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Selling packages can increase your bookings, create customer loyalty and boost your profits.
Packages mean that you are selling a certain number of appointments at once. The benefit of this is that it means more commitment on behalf of the client and therefore fewer no-shows.
Typically, packages can also be sold for more than single-sessions as well. But the benefits don’t end there.
When you have more time with your client, you have more time to actually solve their problem and build better relationships.
Sometimes, your clients won’t need much convincing.
But, that isn’t always the case. Packages do require more commitment and more money up front.
With that in mind, what are the best ways to frame those packages so that clients are more willing to sign up for several appointments at once?
1. Understand Your Clients’ Needs
More often than not your clients will be willing to pay for packages if you can promise to solve a problem.
Having an understanding of your clients’ needs from the beginning puts you in a better position to offer solutions.
For example, if you know that your client suffers from long-term chronic back pain and is not just suffering from temporary neck pain due to a poor night’s sleep, you can explain how a package would address their concerns more thoroughly (i.e. more time with the patient to address those concerns).
That’s why when it comes to selling packages, having an understanding of your clients’ needs – even before the client has even visited the first time – puts you in a better position to sell those packages once the client visits.
You can use your online appointment scheduler’s client management system to take notes regarding your client’s needs. Later on, you can then use this information to suggest potential treatment packages that they may be interested in order to maintain those results.
2. Nailing Pricing Strategies
Many businesses struggle with how to price their packages. You have a few different options here, including flat fee packages and hourly rates.
Often, however, flat fee packages tend to result in more profits (and more marketing appeal). For example, you can sell a package of 5 massages (each $50) for $300 if you throw in a couple of extra goodies so that the client feels satisfied with the total value. You earned yourself $50 in the process.
There are also many businesses who also inflate the price of their single sessions so that the package seems like the better deal. In combination with reduced no-shows, this pricing strategy can also be effective.
3. Custom Built Options
Giving your clients the flexibility to create the specific kinds of packages they want to create is another way to increase your packaged bookings.
This could include not only the flexibility in the services they can choose, but also customization in terms of payment (such as the ability to pay for services by the hour).
Above all, your clients have a range of different needs and giving them more options is key to satisfy those needs. Better yet, it allows you to position yourself as customer focused.
4. Marketing Strategies
When it comes to selling your packages, don’t overlook the importance of marketing. Give appealing names to your packages that speak to the benefit of the package. If you’re a spa, perhaps you have a package called “The Relax and Unwind Package” and so on.
- Grouped Packages
One great strategy is to actually group services together. For example, if you run a spa, a spa package might include a massage, a facial, a pedicure and other beauty treatments.
- Holiday/Seasonal Packages & Gift Certificates
Taking advantage of the holidays and other seasonal times of the year when people are more likely to book services in bulk, especially for others, is another great way to sell packages.
Marketing and timing are integral when it comes to seasonal packages. Often the best way to get the message out is through email marketing.
5. Include Expiration Dates
It is also a very good idea to include expiration dates for your packages, especially if you are using discounts. This isn’t necessarily beneficial for selling purposes, but useful for those who decide to give discounted prices (more on this below).
For example, if a client purchases a package at a discounted price but then spreads those appointments out over the course of a year, the point of offering a discounted price is kind of lost.
6. Incentivize Them
Any time you can offer some sort of incentivization to book more of your services at once, you will typically have a higher likelihood of booking more.
For example, you could offer clients half off on their first appointment with the purchase of 10 or more appointments.
If you are a fitness center, you could offer discounts for registered students.
You could add in goodies or add-ons to incentivize them further.
Incentivizing can be a good strategy, but you also want to make sure it makes financial sense for your business. Just because your clients are paying ahead doesn’t mean that a significant discount is warranted, but it still can be a good option if it makes sense for your business.
The Bottom Line
Selling packages over single sessions can fill up your online appointment scheduler, increase your profits and result in more customer loyalty.
The keys to selling packages are through understanding your client’s needs (and genuinely offering a package that can address those needs), a pricing strategy that satisfies both your business and your clients and effective marketing.
Yocale is the top online appointment scheduler on the market today. Yocale also has been featured in Microsoft, Forbes and beyond. We also offer a free suite of business management and marketing tools, including email marketing. For more information, click here.
