Groupon

[Dboo0510]

Have any of you done any groupon deals? I looked into it and you dont get much money from them but it would get clients in the door. What is your thoughts?

 

[virtues2011]

If you think you will make money from this. Don't. You won't. If you are purely doing this for marketing purposes, sending you name out to tens of thousands of people it is a cheaper way of doing so in my opinion. However make sure you use little product, and the cheapest member of staff and the quickest. These deal sites work better for new staff and attracting clinets but which ever staff member you use, make sure they are pretty good at what they do and can retain the clients. You won't keep all of them but what's to say a client comes in once pays full price and you never see them again. Make sure your website is clear, informative and current...and don't use these companies regularly use only as a one off. Everyone is looking for a deal/bargain at the moment, if you were established and busy you wouldn't be using these companies so I say if you think carefully you will be fine. I really don't think at this point it is about devaluing your services, to keep them at a very low price for a length of time is, not a one off.

 

[glam8babe]

You should only charge what you're worth!! I would never use these sites, whenever I get emails from them and see beauty treatments eg. £8 for a massage... I just think they must be rubbish at their job and are desperate for clients or don't think they are worth any more than that price.

You will also attract the wrong type of client with these low prices... my prices for makeup and lashes are set at a higher price and I attract nice clients, I wouldn't want to be working on any vicky pollards.

x

 

[MrsHBeauty]

Groupon was great for my business. I used it when new and trying to get established.

I won't run another one now. You do get the bargain hunters in but I've gained quite a few regular and loyal clients from it.


Jemima

 

[Nila]

Hard work,
chaos in the salon,
losing your regular clients,
and ruining your reputation full stop.

Sorry but we have done it 3 years ago in a salon that I worked before and I will never make that mistake again.

 

[virtues2011]

Hard work,
chaos in the salon,
losing your regular clients,
and ruining your reputation full stop.

Sorry but we have done it 3 years ago in a salon that I worked before and I will never make that mistake again.

Apologies I did chuckle at your post (in a nice way)....is this due to being purely unorganised? I can't see how else you can lose clients, ruin your reputation and cause chaos.. unless your offer was too good to refuse!

I put an offer for a cut, blow dry and treatment but I also put the same offer on my website for a little under the deal value (probably took a risk here)- my name went out to 180k people I got 15 people in total from the company I used, but loads of hits and bookings through my website. It worked perfectly. I'm not sure how people can get in to this state if you think about it carefully.

 

[Dboo0510]

Thanks. I just worry because i would be lucky to make $5 after everything and i dont think its worth it but others say its good to do. Im confused.

 

[virtues2011]

Thanks. I just worry because i would be lucky to make $5 after everything and i dont think its worth it but others say its good to do. Im confused.

You will not make money from it. So you choose if it's worth it.

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[Eviestyle]

Be careful. Groupon clients love to write bad reviews!

 

[squidgernetball]

If you do it offer an upsell when they book. So your Groupon offer is a half a set of lashes for xx and you'll do a full set for xx amount more.
I would never do it again. When I initially did it some years ago a lot of people hadn't heard of it. The Groupon customer seemed to think they were something special! I met some of the rudest people ever. A lot of them left their booking until the last two weeks of the offer then had a right go at me because I couldn't fit them in. Never mind the fact that they had had 5 months to book in. I told them to contact Groupon for a refund. I don't like the way these offers devalue our industry and I think they can smack of desperation! I'd you decide to go ahead make the same thing available to your existing customers or they may get annoyed and as Virtues has said send the customers to a cheap fast member of staff! Also be prepared for the Groupon customer to try and negotiate. I offered a manicure as part of my deal and no end of women with extensions bought the offer then tried to get a pedi instead. The answer was no!

 

[MrsHBeauty]

You do make any money. It is literally just paying for the advertising as the work comes in rather than a large sum up front.

If you look at it that way then you will make the most if it.

I offered upgrades for £3 and £4 and most people took it up so we took a couple more pound.

We sold 89 vouchers through groupon and then I sold another 60 vouchers direct.

We had planned it all to a T and knew exactly what was happening, when. We only booked groupon clients in on certain days and only a certain amount. All vouchers bought directly from us we gave 12 months expiry so it took the pressure off to complete in 5 months.

It is against the rules to sell direct but when they ring up enquiring they were asking to pay me.


Jemima

 

[Carlalouise]

I was thinking about doing something similar in January for my apprentice, she's qualified to level 2 but not confident so thought if we put a deal together it would give her the practise she needs. Is this not a good idea - I certainly would never do it myself but thought for her practise makes perfect.

 

[virtues2011]

I was thinking about doing something similar in January for my apprentice, she's qualified to level 2 but not confident so thought if we put a deal together it would give her the practise she needs. Is this not a good idea - I certainly would never do it myself but thought for her practise makes perfect.

Groupon achieves very high volumes, it may be worthwhile to speak to social living they also offer a slightly better return and the reach isn't so great.

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[virtues2011]

Be careful. Groupon clients love to write bad reviews!

I have never had one bad review. People always like to point out the negative before the positive but fortunately this has not happened to me. ..(touch wood - - bashes head a few times) ha ha

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[Dani04]

We have done deals with groupon, but it does attract bargain hunters and a lot of them will keep coming to you if you give them a bargain but at the end of the day by doing that you wont be making money, we did gain some very loyal clients from it but you will find you get a lot of chancers with it, I dont think I would do it again u less we had a new member of staff to try introduce them some clients , good luck if you do go ahead and stay strong if you do dont let them bully you or take the mick.

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[Alpenrose]

This is going to be an essay, so bear wth me :wink2:
I did KGB Deals when I just opened my salon and was fairly new to lash extensions. Having next to zero client base and willing to speed up my lash application I decided to go ahead.
The majority of voucher holders were after deal only, but I asked every single one to write a review about my salon (of course I would send them a link to my profile on a review website) and many did write 5 star reviews. This has helped me to get more clients for other treatments.
A few bought additional services and homecare products on the day they redeemed vouchers. A few still are coming for their regular infills on the set I applied initially.
My application speed and quality improved dramatically (of course, after so much practise) and I was able to build a good portfolio of my work. I use most of these pictures for my current advertising.
After a few months I ran a secon deal for waxing. It was a fixed amount value at a greatly reduced price. I think it was a great mistake. These custmers were very different from my lash customers. Firstly, they would make sure that the areas they are willing to wax would fit into voucher value and they would not pay a single pound extra. Hardly anyone booked any extra treatments.
To sum up, I would say that it is good thing to promote your new skills or a new venture. Also, it certainly helped that I have received 70% of the amount upfront. I ensured that I booked only a certain amount of voucher clients per day, at the time that suits me (usually morning) as I wanted to be available to full-price clients and walk-ins.
Even with my bad second deal experience, I would still run another deal, but for something totally new only.

 

[TheBeautyRoomClinic]

i had my first ever groupon lady in today and she was lovely she took loads of business cards and even gave me a £5 tip i hope the rest are like that :green: ......although i doubt it hehe x

 

[Dboo0510]

Thanks for the advice. I am new and definitly need cliebts. I am kinda thinking discounted clients are better than no clients. Still considering it.

 

[Dani04]

Good luck hun ♥

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[Wifey1612]

I'm a hair extensionist myself but wanted to ask if you had thought about Facebook offers? There is more control over targeting your offer, setting a budget etc