Discounted Rates: Seniors, students, etc.

[Frankie Jay]

For those of you that do, how do you work out discounting rates for seniors and/or students? Do you offer a flat rate, or is the discount a perceneforum.xxxe off of your regular pricing? Sliding scales?

Are there any other groups you discount for?

 

[filosfer]

I discount for senior groups. I go into senior centers, senior apartment complexes, etc. on a set schedule. My regulars are biweekly. Because we have a set schedule I can count on, and because I can set up my table and stay in one place all day and just have them come to me (they sign up before that day on a signup sheet I provide), I give them a 40% discount. 30 min massages for $20. This way nobody has to divulge their income, which most of us are loathe to do, I can offer a discount to a population I love working with and who *may* need the discount, and a population who DEFINITELY is drawn to any busines that offers a senior discount, lol, and I can keep it very simple for myself. The sliding scale thing would drive me crazy while it humilated my clients.

 

[jdman13]

I discount for students, cops, EMTs, firement, teachers, active military and spouses, social workers and seniors.

For anyone not military or a student or eldery I deduct $10 from my hourly rate. For the others I deduct $20. When it's a situation where I know they need more work but truly cannot afford it, I use special gift certificates I fund from extravagant tips from certain clients. I just give them the certificate and explain it's all been taken care of, so please enjoy it. Since it's not charity, their pride is intact.

Good karma for the giver, nice feelings for me, and great for the recipient because they get what they really needed, and so the good feelings go around.

 

[Dan W]

I don't discount for special groups. In my opinion, income ranges vary widely in all groups. I know a lot of wealthy seniors, and the students in my town drive cars WAY nicer than mine. Instead, I recommend volunteering once/week or once/month for people who really do need the work and wouldn't receive it otherwise. You can contact battered women's shelters, hospices, nursing homes, etc. (Extra training in massaging trauma victims or medically fragile clients is helpful.) Another option is to do free chair massage appreciation events for special groups who serve the community and are often underappreciated (like teachers, police oficers, nurse's aides, etc.) Then, in your full-time practice, charge full-price and feel confident that you deserve to be paid well for the work you do.

Just another perspective!

 

[Pompal 09.]

I'm with Bliss. I think sliding scales are a disaster, and I honestly don't see the sense in giving someone a cheaper price for massage just because they're over or under a certain age. The only discounts I give are in the form of pre-paid packages, or if someone reschedules before leaving. I feel that this is a more equitable, equal-opportunity way to go. I do have a special place in my heart for certain groups like those serving in the military, cancer patients, animals, and others, so I'd much rather simply go volunteer my time either massaging those groups or generating proceeds on behalf of those groups.

Just my thoughts
~Jyoti

 

[rabbithorsegirl]

I've always understood the rationale behind student and senior discounts as being that they are generally groups on fixed incomes, but I do understand your thinking Jyoti.

 

[One More Year Nick! (2)]

The views not to offer discounts but rather volunteer time for certain groups is a great alternative.

I've not found it always easy to get organizations to allow the donation of massage services (worries about liability tend to top the list) and this is how I found the satisfaction of helping out my "pet" groups, albeit one person at a time.

For any worries you might have about loosing money, I hasten to add that although my policy for fee discounts is listed on my website, no client has ever booked a session based on the discount, probably because the majority are word-of-mouth referrals. I see what they list as an occupation and talk with them about what's going on with their body and the stress levels in their lives, and at the end of the session is when I bring it up. The clients in those groups have always been grateful I appreciate their situation, even though they nearly always insist on paying the full fee anway. Either way is cool with me...what I receive is far more valuable than the dollar value of the session.

In the end, there will be as many different answers to this as there are types of massage. Just look into your heart and do what will sustain both your body and soul. :wink:

 

[Jsgirl]

Bumping this thread

A thought on discounting for seniors. Seniors make up a huge portion of the US population and baby boomers are getting older all the time. There may come a time when the bulk of your clients are seniors. Can your practice survive if you give a discount to a significant portion of your clients?? Something to think about.

 

[Pearl L]

Bumping this thread

A thought on discounting for seniors. Seniors make up a huge portion of the US population and baby boomers are getting older all the time. There may come a time when the bulk of your clients are seniors. Can your practice survive if you give a discount to a significant portion of your clients?? Something to think about.

Awesome thought, GL. And may I add that one may want to think twice about discounting to the very age group that is, on average, the most able to pay.