Opening offer, 50% off first treatment - yay or nay?

[adventuregirl]

Debating with the other half whether this is a good idea or not.

My thoughts:

Gets people through the door
I can chat about other treatments and rebook them in/retail to them
I still get 50% whereas deal sites you get less
Will be more costly of time than products, I think

His thoughts:

Will attract a lot of people just after a cheapie treatment who'll move onto the next freebie etc
Will not be cost effective
Will be too busy with offers when I could potentially make more money by taking full price treatments
Could still attract people by offering a smaller saving - say 30%

Help!

xxx

 

[skatingbeauty]

Hi,
I just started with my own beauty room in January and did a half price offer in feb. it went down really well, I went and gave leaflets to all the shops in town to give to their staff and I got quite a lot of customers from that. I was so busy in the last 2 weeks of the offer I couldn't fit people in ! I thought exactly the same as you and my boyfriend thought exactly the same as your partner ! But it got a lot of people through the door and then their friends started booking in for treatments as well. It gets people talking about you and they realise you are worth the money. You have to work twice as hard but if you didn't have the offer what's the likely hood of you having half the clients in anyway ... If that makes sense ?! I would say go for it even if you just do a couple of weeks, especially if you are a new business. Hope this helps.

 

[adventuregirl]

Fantastic. Thank you for your advice!

Showed my other half and he agrees!

Really pleased it did so well for you too How is business now you've been open that bit longer? x

 

[Steph86]

I have seen this done, and she was100% booked up for the month she did the offer. The month after? Quiet, the month after... Closed! I think it can make people notice you, but sometimes it can make them think its not worth full price. Be carful! Xx

 

[SammiC]

I offer 25% off first treatment (that is for the clients very first time with me) and offer a recommend a friend discount of 15% and it works great! I just knock em out with my great service and people skills and they always return

 

[Sarah22]

When I first started, I had an opening night. I advertised before I started that if you came to the opening night, you would receive 10% off any treatment... I was booked up for my first three months!! I'll be celebrating my third year in business in May.

People like to think they're getting a discount which is why it worked for me, but in actual fact, 10% isn't that much xx

 

[adventuregirl]

Oh bugger. So you think even 25-30% would be better?

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[nicole333]

I don't think you need to go that steep on your discount. I think 10% is fine or at most 20%, or you risk falling into a cheap category. How about doing an incentive like a loyalty card to start you off?

 

[Sapphire nails]

Id say go for the 50% I know that would make me want to book. As you said you still get 50% and it gets more people through the door to wow and get future returns. All you can do is try

 

[MissConfused]

I did this as an opening offer and I wasn't fully booked! I texted all mobile clients from client record cards, posted on fb, updated website, gossipd to people, free listing sites etc and had 10,000 leaflets done (only had 2 clients bring leaflets back, though i can't be certain all 10,000 were delivered of course!). 1 client who used the offer had rockstar toes, party lashes, brow wax and hollywood wax comes regularly for hollywood waxing (regularly being around every 2months) and I don't think anybody else has ever been back to be honest? Actually tell a lie 1 client recommended me to a friend who had 1/2 price shellac and i gave her a 10% off voucher for her 2nd treatment (for being recommended) which she used and i haven't seen her since. I had free rent for 2 months so i had nothing to lose really apart from time and when you first open you have time to spare usually i am deliciously busy now though and that's pretty much all from clients finding my website and paying full price.

It's so tempting when you first start and your diary is empty to put on some fab offers to get people in, but honestly just try and keep hold of your dignity. let people see you are a permanent fixture, thats here to stay. Always keep at the back of your mind that every discount you give is money lost for you and your business, as of course your products still cost the same, your outgoings still cost the same etc.

Good luck with your new business!x

 

[Steph86]

10% is more than enough, the only way I would give more away would be a free (quick and cheap) treatment ie eyebrow wax/ file and polish on toes with any xyz treatment.

Loyalty cards are good, better to reward those that are your clients than trying to entice new ones with a fab offer. Word of mouth is the best advertising, encourage this with introduce a friend offer (discount for your regular not the newbie)

Good luck cx

 

[SammiC]

I think rewarding (for want of a better word) people to take a leap of faith and try you for the first time by offering a small discount does not scream of desperation at all nor does it always attract the wrong people. If people come for just the discount then big whoop, there will always be a few, but most, even if initially they came due to price, will return based on their experience and not the price. This is your chance to shine and show em whatcha got, prove to them youre the best around, if you do that theyll come back! Having said that I think 50% is too much though but regardless I don't think it says youre cheap either.

Another option is to maybe offer a cheaper/less time consuming treatment as a bonus? Ie spend $X and receive a complimentary blah blah!? That way you get to showcase what other treatments you do. Just a thought?

Sorry if I'm not much help but i wish you good luck x

 

[mm29]

I think a complimentary small wax would be better shows off two services and your not cheapening your work

Good luck

 

[skatingbeauty]

It's going well not as busy as with the offer obviously but had a lot of word of mouth from the clients I did and am getting a lot of interest and it got me more money than if I had only done 10% off as I wouldn't of had as many people book in. I think if your a new business you gave got nothing to lose where as if you have been around a bit longer its better to do a smaller discount as a loyalty reward to customers. Good luck with whatever you choose !!! and update us with how it goes

 

[Beauty_Geek]

Id try not to if you can. I'm ridiculously broke ATM and would be tempted by a 50% off offer as a treat but I wouldn't be back as I cant afford it right now. Exactly the kind of client you don't want! Saying that it will put you in their minds for a future treatment as I do get treatments done for special occasions xx

 

[anca14]

A very well known spa in my area does this offer now and then so I always take advantage but I never went back to pay full price.
Mind you the prices are top end.
I would say 20-25% is a good offer from a client point of view.

 

[adventuregirl]

Thank you, lovelies. I went for 25% in the end!

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