Feedback needed on an idea

[Quan Le]

I like to think outside the box and need your opinion.

There is a second run movie theater in my area which also serves food. They serve pizza, burgers, normal movie theater food, and also beer. This theater has one screen and shows one or two different movies a week. A ticket costs less than half price of a first run movie ticket.

My idea is to approach the owner or manager and ask if we could work out a deal. I want to give my clients tickets and IF they are redeemed, then I would pay for the ticket. The tickets would have an expiration date of approximately 60 days. It would be a use it or lose it kind of deal.

At first, my idea was to give two tickets to all clients who have a one hour or longer session. This would mean I would be giving out approximatly 15 to 25 pairs of tickets a week. I probably would have some clients come in specifically for the offer, but most would come in whether or not I had the offer. I would be giving out a lot of tickets and not bringing in much more per session.

Which has me thinking, what if I require clients to upgrade their session to get the offer? For instance, if they include a paraffin treatment for $10 then they would get the pair of tickets. Or, if they get a scrub with their session for $15 more then they get the tickets. If they upgrade to a hot stone massage for $20 extra they could get the tickets. Doing this would cut down on the amount of tickets I give out, but it would also help to fund the cost of the tickets.

Coming back to the use it or lose it, if clients fail to use the tickets before their expiration date, I pay nothing to the theater. If I give out 100 sets of tickets and only 15 sets are redeemed, I only pay for the 15 that are redeemed.

Of course, all of this hinges on the theater agreeing to do this, which I don't think they will say no. My employee knows someone who works there and says the manager is open to new ideas. We would just have to work out the details. If this works out, I have an ice cream shop I would like to work out the same deal with.

That I know of, no other business in my area has done something like this. With the economy the way it is, us business owners need to come up with new and inovative ideas to make money.

Good idea or not?? Please let me know your comments.

 

[akaMaryn]

They don't offer GCs or Gift Cards?

These would not have a date on them and then could be given out at any point in time you had the need.

 

[its me]

The point is, I want an expiration date of a relatively short time and if it is not used, I don't pay for it. This would be easier done with a coupon which doesn't look like the theaters normal gift certificates/cards. If clients come in today, the expiration date would be 60 days from today. If they come in on January 15th, the expiration date would be March 15th.

If I was issuing my regular gift certificates for massage, I would expect up front payment. If a business contacted me for a deal like this, I wouldn't want my regular gift certificates used so it cuts down on confusion.

If I designed it or they designed it, it wouldn't matter. Each coupon or certificate (whatever you want to call it) would have to be numbered to keep track of them as well.

 

[Nightwind: Mwa ha ha!]

Hi peacenut,

I guess I'm wondering if the movies there are every anywhere near "sold out". If they are and your clients are holding tickets but not redeeming them the theatre would lose money if you're only paying for tickets that are actually used. I have no idea what the theatre situation is there though. I don't think it hurts to ask. In your approach to the theatre just be sure to emphasize the benefit the theatre would receive from this deal. If they don't agree to your proposal maybe they have other options that would work for both of you.

Happy marketing!

 

[Pompal 09.]

here are a couple of random thoughts i have on this.

1st- if you are going to do this, i think you should be the one to provide the "certificates". thinking as the movie theatre, i wouldn't want to have to do the work to design them and pay for them but i'm sure they would really appreciate if you did and made them look very professional. (and potentially be more willing to get involved)

2nd - what are you looking to do this for? if you are working with 15 - 25 clients already, are you looking to thank your clients for their business or are you trying to gain more clients? if you are wanting to thank clients, i think you could approach the theatre about discounted tickets that would not expire (which you would prepay for). if you are looking to help build your business i think it's a unique idea but how many more clients are you looking to gain? is it worth all of the work to gain a couple of clients a month?

i think if you were to design the certificates you could print them on nice businesses cards or on some nice card stock. i think this will be the key to getting the theatre to agree. make it easy for them yet professional looking. those are the things off the top of my head. i could stew on this for a while and see if i come up with anything else. good luck!

