Valentines specials

[Laptop Jesus 2.0]

I am SO not ready for V-day this year. I have not quite gotten over Christmas! Im drawing a blank as to what specials to offer, where I should advertise...Im telling you, nothing creative is popping into my head. Anyone have any cutesie ideas youre doing this year? Do ads in the paper really work for special occasions? ANY ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[mallos731]

Newspaper ads work if they are done right, and for my area that means advertising a pretty good sized discount.

I am contemplating offering a discount on a 90 minute session if they are bought online only. To make it interesting, I may give a pretty steep one. I have been tracking visitors to my website, and I want to experiment with this type of thing.

I would also put something in the ad about my upcoming move.

Come to think of it, I have some air time available on the radio station too... I could go all out....

 

[amranKay]

Baffling

I have never understood why our industry thinks to run "Specials" during peak demand times like Valentine's Day and Christmas.

Find me one florist who lowers their prices around Valentine's Day and I will beat the drum for discounts. Until then, the forces of Supply and Demand make more sense than anything else I have encountered.

The only thing more absurd than us offering specials on Gift Giving Occasions are those potential clients who call the day before Valentine's Day asking if we have any Specials for tomorrow!

 

[Pompal 09.]

I agree with relaxandrejuvenate, I don't do discounts at big gift giving occasions, but rather I will offer some kind of add-on. Like a foot soak with a massage, etc.
At christmas, I experimented with this just to see: I offerred a 2 hour treatment consisting of a foot soak, hand and foot massage, followed by a 90 min stone massage, using some essential oils as well... for $135 (my most expensive service)... and I sold a ton. When people are looking for gifts, they actually want to spend more to feel like they are getting the best possible gift. I got the usual calls from clients asking if I had any "specials" for the holidays, (which in the past I thought meant they wanted a discount) and when I told them my "peppermint pamper" service, they jumped at it. After seeing how my experiment with Christmas went, I will no longer offer discounts for holidays. I'd throw some services together for some "valentine package" and charge more. Just my 2 cents.

I found some really cool heart shaped boxes at Michael's that I'm going to package my gift cards in, and I'm actually doing a joint venture this year with a neighboring company who makes specialty chocolates. I was thinking about having some kind of chocolate themed massage treatment, but I just started doing ashiatsu and I've been so busy adding that in that I haven't had the time to come up with a more spa-like service for VDay, so the chocolate joint venture is gonna be it this year!

 

[Matija N]

I think part of the reason people discount this time of the year is to compete with everyone else who sells gift certificates, candy, and what not. People who may not have thought of massage, people who thought it was too expencive, people who were concidering buying a gift certificate from another massage business, etc...

Florists run specials, candy stores run specials, they want you to go by them instead of the competitor. Same as the massage business. I know there will be other massage businesses running ads in the paper.

I get a lot of people who will buy a $25 or $30 gift certificate. I know the offer I run will make alot of these people go for the upgrade to the 90 minute special even if it means they will be doubling what they spend. It is a deal too good to refuse. I know I will sell more gift certificates than if I didnt run the special and that is my goal. The more people I can get to buy gift certificates = the more people who will come in to my business = more people who become clients, some regulars, some here and theres, and of course one timers. To be honest, the longer I am in this business, the less I see one timers.

It works for me.

 

[Roflcopter]

I think part of the reason people discount this time of the year is to compete with everyone else who sells gift certificates, candy, and what not. People who may not have thought of massage, people who thought it was too expencive, people who were concidering buying a gift certificate from another massage business, etc...

Florists run specials, candy stores run specials, they want you to go by them instead of the competitor. Same as the massage business. I know there will be other massage businesses running ads in the paper.

i don't know of a single florist in my area that will run a special on V-day. in fact, they'll double or even triple the prices of some of their product (roses of course) just for this occasion. even costco who sells roses at a reasonable price ups their charge at this time of the year.

i'm planning on trying to decorate my window display (store front) for the holiday but sheesh, it's coming upon us so quickly! i better get going on that project. it's seems i'm always behind!

 

[Gentleman]

I agree with R&R and stonegirl. I also make packages for a special gift or a regular massage a little more special for the holiday spin, but no discounts. I save discounts for random times, just to get people excited about massage in the slow weeks.

In the past for Vday I have included a small gift (handmade soap, a flower, special packaging, etc.) to round out the certificate a little more, but it has just come up so fast this year! What have I been doing all dang month?! I have to decorate my hall today, thanks for reminding me!!

