Somewhere along the line, our industry got the reputation of being a place where a free trial is the rule instead of the exception. I couldn’t walk into a new dentist’s office tomorrow and demand a complimentary cleaning “because I’m considering giving them my business,” but it is considered more than acceptable to do so at the gym down the road.
If you’ve read my material in the past, you know that we rarely offer free assessments at CSP. Since our inception, the cost on day-one has been $99. That’s our prerogative, just like offering a free evaluation at your gym is yours. However, I know for certain that there are a number of you out there who resent the feeling of obligation to issue a “freebie” thanks to the competitive alternatives in your area.
What if we were to meet somewhere in the middle?
Instead of giving away that $99 initial visit (I’m using the CSP price point for this example), why not charge the fee on day one, but offer to apply the total toward the first month of training should the client choose to return beyond their first visit?
A few years back, we had an agreement in place to offer complimentary assessments to members of a specific collegiate development program. Over time, we found that our conversion percentage following day-one was noticeably lower with this population than it was for those who paid for their initial visit. Our solution was to continue to offer $99 worth of savings, but it was contingent upon signing up for the initial month. And wouldn’t you know it...conversion rates improved.
Consider mixing in this approach at your own shop moving forward and you may find that new clients have a better appreciation for the value of your time, and an improved perception of the quality of your services.
In the end, you’ll still be able to advertise “$99 worth of savings in month-one,” right?