10 minutes to your first bot booking: step by step, no developers, no integrations

The most common fear among salon owners: "I don't have developers, I won't figure this out". Good news: setting up ManicBot takes 10 minutes on a phone, no code and no integrations. This article is a step-by-step guide from registration to the first real client booking.

If anything goes wrong — there's a "common mistakes" section at the end.

What you need before you start

The minimum: a phone with Telegram, your salon name, 3–5 services with duration and price, working hours. That's it. Website, domain, legal entity — not required (you can connect them later).

Step 1. Registration (2 minutes)

1. Open manicbot.com on your phone or laptop.
2. Click "Start for free" in the top right.
3. Enter email and password (12+ characters).
4. Confirm email — a 6-digit code arrives in your inbox.
5. Enter the code — you're in.

During registration we ask for the UI language (RU/UA/EN/PL) and a role. Pick "Salon Owner" — that activates the Salon Dashboard.

You're auto-enrolled into a 14-day trial of the Pro plan. No card needed — try it, and only pick a plan if you like it.

Step 2. Create your salon (1 minute)

In the onboarding wizard, enter:

• Salon name — what clients will see in the bot.
• City — needed for the public catalogue.
• Address — included in reminders so clients don't get lost.

Don't worry about logo and cover photo — you'll add them later in Settings. Right now the goal is the first booking, not design.

Step 3. Services (3 minutes)

Add 3–5 core services. Each service has:

• Name — "Manicure with coating".
• Duration — e.g. 90 minutes. The slot is blocked for that long.
• Price — 150 zł. You can use "from 150" but concrete numbers convert better.

Tip: start with the most popular services. Extended catalogue comes later. Too long a list on day one confuses the client.

Step 4. Schedule (2 minutes)

Open Settings → Working Hours. Set the days and hours you work. Default is Mon-Fri 9:00–18:00, easily switched.

If you're a single technician — that's enough. If the salon has several — each is added in Staff with their own hours. Give each technician the master role and they'll get their own Master Dashboard.

Step 5. First client (2 minutes)

Done. Now test. Under Channels → Telegram you'll see your bot link — something like t.me/your_salon_bot.

1. Copy the link.
2. Open it yourself in Telegram (or ask a friend).
3. Tap "Start" and the bot greets you.
4. Pick a service → technician → time → confirm.
5. The booking shows up in the ManicBot admin panel under Appointments.

Congrats, your bot is live. Send the link to clients — Instagram bio, Direct, business card.

What to do next

After the first booking, plug in three more things, by ascending complexity:

• Google Calendar — 2 minutes, kills double-bookings. Guide in a separate article.
• Instagram and website chat — 15 minutes, expands your audience. Guide in the channel comparison.
• 24h / 2h reminders — toggles in Settings. On by default.

Common starting mistakes

• Too many services at once. Start with 5, expand in a week. Long list = low conversion.
• Wrong duration. If you set 60 minutes for a service that takes 90, slots will overlap. Measure for real.
• Didn't add technicians. If there are several of you — each must be in Staff with an email and role.
• Trial expired, no card on file. ManicBot reminds you 3 days ahead. Start plan is 45 zł/month, cheaper than lunch.

The bottom line

10 minutes to set up, 14 days free, 45 zł/month after. Less than the price of one manicure — and you usually book more clients in the first week than you pay.

A quick reality check on results

We get one question more than any other after onboarding: "I'm set up, but bookings don't roll in — what's wrong?". Nine times out of ten it's not the bot, it's distribution. The bot is a closer, not a marketer.

So once it works, make sure clients actually have a path to it:

• Instagram bio link. Replace whatever's there now with the bot link. Around 40% of first-week bookings come through that single change.
• Direct auto-reply. Inside Instagram Business settings, set the welcome message to point to the bot link. New DMs get the link automatically, even when you're asleep.
• Stories with a "Book Now" sticker. Once a week, post a work photo with that sticker. It converts surprisingly well.
• Business card / receipt. Print the bot link on whatever the client leaves with. They'll forget your name but they won't lose the card for two weeks.

If anything's off — message Help → Support Chat. We reply within an hour during business hours.