Sarah Mourtos Have you considered offering discounts for students? Here is why you should.
Life must be pretty tricky for the young people of today. Along with raging hormones, final exams, and the general uncertainty that comes when the seesaw tips from childhood into adulthood, a global pandemic has been thrown into the mix to make things a whole lot more complicated. Not to pick a side in the generational wars, but it’s hard not to empathise with Gen Z at the moment.
This is why the owner of Willow Day Spa Laura Soszynski is offering a discount for students, and she is one of the only spas in her area doing this. Since COVID-19, she has seen an increase in teenage students pursuing healthy skin due to stress and hormonal changes.
“At Willow, we’ve been calling it the “Self-Care Movement”. COVID-19 has given us a new lens to look at our livelihood through and realise how important taking care of ourself, inside and out, really is,” Laura said.
Laura has found the uptake from this promotion has been tremendous and says her younger clientele are a lot more self-supporting these days. This is no surprise considering young people (Gen Z and Millennials) make up 40 per cent of the workforce, according to Brag Media.
“They’re paying for their treatments and products out of their own pockets. I love this,” she said.
However, young people face higher levels of financial hardship than ever before, and the recession is only going to exacerbate this trend. Laura says she wants to do her part in helping them achieve results affordably. She recalls how hard it was being a teenager with hormonal skin and little money.
“I just want to ensure I am doing my part in offering a safe, honest space where they can come and receive professional advice without influence,” she adds.
The advantages of catering to a younger demographic in your spa or clinic may not be apparent, but they are significant. While there might be a higher financial return in pushing more advanced treatments on older clients who typically possess a disposable income, capturing the younger market has long term gain.
Laura says the younger generations are much more aware of their skin health than those in the past and are actively pursuing it. The demand for expert service is there, it’s cost that is the barrier to access. Offering a discount for students could be the incentive they need to walk through your door, one that otherwise would be overlooked and thrown into the ‘maybe, when I am older’ pile. It also offers a clear signal that your clinic is a space where all ages are welcome.
Finally, you capture the market while they are young, quite literally.
“The biggest advantage, I think, is starting good skin habits from a young age. This is going to stay with them and set them up for a lifetime of healthy skin,” Laura said.
If only you could go back and tell your teenage self to put on SPF ( Every. Single. Day) or not to pick at your pimples. Laura helps teenagers navigate the often perplexing world of hormonal skin. A relationship is built between the client and therapist, and thanks to a good rapport, she will most likely be the person they turn to down the track when their skin concerns change.
“Prevention is also key! At Willow Day Spa we use SkinDNA to test what genetic weakness may be present so that we can ensure we can prevent and slow down their effects,” Laura concludes.
Do you cater to a young market in your spa or clinic? Let us know in the comments below.
