Louise and I have just enjoyed a couple of weeks in Gran Canaria – a perfect blend of sun and relaxation. But one of the less relaxing days was the trip to the local water park.
Our daughter Anna absolutely loves water parks, so there’s no escaping it. And the more frightening the ride, the better!
We did all have a great day there. Even Louise, who usually limits herself to the wave pool, found herself giving a few of the slides a go…much to her regret afterwards.
Anyway, as we left the park, there was an interesting business lesson. The entrance fee was €39, but they had a deal where you could buy a return ticket for only €13. In other words, you could get three visits for the price of one. Naturally, after such a fun day, we thought, “Why not? It’s a bargain.”
But what was clever from Aqualand’s perspective is how smart this deal was for them. The €13 return ticket was essentially free for them to offer. It didn’t cost them anything extra to let us back in. While not everyone will return, they’ve already secured our payment upfront.
And, if we did come back, they’d likely make additional money from locker rentals and food.
It’s the kind of deal that guarantees them extra income. And yet, it felt like such a great bargain that we couldn’t resist.
Of course, we didn’t actually end up going back – but we didn’t regret it. After all, we’d already had a fantastic day, and the ticket felt like a great deal.
In fact, it was much better value than the family season ticket I once bought prior to leaving Knowsley Safari Park, which I never used. Or the time I bought the monthly unlimited pass to the cinema and only saw one film. (Mickey Blue Eyes, in case you’re wondering – not Hugh Grant’s finest work.) But I don’t regret either of those either.
This got me thinking – could you apply this kind of strategy to your business?
What could you offer customers after their first purchase that seems like such a good deal, they’d be silly to say no?
After all, it’s far easier to get a repeat sale from an existing customer than it is to find a new one. If you can make them an offer they can’t refuse, you win…and so do they.
If you have any questions, please email su*****@*********************co.uk or give us a ring on 0151 380 8084.
Many thanks
Jon