 

[trd93]

UPDATE

I ran my ad in a few local papers. One local paper had FOUR Massage businesses in the area advertising specially priced services. FOUR!! lol

Specials ranged from a massage booze and candy special, $10 off an hour, 5% off all massage services, and my ad for online gift certificates.

 

[AVALON]

After realizing the issues that came with being busy at the holidays,and the time it took to make up all of the gift certficates on the spot, I decided to make up gift boxes ahead of time and have them out on the retail shelves. Each box is a package of sort..."Romance in a box" is a gift certificate for a couple's massaga, a romantic CD, a candle, and chocolate. Instead of a discount on the services, I figure out what each item in the box would cost, and then take maybe 10% off the RETAIL price- not what it costs me. The "Cocoa Lover's Deluxe" has a gc for a "hot cocoa massage" and a "hot cocoa pedicure", chocolate scented lotion, and warming chocolate scented sugar scrub, and some hershey kisses for good measure! I have more, but I would be typing all night!

The boxes for the packages are heavy duty, high quality, black and white tapestry print, with bright red ribbon, and a heart ornament. they look lovely!

We have also set up one of our rooms as the couple's massage room, with lots of red highlights, and red table clothes for table runners. It looks so pretty!

And last but not least, we are holding two "Couple's Massage Workshops" to teach couple's how to give their mate's a better massage. I'll let you know how it all turns out in a week or so! This is such a procrastinator's holiday!

 

[gymnast]

Yes, it certainly will be an interesting holiday! I cant wait!

 

[Krazy]

this year, i tripled... yes TRIPLED my valentine's day gift certificate sales. though, it should be noted, last year i only sold one. since i don't do any pampering type services, it's not ever been a big holiday for my practice.

how have sales been for everyone else?

 

[LindaLoo]

OMG, I cant believe how many gift certificates I sold on spaboom for valentine's day. In my office, I have only sold 2!! But then, I did advertise a special in the local paper. The special was an online only special. I reduced my 90 minute certificates by 30%. I had some clients buy them, but 90% have been purchased by or for people who have never been in by me before. This special price is about the same as what I run a new client special at.

 

[FinalusTestarios]

OK, some of you will see this as ultra unprofessional, sort of like I do - but I didn't know what else to do.

I never hav anyone buy Valentine's GC's. Rarely do I have people purchase Christmas GC's and intermittently throughout the year I have a few that purchase "whatever" GC's. ("whatever" meaning - birthday, hi-you-need-a-massage, oh-I did-something-terrible, just-because-I-like-you ---- kind of gift certs).

I had two people this year want Valentine's day GC's and all I had were Christmas ones! *ack*

I explained and they said, "Hey! I don't care what it looks like - I just want a gift certificate!"

It was a bit bizarre for me, as I really despise not being prepared, but I can put my hand up for selling two. :shock:


Oh, and I don't have any bright suggestions. Sorry.


Edited for typos. I always see lots of those in the aftermath!

 

[Julian]

Hey, Pueppi!

That's just a great compliment to you and your services -- they didn't care what the certificate looked like as long as they got their loved ones in to see you!

I was stuck in a similar situation over the holidays (for a birthday or anniversary or such) -- and decided to stock up on a few certificates for every type of occasion. It was a one-time expense and they will never go out of date. In fact, since I have a wide variety displayed in my waiting room I have sold more GCs to regular clients! Especially the ones for "Congratulations on Your New Baby" and the cute ones with "You REALLY Need a Massage" etc.

They have been well worth the investment. But apparently your clients don't care anyway! You are that good! Let us know if the Christmas GCs are still selling on the 4th of July! Maybe we could all save some money! :

Sherry

 

[Pompal 09.]

I am disappointed by my Valentine's sales. This is the first year I have offered them and have only sold one.

I advertised them via my monthly email newsletter, a separate Valentine's Day email promo (both via constant contact) and I have an ad that runs in my co-op's newsletter. That wasn't VD specific, but it does mention that I sell gcs.

The one I sold was via Spa Emergency.

Oh well, maybe next year!

Congrats to everyone that had great sales!

 

[Flatt]

Stephany at Spaboom contacted me by email. They wanted to congratulate me on my terrific sales. I dont know what my rank was, but I suspect it was high. They asked me to comment on their blog, which I did.

 

[oppatika]

Let us know if the Christmas GCs are still selling on the 4th of July! Maybe we could all save some money! :

Sherry

Thanks!

Will do, beacuse unless I get my act together I won't have any other ones by that time!!!! :shock: