Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/526887
12 ASCP Skin Deep July/August 2015 A Things a bit slow this time of year? Don't let an empty appointment book get you down. Instead, take advantage of the quiet to develop a plan to make your summer more profitable. By Felicia Brown At the beginning of June 2011, I looked at my appointment schedule for the months ahead and began to worry. Though my business had been humming along just fine since the beginning of the year, I suddenly realized that most of the summer was looking really quiet—cricket- chirping quiet. Although I had a really steady and loyal clientele, many of my more affluent regulars had planned lengthy trips away in the coming months. In fact, many would be gone for weeks at a time, if not the whole summer. Panic set in and I wondered how I would be able make it through the pending financial drought. A Cure for the Summertime Blu Around the same time, I saw one of my local mentors—a longtime industry veteran and one of the highest-priced therapists I knew—running hugely discounted deals with several sites, including Groupon. I wondered if I, too, would have to jump on the deep- discount train just to bring in a little extra revenue. Even in my panicked state, I wasn't sure it made sense, especially since the discount I'd have to give (combined with the percentage most sites take) would leave me with less than 25 percent of what I usually made per client. True, I'd have increased cash flow and the potential to turn a few of the bargain seekers into repeat customers, but would I have enough energy to show these folks—not to mention my regular clients—my best? I also worried that if my regulars saw the offer, they might also expect deep discounts. I did not want to see that happen.