12 Black Friday Promotion Ideas for Service Businesses

Lots of people spend Black Friday weekend looking for deals, and that includes those who might want to try your services. For a service-based business, the challenge is creating an offer that brings those people in while still making a profit on each visit.

That’s why we’ve put together the best Black Friday ideas for small businesses that’ll help you bring in clients while protecting your prices. 

Whatever type of service business you run, you’ll find ideas that fit how you work, along with examples you can adapt to your own shop.

Black Friday Offers That Keep Your Regular Prices

Some service-based businesses tend to do better on Black Friday by keeping their prices where they are and giving clients more for the same money.

The Black Friday marketing ideas below usually cost you a few extra minutes or a little product. Plus, they don’t teach clients to expect a lower price from you for the rest of the year.

1. Add a free service to every visit

With this offer, clients pay your regular price, and you include another service you normally charge for separately. For clients, the bonus is worth whatever it costs on your menu, but on your end it might mean 10 extra minutes and a bit of extra product.

For example, a barber could finish every haircut over Black Friday weekend with a hot towel and straight-razor neck shave. A pet groomer might add a nail trim and ear cleaning to every full groom.

Just make sure to factor in time, too; the offer should be something you can do quickly. If it adds 20 or 25 minutes to every visit, you’ll fit fewer clients into one of your busiest weeks, and that cuts into what the promo earns.

2. Give a free upgrade to your premium service

With this offer, clients reserve your standard service and get the next tier up at no extra charge. This works well because it lets clients try a premium service they’ve probably seen on your menu but never paid for.

A salon could upgrade every standard blowout to include a gloss treatment. Meanwhile, a massage therapist could turn a standard Swedish massage into one with hot stones or aromatherapy, which adds value without making the session much longer.

The best services to upgrade are ones clients often hesitate to buy at full price. If most of your clients already pay for the premium version, giving it away won’t feel like much of a deal to them. 

Upgrades can also pay off after the promo ends, because some clients may like the premium service enough to pay for it on their next visit.

3. Throw in a free session when clients pay for several upfront

Rather than lowering your price per visit, you give clients more sessions for the same price. Your listed rate doesn’t change, so clients who recently paid full price won’t feel like they overpaid.

For instance, a fitness client who pays for five training sessions or classes gets their sixth one free, or a lash client who pays for three fills gets the fourth one free.

Before you launch this offer, count how many free sessions your calendar can actually handle. Clients will come in for these after Black Friday, so you’ll need open spots to fit them in. Set a clear expiration date with enough time for clients to use all their visits.

4. Package related services into a Black Friday bundle

A bundle combines two or three services that go well together and sells them at one package price. Clients don’t have to figure out which services to pair, and each visit brings in more than a single service would. 

Your individual service prices also stay the same, since the deal only applies to the package.

A barbershop could bundle a haircut, beard trim, and hot towel shave, while a salon might pair color, a cut, and a gloss treatment. For a pet groomer, a full groom plus teeth brushing and a de-shedding treatment makes an easy bundle. 

Build your bundles from services that many clients already buy together. Look through your past client history to find the pairings that come up most often. 

Then, limit how many bundles are available (such as 25 total) and mention that number in your promo materials, so interested clients know they need to grab a bundle before it runs out.

Ideas for Black Friday Discounts With Clear Limits

If your clients respond better to a straight discount, the next set of Black Friday promotion ideas shows how to offer one without overloading your calendar or cutting too deep into your earnings.

5. Discount a fixed number of spots

Choose how many discounted spots you’ll offer, give those spots a discount bigger than you normally would, and mention in your promo the number of spots so as to create urgency.

For example, a nail salon could release 15 discounted gel sets for Black Friday weekend. Or if you’re a barber, you could offer 20 haircuts at half price, while a personal trainer could open 10 discounted private sessions at 30% off.

Make sure to limit the deal to one spot per client so a single person can’t claim several. Asking for prepayment or a deposit upfront is also a good idea, since it ensures clients will actually show up for the spot they claimed. 

