A Strategies coaching client recently asked, “Do you recommend offering a discount to encourage clients to prebook their next appointment?”

The short answer is, that you do what you have to do to retain clients.

However, offering a discount to book a second visit, or any subsequent visit, should be viewed more as an occasional marketing effort than an ongoing practice.

IMPORTANT: Do not get into the habit of discounting second or pre-booked visits.

Offering discounts for clients to pre-book is giving money away. Once you start, it can be hard to stop.

FACT: Offering clients a discount to prebook appointments is an expensive shortcut that avoids implementing a systemized and managed prebook system.

At Strategies, we teach “The Happiness System.” It is designed as a professional closing procedure for all salon/spa services. RELATED: Access our free Happiness System Cheat Sheet and mini Video Lesson here.

The goal of The Happiness System is to prebook a client’s next visit(s) and recommend the required retail products for home use.

FACT: The Happiness System is THE BEST client retention mechanism.

At the end of a visit …

1. Service provider delivers a thorough review of services performed that day.


2. Gives verbal and written retail recommendations


3. Gives verbal and written explanation of maintenance cycle to schedule at checkout.


4. Ensures that prebook and retail recommendations go to front desk for checkout.


5. Front desk staff must be thoroughly trained to complete The Happiness System to prebook and close the retail sale.