on me!"?  If so, then you might be choosing to view cancellations as all about HER.  Which means you're at her mercy, right?

Instead, put yourself in the driver's seat!  Don't be a victim!  "Read" your cancellations and, if necessary, make changes in your system!

First - do an assessment of the cancellations you've had during the past month.  Categorize them this way:

1. It was actually a reschedule - yes, she canceled the original appointment but it was for a legitimate reason and she rescheduled AND held the appointment at a different time.
2. It's been canceled and rescheduled multiple times.  The appointment is still on the books for the future, but so far it's been a chronic cancellation.
3. It was a "no show".  Either she wasn't home when you arrived for the scheduled appointment or she never showed up at your home if that's where it was to be held.

Once you've figured out what kinds of cancellations you're experiencing, you can take the next step.

If you find that the majority of your cancellations fall under the first category, that's great!  That's what it should look like.  Chances are, you're selecting women wisely and you're coaching the appointments well.  The only potential thing you might need to change is the NUMBER of appointments that you book.  You see, even when you do everything right, statistics hold that about half of what you book will reschedule and hold at a future date.  Life happens to people! If you're booking 2 appointments a week, with high-quality women of integrity - you still won't have 2 appointments to hold most weeks.  You'll have one.  Book well, coach with consistency and schedule twice as many appointments as you want to hold.  Mary Kay said this 40 years ago and nothing has changed. Some weeks, they'll all hold and you'll be EXTRA busy making money!  Other weeks, they'll all cancel.  That's how averages work out.  But if you look at the overall picture of your business you'll see that about half hold without rescheduling. So if you want 2, book 4.  If you only have 2 spaces in your schedule to book, then double-book and on the weeks when everything holds - dovetail!

If you find that you've always got a full datebook - and yet you rarely hold appointments - then you probably have a majority of chronic cancellers- category #2!  Here's where you have to evaluate reality and take control to change things!  An appointment scheduled is not income for you or building for your business.  We get nothing for the appointment booked - only for the appointment held!  If you're booking with women who consistently reschedule, again.....and again.....and again.....and again.....and again......then it's time to think more of yourself and seek a higher water level!  Don't put yourself in the position of having your MK schedule abused by women who are NOT high quality women of integrity!  Take the word SELECT as your theme word.  Select the women that you truly want to work with because of the kind of people they are.  Get referrals from your customers who ARE that kind of woman (people tend to know other people who are like themselves).  Also, revisit your wonderful customers who've been class hostesses in the past - if it's been more than 6 months since her last class, she'll love a new fall makeover or nail clinic where friends can join her and she can get MORE free product!

O.K.  If you have more than about 1 "no-show" every year or two, (category #3) it's time for a serious look at why you're booking flaky women AND/OR doing nothing to coach and remind your appointments!  We all have a "no-show" every now and then - however, in my business, if she doesn't phone VERY soon with an EXCEPTIONAL reason to explain the no-show, I erase her name and phone number from my life!!  Heaven knows I don't want to do business with that kind of a person and I hope you don't either.  Are you phoning ALL of your appointments the day before, to remind them (it's not a "confirmation" phone call - but a simple "reminder")?  I always let women know I'll be giving a reminder call or e-mail - whichever they prefer - the day before, so they know to expect it. This will prevent the "no-show" because she forgot - since you hadn't talked to her in 10 days!

Cancellations are a part of any "people business".  Doctors have them.  Lawyers have them.  Hair Stylists have them.  You will too. Take a look at your appointment history and make a change or two if needed.As long as you get the right kind of cancellations (category #1), and you consistently book 2 for every 1 you want to hold, your business will be strong and vital! 

Love ya!- Joyce   Trotnic