Packages and memberships: selling visits in advance
A client pays for five visits at once and comes regularly. Who packages suit, a calculator for whether they pay off, and the rules to write down first.
In short
- A package pays off when the client comes more often with it than without it.
- A discount for people who would come every time anyway is just a lower price.
- Decide validity, cancellations and unused visits before you sell the first package.
Contents 8 parts
Why sell visits in advance
A client pays for five visits at once and comes regularly. You know they'll be back, and the money is already in hand. Packages sound like the perfect solution, and often they are. But only if they are worked out properly.
The biggest mistake is giving a discount to people who would come every time anyway. This article covers who packages suit, a calculator that shows whether they pay off for you, the rules to write down in advance, and how to offer them without pressure.
Which treatments suit packages
A package suits treatments that naturally repeat or come as a course:
- Regular upkeep: lash fills, brows, a manicure or pedicure every few weeks.
- A course: facials, massages or another treatment whose result comes after several sessions.
- A season: for example a summer pedicure or treatments before the holidays.
For one-off treatments, such as a first full set of lashes, a package usually isn't needed.
Does a package pay off for you
A package pays off when the client comes more often with it than without it. If they would come every time anyway, the discount is simply a lower price. Try it:
Work it out
Does a package pay off for you
Type in your price and discount. The last field matters most: how many times the client would have come without a package.
Package price
€180
One visit in the package
€36
Client saves
€20
You receive more
€60
The package pays off, because the client comes more often than they would without it.
The numbers update as you type. Nothing is saved or sent.
A package, a membership or a balance
| Type | How it works | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Packagee.g. 5 visits | the client pays up front and uses visits one by one | courses |
| Membershipa monthly fee | a set number of visits a month, paid regularly | upkeep |
| Balancemoney paid in | the client spends it on any treatment until it runs out | flexibility |
Rules to write down in advance
Most package disputes happen because the rules weren't written down. Before you sell the first one, decide:
- Validity: how long the client has to use the visits, and whether that fits the treatment's rhythm.
- Cancellations: whether a late-cancelled visit counts as used.
- Illness or moving away: what happens to unused visits.
- Passing it on: whether a friend or family member can use the package.
- If you stop working: the fair thing is to refund the unused part.
Rules have to be clear and fair to the client. If you're not sure how they fit with consumer law where you work, check your consumer protection authority's guidance or ask a lawyer. Ask your accountant how to record money received in advance.
How to offer without pressure
The best moment is at the end of a visit, when the client books the next one. The offer is a benefit for the client, not a sales pitch:
Ready-to-use message
Offering a package
Replace the parts in brackets with your own.
Keeping track
Check yourself
Before you sell your first package
How it works in RINDIQ
RINDIQ doesn't have a dedicated package feature right now. But two things help:
- A gift card can also be issued in person, once gift cards are activated for your account. It works as a prepaid balance: the client uses it for several bookings, and the balance goes down each time.
- Booking ahead: you can book the client into every visit of a course at once, so the times are held.
More about gift cards in Gift cards: are they worth it and how to sell them online.
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