Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/81195
SHOULD MTS OFFER A DAILY DEAL? As you can imagine, massage is one of the most popular services being offered in Daily Deals, so we as massage therapists have the upper hand. WHAT TO DO Get sample ideas. Look on some deal websites (Bloomspot. com, GroupSwoop.com, Joffer.com, LivingSocial.com, TownHog.com, TwoBuckDuck.com, and WeGiveToGet.com, to name a few) and see their past offers to get ideas of what you can offer. Decide how many new clients you can handle. There have been numerous reports of solo practitioners and small businesses being swamped with too much business and ending up with many disgruntled clients who complain in online reviews. Develop your offer. Decide how to position your offer, either as a specific service, such as a $95 hour massage for $49, or a general discount on any of your services, such as $100 worth of services for $50. Define your fine print. I suggest you limit the number of certificates each person may purchase; allow them to purchase a certificate as a gift; put a minimum client age; have a six-month or one-year expiration date; and specify the hours they can schedule with you. If you live in an area with tourists, restrict the deal to local residents. Determine your upsell. Once you have new clients in the door, what will you do to keep them coming back to you? Come up with a really irresistible offer that they can't help but say yes to, and don't limit it to just discounts. Remember, when you knock their socks off with your ability, service, skills, and warmth, these people will hopefully ignore the new deal offers that arrive each day in their email, knowing that you provide not only a good value, but exceptional results. HERE TO STAY Everybody loves a great deal. These Daily Deal companies are here to stay, and as our economy ebbs and flows, so will the way the deals are structured. Business owners (like you) are becoming savvier about working with coupon companies. Hopefully these companies will continue to be a valuable advertising resource. As you can imagine, massage is one of the most popular services being offered in Daily Deals, so we as massage therapists have the upper hand. We have the ability to negotiate well, package our services in ways that best reflect our skills and needs, and price them accordingly. Hopefully, the result will prove profitable for you with new and returning clients coming in your door. Irene Diamond, RT, is an educator, public speaker, and business coach who enjoys enlightening therapists, fitness trainers, coaches, and other "thera- preneurs." Diamond will be inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2013 for her work with Active Myofascial Therapy, and her online business resource, SuccessfulMassage Therapist.org. Reach Diamond at Facebook. com/TherapySuccess, Twitter.com/ MassageResource, or www.thediamond method.com. Celebrate ABMP's 25th anniversary and you may win a refund on your membership. ABMP.com. 97