 

[maxmom]

I don't really get the promotion. movies and massage? seems kind of too far outside the box to me. Maybe you could trade GC's with a related biz, and you could cross promote.

 

[Kumi]

Healingtime, the theater can sell out, it depends on the movie. I don't think it happens often.

Pete, I have heard of massage therapists who do this. They give certificates to larger business and when they are redeemed, they are paid when they submit a bill. In fact, this is pretty much the way the Spa Wish gift certificate program operates. Spawish.com. I had not thought of asking if I could get a block of prepaid tickets for a discount. Thanks for the idea.

I am not trying to get something for nothing. I haven't even approached the theater yet! Like I said, I am feeling this one out, and that is why I brought it to the board to work out THE IDEA.

Terab, you raise some interesting points. If it would work the way I mentioned in my original post, I would volunteer to make the certificates and get the theaters approval.

What do I want out of this?

1. I want to thank my regular clients in a unique way.
2. I want to reactivate clients who haven't been in for a while.
3. I want to attract new clients - mostly for my employee.

Naturalhealing, the movie theater is down the street from my office. Essentially, we are neighbors in the downtown area. This theater plays kids PG movies or movies adults like. They do not show slasher flicks aimed towards teens. A lot of times they show chick flicks. Last year I went there with my friends and we watched 27 Dresses, a total chick flick.

In these tough economical times, I want to do what I can to keep my books full and if it can help out another business, so be it. I do not want to lower my prices, but I don't see a problem giving a bonus of sorts once in a while is not a bad thing. I do know a MT is town who lowered her price by $5 recently. It makes more sense to me to give a bonus once in a while rather than cut rates for a long period.

If this works, there is an old fashioned ice cream shop a few blocks away I could do this with in the summer.

After thinking about this for a while, I think they best way to do it would be to have it one offer per client per month. I could send a post card to all of my clients and have them present the postcard when they come in. The offer would be worded so it would only be valid with any other discount, cash, check, or credit cards only. Can I limit it so it is not valid for gift certificates?

 

[Miguel P]

Thanks Pete, I suspected it might sound like that.

Let me bounce this off of you.

I guess I don't have a problem with people using gift certificates with the offer. However, I sold gift certificates this past Christmas for a discount. For instance, I sold a package of 4 hour sessions and gave away an hour. I KNOW I will have that will bring in the gift certificate the month I make an offer like this and expect to to get whatever I am offering. My opinion is that this is doubling up. Most businesses do not allow you to use two discounts together, it's one or the other. Would you not worry about it and just let this go?? That is why I was considering having them add on a treatment like a paraffin dip to get the offer.

How else could I offer this to my clients? Should I offer it to clients who haven't been in for a while and also just give them out to my a good steady cliente? Doing it this way would not allow me to advertise this offer to new clients. Once in a while I have an offer for new clients, generally its
dollar off offer. One time one of my regular clients made a smart comment about, "what about your regular clients? You should be giving us something!" Well, this movie offer would be something. Not to mention, I had the special gift certificate offer over christmas plus I gave all of my clients a small gift at Christmas time.

I am not trying to get something for nothing. I haven't even approached the theater yet! Like I said, I am feeling this one out, and that is why I brought it to the board to work out THE IDEA.

I wasn't trying to come off as judgemental. I just wanted you to know how it sounded to me...

After thinking about this for a while, I think they best way to do it would be to have it one offer per client per month. I could send a post card to all of my clients and have them present the postcard when they come in. The offer would be worded so it would only be valid with any other discount, cash, check, or credit cards only. Can I limit it so it is not valid for gift certificates?

You can place whatever limits you want - it's YOUR offer. Be careful not to place so many limits on it that the perceived value is diminished. ie. "Offer valid for sessions at regular price, not valid with any other offers, not applicable toward purchase or redemption of gift certificates." etc.

 

[Carlos Guitierres]

I find it interesting that you have clients who think that you should "give" them something...you could pick a few clients who you think might need an extra something and just give them a couple of tickets "at random." This could go toward strengthening those relationships.

If this was the case, that you have clients who would like you to give them some "at random" why not let them put their name in a fish bowl and you can draw a couple "winners" per month?

