As an aesthetic clinician running your own practice, you’ve likely considered whether to introduce discounts or offers on your treatments, especially during popular promotional periods like Black Friday just gone or Boxing Day round the corner. While such offers might seem like a surefire way to attract clients, the decision is not as straightforward as it appears.
This blog aims to explore the pros and cons of running promotions, with a focus on the ethical considerations that come with offering discounts in the aesthetics industry. By the end, you’ll be better equipped to decide whether offers are the right fit for your business.
The Pros of Offering Discounts in Aesthetic Clinics
1. Attracting New Clients
Promotions can help entice potential clients who may have been hesitant to book treatments due to cost. Boxing Day, with its established association with discounts, is a great opportunity to attract people who are already looking for deals.
For new practitioners or those in highly competitive areas, an offer can provide a much-needed boost in visibility and footfall. Once clients experience the quality of your treatments, many may return for full-price services, building your loyal customer base.
2. Boosting Revenue During Quiet Periods
The post-Christmas period can often be a quieter time for clinics, with many clients focused on recovering from holiday spending. A Boxing Day offer could fill gaps in your schedule, ensuring you keep cash flow steady during these quieter months.
3. Building Brand Awareness
Discounts can increase awareness of your clinic. Even if clients don’t book immediately, they may follow your social media or sign up for newsletters, which can lead to future bookings. A strategically planned offer can act as a springboard to market your expertise.
The Cons of Offering Discounts
1. Devaluing Your Services
One of the main arguments against promotions is the risk of undermining the perceived value of your treatments. Aesthetic services require skill, expertise, and a significant financial investment in training and equipment. Frequent discounts may signal to clients that your prices are inflated to begin with or that your services are not worth the full price.
2. Attracting Price-Driven Clients
Promotions can attract clients who are primarily motivated by cost, rather than quality or trust in your expertise. These clients may not return when prices go back to normal, making it harder to build a loyal clientele.
3. Potential Overwhelm
A well-advertised Boxing Day offer might generate more bookings than you anticipated, leading to an overwhelming schedule and reduced time to dedicate to each client. The last thing you want is for new clients to leave feeling rushed or undervalued.
4. Impact on Regular Clients
Your long-standing clients, who have supported you at full price, may feel slighted if they see new customers benefiting from lower prices. This could lead to dissatisfaction or even resentment, potentially affecting your relationships and retention rates.
Ethical Considerations: Balancing Business Goals with Responsibility
The aesthetics industry is unique in that it blends beauty with healthcare. As clinicians, we have an ethical responsibility to ensure that any promotional strategies are aligned with the core values of safety, professionalism, and client care.
Avoiding Over-Promotion of Treatments
It’s important not to over-push treatments just to capitalise on a discount. Clients should never feel pressured into making quick decisions about their health and wellbeing, especially when it comes to elective procedures. Always ensure that consultations remain thorough, ethical, and client-focused, even during promotional periods.
Informed Consent During Promotions
When running a promotion, ensure that clients fully understand the treatment, including risks and benefits. They should never feel rushed into booking simply because an offer is time-limited.
Maintaining Professionalism
While retail-style promotions may work for certain beauty treatments, it’s essential to remember that many aesthetic procedures are medical in nature. Avoid language that diminishes the seriousness of your work or makes treatments seem like a commodity.
Should I Offer Discounts at All?
Before committing to a Boxing Day promotion, take time to reflect on your business goals, client base, and ethical stance.
Consider the following questions:
What is your brand’s identity? If your brand is positioned as a premium, luxury service, frequent discounts may dilute your image. Conversely, if you aim to be approachable and accessible, an offer may align well with your ethos.
Are you financially prepared? Ensure you have calculated the impact of the promotion on your profits. Can you afford to discount your services without compromising on quality?
How will you manage demand? If an offer brings a sudden influx of clients, do you have the capacity to maintain your usual high standards of care?
Tips for Running Ethical and Effective Promotions
If you decide to go ahead with a Boxing Day offer, here are some strategies to ensure it’s successful and aligned with your values:
1. Offer Value Without Devaluing
Instead of discounting treatments, consider offering added value. For example, clients could receive a complimentary consultation or a small skincare product with their treatment. This keeps your pricing intact while still providing an incentive.
2. Time-Limited Offers with Transparency
If you’re running a time-limited promotion, make sure clients understand the terms and conditions upfront. Be clear about which treatments are included, and avoid ambiguous or misleading advertising.
3. Target Specific Treatments
Rather than discounting your most popular or high-value treatments, consider focusing on services you’d like to promote. For example, you might run an offer on skincare consultations to introduce clients to your expertise, rather than discounting injectables.
4. Reward Loyalty
Instead of attracting new clients, why not use a Boxing Day offer to thank your existing clients? A loyalty reward – such as a discount on their next treatment or a free add-on – helps build relationships and shows appreciation.
5. Set Clear Boundaries
Avoid falling into the trap of over-discounting or running promotions too frequently. Boxing Day could be a once-a-year event in your clinic, helping to create anticipation and maintain exclusivity.
Alternative Ways to Attract Clients Without Discounts
If you’re hesitant about offering discounts, there are other ways to increase visibility and bookings during Boxing Day:
Run an educational campaign. Use the festive period to share informative content about your treatments on social media. This positions you as an expert and builds trust.
Host a giveaway. Offering a chance to win a voucher or skin consultation or skincare product can generate buzz without impacting your overall pricing structure, as well as ensuring ethical promotions.
Promote your expertise. Share testimonials, before-and-after photos, or a “year in review” post highlighting your achievements and client successes.
Focus on January. Many clients prioritise self-care in the New Year. Consider a campaign that aligns with New Year resolutions, such as “Feel Confident in 2025” rather than a Boxing Day sale.
Final Thoughts
Boxing Day offers can be a powerful tool for aesthetic clinicians, but they come with potential risks and ethical considerations. Whether or not to run a promotion depends on your individual business model, values, and goals.
By carefully weighing the pros and cons, ensuring transparency, and maintaining the highest standards of care, you can make an informed decision that benefits both your clinic and your clients.
Whatever you choose, remember that your expertise and dedication to client care are the true drivers of your success – not the size of your discounts.
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