Q&A - Should I offer Discounts?
OK, today I wanted to do a blog post on discounts. Hands up, who here has been asked for a discount. We've all been there – receiving emails asking for discounts during holidays, off-seasons, or even unconventional occasions. It can be really discouraging when you receive this and make us feel like our artistry and our job is undervalued.
Let’s rewind a bit - once upon a time, I actually OFFERED discounts. Early on in my career, I couldn’t actually get my head around what I was charging. After all, MAC charged £30 for a full face, how could I possibly charge more? I was so early on in my career, I wasn’t behind my business yet, and had a lot of insecurity and desperation to get people to book, so I would actually offer them in the email exchanges! “I can offer a discount for large parties and weekday bookings” despite the fact that large parties are JUST as much work, if not more AND weekdays are identical to weekends! As I became more secure in my career, I got more stern with offering discounts, after all, what we do is HARD WORK, and we need to make a living. You wouldn’t get a plumber round and ask for a discount, so I became much more stern with my responses and discount policy.
This response above was definitely fuelled by being a bit peed off after a pandemic of not working, I wouldn’t recommend this as a response to be honest, but I wanted to demonstrate, we ALL get asked for discounts and it can be very very infuriating, and that is OK! It can be super disheartening, but I am pleased to announce, I have not been asked for a discount in almost 2 years! I really really disliked it, so at the time shortly after the above email, I deep dived into how I can avoid this (if it can be avoided at all!) so here’s what worked for me!
1.) MINDSET
I flat out decided, no discounts. I also penned a much nicer response, which I will leave down below! Having this sitting in my notes, allowed me to not stew in anger over it, as I can just whizz this back in seconds. I also noticed, when I was being asked for discounts, my mindset was different. The way I approached my business was different. I was reluctant, insecure, I was actively offering them, and the way I spoke in my emails, for lack of better word, reeked of insecurity and desperation. The first thing I did was change my language. Everything on my website and in my emails, now was spoken with confidence. I upped the game a little bit, I stepped more into the luxury ideal client, and stepped away from being the artist for everyone. I really honed in on that ideal client and did a tonne of work, I spoke directly to them. I would say this was number 1, I changed the client I was attracting.
2.) I UPPED MY RATE
I hate to say it, but there is a type of person who asks for a discount. Sometimes its cultural (which I allow), but oftentimes, I found a lot of the time, discount requests also came with undervaluing my business, and being a type of customer that I didn’t gel with or get along with. In order to filter out that customer, I increased my rate, ALOT. I put myself in a different bracket. When I was “cheap”, when I was offering an “affordable” service, not only was I not paying myself adequately, but I also was giving the impression, I could be bartered with. I wasn’t professional, or giving the vibe that I deserved professionalism. When I increased my rate, invested in my branding, and changed my mindset, everything fell into place. I started getting clients that valued me. I realised, the change had to start with me and the way I was approaching my business.
3.) RESPONSES
Recognising that our beauty work is just as valid as traditional jobs changed my perspective. I wouldn't ask a dentist for a filling discount or a luxury restaurant. Similarly, I needed to respect my business and stick to prices that aligned with what I wanted to earn. I put on my website, that I didn’t offer discounts and explained why. If I was asked questions about my pricing, I came at it with education, rather than defence (and a lot of those brides actually go on to book me, when they see why the bride costs more!) Holding my ground didn't alienate people; it earned respect. When I worked with discount brides, I often found those were my worst experience, where I was treated poorly and my work was disrespected.
Saying "no" to jobs that don't fit your business means saying yes to everything else – clients willing to pay your worth, quality time with loved ones, and even time to dream. Saying "no" doesn't have to be negative; it can be purposeful. By saying no to discounts, I reclaimed my value. I knew I was worth every penny with my artistry and it was about changing my mindset to communicating that value. I found that the more I did communicate that worth, through my copy, my work and my mission, I actually booked more, by aligning deeper to my ideal clients.
Does this mean I'm inflexible? Not at all. I'm willing to work with my clients, but not at the expense of my time and skill. There have been brides just this year, where I have done a cheeky MOB for free, because she literally wanted mascara. If I feel the situation is right, I will always work with my clients. I remember on the day, there was a young flower girl feeling left out. I ended up doing a small amount of eyeshadow on her, and it made her day along with the bride. I didn’t charge for it, and the bride ended up throwing some money my way anyway. Discounts aren't inherently bad, but for entrepreneurs, they can influence our perception of self-worth, our work, and how clients value our offerings. discounts should be offered on our terms, when we launch something new, or have a black friday sale. They shouldn’t be set by the client. Saying "yes" to the right opportunities paves the way for your bigger dreams. Your time, skill, and YOU are absolutely worth it.
