Trial Offers
Category: Marketing | Code: trial_packages
Trial offers are discounted or free introductory packages available exclusively to new customers. Bookicorn automatically checks whether a customer is genuinely new – no manual effort on your part, no abuse by existing customers.
The goal: lower the barrier for prospective customers so they can try your course once. Someone who has been there and loved it will typically keep coming back.
What you get
- Free or discounted packages exclusively for new customers
- Automatic new customer detection – no manual check required
- Single use per customer – abuse prevented
- Flexible use – as a €0 package or a heavily discounted entry price
Activation
- Go to Add-on Store in the admin dashboard
- Activate Trial Offers
- Go to Credit Packages → New Package
- Enable the option Mark as trial offer
- The package is only visible and bookable for new customers
Creating a trial package
- Go to Credit Packages → New Package
- Enter a name and description (e.g. "Trial session", "First session free")
- Set the price: €0.00 (free) or a heavily reduced amount (e.g. €5.00)
- Define credits or sessions (e.g. 1 session, 1 week access)
- Enable the toggle Mark as trial offer
- Optionally restrict to specific course types
- Save – the package only appears to customers with no previous bookings
Free or discounted?
| Option | Advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| €0.00 (free) | Lowest barrier, maximum reach | Higher no-show rate (appointments missed without cancellation) |
| €1–€10 (heavily discounted) | Commitment through payment, lower no-show rate | Slightly higher barrier |
Tip: A small price (e.g. €5) significantly reduces no-shows without noticeably raising the barrier. Someone who pays €5 will actually show up.
Automatic new customer detection
Bookicorn automatically checks at checkout:
- Has this customer ever booked at this studio?
- Has this customer already redeemed a trial package?
If yes → the trial offer is not shown to the customer and cannot be booked.
This check happens in the background – you don't need to do anything manually. The system protects you from abuse by existing customers who try to use the package multiple times.
Note: The new customer check is based on the linked customer account. Customers must be logged in to book a trial package.
Single use per customer
Each customer can redeem the trial offer exactly once. The system automatically blocks any further attempts.
What happens if a customer tries to book a second trial package:
- The package no longer appears in the package overview in the app
- If the customer accesses the URL directly, an error is shown at checkout
Designing attractive introductory offers
What the trial package should include
- A complete session – not a watered-down experience
- A personal welcome – the trainer should know someone is attending for the first time
- A clear next step – present the next offer directly after the session
Follow-up after the trial
This is the most critical moment: the time immediately after the trial session.
- Follow-up email (send manually within 24h) after the session
- Include: a short thank-you, a feedback question, and a concrete offer for the next booking
- Optionally include a voucher code for the first regular booking (e.g. 10% off)
- If there's no response after 3 days: send a second short message
Subject: "Great to have you with us – how did it go?"
Hi [Name],
great that you tried us out today! We hope you enjoyed the session.
If you'd like to continue: use the code WELCOME10 to get 10% off your first regular booking – valid for the next 7 days.
[Book a course now]
Best wishes, [Studio name]
Course recommendation at the right moment
Interest is highest immediately after the trial session. Train your team to proactively mention the next booking options at the end of every trial session:
"If you enjoyed it – you can continue directly through our app. For new customers, the 5-session package is currently €X."
Tips for maximum impact
Making trial offers visible
- Place them prominently on the homepage of your website
- Link them in your social media bio ("First session free! →")
- Add them to your Google Business Profile
- Feature them on flyers and local advertising
Seasonal trial offers
Launch targeted campaigns at times when many people are looking for fitness options:
- January: New Year's resolutions ("Try your first session free")
- After summer holidays: Build a new routine
- Spring: "Get fit for summer" – motivation is high
Multiple trial packages for different target groups
You can create several trial packages and restrict them to different course types:
- Trial card Yoga (yoga courses only)
- Trial card HIIT (HIIT courses only)
- General trial package (all courses)
This lets you run targeted campaigns to fill specific courses.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if a course is fully booked and someone wants to use the trial offer? The trial package grants credits – the customer then needs to enroll in an available course. Fully booked courses cannot be booked regardless of the package type.
Can I restrict the trial offer to specific days of the week? Not directly at the moment. However, you can restrict the trial package to specific course types, and only offer those courses on specific days.
Does the trial offer appear in the public course schedule? That depends on your visibility settings. You can make packages visible only to logged-in new customers, or publicly visible.
How do I see in the admin whether a booking came from a trial offer? In the booking overview, trial bookings are labeled accordingly.