Holiday Promotions

[Tyler W]

Do any of you offer specials during the holidays? If so, what kind? What about gift certificate sales ... do you discount them, package them, etc.?


What are incentives to offer new clients to return? The obvious would be discounts. I tend to give them a brochure with benefits of massage, FAQ's, etc. along with a discount coupon to be used by X date.

And do any of you decorate your offices for the holidays? I would like to hear from any of you and what you do to make the office even more special at this time of year.

Since many clients only come once a month, now is the time for doing all of this!

Thanks.

 

[Rosa Mistica]

I make homemade candy to give to each client as a gift. This year I am also going to write personal notes in my holiday cards (also handmade) for each client.
Seems a nice time to really say how much they mean to you.

I don't offer discounts since I offer the maintenance plans to my regulars.

I may do something this year with gift certificates - not sure yet.

My office is in my home - so it will be decorated. I collect snowmen, so that is what I decorate with. Along with my tree.

Here are some links (In the post - futher down the list) that might help you out:
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=461

 

[Endeavor]

Thanks, Masthera, for your reply, and for all the links. When I have time I'll check them out.

I offer package plans also, but to those who just want to purchase one or two gift certificates for others is the reason I feel I want to do something with gift certificates. Maybe reduce the price by a few dollars with the purchase of 3, or something.

How do you make your cards? I used to be so organized and thoughtful! Time seems to be the problem, although I really enjoy doing things like that. Maybe you can inspire me!

 

[Ryan I]

How do you make your cards? I used to be so organized and thoughtful! Time seems to be the problem, although I really enjoy doing things like that. Maybe you can inspire me!

Two of my many hobbies are Rubberstamping and Scrapbooking.
I just come up with an easy, but nice design and make a large batch of cards. I make the same for my family too, which makes it easier.

This years cards are simple:
I am taking 3.5' X .5' strips of different colored textured paper (red in two shades - green in two shades - and mustard) I apply my adhesive and then lay the paper strips side by side to basically make a colored rectangle on top (center) of the card. I have a "time to celebrate" stamp which I stamp onto vellum cardstock. I have that cut to be smaller and to go across the colored strips. I secure that with antiqued brads and Voila!
If my digital camera was working I would post a pic.

I hope I have inspired you at bit - homemade means a lot to many. I am one of them - so I don't mind taking the time out to make things.
My clients really appreciate it every year!

If you need help with more inspiration - let me know.

 

[whatrukidding]

Last year I did a "Buy 3 get 1 Free" promotion for gift certificates (got the idea here at MassagePlanet!) - it went over GREAT and I'll bring it back this year again. I have had clients ask about it all year they loved it so much, but I'll only do it for Christmas. I advertised it as "get all of your Christmas shopping done and treat yourself at the same time!"

I decorate my office a little and do a display in my windows.

This year I am setting out a large basket of small gifts from $1 stores and handmade things I have collected the past year. (LOVE Targets $1 Spot) Each client who receives a massage in December, or a few weeks before xmas, can pick from the basket on their way out. Its going to include things like relaxation CDs, Yoga @ Work CDroms, small candles, bath salts, Belagio Hot Chocolate packs, hot/cold packs and small rice packs.

I am having some of those photo cards made with a pic of me in front of my new full time office to send out as holiday greeting cards for clients this year too.

 

[Cool B]

Holiday Promotions

What about gift certificate sales ... do you discount them, package them, etc.?

For existing clients buying a gift certificate, I will give them my referral discount off the purchase price (close to 10%), but I don't publicise any discount. Most of my gift certificate sales are via the web to people I don't deal with, for people that will never come back to me anyway (or don't turn up in the first place). If they tried to buy gift certificates from a spa there would be no discount. I'd say about 50% of certificates aren't redeemed.

I've had very few gift certificates turn into regular clients - a few have become regular will-request-another-gift-certificate-from-the-person-that purchased-the-gift-certificate, but they won't spend the money on themselves. I've got one client's mother I've seen 3 times a year for the last 3 years - Christmas, birthday, and mother's day gift certificates. She always turns up and says how much she's been looking forward to it.

 

[MykellG]

My last New Tips Newsletter focused on gift certificate sales for the holidays. One of the key points I suggested was having at least three different holiday gift certificate specials of increasing value. Doing this can really increase your holiday income because around 30% of people will purchase your most expensive package option. You can do this by packaging groups of massage together with a discount for buying three, etc. Or you can create packages of different services or products.

You can get access to my newsletter backissues when you sign up for the newsletter (it's free), if you want to read more about gift certificate sales. You can signup for it here if you want:
http://www.massage-marketing-tips.com/newsletter.html

 

[Ima Stoodint]

You can see what we're offering on my website.
http://www.gilbertbodyworks.com
There's a page for special offers.
We are not giving anything away but some discounts on our packages. We have had these offers posted for 3 days & have had three early purchases! We will, however, decorate the place, and have a cookie & cider or hot chocolate bar for the winter holiday season (that is actually laughable, because it was 90 degrees yesterday!).

One gift I did give away in the past was a calendar that I made in mini dvd/disc holders. They are the kind exclusively designed to be turned almost inside out for desktop calendars. I got them from http://www.effectuality.com at great prices. It was alot of personal work, but I loved each month of the calendar. They had massage photos & phrases that encouraged one to breath, slow down, etc, etc.

Jon O sent me a pocket secretary calendar (the kind that is the size & shape of your checkbook) that they had printed for their business. That was a very useful gift (thanks Jon!) and a great idea (TOMA!).

Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[jessica cate]

Jill, did you produce the calendar yourself, or have it printed somewhere? What was the format & binding like?

 

[hotchic_foxy101]

I did mine myself. It was fun; a weekend project. I printed the pages on photo quality paper. Now, I don't have time to do stuff like that. Now-a-days it seems like I buy everything that I used to do myself (gift certs, etc). The calendar cases from effectuality were great - they came in regular disc size & a micro size.
Jill/Sagetherapist