6. Offer a discount for first-time clients

You may already have a year-round discount for new clients. However, Black Friday weekend is when many people are actively looking for deals, including people who’ve been curious about your business (but haven’t come in yet).

A first-timer discount that’s better than your usual one and is only available that weekend gives those people a reason to finally come in. Of course, make it clear in your promo materials that the offer is for new clients only.

For example, a fitness studio that usually gives new clients one free class could offer two weeks of unlimited classes for $25 to any newbie who signs up before or by Cyber Monday.

Meanwhile, a salon that normally takes 10% off a first visit might take 25% off a first color service throughout Black Friday weekend, since color is one of the more expensive services. 

Note: Expect a few regulars to ask why they can’t get the deal. It helps to have a perk ready for them too, and you’ll find a few ideas for that later in this article.

7. Make the discount redeemable only during slower days or hours

With this offer, clients snag the deal during Black Friday weekend, but they can only use it on days and times your calendar usually has wide openings. You’re filling slots that would otherwise probably go unfilled, so the discount actually costs you very little. 

If you have a hair salon, your Black Friday weekend deal could be 20% off cuts and color, valid only on Tuesdays and Thursdays until February. 

On the other hand, if your business is a fitness studio, you could sell a discounted 10-class pack that’s only good for morning and midday classes. 

When choosing which days and times qualify for this discount, look back at the last four or so weeks on your calendar. The hours you assume are quiet may not match what actually happens, and your calendar will show you where the real gaps are. 

8. Run flash sales throughout Black Friday weekend

Instead of running one offer for the whole weekend, you can release a few short deals at specific limited times between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

Since many shoppers check for new deals throughout the weekend, this gives them a reason to keep coming back to your social media (or stay tuned to your email blasts) since there’s a different offer each time. 

Below is an example of how a service-based business can go about this idea:

• Black Friday, 9 a.m. to noon: 25% off your most popular service, for visits scheduled in the next two weeks
• Small Business Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m.: 20% off any open spots that afternoon, for clients who can come in the same day
• Sunday, 6 to 9 p.m.: 15% off any service scheduled on a weekday morning in December to January 
• Cyber Monday, all day: 20% off multi-visit packages, sold online only

Once you’ve planned your Black Friday weekend deals, tell people ahead of time when they should check so they don’t miss out. You can post something on social media like “New deal every morning at 9 a.m., Friday to Monday.”

Black Friday Promo Ideas To Fill Your Calendar for Next Year

With these offers, clients pay during the holiday shopping rush and come in later. You get at least some of the revenue now, and the visits spread out over the months ahead. 

Clients who’ve already paid also have a good reason to follow through and show up.

9. Sell gift cards that come with a small bonus

Gift cards work differently from the other Black Friday promotion ideas on this list, since these are usually bought for someone else, which means every card can bring a new client through your door.

Including a bonus amount to your gift cards gives people a reason to purchase during Black Friday weekend instead of later in December. A salon could add $20 to every $100 gift card, whereas a massage therapist might sell a $75 gift card for just $60. 

Make it easy for people to buy your gift cards online and get those by email right away. If buyers can only pick up a card in person, you might miss out on someone who’s short on time or buying for a friend currently based in another city.

Also, keep in mind that bonus value is money you’ll pay out in services later, so don’t let clients stack it with other promos (e.g., using a bonus gift card on an already discounted bundle). 

10. Put together prepaid packages with a long expiration date

A prepaid package lets a client pay upfront for a set number of visits and use them over the following months. You get the money during the holidays, and the client gets a reason to keep coming back on a regular schedule.

Make sure it’s something clients can use at least over several months, so they feel they’re getting a good deal. To prevent any confusion, include the expiration date when you announce the offer, and put it in writing again on receipts or confirmation emails.

If you already sell prepaid packages, make your Black Friday version stand out with something you don’t usually offer, like more visits per package or a lower price per visit. 

For example, a Pilates studio that usually offers 10-class packs could offer a 48-class one that can be used anytime till October next year. Meanwhile, a lash tech who often sells fills one at a time could sell a package of eight fills that’s good for six months.

Black Friday Offers That Reward Loyal Clients

These Black Friday ideas for small businesses put your regulars and long-time clients first through early access or priority perks. 

