Professional Promo/discounts ( Police, fire and Military)

I have been working with some clients lately to donate for charity- usually samples for a charity gift basket or a gift certificate for a certain amount when I believe in the cause or will get visibility to business for doing so.

How about working with business to business for discounts ( monthly) -say Police and Fire get 15% off this month ( employee and one family member)

Next month - Nurses and Teachers

Having a Military family discount for teens and whoever have a loved one ( immediate family ) over seas-

Does anyone do these? If so how have they helped business or gaining new clients? Do you contact local police/ fire or just advertise online?

Just wondered-
I recently have been doing a different professional discount every month or two and have had a few wife's take advantage..

Tags: Discounts, business, monthly, promotions, specials

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Permalink Reply by coldsalineplexus on July 21, 2013 at 5:30am

I guess it just depends on whether you need to discount your services in order to stay booked.

In my studio, I have shied away from the discounts big time, because our clients value the service at the rate that appears on our menu. We're professionals performing a professional service, so I see no need to discount.

HOWEVER, occasionally I will promote a new service by offering a little something extra (in New Orleans we call this "lagniappe") with the service for a limited period of time. I think you could adapt your "professional discount" to this strategy to help you preserve the value of your treatments. For example, oil workers and their families (big industry here on the Gulf) might get a complimentary eye treatment during the month of August when they book a facial with an upgrade. See how that would be a way to actually promote the value of your service?

My tip with military/fire/police discounts would be to discount at a lower (affordable to you) % year-round if you are going for that clientele. Unlike, say, oil workers or financial industry people, when it comes to first responders we are talking less about a promotion and more about more of a display of gratitude and loyalty to those who risk their lives for us, and I think that would be more appreciated (and more talked-about among the families of those first responders) than just an occasional discount.

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Permalink Reply by Jodi on July 21, 2013 at 4:04pm

I have donated free services to numerous charity auctions and such to get my name out there, to get new people in to experience my services. I have one coming up in August and I'm excited to see who wins it and hope they love it! We don't do discounts for specific occupations, but that's a good idea. Maybe instead of months, use those to fill slower days? Tuesday is Nurse discount day! Something like that?