Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/81195
no instructions on how to track the purchased certificates; we were simply emailed a 16-page list of names of the buyers. Even Groupon's staff was unclear about the entire system. We quickly learned our $39 offer price was way too low. Because the discounted price was more than 50 percent off our usual rates, it attracted a large number of clients who were not in a financial position to afford our standard rates, even if they sincerely wanted to come back to see us. We did, however, manage to get about 30 percent of the Groupon purchasers to become repeat clients, and many referred their family and friends to us. I suggest keeping your deal price closer to your standard rates, even if you sell fewer certificates, rather than attempting to sell a higher number of certificates at a greater discount. We also learned how important it is to include details, such as appointment availability, in the fine print of the deal. We had many people who were disappointed they could not get an appointment as soon as they wanted. Since the time we ran our first Daily Deal, we've run five more with various companies. I've entered into negotiations with many others, but for several reasons decided against working with them. I have also fielded hundreds of calls, emails, and online inquiries from therapists across the country asking whether or not a solo therapist or massage business should participate in a deal, the best way to handle a deal, and how to handle being swamped once a deal has run. For us, we feel we have fine-tuned the system of offering these Daily Deals and perfected how to guarantee the best return on the experience. Will a Daily Deal work for you? Here are some things to consider before you jump in. SHOULD YOU DO A DAILY DEAL? This question is a big one among therapists and can be very controversial. Many therapists and other small businesses feel it is a great way to stimulate business by getting some income and new clients. Other therapists feel it creates a "coupon culture" in which consumers will never again want to pay full price and clients are only looking for the next cheap massage. I believe a deal can be beneficial for most businesses, but it absolutely needs to be structured appropriately and in keeping with your brand. BENEFITS OF RUNNING A DAILY DEAL When you agree to run a Daily Deal, the online company does all the work to create effective promotional campaigns, work that many small businesses don't like or don't know how to do. Once you have negotiated all the details with your account manager regarding the offer, the price, and the date your deal will run, they create the advertising copy, handle the artwork, run the promotion, handle the orders, and manage any refunds or customer service issues. After the deal ends, you and the deal company split the revenue. I encourage you to think of this form of advertising as a loss leader, which means the goal is to get new clients in the door without spending a lot of money. You might even lose some money, but you will never have any out-of-pocket expenses you can't afford. Even if no certificates are sold, you will owe nothing but will still have received exposure in the process. Following are some additional benefits to consider. Pay for Performance Traditional advertising is paid in advance, with no guarantee of any sales or new customers. Daily Deals offer "pay for performance," which means you only pay once you know exactly how many new sales it has generated for you. In fact, you don't even pay them directly—their fees are deducted from the total revenue generated from the promotion prior to them issuing you a check. This is a huge advantage for a therapist or a small business because there are no upfront costs and, although you are selling your services at a discount, you are guaranteed the revenue. Celebrate ABMP's 25th anniversary and you may win a refund on your membership. ABMP.com. 89