Money, Marketing and Soul for Massagepreneurs
“All-You-Can-Massage” Passport
All You Can Massage Passport
Jet Blue recently announced their latest promotion “All-You-Can-Jet Pass” where for a month you can fly as often as you want between 57 cities for a flat fee of $599. You can read the full story here. I thought it was a great idea and passed it along to my network on Twitter and Facebook. One reader wrote to me, “That’s an interesting way to get an influx of cash. You teach about marketing a massage business; do you think a similar idea could work for massage?”
Jet Blue’s promotion is for unlimited flights between September 8 and October 8 with booking 3 days in advance. Well why not take that idea and adapt it to massage? Here is my idea (you are free to take it as it is or “massage” it a little to make it your own).
Purchase your “All-You-Can-Massage” Passport (or maybe call it Platinum Membership which was my original idea to compete with the massage practices offering memberships) between now and December 24th (or while supplies last — I am only selling a limited amount of these passes) for massages in 2010. How it works is simple! Annual Membership dues are $3000.00 (this assumes approximately a 20% discount on 52 services at $75/hour) and you can use any of our services over one year’s time, up to 52 services. You can also use your membership for your family, friends or clients. A laminated membership card is issued to you, and is your passport to “All-You-Can-Massage”. Appointments must be made 7 days in advanced and is based on availability.
A Win-Win Situation
For Your Clients
- A savings of 20% (or whatever percentage you decide to offer) is huge and may be the deciding factor for someone who wants to come regularly but can’t afford the regular price now.
- Clients feel special to be a part of an elite program.
- They may decide that this price is too good to pass up and become weekly clients instead of bi-weekly or monthly.
For You
- You get an influx of cash now which may help off-set any income loss due to the slow economy.
- You ensure that your regular clients will keep coming to you.
- You may get new regular clients.
- You have to do less advertising to get new clients (especially if you become fully booked).
- Take that additional income and invest it (probably not in the stock market) to gain additional income.
What do you think of this idea? Post your thoughts in the comments.
If you run this special, let us know how it goes. Post your results in the comments.
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about 3 years ago
What a wonderful idea. Thanks for posting this
about 3 years ago
You are welcome Sonia. I am glad that you thought the idea useful. Let us know if you do something like this and the results you get.
about 3 years ago
I’m confused as to why you would think that a client that can not afford to see you at a rate of $90 a month would have $3000 dollars of disposable income to disgard for a $75 massage. I agree that the deal is good, but in my experience, you will get a greater ROI when you offer a “passport” of say 10 visits for a 20% discount (add any limitations and expirations). Do you think it’s easier to find 4 people who can afford $900 or 1 person who can afford $3000?
Like all good ideas, they often need tweaking to become great. I would also suggest that you make a plan to what you will be doing with your clients money. 30% should go directly back into your marketing, 15% should go into a business savings account and the rest should be allocated in other areas of need.
about 3 years ago
Hi Drew,
Thanks for your comment. I agree with you. This idea is not for every massage therapist to implement nor would it be good for every client to buy. As I said in my post that this was my idea and you are free to take it as it is or “massage” it a little to make it your own. You may want to make it a shorter period of time for less money.
Since I have posted this article I have talked to a couple of people (read other post on some of the LinkedIn discussion groups where I posted) that do something similar and they have had good success with it. One therapist said that in this business that it was more of the people who could actually afford to pay the full price that were taking the special.
As a business person, it is to our advantage to get the money up front because of the time value of money. So whether you decide to go for the 1 client at $3000 or the 4 clients at $900, they are both better bets than waiting to collect the money as you go. This is of course assuming that you know how to budget, will invest the money is some sort of escrow account that earns interest but you can easily get to it if needed.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions/comments or your results should you decide to offer such a promotion.
about 3 years ago
Last week I saw in an advertisement in a Thai magazine that a company in Phuket is selling this already. You can choose for 1 month, three months or a year and have all the massages you want, every day, for a price of approx. 150 euro. The company also did this with her beauty treatments. Forgot the name of the firm.
about 3 years ago
Hi Linda…We have a “frequent flyer” program that the client can save 10% by scheduling once a week. Also, we have our discount packages program that saves the client 5% on 5 massages or 10% on 10 massages (we also give paraffin hand treatments with the package-2 with a package of 5 or 5 with a package of 10 as an added incentive). As the economy slowed, we sold less and less packages, but that is turning around! We are selling more of the packages…we keep track of the number of treatments left or we give gift certificates to the client which they can keep for themselves or share with others.
For the holiday season, we bundle 4 gift certificates and the client can save 15%…this has been very successful. It will get the clients who were thinking of buying 2 or 3 gift certificates to go the extra and buy all 4 and save 15%. We start this special early in November and it runs until the end of the year.
I am not sure how many people will part with $3,000.00 for the premium package that you talked about, but it is worth trying!!
I think this is a great idea…thank you for sharing. Although we have several different programs available for our clients, I think this takes it to another level!!
Thanks again!!
Jack
about 3 years ago
Love this idea! I’ve already been offering prepaid packages of 3, 5 and 10 sessions, but a whole years’ worth sounds great! Keeps the room occupied and the cash flow coming in.
Thanks!
about 3 years ago
Commenters who think $3000 is too much, miss a couple key points. The Platinum program costs absolutely nothing to offer, and allows an impressive tiered structure when offered with more reasonably priced Silver & Gold packages (maybe monthly & bi-weekly for twelve months, respectively). For the one or two people that can afford it, they feel elite, but even those who buy the lesser programs feel special as they are getting a massage at a place that offers a $3000 package.
BTW, another option to offer – besides discounted pricing – to help sell the package, is priority scheduling for appointments.
And since no one else has the courage to say it, the biggest payoff with prepaid membership cards like this is when users eventually stop coming in (wether due to relocation, change in financial status, health conditions, or whatever). This is why a prepaid membership is the better program for the seller than using frequent visit programs or punch cards.
about 3 years ago
Yes, you did say that “thing”. I’ve often felt a little guilty about that last point in regards to gift certificates… I have a bunch out there unredeemed.
But I know that’s the risk for the buyer.. though i will still honor them as long as I’m able.
I was also thinking that there premium packages could also include free or discounted enrollment in any classes or workshops I offer, or products, or chair massage at events,
about 3 years ago
George is right on with my thought process! I implemented a similar offer on my menu of services a few months ago, after seeing the news report of a carwash company offering “package deals” of different levels as well, I think. I offer Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum massage packages, priced with crazy savings, obviously the Platinum saves the most, bronze saves $50 I think, for a massage every 6 weeks for a year. Platinum is a once a week massage for a year, and can save a good $1,000. So far, I’ve only have one package sell–a Silver. I ahve suggested it to a couple of my regulars, but they just don’t have that up-front money to invest, even though they are coming in about once a month anyway.
about 10 months ago
Great idea…I think I’ve come up with the solution …I offer a membership that for 100$ a month gets you 15 minutes a day for five days a week….I work this in a gym environment and we do —pre or post workout massage or passive stretch!!!!…I’ve got 300 people on it and I have three full time therapist working ….it works and it makes common sense to people that need a little everyday!!!!!….