 

[yap955]

Back to the original idea... if the theater owner will go for it, I think it's a great idea. I would design the "ticket" before approaching the owner, and have a clear plan in place, so that you can present it confidently. This shows that you are organized and have thought this through.

On his part, it means training ticket takers to accept your tickets, checking the expiration date and validity. You'll need to do something on the tickets to discourage duplication. He also needs to stack them up in his cash drawer until you settle up. Decide whether that will be weekly or monthly. Perhaps you can bring him a cappucino for his trouble. You sit down with coffees, he brings you the tickets taken, and you pay for them. As long as he's willing to do the extra work, why not?

Thank you for thinking outside the box. I'm thinking about how to adapt your idea to my practice. I have to think about my goals first...

 

[Kwonbaby]

I find it interesting that you have clients who think that you should "give" them something...you could pick a few clients who you think might need an extra something and just give them a couple of tickets "at random." This could go toward strengthening those relationships.

It was a comment made after I had sent out an offer for new clients to get a free half hour massage. I imagine he was thinking along the lines of, "hey, I have come in here every month for the last 18 months. You haven't given me anything." But, I know he is aware of my referal program and my package program. I know this because he and his wife have already bought a package and he has already brought up my referal program.

 

[gaBed]

It was a comment made after I had sent out an offer for new clients to get a free half hour massage. I imagine he was thinking along the lines of, "hey, I have come in here every month for the last 18 months. You haven't given me anything." But, I know he is aware of my referal program and my package program. I know this because he and his wife have already bought a package and he has already brought up my referal program.

Did he take advaneforum.xxxe of some type of new client offer for his first session?

When he said "You haven't given me anything." I think I would have wanted to say, "I've apparently given you such great massage that you have been coming in for the last 18 months." t044

 

[Avondrow]

I have to say, this thing about clients expecting something from you (sense of entitlement), because you are treating/seeing/working on them --- is, at best, odd.

*rubs my chin*

It's as though somehow they think they are doing you a favor and you aren't really doing anything for them.

I don't quite get it.

*scratches my head*

Maybe you just have to re-evaluate your clients and their perception of benefit regarding the service you provide.

I don't think there is anything wrong with offering bonus "items", but it should be a bonus. As in, "today is a bonus day! I got happy and felt benevolent so I thought I'd pass my happiness onto you and give you something cool!" Even then, I can't imagine doing this too often in a business.

As for the ticket idea: I had a client talk me into doing something somewhat similar (yet, not really) for him a number of years a go. He wanted to print off GC's for my office, from his computer (he was a printing specialist) and provide these GC's to his clients as he felt the desire --- he wanted to help provide a new batch of clientele to our office and generally be nice and helpful. He suggestion was that for any people who actually showed up to get a massage, he'd pay me half of what the fee for an hour massage would be. Nice idea in theory. Practically, it never got off the ground. He referred two ladies, both of whom I never charged him for (I was ok with that, it was my decision) and only one ever returned for a second visit. They both were too busy to add massage to their lives. Then he would call with the names of other people he had referred, but those people never came in. In the end it was just more unnecessary paperwork for me to keep track of. And, believe you me, I have plenty of that to deal with on a daily basis anyway. I truly didn't need the extra hassle. And that is what I am thinking about the movie theater. If they are any kind of busy at all, you may not be doing them a favor, but instead causing them more work... so for sure you want to make everything on your side as much as possible. Just my thoughts and ramblings......

 

[PaA KwEsI]

CstBrian and Pueppi have a point.

I just heard a radio commercial for a cell phone place. They advertised a low rate and at the end of the commercial the read off the fine print. It was for new activations only. Everyone else who already had the service at a higher rate is apparently out of luck.

This particular client got $10 off his first visit and his wife got a $10 referal credit.

I haven't been giving new clients a $10 discount for a while. My promotion now is "Free Massage Fridays." New clients on referal from existing clients can get a free half hour on the first Friday of the month. They can upgrade it if they like.

I suppose I could advertise the offer to new clients only and then pass out some tickets to a few regular clients.