We especially recommend doing these if your business often has a full calendar, where getting a spot at all is worth something to clients. These are also a good way to thank the people who choose your business again and again.

11. Give your regulars priority on holiday and January spots

Use Black Friday weekend (or even a few days before that) to open your busiest dates to a specific set of clients before anyone else. This may mean the days leading up to Christmas and New Year’s Eve, or your January calendar. 

Giving away first pick costs you nothing, since those spots would likely fill anyway. For clients who usually have trouble getting in, though, a guaranteed spot during the holidays can be worth more than a discount.

If you run a beauty salon, you could give regulars first dibs on spots during December’s busiest weeks, before opening remaining spots to everyone else. 

On the other hand, a chiropractor might give long-time patients first pick of the limited spots between Christmas and New Year’s, when many people have time off.

You should also decide ahead of time who counts as a regular or long-time client, like those who’ve visited at least three times this year. 

Note: Avoid handing every in-demand spot to regulars if you’re also running a new-client offer. Keep some open, so new clients who come in through your Black Friday deals can still find a time that works.

12. Offer your loyal clients early access to Black Friday deals

Open your Black Friday offers to regulars and long-time clients a day or two before you announce them publicly. 

For example, you might text and email these clients on Wednesday, Nov. 25, then post the offer on social media on Black Friday. 

Your best clients get the first chance at deals with limited availability, and you can see how they respond before everyone else does. If spots sell out fast, you’ll have time to add more before the public launch.

Early access works with almost any item on this list of Black Friday sale ideas for small businesses. Whichever you choose, make sure only the clients you invited can claim the deal early.

A private link or a code that expires once the offer goes public keeps it limited to the right people. Just let clients know when their early access ends, so they don’t miss their window. 

Mistakes To Avoid When Planning Your Black Friday Promo

A really good Black Friday deal can still cost you money or frustrate clients if a few details slip through. So, before you launch your promo, look out for these common mistakes.

• Running a discount with no limit: Without a cap on spots, dates, or who qualifies, you might end up filling your entire December calendar at a lower rate.
• Discounting spots that would fill anyway: If your Saturday mornings and pre-holiday dates are usually in high demand, a discount for those means you’d earn less for the same work. 
• Not requiring a deposit or prepayment: You should at least consider this for deals that sell out fast or if you’ve had trouble with no-shows before. After all, a missed visit means a spot someone else could have taken. 
• Forgetting to factor in staff pay: If your team earns commission on each service, a 30% discount may also cut their pay for the same amount of work. Set your commission policy for discounted services and share it with staff beforehand.
• Selling more than your calendar can handle: Every package, free session, and gift card is a visit you’ll need to make room for later. Count the hours you’re committing to before you set a limit on how many you’ll sell.
• Letting clients stack offers: A bonus gift card used on a discounted bundle can turn a good deal into one that loses you money. State clearly in your promo which offers can’t be combined.
• Leaving out the fine print: Expiration dates, qualifying days, and per-client limits should all be in your promo, not explained after someone buys. Clear terms upfront save you from awkward conversations later.
• Making your Black Friday deal feel like any other sale: If you run discounts every few months, your Black Friday offer might not seem worth rushing for. Consider saving your strongest offer for this special weekend.

Prepare for the Black Friday Rush With Bookedin

The weeks leading up to Black Friday go by fast, and many people start looking for deals well before then. Setting up your offer early gives you time to announce it to clients while they’re still deciding where to spend their holiday budget.

It’ll also help you prepare your staff (if you’re not a solo business) and make sure your calendar can handle the extra demand.

Once your Black Friday offer is ready, think about how clients will claim it. With Bookedin, you can list your Black Friday deal as its own service on your online booking page, so clients can reserve a spot anytime without calling or messaging you. 

Make sure to add your booking page link to every promo post, email, and text, so clients can act on your offer as soon as they see it.

Bookedin also has plenty of features like deposit collection, upfront payments, and automated reminders to make sure the spots clients claim don’t go to waste.

FAQ About Doing Black Friday for a Service Business